I ended back up in my room after a quick bite with Théoden before he had to go back to rounds. But that was after a brief discussion into our training.

“I’m going to check in with Quinn to see if she will be willing to train with us tonight. You utilizing our bond won’t get you far in a real battle.” Théoden told me.

“Are you sure that is a good idea? Quinn can easily kick my ass.” I pointed out.

Quinn is known for her blood spitting kicks and punches as her devastating blows have sent a handful of the other guards to the nurse. She has even managed a few great hits on Théoden.

“I won’t allow her to harm you to the point of death. I promise you that.” Théoden said.

“Yeah, that is reassuring.” I rolled my eyes. I didn’t mind training with Théoden as I knew he held back the amount of force he truly can give. I had no idea if Quinn would do the same or not.

“Maria, to prove yourself you have to conquer your fears.” Théoden told me. Sometimes I hated his bursts of wisdom but they always had a point. “And right now you fear Quinn’s capabilities.”

“And?” I wasn’t about to cave in so easily.

“Maria, do you remember me telling you how I managed to get to the point where I am in my talents?” Théoden questioned me.

“Somewhat..” My face flushed a bit. I remembered bits and pieces as to how he grew into his talents. Something about mounts and an unknown mentor.

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“Of course. Well, let me repeat it to you then. I may have been born with power but I had to train just like you are now. I had to harness my full capabilities and it did not come easy for me.” He reminded me. I had remembered him talking about how he trained and that he trained with someone in the Mountains but he rarely said how he unlocked his full capabilities.

He had spoken of someone greater than him, training him in the vast mountain range of Glacier crown Peaks, famous for its subzero temperatures and treacherous conditions for any typical humanoid to travers.

“My mentor had pushed my limits to the point of death.” He flashed a memory of him in his elven form resting in a massive avalanche of rocky snow. “He forced me to fight, forced me to want to live, and most importantly he forced me to be my true self.”

He showed me the same memory but with a shadowed figure looming over him, “in my darkest hours when my body wanted to give in to the sweetest temptations of death, he forced my will beyond what I thought was possible. He forced me into my draconic form despite my failed attempts prior. Saving me from death.”

“The fight he showed me was something I didn’t even know was there. He granted me powers beyond what humankind could possibly dream of. On top of all of that Maria, there was one thing that he reminded me of that if I wanted to unlock more of my essences and abilities he needed to push me. Even if it brought me close to death, he had to push.”

I just stared at him blankly, “so what you are saying is..”

He gave me a smile, “what I am saying is that to unlock your full potential I am going to have to push you. Our training that we have been doing so far has been easy.”

My eyes widened in fear, “no more easy training?”

“Nope. Each training session I am going to try to produce a different set of circumstances. Giving you a proper challenge. One of them is Quinn.”

“Are you sure she is even going to be up for it?” I asked him.

He grabbed an apple from the counter and walked towards the door, “oh, I am sure she will be up for it Maria. Quinn loves a good fight.”

He took a bite of the apple and walked out. Leaving me with fear coursing through my veins.