"We will be starting your training now, young master Morgan," Luke said.
Morgan had found a set of track suits and sleek body suits at the foot of his bed when he had woken up in the morning, along with a note telling him to meet Luke at the dojo.
It was still a bit dark, with a slight breeze rustling the leaves on the trees.
"Luke, could you please drop the honorifics, just call me Morgan."
"As you wish, sir," Luke said with a smile.
The dojo was already filled with the sound of grunts and groans as several men sparred and others practiced weaponry.
" So are you going to teach me how to fight?" Morgan asked seriously.
"No, no, you’re not yet ready for that," he said, with a chuckle.
"First, we’re going to have to work on your fitness. In this line of work, one has to be quite fast.
Speed can mean the difference between life and death. There are foes and things you’ll encounter where the best and perhaps the only option you’ll have is to flee. For now, we will focus on whipping you into shape for the academy. We will work on your speed and endurance.
"All the other kids you’ll meet there have trained for their entire lives. If it’s a race, then consider that they’ve got a massive head start against you. Just then, a white haired youth arrived, with his hands in the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt. He was clad in a similar grey tracksuit.
"Scott, glad you could join us," Luke said, nodding at him. " Scott here has generously offered to aid in your training. " Scott silently nodded.
The last time Morgan had met him, they’d only exchanged greetings, and he seemed like a nice enough guy.
" I must warn you that this training is going to be a little hellish; you may even feel like you’re going to die at some point, but it’ll be worth it. You’ll be joining Scott for his morning run, and you’ll continue this routine every day for as long as you’re here, 12 laps around the estate.
Afterwards, you’ll meet me here for the next phase of your physical training. This will not only fortify you physically but mentally as well.
In the evenings, we’ll try out different ways to draw out your innate talent as a Thane; you’ll meet up with Rebecca in the library for that."
" What do you mean by that?" Morgan asked seriously.
"The assassins of the Thane family are among those who can draw upon power from the Dark world or Tenebris into this dimension.
Some among us are also able to physically cross over into this dimension; they can ignore the barrier between dimensions and cross over.
Rebecca will tell you all about it in your sessions with her. This power, as I mentioned earlier, grants us supernatural gifts. "
Luke vanished from the spot where he had been standing and suddenly reappeared behind Morgan.
A gust of wind followed in his wake. Morgan’s eyes widened in disbelief as he heard Luke’s voice behind him.
" Gifts, like these." He said quietly, his eyes gleaming in the pale light.
" Show off," Scott, who had been observing, said, shaking his head.
" We will have enough time to demonstrate all this. For now, you’ll begin your training. We’re already running late as it is," Luke said, nodding at Scott. Morgan followed Scott as they walked to the entrance of the dojo.
" You know, I feel a little sorry for you, cousin," Scott said with a smile as he got into a running stance.
"But in any case, try to keep up." He casually set off at a light pace. Morgan followed closely behind. After a few minutes of keeping pace with Scott, he felt accustomed to the other’s pace. He breathed in the cold morning air as he ran, taking in slow, measured breaths. He slowly got into a rhythm.
" So, how long have you been doing this? You don’t even look the least bit out of breath." He asked curiously.
"For as long as I can remember, this is the life I’ve lived," Scott replied.
"It’s what I was born to be. It’s the life I have chosen for myself. You’d better conserve your breath, you won’t be able to keep up if you keep talking like that."
As the sun peeked over the horizon, Scott gradually increased the pace until he was practically sprinting. Morgan gasped for breath as his lungs burned.
His eyes bulged out of their sockets, and every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire. His body’s movements felt heavy and sluggish as he fought through the pain.
" I can do this, I have got to do this, I can’t give up here." His eyes burned with determination as he desperately struggled to keep up with Scott’s pace.
Scott kept just enough distance to allow Morgan to familiarize himself with the route they’d be taking around the estate.
After the first lap, he gradually sped away, running with a calm focus. He overlapped with Morgan quite a few times before finishing his laps for the day.
" Who’s showing off now?" Luke said with a smirk.
"Oh shut up," Scott retorted. A few moments passed as they waited for Morgan to finish.
On the roof of the mansion, an imposing figure stood silently, his arms clasped behind his back. Damien watched as Morgan ran. Rebecca appeared beside him, a slight breeze stirring at her arrival.
Her red hair fluttered slightly in the wind.
"Do you think he has what it takes, sir? To live as an assassin?"
" The boy is a Thane, as his father before him and his grandfather and great-grandfather before that. The Thanes have always been drawn in by the strings of fate. My brother tried to defy fate by keeping the boy and his mother away, and look how that turned out."
As they watched, the boy stumbled and fell. He slowly rose, then doubled over and puked. Updates are released by novel·fiɾe·net
A hint of amusement flickered in Rebecca’s eyes. Rebecca cast a sideways glance at the man who stood before her.
His calm azure eyes betrayed no emotion.
Slowly, Morgan rose to his feet and kept running.
" One cannot run from one’s fate. You’ll do everything you can to ensure that he is ready. You’ll teach him everything you know." Damien ordered in a stern voice.
Rebecca fell to one knee," As you command, my Lord."
A determined gleam appeared in Damien’s eyes.
"I will not fail him a third time. My debt to Simon and Alexander will be paid."
Morgan finished the 12 laps and promptly collapsed at Luke’s feet, gasping for air.
" I did it. I managed to finish. What’s next?"
" Someone’s lively, that’s the spirit," Luke said, with a hint of amusement. He stylishly smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles in his coat.
" Rest for 30 minutes. Then meet me at the pool. You should freshen up while you’re at it." He said seriously.
Morgan offered a thumbs up, then promptly emptied his guts again. Scott’s face wrinkled in disgust.
"Dude, what the hell?"
Morgan slowly got to his feet, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
"You’re quite the monster, you know. I’ve never met anyone our age who could pull off what you just did. You’re not even slightly out of breath."
"Yet you still managed to finish, and on your first day, too. That speaks volumes. You’d better go get changed; Luke frowns on tardiness." Scott said as he headed into the dojo.
He paused slightly, then turned.
"Right, come with me, I’ll take you to one of the recovery chambers."
The staff had been notified of Morgan’s identity, so there wasn’t much of a fuss as Scott led him through the facility.
"Your body normally wouldn’t be able to endure such prolonged activity without having undergone a period of acclimatization. Even with your unique physique, a boon of your excellent genetic makeup as a Thane, your muscles would cramp up if exposed to any more physical activity at that level of intensity." Scott said as they arrived in front of what looked like a laboratory.
He placed his palm on a pad that verified his identity.
"Your biometrics are currently being added to the personnel who can access these facilities."
Several glass tanks filled with fluid occupied the room.
"Inside these tanks is a special kind of recovery fluid. It’s called Nexus fluid. The fluid is something that the scientists in our employ came up with while researching the Dark world. It has regenerative properties, it’s even able to regrow limbs if the wounds are ordinary."
Morgan looked around the room in amazement, studying the different equipment that littered the room.
"But in your case, a simple shower in the fluid should do. You’d better get in fast; a few minutes should be enough for you to be right as rain. I’ll wait for you out here."
The recovery fluid washed over him, seeping into his body. Morgan sighed in contentment, his cramped muscles relaxing in the soothing embrace of the Nexus fluid.
"I’m going to be an assassin, the very best there is; I’ll succeed." He thought with a determined glint in his eyes.