Re: Training part1

At night Kazuki's eyes were fixed on the ornate ceiling of his guest chamber. The bed soft and the room quiet, but his mind refused to rest.

The king's words replayed again and again.

"Eighteen days."

Kazuki sat up with a sigh, rubbing his face. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes tired but thoughts racing.

Then—a soft knock at the door.

Zephyr stepped in, still in her day robes. Her long brunette hair flowed freely over her shoulders. Her expression was soft, calm.

"You're still awake?" she whispered.

Kazuki gave a nod.

"Yeah. Can't sleep."

She stepped in, closing the door gently behind her.

"Mind if I sit?"

"Sure."

She sat down beside the bed; legs tucked to the side.

"Are you nervous?"

He gave a small laugh.

"That obvious, huh?"

"It's written all over your face." She laughed gently, then paused. "Earlier… when my father asked you to save the kingdom—you smiled. Why?"

Kazuki's gaze dropped to his lap.

"I, uh… I write a diary," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Back home. Writing helps me make sense of things. Kinda like talking to myself without being crazy."

"Last thing I wrote was ..."

"I wanted to be the kind of person who could be in a story. Someone people rely on, or admire… someone needed. I just… didn't think it'd be granted like this."

Her eyes softened.

Zephyr reached up, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Well… you're not alone in this story, Kazuki." She smiled faintly. "Both Ardent and Alvis are the best in all of Numeria. They'll guide you with everything they have."

She leaned forward, her hand brushing gently against his cheek. Kazuki froze, surprised by the tenderness.

"Sleep now," she whispered, eyes glowing faintly with magic. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Her spell took hold gently—warm and calming, like sinking into a safe dream.

Kazuki's eyes fluttered closed, the tension in his shoulders finally easing as sleep washed over him.

Zephyr stood quietly, watching his now steady breathing, a small bittersweet smile on her face. She walked out and closed the door softly behind her.

Only to find Ardent waiting in the hallway.

His arms were crossed, his silver hair tied back, eyes unreadable in the dim torchlight.

"Why do you care about him this much?"

Zephyr didn't look surprised. She met his gaze calmly.

"I see who he was before coming here… and I see myself."

"Before Kael, I shut myself away from the world. Books were my only friends. I didn't know how to be strong, how to speak up, or even smile without doubting myself."

She placed a hand over her heart.

"Kael helped me become someone better… someone braver. So now—I'll be that person for Kazuki."

Ardent watched her quietly. Then, after a long pause, he gave a single nod.

Before sunrise, the silence of the guest chamber shattered with a loud splash and a gasp.

"WAKE UP!"

Kazuki shot up, coughing and drenched, flailing beneath the weight of a soaked blanket. Ardent stood beside the bed, holding an empty wooden bucket with a straight face and not the faintest hint of remorse.

"You sleep like a hibernating bear, Hasunuma. You're not on a trip."

Kazuki wiped his face, teeth chattering.

"You could've just… called my name and wake me up."

"I did. Twice. And waited. Then got bored."

They stood in the misty courtyard not long after, the sky a pale orange behind the castle towers. Kazuki jogged around the training ground in simple cloth garb, arms swinging, sweat building—but to his surprise, it wasn't as hard as he expected.

His breath stayed even. His legs didn't burn.

"Not bad," Ardent said, watching him closely. "This isn't just you, boy. It's Kael's body. He trained it every day without fail. What you’re feeling now isn't talent—it's preparation."

They moved on to footwork drills, dancing across the training square in structured steps. Then came sword form practice, starting with balance and grip. Ardent demonstrated and corrected Kazuki's every move.

"No, no. Step in with your hips. Your power's leaking out through your feet. Again."

Kazuki mimicked the swing.

Clack!

Ardent suddenly jabbed at him with a wooden stick—not enough to injure, but fast.

Kazuki deflected it with lightning reflexes, surprising even himself.

Ardent raised his eyebrows.

"Reflexes, too. That's muscle memory. The body remembers what the mind has yet to learn"

The next day

Another bucket. Another round of warm-ups.

Kazuki's swings were better now. Tighter. His stance more grounded.

Ardent crossed his arms.

"You're moving well enough. Let's see what happens when the dummy fights back."

He tossed him a wooden sword.

"Time to spar."

Kazuki caught it awkwardly.

"Wait—what?"

Zephyr and Alvis entered from the far archway, robes swaying in the morning breeze. She smiled at him with soft encouragement. Alvis folded his arms, saying nothing yet.

Ardent stepped in and raised his own wooden blade.

"Let's see what your body really knows."

The match began.

Kazuki's defense was decent—he dodged, blocked, and tried to keep his distance. But Ardent didn't hold back. His strikes were swift, unrelenting, and heavy. The first blow caught Kazuki's side and dropped him to his knees.

"Get up," Ardent said flatly.

Kazuki stumbled up. Another strike to the shoulder, knocking him down again.

"Up."

This time, Kazuki stayed down longer, groaning.

Zephyr stepped forward, distressed.

"Master Ardent, stop—he's not ready! You're pushing him too hard—!"

Alvis stopped her with a raised hand, gaze calm.

"Watch."

Kazuki rolled to his side, panting hard. His sword lay beside him. He clutched his ribs.

"I can't… I can't beat you. I'm not Kael. I'm not even close."

Ardent stepped closer, voice rising—not in anger, but in force, like iron striking iron.

"You're a man, aren't you? Then stand up and be one."

"Pick up the sword, Hasunuma. Stand. Life will always throw more at you than you're ready for. I don't know what your world is like—but I doubt it's going to go easy on you because you're weak."

"And let me tell you something: If you act weak, life won't just hit you—it'll crush you. It doesn't care how you look, how talented or smart you are, none of it matters. It'll stomp you into the dirt, like any other."

Kazuki's fingers twitched on the hilt.

"Every time life hits you—every time you think you're not enough—you get up. You push back. You face it. If you do that, you'll not only survive—you'll come out stronger."

"There's no failure in trying. You either win—or you learn. But if you give up, hide, and run?"

Ardent narrowed his eyes.

"Then you're not even a failure. You're nothing."

Kazuki's breath shook. He blinked—once, twice—and a single tear escaped down his cheek.

Then, he gritted his teeth, grabbed the wooden sword, and planted his feet.

He stood.

And faced Ardent again.

Alvis, watching, nodded slowly.

"This is no simple training," he murmured to Zephyr beside him. "He's not just teaching him to fight."

Zephyr wiped the corner of her eye.

"Then what is he doing?"

"What a father does," Alvis said. "He's teaching him how to be a man."