The third day of their trip had arrived. They were walking for all that time, getting just a few hours of sleep, pausing only to eat really fast, and then start to walk again.
The group was decided to arrive at the refuge that they were aiming for in the three days that Rick had stipulated before. Of course, everyone was about to fall asleep or then starve while walking, but they were used to strive against their own bodies' limits and keep going, except Dean.
In truth, they had to maintain this kind of pace for much more time in previous travels. However, in those times, they were always under an enormous threat, like being in a zone with the crimson sky, which showed the high concentration of "Chaos", for example.
Rick was the first one in the group to wake up and go out of the tent. The sun was appearing between the reddish massive clouds that were always covering the sky. Because of those clouds, their nights were always so extended. There was just a gap in the middle of it, which was the gap that the sun always appeared at noon, during until 6 pm. Depending on the season, their days were even shorter.
'Well, it's good that summer is here. After all, it's always tough to travel in the fall and winter. I wonder if we will be able to survive when these next seasons come.'
He decided to give a little stroll around the camp, just to warm up his muscles and brush off the dizziness of his previous sleepy state. The man, in truth, could never get a good night of sleep, but some hours of a short nap were a must for him to keep sane and awake.
'Maybe my sins are what makes me have these nightmares. It's not easy to carry such a heavy weight on my shoulders. However, I did all these things because I wanted to. It's always about survival to see the next day coming, after all. If the weakest can't stand against me, then I will eat them alive.'
As he rambled while walking, he faced a scene that he saw quite often after their first day of travel.
Dean was holding the short sword that they gave him before. He was practicing forms with it. He moved his sword calmly, but firmly, around. The boy was minutely polishing his technique, paying attention to the minimal details of his body.
Rick needed to admit that, for just a brat, he knew how to wield a sword. His movements weren't those of a boy who had fifteen years old, much less his body constitution and his focus. After all, to be strict with himself not to accept mistakes, and to criticize his own actions to improve, someone needed to have the determination and be serious about what he was doing.
Since Dean lost that battle against the weakest Dread of the pack that they fought, his pride seemed to receive a huge blow, and he realized that he wouldn't survive for too long if he stayed like that. Because of it, he began to train his swordsmanship every morning, waking up before Rick and all the others.
Also, in their breaks, he was the quickest to eat, then going to an isolated place to practice for some time. The group was finding it strange, but they knew how it was to be frustrated by their weaknesses. Everyone had their flaws, after all.
'Well, it's amazing that he is doing such a thing, but just swordsmanship won't be able to make you overcome your previous flaws. In the end, confidence in battle just comes with experience, fight against a Dread is the same thing, coordinate with a group takes time, and your physical prowess will be useless as long as you don't get the hang of controlling your "Willpower".'
Little did he know that Dean wasn't training his sportsmanship, but the exact thing missing on his arsenal to become someone more confident in battle and to have the power to defeat the Dreads: "Willpower"
Since that morning, Dean had been training the forms with his sword. The intense, but slow movements that he did when training the forms were perfect for him when it came to controlling his "Willpower". For now, it was still a hard task to make it cross all the way until the tip of his fingers and the rest of his body, then to retract to his heart again. That was a very hard process. Dean always came back from his training covered in sweat.
Just then Dean noticed that control "Willpower" exhausted not just his body but also his mind. "Willpower", actually, connected the body with the mind, which allowed the Ascendant to do things that could just be imagined by ordinary people, and that's why both elements were affected when using it.
Dean didn't look to that book again. He was determined to accomplish that step and make that exercise be, at least, bearable. This way, he would see the other techniques he could train to improve his "Willpower".
When the boy did his final form, then retracted all the "Willpower" back to his heart, concentrating it, he noticed that Rick was glancing in his direction.
Dean was hoping that they couldn't notice that he was training his "Willpower". He wanted to surprise the people of that group, so they would surely keep him with them for longer. He couldn't stay defenseless in a world like that, and various survivors gathered were better than just one.
'Anyway, I feel that it is getting easier to control my "Willpower". I just need to maintain my constancy, then I will improve quickly. However, it was just two days of training. It is nothing compared to someone who is training his control for years. I am feeling less than a beginner.' That fact, though, just made Dean want to pursue with more greed his power, instead of letting him down.
"Hey, Dean. It's very cool that you are training, but I need that you disassemble your tent. We are going in just five minutes today. Wake up the others as well!" Rick ordered, from far away.
Dean nodded, sheathing his sword, then running toward the camp.