Chapter 3: The Race

Advis would open her eyes every now and then, watching Nil attack the wooden pole. She loved to watch her brother strike the pole as she witnessed his hard work and swordsmanship. She has done a lot of practice within her own swordsmanship, but most of the time, she is usually on the ground meditating as Boris only wanted her to do that.

Advis already broke out in a couple of cold sweats from just sitting there, and Nil would be confused each time. To be honest, her training started about half a year ago. Advis was in her room, and Enya walked, describing it as being scorching hot. Any other information was kept from Nil; however, he just found it strange as it was during summer, so of course, it would be hot. After that, all she's done is just sit and meditate with her eyes closed, while Nil still has to greet the wooden pole each morning.

"Kids, it's time to meet the other instructors, Nil you go help cook lunch for us today, and Advis, like normal, go meet Enya!" Boris's voice releases Nil from his arch-enemy of the notorious villain "The Wooden Pole." Even if he doesn't enjoy to train he still tries his hardest.

Nil train of thought is, 'Why to do something if you're not trying your hardest, and if you don't, then it is a waste of time.'

"I'll beat you to the halfway mark to the tree." Advis jumped up from her spot, stretching her arms and legs, getting ready to challenge Nil to a race.

Typically Nil and Advis have to separate this time of day. By doing so, there is a white tree that sticks out like a sore thumb that marks where they go their separate ways. For example, the dining hall leads more to the right of the tree, while where Advis has to go would lead straight from the white tree. Then to the left would lead to the medical center.

"Since when have you been faster than me?" Nil said this because of the number of times they raced or done any physical attributes. Nil always won to a far degree.

"Are we going to do it or not?" The house was easily 10 yards away from them, allowing them to have the optimized running speed.

"Aright, you say go when you're ready." Nil was giving Advis the advantage making her call it as he has always won. Advis takes a stick, drawing a line with it through the dirt, after which Advis gets behind the line with Nil following her lead; both ready to go.

"Alright then, on my count. 3…2…1… go!" Both Nil and Advis took off, running as hard as they could. However, it didn't take long for Nil to start falling behind Advis. He couldn't believe his eyes. How could this be happening? Before, he could easily beat her, and now like as if the rules had reversed.

It was not long before they would reach the white tree, and yet even if Nil were to stick out his arm, it still wouldn't be enough to get ahead of Advis or even come close to her, but how was this possible? Was it because he was swinging his sword all day and nothing else?

'Has she been training at night?' Thinking about it for half a year, all Advis has done was sit and maybe practice her swordsmanship once a month or so. If that was the case, shouldn't she had gotten slower?

However, no matter how hard Nil ran, he couldn't catch up with his sister. She completely crushed him, even looking behind and sticking her tongue at him. He just couldn't understand this, except that maybe he needs to train more. Nil squeezed his hands and gave it his last chance of beating her with everything he had. However…

With the rapid expulsion of air and confused look, he couldn't understand. Nil and Advis finally made it to their destination, as Advis was the first to touch the white tree's bark. Nil showed up slightly behind Advis, but such a gap is enormous in racing.

"Looks like I won! You know the rules. You have to do my chores now!" Advis was celebrating, jumping up into the air clapping her hands.

"Yes, I know." Nil frowned a little but then put his hand on Advis's head.

"Good job, but next time I won't lose." Advis stopped jumping and smiled at Nil.

"Good luck with making food," Advis said while she ran straight from the white tree as if their race was but a simple stroll through the forest for her.

Nil waited until Advis was out of sight. He then started to breathe heavily as he was holding it in. Putting his hands on his hips to open his lungs, trying to get as much air as possible. Nil stood there for a couple of more minutes afterward. He then also started to head in his direction, taking a right.

…..

Showing up to the dining hall wasn't different from Boris, Advis, and Nil's cabin. Instead, the difference would be its height, with a large brick chimney on its side.

Boris complains typically about the height of the little cabin that he lives in, saying, "My head reaches the roof when I stand perfectly straight." or "Do you think that Sect master hated me for my tallness, and this is him seeking revenge on me?"

Just being on the premises of the dining hall already fills Nil's array of smells. He slowly comes up to the wooden door with a cut running straight down as this is the first welcoming to the cabin.

Placing his hand onto the knob and opening it, "Creakkk."

The creaking of the wooden cut door alerts the chief that is at work.

"Hurry up, boy! Food is yet to be made by our hands." The chief voice ranged out.

Closing the cracked door and looking into the cabin, the table was the first thing in sight. The green jade table, one of the most remarkable things on this mountain, is placed in the middle of the room, being the first thing you see with six green chairs surrounding the table with a dragon emblem embedded into them.