"Keep running!" a stern shout echoed out, forcing the sweaty kid to run under the scorching sun.
"Breathe with your nose!"
"Measure your steps!"
"Alternate your postures!"
"Do brief speed bursts!"
"Do sudden stops!"
The boy kept being ordered around, as he did his best to keep up with the commands. However, it didn't take long for his stamina to run out, as he collapsed and fell asleep right on the spot.
"Tch! Only two hours! What a weakling!" the man was dissatisfied, as he simply picked the boy up by his collar and dragged him into what looked like a wooden hut.
The man kicked open the door and threw the kid on the bed and then simply left, slamming the door shut.
"Ughhh…" a while later, the kid woke up, pain of strained muscles spread all across his body, as he struggled to sit up on the bed.
"Haaah…I am tired of this…" the kid spoke, giving up on getting up altogether, as he lay on the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling.
Time went by, but the kid kept lying motionlessly…
"I wonder why Uncle just won't let me live a good life. We have everything: status, wealth and power. Yet, I am forced to spend the majority of the year outside the estate, wasting my time and training under that old hunter. Why can't I be like other noble kids?" Wade expressed his thoughts aloud, not caring even if the old hunter might hear him.
"I can't even eat my favorite food! I might as well be a commoner and live the rest of my life in the woods!" he shouted lightly, but knew that his fate wasn't in his hands.
Irritated, he stood up and went down to the floor to do push-ups. It had become quite a routine for him for the past twelve years. Usually, he would spend nine months in this forest, while the rest of the year, he would be under the tutelage of some mentor in the estate.
They were often changed depending on what his Uncle made him study. However, no matter what it was, three months was never enough, as he had to always self-study all year round despite his daily training and harsh conditions that he lived in this forest.
Strangely enough, the old man would sometimes help him with his studies, in the form of doing endless quizzes while forcing him to climb uphill with rocks tied to his feet.
He truly couldn't relax and over the years, with no one even bothering to listen to his complaints, he had to shut up and adapt to his circumstances.
With time, he naturally became sturdier, both in mind and body. However, he recently began to have thoughts about his future. Who he wanted to be and what he wanted to achieve. There was a spark of rebellion and defiance developing in his personality. Which often backfired and resulted in him being disciplined by the old hunter and bossed around unconditionally for months on end.
"How can I submit myself to what my Uncle sees fit? Why should I even bother working so hard for his sake if House of Alexo already has plenty of heirs?! I am the only one of the juniors who suffers such a fate of being a mule!"
"None of my cousins go through this! All of them are taught and trained by the best! What about me? I never even had a proper teacher! I have an old hunter for a trainer! My cousin Edrick has the goddamn Chief Guard of Alexo as his trainer!"
Wade ranted on and on, releasing his frustration in the only way he knew: a rant and push-ups.
"I am not even Alexo!" he yelled as he finally squeezed out the last bit of his strength to finish the hundredth push-up.
"Well, at least I am getting stronger and smarter. In case I will ever need to run away from the House." he patted his hands and grabbed a towel hanging on the edge of the bed frame, as he stepped out of the hut.
Outside, the fresh scent of evening forest hit him in the face, as the sun was slowly setting on the horizon.
'I need to take a quick bath.' Wade turned away from the forest, darting toward the distant hills.
There, he stripped himself clean and jumped into the river. However, contrary to what one might expect, his dive produced a negligible splash, as he expertly swam across the river without surfacing even once.
"Pha!" he resurfaced from the other shore and swam toward his favorite spot, leaning on the rocks that were still hot from the daily sun.
His buzz cut black hair and golden irises seemed to stick out like a sore thumb, as slow footsteps gradually approached him from behind.
"Good evening, Aunt Kamila." Wade greeted with his back to the newcomer, as he preferred to be immersed in the cold water for a bit more.
The middle-aged woman didn't seem to mind it, as she sat to his left side, looking together at the direction of the setting sun.
"Your habit of going nude in the water still hasn't changed after so many years." Kamila suddenly sighed, as certain memories resurfaced.
"We talked this over many times, I get too sweaty and hot to bother about unwanted stares. Moreover, I only do that here in the dead woods! Not even people from your village frequent this place." Wade retorted and dismissively waved his left hand.
Kamila rolled her eyes, as a crafty smirk appeared on her face.