The sun rose, and with it, the start of a new day. Acki was the first to wake, standing up and shouting across the camp.
“Wake up, everyone! Morning exercises start now!” His tone was serious but not harsh.
Groans and yawns filled the air as everyone slowly stirred, rubbing their eyes from exhaustion. As the group gathered, Acki led them a little further from the camp area.
“Good morning, everyone! I hope you rested well. As I said yesterday, today we begin your training. Since none of you have combat experience, we’ll start with some light exercises. Begin with stretches, followed by push-ups, squats, planks, and sit-ups. Do as many as you can. Afterward, drink plenty of water.”
The group nodded and got to work. Most of them struggled with the exercises, barely able to do a single push-up, but Acki wasn’t concerned. He knew that with time and proper training, they would improve. As he scanned the group, something caught his eye. Thorin was effortlessly performing each exercise with perfect form, doing ten of each without breaking a sweat.
Acki watched, impressed, though he kept his thoughts to himself. He continued circulating through the group, offering help and adjusting their forms.
When the exercises ended, the group looked exhausted, hunger written on their faces. Acki surveyed them before speaking up.
“Since everyone did such a great job, I think it’s time for breakfast.”
His cheerful tone lifted their spirits.
“I’ll need a small party of three or four to go hunt for some food.”
Without hesitation, Thorin spoke up, eager to impress.
“I’ll go.”
Acki scanned the group, waiting for anyone else to volunteer. After a moment of silence, he shrugged.
“I guess that means Thorin will pick who goes with him.”
Thorin quickly chose two others from the group, his eyes shining with excitement.
“You two, come with me,” he said, gesturing cheerfully.
The two groaned but followed him anyway, knowing they had no choice. As they walked toward the woods, Acki kept an eye on them from a distance. Once they were out of sight, he jumped into the trees, moving silently as he followed them.
From his vantage point above, Acki was once again impressed by Thorin’s skills. The man moved through the forest with ease, his sharp eyes spotting animals before they had a chance to flee. Within an hour, Thorin had hunted three boars and two rabbits.
“Do you think this will be enough for everyone?” Thorin asked, looking at the two with him.
The others groaned, already tired.
“Yeah, it’ll be enough. Let’s just get back to camp. I’m starving,” one said.
“Same here,” the other mumbled.
Thorin chuckled at their complaints. “Guess we should head back then. Don’t want to keep Acki waiting.”
Acki continued to observe, quietly admiring Thorin’s leadership and hunting skills. As the group returned to camp, Acki silently dropped back into position among the others, unnoticed by the returning party.
The group cheered when they saw the amount of food Thorin and his companions had gathered. Thorin brushed off the praise, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he accepted the compliments.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
The group set to work cooking the meat, and the aroma of sizzling food made everyone’s stomachs growl. They ate as much as they could, leaving some behind for later. Afterward, Acki finished his meal in private before rejoining the group.
“Alright, everyone. Pack up. We’re covering more ground today.”
There were audible groans, but Thorin remained upbeat. Everyone packed quickly and followed Acki as he led them onward. Asha, who had started to regain some of the weight she’d lost, walked close by his side. Acki noticed the subtle change and spoke up.
“You’ve gained some weight back,” he said, his tone serious but kind.
Asha blushed and looked down, embarrassed.
“Am I getting fat?” she asked, voice quiet. “Maybe I should cut back on the food.”
Acki looked back at her, startled. He immediately tried to correct himself.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. I meant that you’ve started to gain some strength back.”
Asha’s expression softened, and she looked up at him, the tension easing.
“Thank you,” she whispered, barely audible.
Thorin, overhearing the conversation, couldn’t help himself. He laughed loudly and shouted toward the group.
“Hey, look at these two lovebirds making conversation!”
Acki turned red, slightly embarrassed.
“Hey, don’t say that!” he called back, trying to hide his discomfort.
Asha kept walking, her thoughts lingering on the moment she shared with Acki. The rest of the group laughed as the mood lightened. But the laughter quickly stopped when a group of 20 bandits jumped from the bushes, brandishing weapons.
“Everyone stop! We have you surrounded!” one of the bandits yelled. “Give us everything you have, and we won’t hurt you!”
The group froze, fear visible on their faces, but Acki and Thorin remained unfazed. Acki stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding.
“Listen, I don’t want trouble. Just turn around and leave, and I’ll let this slide.”
The bandits laughed mockingly.
“Ha! What are you going to do? Fight us all?”
Acki’s expression darkened, and he let out a disappointed sigh.
“Well, have it your way.”
With a blur of motion, Acki swiftly took down all 20 bandits, reappearing at his original position without ever drawing his weapon. The group stood in stunned silence, watching the bandits crumble.
“Alright, everyone, carry on,” Acki said, as if nothing had happened.
The mood shifted instantly. Fear evaporated, and the group felt a newfound confidence, knowing that Acki would protect them. Their respect for him deepened, especially Thorin, who was more impressed than ever.
As they resumed their journey, Asha returned to Acki’s side. He remained as calm and collected as ever, unfazed by the earlier confrontation.
After a long day of traveling, Acki finally found the perfect spot for camp. He spoke to the group once more.
“Alright, everyone, rest up as much as you can. we start comat training when you’re done.”
The groans from the group were louder than ever, but they obeyed. After a brief rest, Acki led them to a clearing, where he spoke again.
“Alright, everyone, we’ll start with basic fighting training. Everyone grab a branch and pair up with someone. One of you should be stronger, the other weaker. The stronger one will help the weaker one improve their form, or if the weaker one has better form, they’ll help the stronger one with technique. I’ll be here to help with your form as well.”
The group got to work. Thorin, as always, impressed everyone with his strength and form. His skill was unmatched, and Acki couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride knowing that Thorin would soon become one of his strongest allies.
As the night wore on, the group trained hard, some improving rapidly, others struggling. But Acki wasn’t worried. He spoke to the group with encouragement.
“Great work, everyone. You’re improving quickly. Just remember, strength doesn’t come overnight. Prepare yourselves for more training tomorrow.”
The group groaned, but Acki’s cheerful tone made them laugh as they headed back to camp. They gathered around the fire, their tired faces softened by the warmth.
“I’m beat,” one of the group members said. “We did so much today.”
“Tell me about it,” another added. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to wake up tomorrow.”
The group chuckled, but soon their conversation turned to Thorin.
“How is Thorin so strong?” someone asked. “He doesn’t seem tired at all after all that training.”
“I thought I was the only one who noticed,” another chimed in.
Thorin laughed, brushing off the praise.
“Ah, stop it. The only reason I’m strong is because of Acki. He motivates me. I might be older than him, but I look up to him.”
“Yeah, right,” someone teased. “You probably come from a family of super strong people.”
The group laughed, but Thorin’s expression suddenly changed. His usual cheerfulness faded.
“Well… actually, that’s not far from the truth.”
Everyone fell silent, and even Acki listened intently.
Thorin sighed and looked around the group.
“I come from a family of Vikings. My ancestors were some of the strongest warriors in history. My parents were well-known too, but by the time I was born, they had left that life behind. They settled in a small village, hoping for redemption. But the Viking spirit never died within them. When I was nine, our village was attacked by a group of slavers. They… they killed everyone, including my parents.”
The group listened in stunned silence. Some looked away, uncomfortable with the sadness in Thorin’s voice.
“I’m sorry,” someone whispered.
Thorin let out a dry laugh. “It’s fine. You were curious. Who wouldn’t be when someone like me comes along?”
He grinned, and the mood lightened as the group started talking and laughing again. Acki, still nearby, felt a deeper bond with Thorin than before. They both knew what it was like to lose everything.