As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky, Freya found herself on her way to the canteen. The events of the previous battle still weighed heavily on her mind, but now she sought a moment of respite. She walked with purpose, her footsteps light on the stone pathway.

Turning a corner, she almost collided with Kormac, who was walking in the opposite direction. They halted, exchanging a quick smile. "Kormac, I was actually looking for you," Freya began, her tone friendly.

Kormac raised an eyebrow, a mixture of curiosity and amusement in his eyes. "Looking for me? Something specific, Commander?"

Freya nodded, "Yes, I wanted to ask you about the training room. Was it repaired?"

Kormac's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Yes, it was."

Freya's eyes gleamed with interest. "Where are you headed now?"

"I was actually on my way to check in on my brother, Kieran and then get some rest but if you're interested, I can accompany you to the training room."

Freya's smile widened. "That would be perfect. But before that, would you care to join me for a meal in the canteen? I heard it's not very crowded at the moment."

Kormac's eyes flickered with surprise, but then shook his head "I would be honored, Commander. But i just ate."

"I see, no problem. Come to the training chamber later and bring Vlad and Bryndor as well. I have something to share, I broke through in the battle and managed to figure out the next stage."

---

The canteen was indeed quieter than usual, with only a few wardens scattered around. Freya found a table near the corner and settled in. With only a few wardens few paid attention when she entered only when she was at the counter did everyone realize who she was and they freaked out, one dropped his food on the ground, another forgot to chew and so on. Only a brave veteran warden, about 40 years old had the courage to speak, "Commander Freya, you're finally awake, thank the heavens! You have no idea how worried everyone was."

"Thanks, I'm glad to be able to join the land of the living also." She looked around and then went to the counter, took her food and went to a table in the corner to eat. And before starting to eat she raised her beer mug and made a toast, "To our fallen brother, may glory be theirs. In shadows we fight, in death we protect!" Then she started to eat.

As she ate, a familiar face appeared at the entrance of the canteen. Serin Darnel, the warden Freya had promised to reward, stood there with a mix of eagerness and hesitation. Freya noticed him and waved him over.

The young warden's face lit up with surprise and gratitude. He quickly approached the table and saluted, "Commander, thank you for your generosity."

Freya motioned for him to sit, her smile warm. "No need for formalities. We're just having a meal. Tell me more about you Serin?"

Serin's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. "I've been training hard and trying to learn more about mana but I just can't awaken it..." They talked as they ate, after they finished their meal Freya glanced at Serin, her gaze thoughtful. "Serin, do you want to accompany me to the training room. I'll personally help you with your mana training."

Serin's eyes widened in astonishment. "Commander, I... I can't believe it. Thank you! But why me?"

Freya chuckled. "I liked your story, Serin there is also something about you... Finish your meal, and then we'll head there."

---

When they arrived in the training chamber, Freya in her usual carefree manner said, "Well off with the clothes. What are you waiting for?"

"Eh... What?" Serin was speechless and he attempted to step back when a hand on his back stopped him. It was Freya who got behind him moving at an unnatural speed, she sighed, "Man these days can't take a joke at all. Allow me to clarify, I can channel my mana through you allowing your body to learn what mana is from then on you should be able to circulate on your own."

"But what does that have to do with me taking my clothes off?"

"Everything, my dear Serin! I need to put my hands on your back for mana to pass freely from me into your body. Now take off your armor and shirt."

Defeated, Serin did as told. His cheeks began to burn but under the predatory gaze of his Commander he could do nothing but comply. Freya's hand felt hot on his back, and he was straight as a tree and tense as a bow drawn bowstring. He felt the strange sensation of mana flowing through his body. It was as if a current of warmth was spreading from the point of contact. He clenched his fists, trying to control his embarrassment and remained focused on the task at hand.

Freya's voice broke the awkward silence, "Relax, Serin. This won't hurt, and it's not as intimate as you think."

Taking a deep breath, Serin tried to relax his body, feeling the mana gradually seeping into him. As Freya's touch lingered on his back, her fingers moved with purpose, tracing invisible patterns that seemed to guide the flow of energy. He felt a strange mixture of discomfort and excitement, his body reacting to the unfamiliar sensation.

After what felt like an eternity, Freya finally withdrew her hand, and Serin let out a sigh of relief. He turned to face her, his cheeks still tinged with embarrassment. "Is it done?"

Freya nodded with a smile. "Yes, Serin. You should start feeling the effects soon. Your body will naturally try to circulate mana, and with some practice, you'll be able to harness it for various tasks."

"Thank you, Commander." Serin's gratitude was genuine, even though the experience had been somewhat awkward. He started putting on his armor and shirt, the feeling of mana lingering in his body.

