8 The Training Camp

After two days of travel Edwin and Nate reached the gate where 'LEGACY TRAINING CAMP' was written in blood red letters which signified that they had reached their destination. Edwin fished out a badge from his pocket and showed it to the gatekeeper.

After scanning the badge the gatekeeper let them get through the gate. Edwin walked at the front followed by Nate in the back. Edwin led Nate to an open field where 100 or so teenagers aged 14-16 were standing in the flaring sun-drenched in sweat.

"Is that all you've got you useless pigs. Even my grandma can do better than you. And the break is over, use your legs and do ten laps around the field. Anyone who fails to complete the task gets no dinner. Now move and start running!" A bald guy stood in front of them and shouted out his orders and the children started to run as if their life is on the line.

The Baldy saw the newcomers in his camp and headed towards them. "Edwin Wood! Never thought I'd see you here in the camp" Baldy said with a voice filled with arrogance as he made his towards Edwin and Nate. "I see you've brought fresh meat to the cam. I thought you disliked my methods so why'd bring him here?"

Edwin didn't mind the arrogant tone of the baldy and pushed Nate towards him. "I still dislike your methods but it's what we need at such times. This is Nate, a distant relative of mine and he just woke his magic. Don't let him die in the camp" Edwin said with a snort. It seemed like both had opposing views on each other's ideal.

"Sure, but I won't guarantee his survival. You don't know yet but the government and higher-ups from the guild made a contract. Starting next year the mercenary from our guild will join the war as well. So the training pace has been upped to ensure their survival in the borders. It will be better if they die here than get captured there. You know how it is." Baldy said looking the kids running laps in pity.

They might survive his camp but still with only one year to train these kids 90% would die when in their first battle and only handful of them would live only to suffer more in the war created by corrupt officials.

"Is that so? You heard the baldy, Nate. It's up to you to decide how you live." Edwin looked at Nate who had lost everything in the war now he'd be going to the same war for nothing.

"It's not like I can avoid the war if I ran from here. At least I can learn to protect myself here." Nate said with a strong tone. He was right as the war didn't care if you were a child, young or old, women or men. Even without knowing much about the country he knew he'd be dragged into the war sooner or later.

"Hehehe, that's what all of the kids who came here said and its only been a month and they want to back out. We had 200 of them when the camp started and now we only have 130 remaining. I hope you won't chicken out kid. All of the kids in the fields are casualties of the war, some more hurt than the others but all of them have faced how unfair life is." Baldy said to Nate with a laugh.

"Okay, I'll head back now. Nate, I'll see you in a year. I saved you hoping to get extra cash but it matters not now. Learn all he has to offer so you can survive this war. That would be enough to repay me." Edwin patted Nate's shoulder and left the training field.

Nate watched as Edwin disappeared from his vision. He owed his life to Edwin and his sister Scarlet so even if Edwin didn't ask for payment he would still pay it not in golds but with his life if he needed to. Nate could see that Edwin didn't save him for money but he didn't want to admit he did it out of goodwill.

"What are you looking at? Join the others and ran laps with them. There is still half day worth of training left. Come on move your legs." Baldy pushed Nate towards the field and ordered him to run laps with everyone else.

Nate grunted in displeasure and dropped his bag on the ground and joined the back of the group and ran together with everyone else. Most didn't even notice a new guy had joined their suffering while those who noticed didn't have the time to talk to the newbie and continued their run.

10 laps around the field and a few minutes of rest and again with pull ups, push ups and various other physical activities, the training finally ended as the sun went down. Nate who was enjoying the physical enhancement from mana looked like a drenched dog who just ran a mile.

After awakening his magic he saw the improvements in his body and was confident he could survive the training camp but reality looked quite different as the other children still looked to be in better condition than he was.

What hurts his pride the most was he was even slower than a fat kid who was in the training since morning while he joined halfway.

Nate dragged his body towards his bag as he took a heavy breath. He looked like he had starved for a month who had no energy to continue. Baldy laughed seeing this and taunted him saying if he was going to change his mind.

Nate stared daggers at him and carried his bag towards the building. Baldy already told where the living quarters was and told him to pick an empty bed. The living quarters was a giant hall with two rows of bunk beds laid in a straight line. Looking at the number of bunk bed this quarter alone could hold at least 150 people.

Nate walked deeper inside the hall looking for an empty bed. The kids were taking towels and extra clothes to head towards the bathroom, so most of them didn't even look at him while few nodded at him and continued their stuff.

After passing a few dozen bunk beds he arrived at the empty rows of a bunk bed. Baldy said there were about 130 kids besides him so there were many beds left empty. He picked an empty one and threw his bag on bottom one and he climbed to the top and laid there.

Just when he was about to close his eyes, he heard someone knock his bed.

"Hey, new kid. Get up. We've got 30 minutes to wash up and head to the dining hall. If you're late then you will have to sleep with an empty stomach. Baldy is very strict with the time table." Nate peeked from the top bunk and found it was the fat kid who was a bit faster than him calling him out.

"Thanks for the warning. I'll go with your wait." Nate got down from the bunk bed and took the towel hanging in the walls beside the bed. He took out extra clothes to change and walked with fatty towards the bathroom.

"My is name Nate by the way. I hope we'll get along in the future." Nate said as he walked shoulder to shoulder with the fatty.

"Oh, my name is Olly. Nice to meet you, Nate." Olly led Nate towards the bathroom while they continued their conversation.