Dragon Fire

Chapter 9

“...” Werlek was so surpriesed, he didn't know what to think.

“I don't think, I know it's corrupting me.” Aresa frowned and then recounted her dream to him till
the point were she threw the soldiers off the boat and the boat started burning.

“Then I started laughing crazily...after that the boat started sinking, the bracelet on my arm was pulling me down, but I was unable to take it off. When I tried to, I suddenly attacked myself. After that the boat sank and
I was pulled deep down into the depths of the Lake. I got so dark, and I was drowning. I was unable to let the bracelet go, even through it was pulling me down.” A second went by as Aresa fell into a depressed silence.

“You will get allright, I think, if you stop using the bracelet.” Werlek said at last.

Aresa nodded, but her heart was beating quickly at the thought.

“Do it now.” Werlek watched Aresa's expression closely.

She obediently slipped the bracelet from her arm, but her hands trembled as she did. “I'll hide it on my body.” Aresa mumbled.

Werlek just watched her with narrowed eyes. “Good, but you will have to part with it eventually.”

“I agree. I don't want it. It makes me depend on it, it makes me weak.” Aresa clenched her hands. “Without it I feel as strong as a fly.”

“Hmm. I have an idea. You need to train, as does Regorn. You need to be in form when we go against Hunters or monsters.” Werlek had thought of a  good plan to distract Aresa from the bracelet.

“Allright...” Aresa agreed hesitantly. This journey was challenging, and if they had to train too...

“I'll go get Grenin and Regorn. Get ready.” Werlek hurried off and came back quickly, Grenin and Regorn behind him.

Grenin was pale, but he looked surprisingly calm and not bothered.

“Good, all three of you. I will train you, and you need to listen to my every command. If you think you are not able to continue anymore, push yourself forward. If you feel like you are dying from pain and exhaustion, imagine that if you don't go forward you will die. And when you die, you just feel pain. Now, are you all ready?” Werlek's mood had instantly changed, and Aresa could see why he had been a feared commander.

Regorn felt depressed. He was sure he would be the first to fail in everything.

Grenin probably had the most intensive physical training of them before, but he was still suffering form seasickness...

Aresa was tough by nature, but as for Regorn himself... he was just a normal youth that had taken part of an exhausting journey.

“I hope Werlek will not go to hard on me...”

A soldier approached Senvan and told him the news. “They are training?” Senvan was surprised.

“Yes, and extremely hard...” The soldier looked a bit pale of thinking about the horrible he saw that crazy group do.

“Good, watch them closely.” Senvan stood up. He wanted to take a look himself.

He went up to the deck and saw four sweating figures in the sun. The leader among them, Werlek his name was, was also taking part in the training, but he was obviously doing the exercises with ease, while the
others were suffering.

Aresa felt sweat dripping into her eyes but she was so busy doing pushups and her arms were so
unstable that she didn't dare swipe it away. How long had they been busy doing this tiresome exerciese without rest? Ten minutes, twenty?