The room fell silent, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a quiet realization of the challenges they were about to face and the moments that laid the foundation of their bond.
"Tomorrow," Maze finally said. "Tomorrow, we will train harder than ever, then set off to face whatever trials we need to. Together."
The determination in her voice was unmistakable, and it rekindled hope in Reinhart's heart.
"Together," he echoed in her mind, a resolve resonating in his packet-like voice.
After Maze and Reinhart talked some more, they said goodnight and Reinhart left the room to float back to his room. While he didn't like that they were going to be separated again, Reinhart had enjoyed the time that they had together. Considering how lonely his last life has become, Maze was like a breath of fresh air.
The problem was that this world was different than Earth, and people still fought wars by throwing troops at one another. Reinhart never liked thinking about that, but he knew he was going to have to kill people in the future.
"For a floating box, you look deep in thought, my student."
Reinhart turned in the air to see the green-scaled Aldren. "You are back? I thought that you were going to be a while longer?"
"Not much more to learn right now. I thought that they might reveal something else if I waited, but the Evil Dralkon have pulled out of the city. I can't tell if they have sided with King Farid because all their interactions seem to be hostile." Aldren explained.
"So does that mean that you are going to take over my training?" Reinhart asked, not sure if he should be excited or not, but the big Dralkon shook his head.
"No. I have another task to complete before your training is over. When I am finished, I will gather you and Maze for the final part of your training. For now, Saava and the other two will teach you how to use weapons, and to master things like flight and other forms of Mana-assisted forms of movement," Aldren said, and Reinhart nodded slowly.
"Do you think that I am going to have to kill people?" Reinhart asked, and Aldren responded with a shrug.
"I think that you can do it without killing, but consider this. What if leaving someone alive could put other people you care about in danger? While killing is not always the answer, some people are too far gone to see reason," Aldren replied, his tone carrying the weight of difficult decisions he'd undoubtedly made in the past.
Reinhart fell silent, his mind full of tumultuous thoughts. The reality of his new life was slowly setting in - a life where violence was inevitable. As much as he hoped to avoid it, this wasn't a world where diplomacy would always win the day.
His internal deliberation was cut short when Sprout poked out from his pocket and gave an encouraging hum. Reinhart couldn't help but chuckle at the timing. As simple as the little tree was, it always seemed to know just when to ease his fears.
"Well, I guess for the time being, all I can do is concentrate on preparing myself, right?" Reinhart mused, attempting to put on a brave face despite his inner turmoil.
"That's the spirit," Aldren replied with a shallow nod. "Remember, Reinhart, our world is at stake here. And we're all counting on you and Maze."
With that, Aldren turned and left Reinhart floating alone. He did feel better after talking with Aldren, but he also was still troubled. It was not as if he was scared of what he might have to do, but what it might do to him mentally after.
Lost in thought, Reinhart wandered back to the training area, rather than his room. If he was going to get stronger, then he was going to have to start putting in even more effort.
"Back so soon? I am surprised that you didn't spend the night with the Queen?" Saava asked, startling Reinhart.
"No, I just met her, and I have more respect for her than that," Reinhart said as Saava walked out from the shadows laughing.
"Truth is that I assumed you would want to come back to train after, so I waited here for you. Since you don't seem to need to sleep, the girls and I will train you in rotation. Vexille is a master when it comes to using magic, but not fighting with it," Saava explained as she held up her hand that was covered in orange and yellow scales.
As she did, the stone started to gather around it, and soon, Saava's entire hand and forearm were covered in rock.
Reinhart watched in amazement but then was forced to throw up a shield to stop Saava's rock-covered fist. As the dust cleared, he saw Saava standing there with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Looks like you're really serious about this," Reinhart said with a nervous laugh.
"Let's get you back into human form so we can begin your real training," Saava responded, waving over a Dralkon Reinhart haven't met yet. "For the next 20 hours, I will be training you nonstop on how to use magic offensively. While magic can be used to kill, you can also use it in ways to stop your foes without hurting them. You need to learn both ways."
Feeling a rush of adrenaline and a sense of purpose, Reinhart nodded, preparing himself to dive into the most intense part of his training yet. As scary as this world could be, he also understood it was filled with opportunities. He was determined to rise to the challenge because, after all, he wasn't alone anymore. He had Maze and the support of this unlikely family of Dralkon.
With the resolve piercing through his apprehensions, Reinhart decided to give himself entirely to the training that awaited him. Everyone was counting on him, and he wasn't about to let them down. As Saava led him through the different exercises, he focused on his Mana, trying to mold it as he had done to build the small wooden cabin.