02 FIT TO BE FEARED…. OR NOT.

It was as Claude said— as he learned through grueling repetition and exertion under sun and shade.

"Quiet the mind by working the body."

It was like a mantra. A motivator to work in tandem with his nightmares, as if he needed the boost.

From the run and battle with the salmon, his muscles were warm as they'd ever be. Thrumming beneath his skin in unison with the forestry….. singing with the crickets and splashing with the stream.

He got to work.

For a long time he slaved away at his wooden pull up bar and bench, flowing through all manners of movements until his body gave out. But his stamina and strength platued in relation to time spent at work.

He could already do seventy pull-ups in a row and a hundred and fifty push ups immediately after without breaking much of a sweat. He needed more and unfortunately, his father didn't have the time or funds to buy heavier weights.

Tangent Biologists made less than bronze-ranked heroes for some reason….

The last time he tried to cut down a tree to make a weight out of it, he got chased by dryads for three miles.

What a workout that was…

"Man can improvise…." Claude said aloud in response to his thoughts and recollection of events.

He stood with his back to the wooden weights and ran for the forest.

It didn't last long. The second he was inside kicking up the fresh dirt, he leapt for the trees.

He wasn't a god. He wasn't even Reborn— as worrying as that was considering his age. He didn't reach the spindly branches above dangling fruit and leaves.

He hit the bark covered body, wrapping his arms around its entirety while fastening his bare feet to the front end.

As he pushed with his legs and pulled with his arms he began a steady climb.

Only then, did he reach the branches.

And from there he flew.

Not literally, but that's what it felt like as he swung from branch to branch.

The wind in his ears eviscerated the forest ambience. The mental sensory game of quickly deciding which branches could support his swings made the greenery below fade to black.

A perfect blend of mental training, endurance work and physical tempering as his callouses split and hardened against the bark.

He swung from tree to tree for almost a mile before losing his grip and landing on the forest floor in a roll.

Dirt and dead leaves clung to his back and arms from all the sweat. It dripped from his forehead, stinging his eyes like liquid fire.

"I think that's a personal record…"

He was still new to the training style. If he were a nerd, he'd name it something like Juvenile Stone-Ape Traversal Training!…..

"Anyways." Claude dusted himself off and headed back to the cabin.

The sun was well into the sky, but morning was still younger than most children within the main city it gleamed over.

He rushed into his father's cabin and fished for a clean set of clothes. All he had were cotton shirts full of holes, micro tears, berry and sweat stains. He grabbed a green shirt and dark brown trousers. The hem of the knees were blown out from constant wear on his armor but it was his best pair.

With that finished, he hit the rivers with his homemade soaps and got to scrubbing away the old scents of fish and sweat. He worked the bar across the skin until the smells of lemon honey and pine were so strong he was nearing a headache as he stood in the rushing river.

Even with the sun up, the water was so cold his teeth chattered and his scalp felt tight.

He left the waters of his natural bath feeling energized and clean. Ready to take the day... nervous— as he remembered what the day would entail. Nervous, as he looked himself over one last time in the reflective stream.

He was still too short at five foot seven inches. Still too lean in the way that made all his hard work invisible once he put his clothing on. All the veins and rippling muscle pushing against his dark-bronze skin meant nothing from an intimidation aspect. But he was functional, he knew that much. Fast and enduring.

It wasn't a shared ideal between himself and the heroes of today but he'd make it work.

His long nose took in the coppery scents of blood and meat. It wasn't a pleasant scent but it reminded him of his next event.

His stomach grumbled as if to say, "Hurry up!"

Claude rushed through the forest to meet up with Frosty and Ray. Whatever portion of freshly slain primal fish they left, he'd flame and eat like he hadn't in days.

It didn't take long to reach them. Or get disappointed.

All that stood before him was bones…. And pitwolf saliva.

He looked around the forest. Thick black eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you guys serious? This is the type of greed they talk about demons having, you know that right? Ray your like four pounds… what the hell?" Claude complained as he kicked the bones across the dirt.

