Daughter

"This is impossible!" Sionn howled at the top of his lungs, dripping tears. Squatting down with his arms stretched wide, he gripped two large boulders the size of newborns in each arm. "Master, it has been an entire night! Let us rest!"

Ignoring the pleading of his young students, Zireael stood silently numbed to his surroundings. In his hand, he held his sword, with the owl shape pummel attached at its end, humming with life.

"Zireael!" Aurelia pleaded in grief, her arms already turning a deep shade of crimson from the unimaginable amount of strain on their muscles. "We need a break! Please!"

"Master!" Added Ella, pitifully, although she was somewhat in better shape due to being able to heal any time she wished.

Somewhat annoyed at the constant screams, Zireael turned to Innis, "Plaster them in some wyvern paste to shut them up. Pain is normal. They will get used to it."

"Young master, if I may," Said Innis lowering her head before the young lord standing motionless, with three young children behind him in tears. "Why change up the routine? Too much of one thing is never good."

"Good point, all of you run around the lake, the last one to make it will suffer extra training, and no Arcana to help. Anima will inform me if anyone of you dares to cheat." Lord Zireael softly told, shifting his cold sterling eyes towards the children shivering in dread. "This was my mother's training method for my sister and me. Get used to it, day one will be one lap, but day two will be two laps. I would get on the move if I were you; I wouldn't want to find my whip."

Shivering with untimely fear, the young party of children dashed ahead with a heavy heart thundering against their chest. Lifting his lips, Zireael left hand swiftly moved as he drew a complex rune in the air, invisible to the naked eye.

"Ward of Fear," He chanted in a whisper casting a violet glow that sprung within the pupils of his young students.

"A Hex?" Innis muttered, sending a worried stare towards the children running like their lives depended on it.

"It requires one to already have fear within their mind, it doesn't really matter the type of fear, but if one is proficient in their words, then you can control what they are fearful of. In my case, it's the fear of the whip."

"Shall I check on them?"

"Nay, just go prepare breakfast for them, "Zireael ordered, closing his eyes towards the entire world.

Hesitant, Innis's lips tightened with a tinge of concern of what might happen while she was away. Aurelia and Ella had already been kidnapped on her watch. What was stopping it from happening again? Sending the young children dripping with sweat and tears, one last glance, she returned to her tent to prepare breakfast alongside Talia.

It was currently cool, especially near the lake of reflection brimming with Astral Energy, but all Aurelia, Sionn, and Ella could feel was fire within their lungs. The palms of their feet had already turned blistered, and the there arms, sore and cramped. Try as they could. None of them could lower their arms that remained arched like that of a scarecrow.

Wrapped in constant fear of a whip pealing their flesh from their bones, none dared to stop, none dared to look behind. They could hear the echoes of a whip crackling through the deafening winds of it missing their flesh.

Unable to stop, they raced on, ignoring the burning and tearing of their flesh. Aurelia continued till her feet bled and her mouth began to run with puke. Tears were but a sweet luxury at this point, as she ran with the weight of the world pressed on her small build.

Pressing ahead till her muscles simply could not move, Aurelia being the youngest, fell face first just at the finish line as the magical hold on her arms vanished. In comparison, Ella and Sionn came in second and first, respectfully.

Taking note of the young girl convulsing on the ground in her own vomit. Zireael appeared with a foreboding stare, "Go and fetch the water, "

He said, walking away without another word as Aurelia whimpered in tears. Wishing to help her, Both Sionn and Ella wanted to move, but their legs simply fell short, falling flat on the faces without consciousness.

Cramping and groaning, Aurelia turned towards her friends just a short distance away with a hint of tears, she could feel herself stronger than before, but it didn't come as a delight but rather a reminder of her weakness.

Gritting her teeth that bled from pressure, Aurelia staggered slowly to her feet. Taking a step forward, her eyes were met with Zireael holding a small bucket and her staff in hand.

"Do you remember my words?" He asked, placing her staff on a strap that attached to her back and an empty bucket in her hand.

Opening her mouth to speak, Aurelia metallic voice responded, "No,"

"It's a shame then, for it will come as a surprise." He flatly uttered, withdrawing within his tent with an indifferent smile. "good luck."

Puzzled and still defeated, Aurelia hung her head low before making her way just north towards the well at a snail's pace. Even without the extra weight weighing her down, Aurelia felt utterly drained, her vision was short, and her feet were barely holding up.

Heading somewhat deeper into the dense woods, little ways' away from the Lake of Reflection, a small aged well came into view along with a man drawing water from the lake.

Breathing heavily, the young girl staggered into a tree that smelt of amber. Taking a small break to help catch her breath, her eyes slowly began to lose focus while her body's weight began to seep into itself.

"Aurelia is tired, " She weakly muttered, struggling even to find the energy to speak. Losing focus of her surroundings, the faint sounds of footsteps approaching on dried leaves cracked with each step pulled Aurelia's mind away from losing consciousness.

"Aurelia!" Shouted a deep voice near the young girl resting silently.

Trembling at the familiar voice, tears she once thought had run dry poured from her eyes as she turned towards a warm smile upon her father's face.

"Papa!"