Unbound of Fate

The sun had barely risen when Lloyd was jolted awake by a sharp jab to his ribs. He groaned, blinking sleepily as Renna loomed over him, staff in hand.

"Up," she commanded, her voice as unyielding as steel. "We start now."

Lloyd stumbled to his feet, his body still sore from the previous day's training. The morning air was cold, biting against his skin as he tried to shake off the remnants of sleep.

Renna wasted no time. "Your body is weak," she said bluntly. "We'll fix that first. Run."

"Run where?" Lloyd asked, looking around the dense forest.

"Anywhere," Renna replied. "Just don't stop until I say so."

Lloyd set off at a jog, the uneven terrain forcing him to focus on each step. Roots and rocks threatened to trip him, but he pushed forward, determined not to disappoint Renna. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and rustling leaves, but Lloyd barely noticed. His lungs burned, and his legs felt like lead.

He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting Renna to be watching from the clearing, but she was nowhere in sight. For a moment, he considered slowing down, but the memory of her sharp gaze spurred him on.

The run felt endless. Every time he thought he couldn't go any farther, he reminded himself of the griffon, of the near-death experience that had awakened his cores. That encounter had shown him just how powerless he truly was. If he wanted to survive—if he wanted to protect himself and those he cared about—he couldn't afford to be weak.

When Renna finally called him back, Lloyd staggered into the clearing, gasping for air.

"Not bad," she said, handing him a flask of water. "But not good enough. Again tomorrow."

Lloyd groaned but took the flask, gulping down the cool liquid. His respite was short-lived.

"Pick up the staff," Renna ordered.

He hesitated, his arms still trembling from the run. "Can't we take a break?"

Renna's expression darkened. "Your enemies won't give you a break. Neither will I. Pick it up."

With a sigh, Lloyd grabbed the wooden staff. It felt heavier than before, his exhaustion amplifying its weight.

Renna didn't wait for him to adjust. She lunged, her strikes precise and unrelenting. Lloyd scrambled to block her attacks, each clash of wood against wood sending shocks through his arms.

"You're sloppy," Renna said, her voice cutting through the sounds of their sparring. "Your movements are predictable. If this were a real fight, you'd already be dead."

Her words stung, but Lloyd gritted his teeth and pressed on. He tried to anticipate her next move, to find an opening in her relentless assault.

For a brief moment, he thought he saw one. He swung his staff, aiming for her side, but Renna sidestepped effortlessly. With a single, fluid motion, she swept his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Better," she said, standing over him. "But not good enough."

The days that followed were grueling. Renna pushed Lloyd to his limits and beyond, her training a relentless cycle of physical drills and combat practice.

In the mornings, he ran through the forest, his pace growing faster with each passing day. Afternoons were spent sparring, with Renna teaching him to read his opponent's movements and exploit their weaknesses. Evenings were dedicated to honing his cores, the delicate balance of magic, spirit, and aura becoming more familiar with each session.

Lloyd's body ached constantly, his muscles screaming in protest at the demands placed on them. But beneath the pain, he could feel himself growing stronger. His reactions were quicker, his strikes more precise.

Renna noticed the change, though she rarely acknowledged it. "You're improving," she said one evening as they sat by the fire. "But don't let it go to your head. Complacency is a killer."

Lloyd nodded, her words a reminder of how far he still had to go.

One night, as Lloyd practiced channeling his cores, Renna approached him with three small crystals. Each one glowed faintly in the firelight—a fiery red, a tranquil blue, and a vibrant green.

"These represent your cores," she said, placing them on the ground before him. "Magic, spirit, and aura. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each requires a different kind of discipline to master."

Lloyd studied the crystals, their glow mesmerizing. "Why do I have all three?" he asked. "What makes me different?"

Renna's gaze softened, a rare moment of vulnerability breaking through her stern exterior. "You're tetherborn," she said. "A rarity in this world. Most people are born with one core, two if they're lucky. You were born with all three."

"What does that mean for me?" Lloyd asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It means your potential is limitless," Renna replied. "But it also means your path will be harder than anyone else's. Balancing three cores isn't just difficult—it's dangerous. If you lose control, the power could destroy you."

Her words sent a shiver down Lloyd's spine, but he refused to let fear take hold. "Then I won't lose control," he said firmly.

Renna studied him for a moment before nodding. "We'll see."

By the end of the week, Lloyd felt like a different person. His movements were sharper, his mind clearer. The energy of his cores no longer felt like an unruly storm—it was becoming a part of him, a power he could draw upon when needed.

Renna watched his progress with a mixture of pride and caution. She knew the road ahead would only grow more treacherous, but for now, Lloyd was holding his own.

"You've done well," she said one evening as they prepared to rest. "But this is just the beginning. The real challenges are still to come."

Lloyd nodded, determination burning in his eyes. He didn't know what the future held, but he was ready to face it head-on.