Chapter 18: Fifty Laps of Regret
The cold mountain wind swept across the training yard.
Vee tightened his grip around the wooden sword.
Across from him stood Uncle Rowan.
The Iron Tempest.
One of the strongest heroes in the entire continent.
Rowan rested his wooden sword on his shoulder.
"I'll only attack."
"You defend."
"If you survive for one minute..."
"You pass."
Vee blinked.
"...That doesn't sound too hard."
Ethan slowly took two steps backward.
Iris silently did the same.
Both siblings looked at Vee with expressions that almost resembled... pity.
Vee noticed.
"...Why are you both backing away?"
Ethan scratched his cheek.
"We like living."
"...That's not reassuring."
Rowan raised his sword.
"Ready?"
Vee took a deep breath.
"As ready as I'll ever—"
Rowan vanished.
"...Huh?"
THWACK!
The wooden sword struck Vee squarely on the forehead.
"Ow!"
Before he could recover—
THWACK!
His shoulder.
THWACK!
His ribs.
THWACK!
His leg.
Vee stumbled backward in complete confusion.
"I didn't even see you move!"
"Exactly."
Rowan appeared in front of him once again.
"What are your eyes looking at?"
Vee blinked.
"...You?"
"Wrong."
The wooden sword tapped Vee's forehead again.
"You watch the weapon."
"You predict the movement."
"You observe the shoulders."
"The hips."
"The feet."
"Your opponent attacks long before the sword does."
Vee nodded quickly.
"I understand."
"Good."
Rowan disappeared again.
BONK!
"My head!"
"You understood."
"You didn't apply it."
Vee rubbed the growing bump on his forehead.
"...Fair."
The training resumed.
This time...
Vee focused on Rowan's feet.
The instant Rowan shifted his weight—
Vee raised his sword.
CLACK!
He blocked.
For the first time.
A faint smile crossed Rowan's face.
"Better."
Encouraged, Vee grinned.
"I knew I had talent."
THWACK!
The next strike landed on the back of his head.
"I spoke too soon."
"You celebrated before the battle ended."
"That habit gets people killed."
Vee sighed.
"...You really don't let anything slide."
"I don't train corpses."
An hour later...
Vee collapsed onto the ground.
His arms felt like stone.
His legs trembled.
His entire body ached.
Rowan looked down at him.
"You rely too much on talent."
"You have instincts."
"You have courage."
"But your fundamentals are lacking."
Vee sat up.
"So..."
"...what now?"
Rowan pointed toward the mountain path.
"Fifty laps."
Vee froze.
"...Around..."
"...the mountain?"
"Yes."
"I'll die."
"If you die..."
"You won't have to finish the laps."
Vee stared blankly.
"...That's strangely motivating."
He slowly stood.
Stretched his aching muscles.
Then clenched his fist dramatically.
"The mountain may be tall..."
"But my spirit burns brighter than the rising sun!"
Silence.
Rowan looked at him.
Then at Ethan.
Then at Iris.
"...What..."
"...was that?"
Vee proudly smiled.
"My motivational speech."
Ethan covered his face.
"Oh no..."
Iris closed her eyes and quietly turned away.
For the first time since Vee had arrived...
The corner of her mouth twitched.
She was trying very hard not to laugh.
Rowan blinked twice.
"...Do people at the Academy talk like that?"
"No."
"Then why do you?"
Vee scratched the back of his head.
"...It sounded cooler in my head."
Rowan nodded slowly.
"I see."
A long pause followed.
Then Rowan pointed toward the mountain trail again.
"Run."
Vee sighed dramatically.
"Fine..."
"But if I return as a legendary hero..."
"I expect an apology."
Rowan folded his arms.
"If you finish fifty laps..."
"I'll consider saying 'well done.'"
Vee gasped.
"Such generosity!"
Ethan couldn't hold it anymore.
He burst into laughter.
Even Iris let out the tiniest laugh before quickly pretending nothing had happened.
Vee immediately pointed at her.
"You laughed!"
"I did not."
"You definitely did."
"...Prove it."
"I..."
Vee paused.
"...I can't."
She calmly folded her arms.
"Then I win."
Vee stared at her for a moment.
Then sighed.
