n accordance with his fathers’ instructions Ciaran had waited the entire year, soon his time at the academy would come to an end, looking back on it he found that it had slipped through his fingers like the sand that flowed between the rocks disappearing into the currents to a location unknown.

Few things of importance had happened over the months possibly aiding in his ability to forget the passing of time but that mattered little as he stood before a wooden door far bigger than himself, his father giving a knowing smile as Ciaran stared up at its gaping form.

Once he had found enough amusement from the situation Ciaran’s father opened the simple set of double doors, as the creaks echoed throughout the small stone tunnel Ciaran’s expectations were crushed.

Inside the cold basement was a large array of workout equipment, contained in the vault of fitness where many things Ciaran didn’t even know existed but none of it elicited any reaction. He had followed his father down here in excitement hoping that it would be some secret method to do with magic, but he was sorely mistaken.

Ciaran’s father removed his shirt, the slim man had rows of densely packed muscle, despite his apparent flimsiness he seemed to contain a refined strength greater than Ciaran had ever seen… not that Ciaran had ever seen that many shirtless men… realising that his father’s actions were weird he decided to inquire

“Daddy? Why did you take your shirt off, don’t people exercise with their clothes on?”

“Yes… but I have to show you something, also if you ever head west the nu-ahh nice people up their train under water, clothes aren’t great there.”

“But we aren’t under water”

“What part of I have to show you something?”

“Oh! sorry”

“Anyway, our clan has a very special method for growing nice and dense muscles, our clan prioritised this method of muscle gain due to its greater strength and out natural physiques that are determined at blah blah blah”

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Seeing that his words were going in one ear out the other his father didn’t even bother explaining which muscle was which and just put his shirt on before staring at Ciaran.

Once he realised and stopped zoning out, Ciaran inquired

“what’s a clan”

unimpressed his father answered

“Think of it like a family, a very weird one at that, anyway, do twenty reps on that I will correct your form if your wrong”

“can’t you show me first?”

“I did”

“Really?”

Seeing Ciaran’s big eyes his “yes” got caught in his throat, instead he chose a different tactic

“If you do this you can get strong!”

“okay”

… Ciaran failed miserably for the first few days, his lacking memory but a small part of the equation as he tried again and again to go over his limits. Ciaran’s father was not faring well either as he realised that the academy would close for a month soon to prepare for the next year, and he would be left with the cute little gremlin.

Despite their early failures the two managed to persist until Burton came by to inquire about a shipment of farm tools he had to make, and Ciaran’s father began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“ahhh, Mr Burton I do believe it has been a while since we last met”

“Indeed, I believe it was the ironworks about a month ago”

“so what brings you my way today?”

“the shipment of greenies that you wanted, now did you want 52 or 56”

“I do believe that I only placed an order for 52, why?”

“ I received the money for 56”

“ah, the price of western iron is on the rise again”

“with the way those westies are hogging through I’m surprised they have any iron left in the market, I’ve been getting mine from down south, takes longer but its not like I’m going anywhere, I live in this town after all.”

“well, if you have nothing else may I propose a different challenge, I call it rescue the father”

“oh, has the wee one been some trouble”

“no, he’s just… a bit too enthusiastic”

“sure, I will take him off your hands, I only needed the time to prepare the shop for a kiddo anyway, doesn’t really matter the muscle hes got on him”

“I tried to teach him a bit of patience, I did it the hard way”

“well that ones on you, but I will do what I can”

Alexander’s eyes lit up at the thought of the freedom soon to come

“don’t smile like that… Please”