Chapter 2: Training (Part 1)
The King clapped with a happy cheer,
"Really? It gives me profound happiness to hear that all you Heroes are willing to save our land."
For breakfast we had all been invited to join the King. It was by all means a lovely display of food and the Heroes responded well to it. Each of them including Sayuri reaffirmed their willingness to commit themselves to their forced roles. From my position however I could definitely see each of them had different motives. Carlton was the only one who wanted to genuinely help this world, Gary who like me seemed to be joining for fun and interest, his sister Alicia was looking after him and Sayuri just wanted to go home as soon as possible. To the King, none of their motives mattered. As long as they would become Heroes and fight the Demon Lord (me), it didn't matter how they felt. Although saying that, from what I gathered last night he also wanted the Heroes to be his. Not the Heroes of the humans but the Heroes of Elsbeth.
"When do we start training?" Sayuri asked bluntly.
The King was taken aback by her unexpected enthusiasm but quickly refreshed his expression, "It is understanding for the Heroes to want some time to adjust to their situation but I had wanted you all to start as soon as possible."
"Then we can start today, can't we?"
A cough and splutter came from the other side of the table, "Isn't that too soon?" Alicia spat. "Have you even been in a fight before?"
"And that's exactly why we should start now," Sayuri didn't back down.
Her direct reply grated against Alicia as she frowned, "I get it but give us a little slack. You're the one who was crying up till this morning."
Sayuri's eyes sharpened, "At least I want to change."
Before Alicia could reply Gary held her arm softly, "Sis don't fight. Isn't it better that we start sooner than later?"
She turned to face her brother, "But Garr, are you sure you'll be fine?"
"Who knows but I can try right?"
"I agree," Carl raised his hand. "Knowing what's happening outside, we can't relax here forever."
I nodded, "From what I've gathered from you, all four of you belong to a pretty safe world right?"
"Where we were born was safe at least."
"Then it's best if you get used to this world and train yourselves. This land we live on can be dangerous."
"Fine," Alicia huffed.
"If you are all in agreement, I shall make the preparations," the King waved to a servant nearby who nodded and left. "Before that, I'd like to know more about you Heroes." At the suggestion, I looked around only to see each of the Heroes stare away, avoiding the topic. "I see… it is alright if you wish not to speak but I hope one day you can open yourselves to me." His gaze locked on to me, "What of you Davios? Where are you from? As a resident of this world, may I ask where you were raised?"
Hmph, a smile lit my face. I had prepared for this. Luckily my back story didn't involve the Klerical Kingdom.
"I'm from Rentolt. I was raised in small town along the border between our land and the Demon's. Because of this, my benefactor who later became my Master raised me to be a magician. I am quite skilled as I'm sure you know, living so close to the border, one has to learn to defend himself."
"Rentolt hmmm," the King rubbed his chin with a smile. "I am glad that you belong to a Kingdom with good affiliation with our own."
"Don't misunderstand, although I live in that Kingdom. I have never been to the capital before. My entire life was spent close to my home town."
"Of course, but for you to be summoned means that you have great potential. It is a shame for the Queen of Rentolt not to have noticed your talent."
"Even if she had noticed, my dream was to become a Hero for not one single country but this entire land."
The King paused for the slightest moment, "Of course, a noble cause indeed."
From the corner of my eyes I could see the court magician from yesterday focus on me. If they had known that I heard them last night, it would have been a direct provocation. Something that couldn't be left alone so simply. Instead breakfast continued normally.
*
In less than two hours we were gathered to a large courtyard within the Palace. We being the Heroes and I. They had all gone through a change of clothes and looked relatively normal for the standards of this country. In front of us was one of the knights from yesterday. He wasn't a normal knight but a Knight Captain and in charge of the defence of the palace.
"Good morning Heroes. My name is Telius Drake Rafhound and I shall be your instructor." He stood forebodingly in front of us. He was considerably young for a Knight Captain. Maybe in his mid to late twenties. "Now stand to attention!"
"Eh, ah yes!" The Heroes awkwardly stood straight in a quick flick. I fixed my posture more slowly.
"As of today you will enter the realm of combat!" he drew his sword and thrust it into the ground. "As the Heroes there should be now doubt that in the future your strength shall be even greater than my own. But! For now you are mere pups to be whipped into shape." He looked towards some knight near the back of the courtyard, "Boulder!"