Freya stopped him, "Oh we're not done yet pretty boy, now comes the fun part. We're now going to train your ability to use it. And the best way is through sparring, no weapons just hand to hand. I've also thought of something new, I'll use my mana to stimulate certain points in your body, while we spar, it might hurt a 'bit' but if you endure you'll skip weeks of training.

"I don't think the idea of me getting my ass kicked is funny, Commander and I wonder what you mean by a bit."

"Don't worry I'll hold back. It will be enjoyable." A mischievous smirk appeared on Freya's face as she twisted her knuckles. Ready or not here I come!"

"Wait, I'm not re..." Serin's words were cut off as he hurried to parry Freya's fist. Freya's movements were a blur of precision and speed as she closed the distance between them. Serin barely had time to react before her fist was upon him, and he instinctively raised his arms to block the blow. The impact sent shockwaves through his arms, and he winced at the force of the hit. Freya's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

As he attempted to recover from the first strike, Serin found himself on the defensive, dodging and parrying Freya's attacks. Her strikes were calculated and relentless, each blow aiming for specific pressure points on his body.

With each precise strike, Serin felt a jolt of pain that radiated from the pressure point to various parts of his body. It was as if his body was being awakened to a new level of sensitivity. Despite the discomfort, he pushed through the pain, determined to prove himself.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Freya's attacks came from unexpected angles, and her movements flowed seamlessly, making it challenging for Serin to anticipate her next move. His body was growing sore, and sweat dripped down his brow, but he refused to give in. He focused on his training, relying on his instincts and years of combat experience to keep up with Freya's onslaught.

The sparring session continued, and Serin's endurance was put to the test. Freya's strikes were relentless, her fists and feet landing with precision on the pressure points she targeted. The pain was intense, but Serin's determination burned brighter, fueled by the promise of accelerated progress. He gritted his teeth, his movements becoming more fluid as he adapted to Freya's technique.

Despite her aggressive approach, Freya maintained a sense of control, ensuring that she didn't cause any lasting harm. She wanted Serin to grow stronger, not break him. With each strike, she felt a surge of mana flowing through him, a sign that he was adapting to the stimulation.

As the spar came to an end, Freya stepped back, a satisfied smile on her face. "Impressive, Serin. You've endured the pain and held your own. Your mana circulation is already more efficient."

Serin was panting, sweat-soaked and sore, but a sense of accomplishment filled him. "Thank you, Commander. I never thought training would be... this intense."

Freya chuckled and looked dead in his eyes, "Not only my training is intense, Serin."

"I... What... I'll be going now, thank you Commander." And he dashed out of the training chamber not even seeing the trio standing by the side.

"Don't forget, tomorrow night at the same time we'll train again." Screamed Freya after him while muttering, "If I knew he had that much energy left I would have pushed him harder."

"Any harder than that and I don't think he would ever come back." Laughed Kormac, "Why did you call me Commander?"

"Poor guy, Commander Freya have set your eyes on that young man?" Attempted to tease her Vlad but Freya shut him off with her usual brash attitude, "Well the bloodline needs to be continued after all, I should make an heir sooner or later, no?" Said she, leaving two of them with their jaws on the floor.

Only Bryndor was the most composed of them, "Have you finally matured, Commander did you really thought about that." Said Bryndor crying tears of joy, "I often thought that with your unique personality the Caerwyn bloodline will end with you." And inwardly added 'I've also been spared of the embarrassment of actually having to bring up this discussion.'

But Vlad and Kormac looked at him with pitty while Freya's eyelid was twitching, "Bryndor!" She called out, making the man paying attention, "What do you mean by 'finally maturing' and 'unique personality'?"

"Commander, we live dangerous times... I ...." Bryndor was failing to explain himself and Freya added on, "If your so concerned about the Caerwyn bloodline perhaps we should go and ensure the 'future' of the bloodline right now?"

"Don't worry, I heard the Commander is gentle." Vlad couldn't resist but add.

" Vlad, remember the trees..."

"Sorry Commander!"

Finally Freya moved on, "Ok, enough jokes. There are two reasons I called you all here: one is to update me on the current situation, second is to train. I broke up to the 2nd stage of this mana power in the previous battle, today I'll share the knowledge with you guys and you'll use your own way to try and reach the 2nd stage as soon as possible."

Vlad and Kormac exchanged glances, their amusement fading as they realized Freya was getting serious. Bryndor, ever the composed one, took a step forward. "Commander, I assume the information you have is invaluable. Please, enlighten us."

"By the way Bryndor have you actually awakened yet?"

"No, Commander with all that happened I had no time, I'm embarrassed."

"Thought so, well that's perfect did you see the method I used to train Serin's pressure points? I believe I can use a similar method but it will probably hurt a little. Don't worry I'll be gentle as Vlad likes to say."

"I'm sorry, Commander my ear was turned away, I couldn't hear quite well." Vlad feigned ignorance.

