Kai woke with the dawn and felt refreshed. The day held a promise of improvement and he would seize it and demand every bit he could take. He stepped out of the barracks as the sun crested the horizon. Kai walked to a large open space behind the barracks and began to perform a morning exercise he’d been performing for about five years. It blended a few Tai Chi movements with some other basic stretches, it had served him well to greet the day in all that time and it felt right to be doing it here in Donnyton. He found a group of Classers that were eating a morning meal and joined them. The talk was of clearing the expansion zones and what the coming danger zone might mean. Kai didn’t follow any of it as it was so far beyond him it didn’t matter.

Kai finished his morning meal and made his way to the obstacle course where he met Alric again. “So what new hell do you have in store for me this morning Alric?” Alric simply laughed and pointed toward the obstacle course and began to walk. Kai followed without another word.

“Today shall be a little different we are going to take a break from physical pursuits and move toward magic. I’m sure you noticed random targets throughout the obstacle course yesterday?” Kai nodded and Alric continued, “They are so you can train your physical fitness and your aim while hitting a distance target. Some use it for throwing weapons or the archers use it of course, but the mages started to see the utility in using it for their spells. So every time you see one of the targets throw a Mana Bolt at it. If you don’t have the mana use a mana potion from the ring. If you shoot at one and miss you’ll have a surprise later. If you miss seeing one you get an even better surprise at the end of the course.” Alric’s smile held evil intent with those last words. “Go ahead and get going. I’m timing you today.”

Kai took off. He moved through the course and threw the occasional mana bolt. He took his time and aimed each one to make sure it hit the target. The sun climbed higher in the sky and he finally completed the arduous course that had been designed by the demented minds of Donnyton’s trainers.

“Pitiful.” Alric spat. “I think I can go find a ten year old who could run the course faster than that. It took you over four hours to get through what takes a brand new Classer about two. And you didn’t even shoot at all the targets. You missed four of them and you’ll regret that later. I may have to tell Daniel it’s no longer worth our time to train you if you keep putting out performances like that. Now get up. You get to spar against a special opponent for that kind of performance.” Alric walked away from the obstacle course and headed to the sparring fields.

“Why god? What did I ever do to you?” Kai dragged himself up off the ground and followed after Alric. “Alric, if you never let me spend my PPs how am I supposed to improve and get better stats? Let me look at my notifications! Please?!” Kai begged, he would admit that, he begged.

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“What? Stats aren’t anything. It’s all about skill levels you better get that through your thick skull. You probably have a skill for that don’t you? Thick Skull makes the user obstinate and obtuse to easily understood facts. Tell me you have that skill please otherwise your intelligence is lower than I thought.” Alric continued to walk as he kept up this berating of Kai.

At the sparing circle two men were sparring. “Kukuku, come now Paolo, perhaps in your age you are slowing down. I think I may need to start sparring with your Vice-Captain for a challenge.”

The other man, possibly Paolo, responded, “Oi Kayle do you want me to start using my right arm now? I’ve only been hitting you with my left to make it a fair fight.” The speed of the two combatants began to blur to Kai’s eyes. A minute later the two fighters broke apart to the cheering of the squad behind Kayle.

“I see that opening my eyes allowed me to win. Perhaps next time I will keep them closed the whole time even once you start to use both arms. Then perhaps this will be a challenge.” Kayle said as he stepped from the sparring circle.

“Oi, you opened your eyes? I thought we said we’d keep them closed the whole time and not take a breath during the fight either. Don’t tell me you were breathing you cheater.” Paolo came back.

Kai looked at Alric and whispered, “Who are these two braggarts. There is no way either of them was doing what they are saying with the way they were moving.” Alric just laughed.

The one called Kayle looked at Kai and was in front of him, Kai didn’t remember blinking. “Kukuku, a new challenger arrives. He says we are braggerts my fellow Captain. Perhaps as the Captain of Squad III you would like the first honor of showing him the truth of great prowess.”

“Harhar. I think I should like that great honor to show this loud mouth when to speak and when to listen.” Paolo was next to Kayle in front of Kai’s eyes and Kai was certain he hadn’t blinked this time, but neither of the two men had moved to be where they are now. Kai didn’t understand how they moved so quickly.

Alric laughed all the harder. “Captains, this is Kai. He was in the expansion zone and was rescued from the dwellers by Jarrick, although Jarrick tells me he was protecting a girl from a level 8 dweller that eventually spit on him. Daniel and Mrs. Hamilton have me supervising his training.”

The two looked at one another. “Ah, so you felt the acid burn of the dweller eh? Did it tickle the way that some have said? I thought about going down there and seeing if I could collect a batch as a gift for Kayle here.”

“Your inaction does not surprise me Paolo. You have gotten slow and lazy from riding on our coattails. Perhaps this young one could pick up your slack. Yes, we shall see what he is made of.”

Alric winced. “Kayle, I’m not certain that is a good idea.”

Kai was tired of these two. “I agree. So do you think both of you can take me on or should I use only my sword arm against you two?” Kai stepped into the sparring ring.