The morning sun stretched over Brisden's outskirts, golden light spilling across the rolling fields beyond the walls. Kaito had dragged Elenya out there before the roosters even started crowing, a wooden practice sword in one hand and a coil of rope slung over his shoulder.
"Dad…" Elenya yawned, rubbing her eyes. "It's barely light out."
"Exactly," Kaito said, setting the rope down and clapping his hands. "Sun ain't waitin' on us, kiddo. If you wanna survive out there, you gotta learn early, fight smart, and move faster than a drunk goblin runnin' from rent collectors."
Elenya blinked. "That's… oddly specific."
He smirked. "Ain't wrong, though."
He stuck the wooden sword into the ground and gestured toward her. "Alright, first lesson — balance. If you can't keep your feet steady, you're about as useful in a fight as a screen door on a submarine."
She tilted her head. "What's a submarine?"
Kaito paused, realizing his slip, then waved it off. "Don't worry 'bout it. Point is, you keep your feet apart, knees loose, and eyes forward. Got it?"
Elenya mimicked his stance, wobbling just a little.
"Good start," he said, circling her like a hawk. "Now, swing at me."
Her eyes went wide. "What? I—I don't wanna hit you!"
He chuckled, picking up his own practice blade. "Darlin', you couldn't hurt me if you tried. Now swing before I die of old age."
She took a deep breath and swung. He blocked it easily, wooden blades clacking together.
"Not bad," he said. "But you hesitated. You think too much, you lose. You feel it in your gut and you go."
She nodded and tried again — faster this time. The hit still didn't connect, but her form was cleaner, her eyes sharper.
Kaito grinned. "There we go. Ain't no magic trick — just good ol' repetition. We'll do this every mornin' till it's muscle memory."
Elenya puffed her cheeks. "Every morning?"
"Yep. Welcome to the Mercer Training Regimen: eat, swing, sweat, repeat."
She groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "You're mean, Dad."
"Mean?" He chuckled. "Nah, sweetheart. I'm thorough."
---
By midmorning, they were both sweating under the rising sun. Kaito had her running footwork drills using rocks and sticks he'd set out in a zigzag line. She stumbled, tripped, and once nearly faceplanted into the dirt — but every time, she got back up.
He whistled low. "Tougher than you look, kid. I like that."
Elenya wiped her brow. "You're not even tired!"
"That's 'cause I've been doin' this kinda thing longer than you've been breathin'," he said with a wink. "Now, one more lap 'round the post. You can rest when you can't stand no more."
She groaned again but took off running, her little boots kicking up dust.
While she worked, Kaito leaned on the fencepost, watching the horizon. A warm breeze rolled across the fields, carrying the scent of grass and sun-warmed dirt. For a moment, he felt something like peace.
Maybe this was what redemption looked like — teaching, guiding, building something that wasn't war or duty or politics.
When Elenya finally stumbled back, breathless and red-faced, he handed her a canteen. "Drink. Small sips, or you'll make yourself sick."
She took a long gulp anyway and sighed. "That was hard."
He laughed. "Good. Hard builds character. World don't hand out easy."
After a while, she sat beside him in the grass, both of them staring at the distant hills.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I'll ever be strong like you?"
He looked at her for a long moment, then smiled faintly. "Nah."
Her face fell — until he added, "You'll be stronger. You got somethin' I didn't at your age — a choice. I had to fight 'cause there weren't no other way. You get to fight because you wanna protect what's right. That makes you dangerous in all the right ways."
Elenya smiled, small but certain. "Then I'll train extra hard."
"That's my girl," he said, ruffling her hair. "Now come on. We'll grab lunch, then I'll show you how to tie a proper snare. You're gonna learn to catch dinner before you learn magic — priorities."
She groaned. "That sounds gross."
He chuckled. "You ain't lived till you've had roast rabbit you caught yourself. Trust me — we'll make a proper redneck outta you yet."
---
That evening, back at the inn, Elenya collapsed face-first onto her bed, mumbling something that sounded like "no more drills ever again."
Kaito leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her with quiet amusement. "You did good today, kiddo. Ain't every day someone learns to swing a sword, run drills, and not cry once about it."
She peeked at him from under the blanket. "I almost cried."
He grinned. "Almost don't count."
She smiled sleepily. "Goodnight, Dad."
"Night, Elenya," he said softly.
When her breathing steadied, he looked out the window again. The moon hung over Brisden, silver and calm.
"Guess we're startin' to figure this out," he murmured. "Me, you, and a world that still don't know what hit it."
He tipped his hat forward, closed his eyes, and for the first time in years, slept without dreams.