'Dinner actually tastes a lot better tonight with the added stuff. Like that grass you found gives everything a nice fragrance.' (Joshua)

'Yeah, we got lucky tonight. Plus since none of us had problems with the squatting thing we have all the time in the world to eat.'

'Funny how Gwyn was talking about women having a harder time building strength and the first test of strength was failed only by men.' (Michael)

'It's probably because guys are heavier, so you have to spend more effort for the same result since you have to lift more weight?'

'Maybe. Or maybe women just build lower body muscles more easily,' Michael shrugged. 'My family chases animals up and down cliffs all the time though, so if anything our builds are biased towards the lower body.'

'I barely survived that. Not looking forward to tomorrow.' (Dennis)

'Hey, man up a bit. You're not gonna be popular with the girls if you're weak, you know.' (Michael)

'It's just not easy for me to bulk at all. I'll just have to pass the bare minimum and overcompensate in other areas.' (Dennis)

'Ah, so your pyromaniac stunts are just a way to show off to the pretty girl here eh?', jibed Joshua while nudging him in the side.

'I can hear you, you know.'

'That's the point.' (Joshua)

'I... it's not like that or anything...' (Dennis)

'So between big, strong Michael and Sir Castalot Dennis over here, who would you rather marry?' (Joshua)

'Frankly, I haven't thought about marriage or anything like that.'

'Leave her alone, will ya?' (Michael)

'Yes Sir! As you wish Sir!' (Joshua)

'Haah... I still can't tell when you're being serious even after this long together.' (Michael)

'I'm always as serious as I need to be.' (Joshua)

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'Clear as mud.' (Michael)

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'Think they're really going to try stealing our weapons tonight?' (Joshua)

'They can try.' (Michael)

'You got something against Gwyn?' (Joshua)

'Nah. He's probably the best instructor of the lot. Elaina is a psycho, Sophia can't seem to teach how she moves properly, and while he does a good job teaching physical stuff, Glenn can't seem to use magic to save his life. But Gwyn likely won't risk attacking us again until we get complacent.' (Michael)

'You call that musclehead screaming a good job teaching? PAIN MEANS DAMAGE! DAMAGE MEANS REPAIR!' (Joshua)

'Oww cut it out my ears hurt.' (Dennis)

'What you didn't see was that while he was screaming that, he was physically adjusting everyone's swing angles. I think he knows he's not really very good at words, so most of his teaching is through his actions. But he's not a moron by any means.' (Michael)

'What you heard is kinda true for Sophia though. I think she somehow just has a knack for movement, but can't really teach it very well. If anyone slightly taller than her uses the same movement we'll get a spearhead in the eye, but she can't really get across how we would do something similar with our builds. And she doesn't talk much either.' (Joshua)

'Gwyn's eyes are insane. He can tell you if you'd miss a shot before you fire. And he scolded someone for exhaling in the middle of a dagger throw. What's the psycho like in class anyway?' (Dennis)

'She noticed when I got distracted, but aside from the torture incident I can't say I know enough about her yet. I get the feeling she heard everything that Rob said before losing her temper though.'

'So he was asking for it?' (Dennis)

'I don't think anyone deserves to be treated like that. But he was definitely a creep.'

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'As much as I still don't like you staring at my ass, after what happened to Group 3, I can't say we have much choice in the matter. If we had gone with Dennis' idea we'd already be out.'

'As much as I like staring at your ass, I'm staring at everything else aside from your ass.' (Joshua)

'Not sure if that's supposed to be a compliment.'

'I'm just doing my job. As is the person watching you from the front.' (Joshua)

'Wha-'

'Don't turn around, you'll be presenting her a blind spot. And you'll be making things really hard for me.' (Joshua)

There was no sign of anything in the bushes in front. Or the creek. There's nothing in the branches above either.

'Instructor Sophia, even if you make no sound at all, you're blocking the wind, you know. Care to visit another group instead?' calls Joshua in a slightly louder voice.

'People called Gwyn a degenerate. Doing my part to help. And next time, reach for your spear, not your clothes.'

And the sound of wind appeared from where there was only silence before.

'You're pretty crazy to notice something like that yourself, Joshua.'

'I got used to it in the afternoon. She's more like a hole in reality than a presence.' (Joshua)

'Don't people normally sneak up from the side or back? What kind of lunatic approaches head-on?'

'One which can close a ten metre gap in a second. All you need to do is momentarily blind yourself by pouring the water on your face, and you're dead before you even noticed she was there. The sides and back are the conventional approach routes, so she takes the route nobody expects, because she can.' (Joshua)

These instructors are all monsters.

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About an hour later, a scream echoed across the night sky.