Boot Camp (2)

Jasper struggles to make the tent. He had been working at this for an hour already with no luck. He was beyond frustrated. In his previous life he had rarely slept in a tent let alone built one or put it up. And the memories for the previous owner were of no help either.

He grumbles struggling to put the tent up. He wished to burn it and sleep outside like he used to. He took a deep breath before looking at the tent thinking. How could he put up this tent? He looked at the metal poles and then at the tent before a memory sparked as he remembered one of the times he slept in a tent while he had been king.

He then started to work laying out the fabric of the tent and used the metal poles to lift the center of the tent up. He grunted as he struggled with the weight of lifting the center of the tent up with the metal pole. He managed to get it up and dug the pole into the ground some so it would stay. He then went and lifted the other sides of the tent finally getting it up.

He looked at the tent thinking knowing he had to stabilize it so it would come crashing down in the night on him. He then noticed some ropes attached to the tent and metal stakes he hadn't used before. He went and picked up the metal stake and went to a rope thinking. He frowned before looking to the other tents around and after a moment realized what the rope and metal stake was for.

He took the stake and tried to stake it into the ground but realized he didn't have the strength to do so. He looked around and saw a hammer and grabbed it before hammering the stake into the ground and tied the rope to the stake. He made sure to tie it with his most difficult knot to untie. He then continued this until all the ropes were secured to a stake hammered into the ground.

He smirked proud of himself. He managed to put the tent up without anyone showing him how and without any help. He also got to play with his favorite knot. In his previous life he had used that knot to tie up his enemies before slowly torturing them to death. So he knew how hard it was to undo as well as how good it was and it let him remember his fun before.

He looked around and stood thinking before he went to find Thomas to tell him he completed putting the tent up. He may have already been tired from putting the tent but he knew only by straining himself to do more would he be able to grow in strength and stamina. He walked back to Thomas's tent and entered.

He saw both Jefff and Ryan sitting in the tent talking with Thomas but when he walked in they stopped talking and looked at him. He nodded softly before speaking up.

"The tent is up." Thomas stood, "very good. Let's go see it then." Jasper nodded softly.

He followed Thomas out of the tent and back to the tent he had put up. Thomas stopped in front of his tent and looked at it nodding before also looking inside it. Thomas looked to Jasper and spoke.

"You did a good job putting it up." Jasper nodded, "Thanks, took me some effort to figure it out but I manage." Thomas nodded, "Being honest here; we didn't think you would get it done today and if you did it wouldn't be properly done. But, here we are, you managed to get it up right and in far less time than expected."

Jasper nodded softly then looked at Jeff and Ryan who were at the side looking away and he commented, "So this was a test everyone goes through to build their skills." Thomas looked at him startled, "erm.. yes, yes it is. How did you know?" Jasper replied, "No one learns from watching or reading. They learn best from experience. Though I bet normally you let groups build their tents together rather than by themselves."

Thomas looked at Jasper astonished, "Yeah… Did your grandfather tell you this?" Jasper shook his head, "Not that I can recall." Thomas nodded softly, "Oh.."

Thomas paused thinking before he spoke, "since you finished early with the tent, how about we see what fighting skills you have?" Jasper nodded, "sure." Thomas nodded, "follow me then."

Jasper followed him as he took him to a nearby empty area. Thomas stopped and looked at jasper. Jasper stopped in front of Thomas noting both Jeff and Ryan had stayed behind. He figured they were going to do something but didn't know what and didn't bother asking.

Thomas spoke, "Ok, attack me in any way you can." Jasper nodded, "ok."

Jasper looks at him before attacking with a punch. His punch landed no where near Thomas as he had dodged. Jasper looked at Thomas and attacked again. He wasn't taking this seriously as he knew even if he did it was pointless. He was too weak and if he lost control he might get himself killed for it.

Thomas pushed him away before speaking, "private Jasper. Put some actual effort in here. I can assure you no one here is going to kill you if that is what you are scared of. You will get hurt but we won't kill you. You're new to our army and we don't want to kill you just because you're weak. You are here to learn, train and get stronger."

Jasper blinked and looked at him, "Yes, sir." Thomas nodded, "Now attack me like you want to kill me." Jasper looked at him and nodded, "Yes sir."

Jasper paused a moment before truly attacking. He jumped attempting to grab Thomas letting go of his worries. Jasper missed but spun attacking with a kick towards Thomas's feet. He managed to hit his feet but it felt like kicking a brick wall. He stopped and rubbed his calf from the pain.

Thomas smiled speaking, "Good attack but remember you are too weak still. If you were stronger you certainly would have knocked my feet out from under me." Jasper nodded bitterly, "I will remember." Thomas nodded, "Now, attack again." Jasper nodded, "Yes sir!"

Jasper attacked again. He threw a punch which was blocked but threw another. Again the punch was blocked but Jasper kept going, slowly improving in his attacks. He was getting more precise with his attacks even as his attacks slowed as he got tired. He refused to stop though as he wanted to continue.

Thomas spoke, "Hold. Ok we are stopping for a bit. Take a break." Jasper stopped and looked at him panting heavily covered in sweat, "yes.. sir.." Thomas spoke, "You are a fast learner. Your attacks kept getting better but you were getting tired too quickly. I now know what I have to work with though. You are one determined fellow."

Jasper looks at him panting and froze at his next words. "Though you should hide your bloodlust better. Wait until you are going in for the kill to unleash it." Jasper spoke between breaths, "I will.. follow.. your.. advice." Thomas nodded, "good. I honestly didn't expect you to have a blood lust that only veteran soldiers have. You will give the enemy quite the shock being so young with a bloodlust like that. But, you should also hide it better."

Jasper nodded having caught his breath, "I will." Thomas nodded, "Good. Now, go get a drink of water from over there and then we will continue." Jasper nodded, "yes sir."

Jasper walked over to a water well that Thomas had pointed out to him. He took the bucket and threw it down and started to pull it back up grunting with the effort. While pulling he was thinking about Thomas's words about his bloodlust. He had actually not once really released his bloodlust yet he had sensed it.

This made him nervous as what Thomas had said was his own bloodlust felt like a veterans but in reality he didn't even release his bloodlust. If his small leak of bloodlust was comparable to a veteran then if he really released it would it terrorize others? And if so would they try killing him thinking he was a threat?" He didn't know but he knew he had to completely get his bloodlust under his control.