We trained every day. We ran up hills with slowly increasing weights on our back. We did pushups till chests creaked and cracked when we moved. We lifted weights till our muscles tore open and bled.

We could never stop. Eleron would compel any that couldn't continue. Every day we were left broken, but the exercise wasn't the worst of it. It was the healing right after.

There was a neat little trick to building muscles and increasing endurance quickly. A trick only the humans could use because of their adaptability.

Low level healing.

It knit your muscles back together in a natural way. Only it's sped up and done in the span of 15 seconds. It hurt like a bitch.

They exploited every biological loophole to enhance our strength as quicly as possible. They didn't care if the men grew into monstrosities.

The women were given a much easier time. Though I wouldn't really say it was. Their flexibility and agility were the focus of their training. They didn't bother increasing their strength because they were going to be given free access to the arcane text library in the baracks. We on the other hand had to earn that right through merit in battle.

After our broken bodies were gealed, we went through another round of physical argumentations.

They cut into us, taking pieces of synthetic bone stronger than steel and magic enhanced nerves, replacing our week flesh. The entire process would see us all at the 8feet mark. Reach was important in battle, so why stop at just power enhancements?

Thankfully we were put to sleep beforehand. Though the pain we woke up to was excuciating. Everytime a set of enhancements were complete, we would train that body part till we were used to it, then the cycle repeats.

It took many weeks for the entire process to finish. We were like the Astartes in 40k at the end of it.

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I asked why my heart couldn't just be transplanted with a new stronger one. The medic explained our organs formed a delicate cycle of energy. It would have been possible to do that before energy had settled within it, but now, anything done to it would lead to me getting crippled.

The women were spared the process we went through, though they still needed to go through one. One that enhanced their beauty.

It seemed they were prepared more for the bed of nobles than the fires of battle.

To prevent any unfortunate accidents, our most precious tools were removed. That day, a dark cloud hung over the men. I would like to say we were stoic and calm. We weren't. I bawled like a child feeling my crotch, but meeting air.

The head of medical assured us we could get them reattached with enhancements to match our now much larger frames, after our service.

It did nothing to lessen the crippling blow.

We developed a bond stronger than any other. A bond through pain like this would melt even a villains heart.

That day, the captains left us to rest. We couldn't. We ended training more than we ever did on that day.

The weeks after that were filled with weapons training. We were given choice of spear, or glaive. I chose the glaive. Despite that, we were given swords as side arms and were also taught to use it.

It was very hard to master the sword. It took too long to even beging to learn the proper forms. All we were taught were thrust, vertical cut, diagonal slash and horizontal sweep.

It was easy enough to learn because that was exactly what we practiced for the glaives.

We were all passably proficient with our chosen weapons at the end of our training.

During that, we were also taught how to properly draw on the energy in our hearts.

I took calm measured breaths, guiding the energy to flow in the pattern I learnt from the grey arcane text. It was even and stable unlike the first time I used my ability.

We had left it to flow instinctively following the guidance of the text in our heads. Sure we could control how much we could put into it, but we had no idea how to keep the stream of energy uniform. The flow was eratic and constantly changing in quantity. And it showed.

Next was my intent. I concentrated on the beat of my heart. I listened to it's rhythm, then I willed the power to strengthen it.

I heard my heart pound in my chest. The flow of blood increased with great pressure.

My strengthened veins barely registered the increased pressure. It could take a lot more.

My blood cycled through my body and reached my heart again. As it pushed through my heart, it broke apart the impurities built over many years of illness trapped in its valves.

I could feel my body reject it and force it through the easiest path.

I unceremoniously rushed into the toilet to take a shit.