And just like that they bought a giant rock taller than the Knight Captain. "Hyuah!" he smacked it with his fist and the rock fell apart in an explosion of dust.
"No way!" Carl shouted. It was impressive but even an ordinary Knight was expected to be able to do that much. Maybe not so easily but able to nonetheless.
"This is your goal. By the end of the week, you must all be able to do this. If not then you may as well forsake your title as Heroes!"
"One week?" Alicia yelled, mouth wide open. "How can you expect us to-,"
She was cut off, "Now run, endurance comes first!"
"Huh?" I said.
"Go!"
*
Curse you humans I huffed while laying down in the shade. To make someone as magnificent as I run laps. Can I use magic? No he said, just run laps he said. But I'm a magician I said, but did he care? Of course he didn't. The fool, I could make his life hell. I sent a glare to the Knight Captain who was calmly watching the remaining Heroes run. They'd already been running for twice as long as I had. Finally Gary split off towards me, seeing him leave, Alicia did as well.
Gary sat down near me covered in sweat. I passed him some water from a flask.
"Oh thanks," he took the water and eagerly drunk it before handing it to his sister. She stood above us and looked down at us with a smirk.
"You two look so pathetic."
"Excuse me?" I stared back at her.
"Weren't you saying before how you were a skilled magician? You couldn't even run half the distance we did."
"If I used magic, I could cover that distance in seconds."
"Oh really? I don't believe you," Alicia continued to tease me. "You're just as weak as the rest of us."
"Um sis, be nicer to Dave. He showed us magic last night remember?"
"No Gary it's alright, your sister is testing me," I smiled innocently. "She just wants a demonstration."
"Demonstration? How about you ran more laps then I'll be-,"
I pointed my fingers at her feet and clicked them. A soft cloud rose from the ground and carried her a foot in the air. I smirked, "Hold on."
"Oi, what are y—Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" her scream trailed away. The cloud sped off around the courtyard passing by Sayuri and Carl who yelled in surprise and within a few seconds it made it back to us.
The cloud slowed down and Alicia stepped off it unsteadily.
"How's that?" I said proudly.
"Ugh…." Alicia rushed past us to the closest bush and then, "Bleugh." She threw up.
"…."
"My sister has pretty bad motion sickness," Gary said unsympathetically. She didn't look well at all which made me feel kind of bad. I stood up and placed my hand on her head.
"There is that better?" I asked as I eased her nausea.
"Ah, yeah," she wiped her mouth and stepped away from me, "Was that magic as well."
"Yep." I smiled, "See, as I said I am quite skilled."
"I believe you so just don't do that again."
At that moment Carl came running towards us. "What was that?"
Gary pointed to my cloud, "Dave's magic."
He blinked at me, "Oh nice."
I chatted with them for a while as they pestered me about magic. After a few minutes I noticed something, Sayuri was still running.
"Hang on," I stopped Gary from talking and hoped on to my cloud. It flew towards Sayuri. Her face was red and covered in sweat. It looked like she would keel over any second.
"You should take a break," I said simply as I floated relaxed next to her.
"I don't have time for a break," she refused to look at me and kept running.
"No matter how long you run for, even with magic and mana you won't grow stronger without rest."
She stayed silent and continued to stare straight placing one foot in front of the other. Her stubbornness ticked me off. I looked at the ground and let my mana flow. A small kink in the ground came up and Sayuri fell forwards. She would have face planted but a soft cloud caught her. Before she could register her confusion it flew to where the other Heroes were.
"What was that for?" she yelled as I arrived.
"Because it looked like you were going to die," I replied annoyed. "Besides this was a warmup, don't waste all your energy at once. Now drink some water." Alicia handed her a fresh flask. Sayuri accepted it in silence but continued to glare at me. Tch, this girl, at least know when you're wrong like Alicia.
"Hey Dave, why can't you just make water using magic for us to drink?" Gary asked disrupting the bad mood.
"No can do. Because water made from magic is mana given the form of water. In other words it's contaminated with mana and if you drink it you'll get sick or die."
"…noted."
"Well you can do some things to make it drinkable but that's tricky. You'll find out later when they start teaching you."
A yell came towards us. "Enough relaxing, it's time to continue!"
"…." I raised my hand, "Permission to be excused."
"Reason?"
"I'm a magician."
"Denied."
"Damn it."