The Knights of Merana

Chapter 3

Karina led the soldiers that she was responsible of towards the mountains. When they were in view, she stopped, indicating that the soldiers should stop too. "Alright!" she boomed. She faced the soldiers with a hard glare. "Right now, you will jog from here," She pointed towards the snowy peaks, "To there. This will help your leg endurance and your lung endurance. Think of it as if anyone hits you in the chest or tries to throw you off balance by kicking your feet, you'll have a better chance of going away unharmed. Now, get to it!" She finished as the soldiers sped towards the mountains.

She watched the soldiers make their way towards the icy landforms. Deciding that she should run too, to keep her abilities in shape, she started to sprint behind them.

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Rushed footsteps slowed down, as the soldiers began to feel fatigue. Karina kept her pace steady, still behind the rest of the soldiers. Soldiers slowed down the back and began to walk to catch their breath. When Karina saw them, and she really did, she screamed at them to keep running.

One soldier lagged behind, enduring his way towards the peaks. He didn't want to seem weak, or unworthy of fighting, so he kept going. He started to fall behind the rest of the group, the fatigue of his legs slowly catching up to him. Despite his wishes, Karina witnessed his perseverance and internally admired his efforts.

The rest of the soldiers stood at the foot of the mountains, awaiting Karina's next orders. But Karina wasn't there yet. Instead, she headed towards the exhausted boy. "Hey, keep going, you're almost there." She said gently. Her eyes weren't in her usual stoic state, but a soft layer of empathy peeked through her rich chocolate irises. Her encouragement energized the boy soldier, a flicker of hope to gain his superior's approval sparked inside him. But he had her respect already.