Chapter 46: Tired, Can’t Take One More Step

"I haven’t become one yet," Kael replied.

"At least you know that," the trainee said with a smirk.

Before Kael could respond, Hale called the trainee over and corrected his stance. The man immediately stopped smiling when he realized his own posture was wrong.

Kael returned to his exercise. He wasn’t there to impress anyone, and he had already experienced enough embarrassment during his assessment. He didn’t intend to waste another morning worrying about what strangers thought of him.

By the end of the first session, his legs were tired, and sweat had gathered along his forehead. Hale gave the class a short break before bringing out several padded training weapons.

"We’re moving on to basic weapon handling," Hale announced. "These are practice daggers. They are lighter than most real weapons, but you must still treat them properly."

Hale demonstrated how to hold the dagger, how to keep the wrist stable, and how to avoid exposing the body while moving. Kael remembered the practice dagger he had chosen during his assessment. Back then, he had picked it because he was familiar with the shape of a knife, not because he knew how to use one.

Now he understood how little he had known.

Hale handed Kael a practice dagger and asked him to demonstrate his grip.

"Show me your grip," Hale instructed.

Kael held it as he remembered.

Hale immediately shook his head. "Your wrist is too tense. You’re gripping it as if you’re afraid someone will take it away."

"Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?" Kael asked.

"You’re supposed to maintain control, not squeeze the life out of the handle. Relax your hand slightly," Hale explained.

Kael adjusted his grip.

"Better. Now move forward, then step back into your defensive position," Hale instructed.

Kael followed the directions. His first attempt was slow, and his second was unbalanced. On the third attempt, he moved more smoothly but forgot to protect his side.

Hale tapped Kael’s ribs with a padded weapon.

"You’re open," Hale pointed out.

Kael looked down at the spot the instructor had touched. "I see it."

"Seeing it after someone hits you doesn’t help much. Again," Hale replied.

They repeated the drill until Kael could complete the movement without losing his balance. His technique was still rough, but he began to understand why Hale kept emphasizing footwork. The dagger wasn’t going to make him a better fighter by itself. If his body was in the wrong position, even the correct movement would be difficult to perform.

When the session ended, Hale gathered the trainees.

"Tomorrow, we’ll continue with defensive movement and introduce controlled partner exercises," Hale announced. "Don’t attempt to practice anything you haven’t been taught, especially if you’re still recovering from an injury."

Kael listened carefully as Hale continued.

"Your goal isn’t to win a fight during training. Your goal is to learn enough that you don’t make the same mistake twice."

After dismissing the class, Hale asked Kael to stay behind for a moment.

"You’re the trainee Marcus Vale assessed, aren’t you?" Hale asked.

"Yes," Kael answered.

"I read the preliminary report. Your performance during the assessment was unusual, but don’t let that distract you from the basics. Whatever strength you displayed that day, you couldn’t control it consistently," Hale explained.

Kael nodded. "I noticed."

"Good. Then don’t rush ahead. Learn to move properly first. Strength without control will only get you into trouble," Hale advised.

"I’ll work on it," Kael promised.

Hale handed him a sheet containing the next week’s schedule.

"Get some food and rest. We’ll continue tomorrow," Hale instructed.

Kael thanked him and left the training room. His first lesson had been far less exciting than he expected. There had been no impressive demonstration of power, no sudden breakthrough, and no moment when everyone realized he was special. He had spent most of the morning correcting his foot placement and learning how to hold a practice dagger.

Still, he had learned something useful, even if he hadn’t expected the lesson to be so tiring.

—--

By the time Kael returned to the apartment, his legs felt heavy. Sera opened the door before he could knock.

"You’re back. How was it?" Sera asked.

Kael stepped inside and removed his shoes. "Harder than I expected."

She looked at him with concern. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing serious. We spent most of the morning learning basic movement and weapon handling. I kept losing my balance," Kael explained.

Sera helped him put his bag aside. "Are you hurt?"

"No. Just tired. Instructor Hale made it clear that I shouldn’t push myself, especially with my chest still recovering," Kael replied.

"Good. Sit down. I’ll get you some water," Sera said.

Kael sat on the sofa while Sera brought him a glass. Noah was lying in his crib nearby, awake and moving his hands. After drinking, Kael leaned back and let out a breath.

"I thought the first lesson would involve more fighting," Kael admitted.

Sera sat beside him and asked, "What did you expect?"

"At least a little sparring," Kael replied.

Sera raised an eyebrow. "You were unconscious after your last fight. Maybe learning how to stand properly is a good place to begin."

Kael looked at her. "I was hoping you’d be more sympathetic."

"I am sympathetic. That’s why I’m happy you didn’t get knocked unconscious today," Sera replied.

Kael laughed and reached for her hand. "You’re right. I’m glad too."

Sera sat comfortably beside him. "Did you learn anything useful?"

"Quite a bit, actually. I didn’t realize how much balance mattered. I thought holding a weapon and knowing where to strike would be enough, but I kept exposing myself whenever I moved," Kael explained.

"Then it sounds like you learned something," Sera said.

"I suppose I did," Kael agreed.

He told her about the exercises, Instructor Hale’s corrections, and the trainee who had mocked him before struggling with his own stance. Sera listened with interest, occasionally asking questions about the class. She didn’t tease him about his mistakes, and Kael appreciated that more than he expected.

When he finished explaining, Sera glanced toward her sketchbook.

"I wanted to work on this while Noah was awake, but I haven’t had much time. Would you mind taking him for a while?" Sera asked.

"Of course," Kael replied.

Kael stood, picked Noah up carefully, and settled into the chair near the window. Sera brought over the baby’s supplies before returning to the table.

Kael checked Noah’s diaper and held him comfortably against his chest. The baby looked up at him, then began moving his mouth as if he had something important to say.

"Your mother is trying to work, so let’s give her some time," Kael told him quietly.

Noah responded with a small sound.

Kael smiled. "Exactly. That’s what I thought."

Across the room, Sera laughed without looking up from her drawing. Kael smiled and continued talking softly to his son.

His legs still hurt, his arms felt tired, and he knew tomorrow’s lesson would probably leave him just as exhausted. He also knew that learning to fight properly would take much longer than he had hoped. However, he had made it through his first day without rushing ahead or pretending he knew more than he did.

For now, he was content to sit with Noah while Sera worked on something she cared about.

A few minutes later, Sera turned her sketchbook toward him.

"Kael, what do you think of this arrangement?" she asked.

He looked at the drawing before looking back at her.

"I like it. The shelves give you more space, and the sofa won’t block the window," Kael replied.

Sera smiled. "That’s what I was thinking."

"Then I think you should keep it," Kael advised.

She returned to her work, looking pleased with the suggestion. Kael adjusted Noah in his arms and glanced at the training schedule lying on the table. Tomorrow, he would have to do it all again, but this time he knew what to expect.