Ralph and Gillard stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for letting us train with you," Gillard said earnestly.
"Yeah," Ralph added quickly. "We won’t waste the chance."
Talmir waved them off with one hand.
"It’s no trouble. Don’t make it sound so serious."
The tension eased after that. They fell into small talk—Ralph complaining about waking up early, Gillard asking Teclos about his gear, Tolk tossing in the occasional jab at Teclos, just to stir things up.
Five minutes quickly passed.
Kosak did not appear.
Talmir glanced once more down the road, then shook his head.
"Alright. Let’s head out. Can’t wait on him forever."
He turned and clapped his hands once.
"Line up at the front of the gate, I’ll go get our training gear for today."
They formed a line without delay and waited for him.
Talmir stepped into the nearby guard station and emerged moments later carrying several heavy sand sacks, thick canvas reinforced with leather straps sewn along the sides.
He greeted the guard casually as he passed, then began handing the sacks out—one to Teclos, one to Tolk, one to Gillard, and finally one to Ralph.
"Put them on," Talmir said evenly. "It’s time for a run."
The weight was hefty.
It wasn’t unbearable—but would be quite noticeable during the run. Every step suddenly demanded more focus.
The sack settled heavily across Teclos’s shoulders, the straps biting slightly into his armor as gravity tried to pull him down.
Ralph, on the other hand, staggered half a step as he adjusted his straps.
"By the gods—!" he hissed, legs trembling slightly as he straightened.
Tolk rolled his shoulders once and was unfazed. Teclos adjusted his stance and tested his balance, finding it manageable.
Gillard said nothing, but his jaw tightened subtly as he settled the load.
Teclos glanced at Ralph and grinned.
"Careful," he said. "Wouldn’t want you collapsing before we even start."
Ralph shot him a glare.
"Laugh while you can. If you trip once, I’m not helping you back up."
Despite the words, his tone was light.
Tolk just laughed. "Like you were any different at the start."
Teclos coughed and looked away.
Meanwhile, Gillard exhaled slowly, steadying his breathing. Outwardly, he looked calm—but inside, concern was brewing in his mind. The sack was heavier than he’d expected. He doubted whether he could pull through.
Talmir watched them quietly, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Once they were done, he spoke up.
"Check your straps again so the sacks can’t fall, then we’ll move. I’ll set the pace, so keep up."
And with that, the training began.