"This family is impossible."
Rowan's voice echoed across the training ground.
"Forty-nine laps remaining."
Vee's eyes widened.
"I haven't even started!"
"You've wasted two minutes arguing."
"...You're evil."
"No."
"I'm your instructor."
With another dramatic groan, Vee started running down the mountain path while Ethan's laughter echoed behind him.
High above the clouds, the morning sun finally began to rise.
And Uncle Rowan smiled to himself.
"He's talented..."
"But more importantly..."
"He gets back up every time he's knocked down."
"That's the quality that can't be taught."
Chapter 18: Training with the Iron Legion
The sun had barely risen when Vee finally stumbled back from his fiftieth lap around the mountain.
His clothes were soaked with sweat.
His legs felt like jelly.
He collapsed onto the ground.
"...I..."
"...have seen..."
"...the afterlife..."
Uncle Rowan looked down at him.
"No."
"You've only seen a warm-up."
Vee slowly looked up.
"...That..."
"...was a warm-up?"
"It was."
Vee covered his face.
"I'm going home."
"You are home."
"...Right."
Rowan folded his arms.
"The mountain teaches endurance."
"But beginning tomorrow..."
"You'll train differently."
Vee blinked.
"Differently?"
"You'll train alongside my soldiers."
Vee raised an eyebrow.
"The soldiers stationed on the mountain?"
Rowan nodded.
"They're the Iron Legion."
"They don't care if you're my nephew."
"They won't go easy on you."
"They'll treat you like any other recruit."
A grin slowly spread across Vee's face.
"...Good."
Rowan nodded in approval.
"That's the answer I wanted."
---
The Next Morning
A horn echoed across the mountain.
BWOOOOOO!
Hundreds of soldiers gathered in the massive training grounds.
Rows upon rows of armored men and women stood perfectly still.
Not a single voice could be heard.
Vee stared in amazement.
"...That's a lot of people."
The soldiers noticed him.
Some whispered quietly.
"So that's the Duke's son?"
"The Academy Apex?"
"He doesn't look that strong."
"He smiles too much."
One scarred veteran laughed.
"We'll see if he's smiling after today."
At the front stood a broad-shouldered captain with a scar running across his nose.
His voice boomed across the courtyard.
"Listen up!"
"The General's nephew will be training with us."
A few soldiers looked curious.
Others looked amused.
The captain continued.
"I don't care who your parents are."
"I don't care if you're a prince."
"I don't care if you're the Academy Apex."
"Here..."
"Everyone suffers equally."
The soldiers answered in unison.
"YES, CAPTAIN!"
The captain pointed toward Vee.
"You."
"Front."
Vee quickly jogged over.
"Name?"
"Vee Ashford."
"Occupation?"
"...Currently regretting my life choices."
Several soldiers tried not to laugh.
The captain's expression didn't change.
"Good."
"You still have enough energy to joke."
He pointed toward the enormous courtyard.
"Your first task."
"Fifty laps."
Vee stared.
"...Around the courtyard?"
"Correct."
Vee looked at the massive training ground.
It was huge.
One lap alone looked exhausting.
He slowly turned toward the captain.
"...Can I ask a question?"
"You may."
"...Did my uncle tell you to do this?"
"He did."
"...I knew it."
The captain blew a whistle.
"GO!"
Without another word...
Every soldier began running.
Vee sighed.
"Well..."
"I guess suffering really does build character."
A nearby soldier laughed.
"Keep talking, kid."
"You'll forget your legs exist by lap twenty."
Vee grinned.
"Then I'll just borrow someone else's."
The soldier barked a laugh.
"I like him."
Another soldier shook his head.
"Let's see if he still jokes after all fifty."
Vee took off after the others, determined not to fall behind.
High on a stone balcony overlooking the training grounds, Rowan watched silently with his arms folded.
Ethan stood beside him.
"Do you think Cousin Vee can keep up?"
Rowan didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he watched Vee settle into the pace of the experienced soldiers.
Finally, he spoke.
"He'll struggle."
"He'll complain."
"He'll make terrible jokes."
A faint smile crossed Rowan's face.
"But..."
"He won't quit."
And to Rowan...
That mattered far more than talent.