The crescent moon had made its way across the sky but it was still too early for the stars to fade into the morning light when Thane called a stop to their training session.
Ashlynn slumped, leaning against a wooden training dummy and sliding down until she sat on the worn cobblestones of the training yard. Her chest heaved and steam rose from her body in the cool night air. Every muscle in her arms, back, and legs felt like it was on fire and her hands trembled, no longer capable of gripping her sword after so many exchanges with Thane.
A normal warrior, if pushed so far beyond their limits, would take at least two or three days of rest before they were back in fighting condition. Ashlynn, however, had come to realize that the fire she felt now would fade with a few hours of sleep, leaving her once again stronger and faster than she'd been the day before.
