The sun had barely broken through the trees when Kael woke. The forest smelled of damp earth and dew, and birds flitted through the branches as if nothing had happened in the world beyond. He rubbed his eyes and saw Soren sitting a few feet away, watching him quietly, as though he had been waiting all night.
"Morning," The stranger said simply, his voice carrying a warmth.
Kael swallowed. "Morning." He felt the tension in his shoulders, the ache in his chest from yesterday's conversations, from yesterday's memories. The shadows of Mirevale still lingered inside him, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to move past them.
The stranger tilted his head slightly, not saying anything, just watching him. The silence made Kael uncomfortable. He realized that the stranger was not pressuring him. He was… just here. Not following, not pushing. And somehow, that made Kael feel a little safer.
After a long moment, the stranger finally broke the silence. "By the way… I feel like we didn't get to know each other's names yet, right?"
Kael's brows furrowed. "Right… I'm Kael," he said cautiously.
The stranger smiled faintly, a rare curve of his lips. "Nice to meet you, Kael. I'm Soren. Soren Vale."
Kael whispered to himself. "Vale...?"
"Did you say something?" Soren asked.
Kael said nothing.
Soren rose to his feet. "Alright. Now that we know each other, we will now begin your training."
Kael hesitated. "Train? You mean… fight?"
Soren shook his head. "Not just fight. Strength is not only in the arms or the blade. It is in the body. In the mind. In the will. You survived, that proves something. But survival alone will not be enough next time. Not if the world tries to take everything from you again."
Kael's jaw tightened. "So, you're going to make me strong… like you?"
Soren didn't answer immediately. He only looked at Kael, assessing, patient, and serious. "No. I will teach you to become strong in ways that matter to you. That way, you can stand on your own, and no one can take your life from you again."
Kael nodded slowly. He didn't fully trust Soren yet. He wasn't sure if he ever would. But he wanted the strength Soren spoke of. That desire burned quietly inside him.
Soren led him to a small clearing deeper in the forest. The morning sun filtered through the leaves, casting moving patterns on the ground. "We start with your body," Soren said. "Everything else comes later. If your body is weak, nothing else will matter. Push it. Break it. Then rebuild it stronger."
Kael's eyes widened. "Break it? What do you mean?"
Soren picked up a thick log from the ground. "Push your limits, Kael. Run until your legs burn. Lift until your muscles scream. Endure until you think you can't breathe. That is how you begin."
And so it started.
The first hours were unbearable. Soren had Kael run laps through the uneven forest floor. Roots and rocks tore at his ankles, thorns scratched his arms, sweat poured down his face, and his lungs burned with every breath. Kael wanted to collapse, but Soren never gave him the chance. He stayed silently at his side, guiding him, correcting his posture, but never holding him back.
Next came strength training. Soren had Kael lift logs, carry heavy stones, and press tree trunks overhead. Kael's arms shook, his back burned, his hands cracked from gripping rough wood. Every time he faltered, Soren's calm voice reminded him. "Push a little further. Endure. One more set."
After an exhausting morning of raw physical training, Soren picked up two wooden practice swords. "Now, we move to the blade."
Kael's heart sank. He had never held a sword before. His movements were clumsy, awkward, and slow. Soren moved with a fluidity Kael could barely follow. When Soren struck, Kael barely blocked. When Kael swung, Soren easily sidestepped. Every time Kael failed, Soren corrected him, showing him angles, balance, and stance. There was no shouting, no anger, just guidance, firm and patient.
Hours passed. Kael's arms and shoulders ached, his legs trembled, and sweat soaked his clothes. Yet he felt a strange satisfaction. Every strike he managed, every block he completed, made him feel slightly more alive.
Soren then led him to unarmed combat. Martial arts. Kael fell more than he struck. His body learned to move in ways it never had before. Every time he stumbled, Soren reminded him, "Control. Awareness. Timing. Not force. You are learning to protect yourself. That is what matters."
By midday, Kael's body screamed in protest, but Soren was not done. He guided him through exercises to strengthen core and endurance, balancing on logs, lifting, pushing, rolling, and jumping. Kael's muscles burned, his skin was scratched and bruised, but Soren's presence never faltered. He was always there, close enough that Kael felt safe, far enough that Kael felt the need to try.
During a pause, Kael collapsed against a tree. Sweat dripped into his eyes. "Why… are you… helping me?" he gasped.
Soren crouched beside him. "Because no one should be alone in this world and because you choose to survive, Kael. That is all that matters to me."
Kael nodded silently. He didn't fully trust Soren. But for the first time, he didn't feel entirely alone.
The sun began to dip toward the horizon, yet Soren was not finished. "Tomorrow, we will continue. We will add speed, precision, and endurance drills. Then sparring. Then tactics. Each step builds on the last. You will be exhausted, yes, but you will also grow stronger."
Kael's body ached from the day, his legs threatened to give out, and his arms felt like lead. Yet inside, a small spark of determination flickered. He clenched his fists. "I want to get stronger," he said quietly. "I want to be able to survive next time. I want to protect myself."
Soren smiled faintly, not with pride, but with acknowledgment. "That is the choice that matters, Kael. The choice to protect yourself. Everything else will follow."
Night fell, and Kael slept on the forest floor, leaning against a tree. His body ached in every possible way, but he felt alive. He felt a glimmer of hope.
The day had been harsh, grueling, and punishing, but it was a start. A start toward something Kael had never thought possible. The chance to rise, to become stronger than the world that had taken everything from him.
Soren watched him silently as he slept, still cautious, still calm. He could not leave Kael alone, not yet.
Tomorrow, the training will continue. And Kael would rise, step by step, under Soren's quiet guidance, learning to be more than a survivor.
(End of Chapter 6)