Eventually, Frosty tiptoed out from behind an old oak tree in front of him. His fur blended with the brown everywhere but his back.

He knew he was wrong. They always did. His long sharp ears were pinned back against his muscled head. With every step he blinked profusely like he was awaiting a slap to rival all slaps.

His whines and groans were almost human.

Ray remained mounted on Frosty's back, doing his own bit of groveling.

As Frosty approached with his tail low and face apologetic, Ray slowly fanned his wings and cooed.

It actually kind of looked horrifying.

"Man, stop being dumb!" Claude fanned his hands in their direction until Ray flew into the air and Frosty rolled over onto his back.

From above, a clump of chewed slimy salmon meat plopped onto the floor at Claude's feet.

Claude looked up at Ray as he perched on a tree branch and squawked proudly. His brown feathers warmed under the split sunlight.

"Do I look like your baby?"

Ray threw his head back and cackled.

Frosty rolled onto his feet and let out something between a howl and bark.

"You guys are something else, I swear." Claude left the forest circle and headed into his cabin to grab some breakfast for the road.

Ten minutes later and he was rummaging through his dirty room as he chewed on a handful of dried meats and fruit. A disturbing blend of berries, venison, lizard and pork so unreasonably tough it had to be mixed with actual orc tendons.

"Could've had shome…. Damn good fishzzz…" Claude grumbled as he approached his leather backpack at the foot of his twin sized bed.

A number of books were sprawled across the floor around him. Biographies on members of The Nine. System Introduction study guides his father stole for him. Class builds. Novels inspired by already existing heroes of the modern era. His favorite was Queen Bracken and the Hemp-Knights. An epic tale about a Fire Mage that could cleanse almost anything with her royal flame.

It wasn't part of C.S Academy curriculum, but he still stuffed it into his bag anyway. Its colored pages and hemp cover stood out as it laid with his OldWorld History and Monster Compendium books.

He shrugged on the bag over his shoulder and placed his short-sword in its sheath. Opting out of taking the axe, compound-bow or quarter-staff instead. Then, he left….

Before abruptly returning to his room to grab his protective leather combat helm.

After leaving the house and locking up, he jogged across the clearing and dove back into the forest circle, walking straight through it to meet the road towards the main city on the other side.

All the while, he hummed to himself in between tossing chunks of dried berry and meat into his mouth. Frosty trotted beside him while Ray sprinted along the branches overhead.

They only followed for his food. But the company was nice. Forest living was lonely before Frosty and Ray…

Claude stopped at the edge of the forest. The dirt roads as wide as two rivers spanned ahead. Packed stone and dirt warmed beneath the morning sun.

He turned around to face Frosty. The pitwolf had to be growing by the minute.

"Alright, bro. I'm outta here. Big day today….. the next time you see me I might be Reborn. If I get the fire element we're eating baked fish every day! Emphasis on the WE part, though…"

Frosty spun around and barked in support. Ray spit another clump of chewed on salmon. Claude didn't have a way to rationalize that reaction…

"I think you'd prefer if I became an Ice Element user but….. I like fire. I feel like it suits me…. I'm totally not influenced by the books I'm reading right now."

Frosty turned his head to the left, causing his tongue to slap his shoulder.

Claude waved him off, "Anyway. Be safe, protect Ray…. Protect yourself too. True summer's coming so the Dryads are probably starting to get more aggresive."

Frosty continued watching him and sat down.

Claude tapped his chest. Frosty jumped up on his hind legs and placed his front legs on Claude's broad shoulders. Claws like knives tapped against the back of his armor.

The two hugged briefly before Claude disconnected. It was crazy to think as a pup, Frosty was taller than him if he slouched even an inch.

"See you guys tonight."

Frosty and Ray took off to roam the forest circle as they always did. Just two free spirits without a care in the world.

Claude felt a pang of jealousy as he considered his own circumstances. As he considered who he'd have to fight in mere hours. There'd be nothing carefree about what was on the horizon….