"Commander, are you still mad?" Bryndor sighed...

"No way, Bryndor, no way. It's just that we need to research everything about this mana. So get ready, hand to hand combat it is!"

Freya and Bryndor's sparring session was a display of skill and determination. Freya focused on precision, her strikes landing on specific pressure points on Bryndor's body. The pain was intense as the session progressed, Freya's strikes became even more calculated. She injected mana into Bryndor's pressure points, stimulating the flow of energy within him. The sensation was foreign and overwhelming at first, but it gave Bryndor the push needed to awaken. It also left him quite bruised but that's part of the process or so Freya said, but he could swear he didn't see bruises like his on Serin. 'Me and my big mouth.' added inwardly Bryndor.

"Now then class, listen carefully. From what I could understand so far the first stage is to awaken the feel for mana and use it to nourish and strengthen your body allowing us to have superhuman strength, stuff like breaking rocks with our fists or lifting hundreds of kilos is possible by channeling the mana." Freya said as she used Silverwind to draw a stick figure in the ground lifting a rock, "The second stage it seems its fusing man with your body the first step begin with fusing your blood with mana, kind of like having mana instead of blood. I might be wring tough just like fighting there might be many different styles of cultivating, and my way might actually be bad." Finished Freya saying as she drew more figures, one holding a spear, another a sword and another with no weapon.

The trio were dumbfounded because of Freya's shenanigans but chose to keep their thoughts to themselves in case Freya wants to start a "training" session.

"Why do you say it's bad, isn't the knowledge you have a legacy from Silverwind wich should belong to the ancients?" Asked Vlad.

"Not really, no. Since the night I connected with Silverwind and it helped me with awakening by flowing it's energy into me and showing me some hazy memories about the past and what mana is, I got no other pointers, all the progress I made is only thanks to my own mind. It seems only life or death situations trigger any sort of breakthrough." Freya spoke while twirling and playing with Silverwind around a few times almost failing to catch it.

"Please be careful with your weapon, Commander." Bryndor said as he dodged it.

"Don't worry, it loves when I play with it like this."

'I was thinking more of my safety than the weapons.' Bryndor added inwardly. "But Commander, does that mean you have to put your life on the line for the next breakthrough? Also have you gained any new abilities?"

"Not really it just improved my strength, speed, reaction time and also my control over it I can now actually make Silverwind float now tough not far just a few centimetres from my hands." Shrugged Freya as she jumped on the air, sticking the spear's tip into the ground while landed on top of it standing on it in balance.

Finally Kormac couldn't take it anymore and said, "Commander Freya, are you bored? Your behaviour is like a child right now."

"What do you mean, this?" Asked Freya as she propped with her feet on the spear and hung down looking at Kormac upside down. "I just feel good, and it's also not only playing around I'm testing my new found powers and control over my body. I should cut my hair shorter and keep it in a ponytail." Said Freya as she brushed away with her hand some hair that entered her mouth.

As the trio exchanged concerned glances, Freya's tone grew a little serious. "And now, let's move on to some actual training, shall we? You three should team up and get some shields as well, I'll not use Silverwind it would be unfair for you guys, I want this to be a training session for me also, not only you."

Freya's words caused the expression of the three men to turn sour, "Commander while it's true your stronger than us don't you think your being too much?" Asked Kormac.

"Indeed we have feelings also, you know?" Added Vlad.

And Freya's laughter resonated in the room. "Quit the yapping and come at me and remember to coat those shields in mana, I'm not going easy this time."

The training room filled with the sounds of sparring three men armed with shield and swords attacking a weapon less girl. You'd think it would be an easy fight but Freya's new found awareness allowed her to evade almost all their attacks and for those that she couldn't evade she would take them head on reinforcing her fists with mana and even pushing the attacker back a few steps.

Gradually the trio began to develop a tacit understanding and work flawlessly together the anger at Freya's casual way of moving around and fighting serving as common ground for their teamwork. Eventually Vlad managed to actually nick Freya by the arm but it was a very shallow wound, their joy was short lived when Freya upped the things a notch moving faster and hitting harder.

In the end all three of them lied on the ground with their weapons broken. It was about midnight when they finished the training and also told Freya about all the things that have happened while she was unconscious. They all went to their beds to get a good nights rest.

Except for Freya, for un unknown reason she couldn't sleep so she headed for the walls again and jumped on the roof of the highest tower making sure her presence would go unnoticed. While gazing at the starry night sky, she thought about her training just now, 'Why must I be so strong compared to them. With no suitable training partner I'll never progress, I'm not the type to grow stronger by meditation..." As her mind was wondering, a horn was heard and she made her way to the scouting room as she recognised that was the signal for when the scouts encounter danger, "Strange there shouldn't be any scouts at night out in those woods." The wardens quickly started moving along with Master Scout Vlad giving the orders and organising a search party...