The morning started like any other with Magnus waking up in his standard military given apartment. It had been three months since his transfer to Orange Town from his home of Briss Kingdom. Magnus knew that he had definitely slacked on his Personal Training. So the next few days he was going to get back into his PT routine that way, he can get ready for his training sessions at the Military Base on the Island. The unfit solider quickly put on some running shorts and a light shirt before putting on some socks and shoes and walked out the door into the busy street.

Magnus’ apartment building was in the in the center of the city just five or six blocks from the military base and training grounds. Magnus normally would warm up and stretch before going on his little runs, but Magnus knew he just need to start slow and work his way up to the longer distances. So he took off down the street past the occasion civilian out this early in the morning. The sound of Magnus’ rhythmic breathing quietly eased his pain as he neared the edge of the city that would put him on a path towards the coast. Unlike some individuals, Magnus actually liked thinking to himself while he ran, because it kept his mind busy from thinking about how shitty the run was. “Damn, I am really out of shape. I need to get out of the forge and actually do something active every once and while.” Was one depressing thought that ran through his mind as he neared the one mile mark. Magnus made a quick pivot before slowing down and slow stretching out his legs before continuing right after his pivot right.  

Magnus was breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth while his muscles began to scream for rest, but Magnus knew that this was the first wall he had to break through. He was running through beautiful country side with the city to his right. He knew he was going to make a large circle around the city to give him some sort of lap counter, which will help gauge how much his stamina increases in the next couple days. The pace that Magnus had set for himself was typical for a in shape and PT routine solider. Magnus was on the slacking side of this spectrum, because he just loved being in the forge creating armors, weapons, and shields from his book of blueprints.

The terrain slowly changed from a simple grassy meadow to a slightly hilly country side. The hills easily destroyed his hopes of making it through this without breaking a serious sweat. Magnus pushed against the pain and slight incline of the hillside to strain against his mental wall now. He knew that he had completed a large amount of distance already, which would possibly be two or two and half miles already completed. He also knew that he was nearly half way done with his route for his long distance run. The last part of the run was always the worst, because he always tried to push himself into a sprint until he reached the road leading back into the city.

The road came into view about a mile and half away from his current position. Now it was nearly impossible for someone to hold out a dead sprint for over a mile. “I guess, I can do circuits of minute and half timed sprints, which would help me get back to my apartment faster as well.” Magnus spoke out loud to himself before he picked up the pace to just below a sprint as he counted to ninety in head mentally. This sprinting routine would push his body to limit as sweat began to run wildly down his face and back of his neck. Magnus’ uniquely colored braided hair would be swinging behind him, but the braided pony tail look would keep his body and head cool during his PT training again as well as the open seas.

After another seven or so minute of this interval sprinting routine, Magnus would come up on the road that would lead him back into the city. He was about a half a mile further up the road than when he started, which would put him about a mile and half away from the city. For the run back, Magnus would take a nice easy job back into the city before stopping by a local restaurant to pick up some brunch before taking it back to his apartment to eat and shower before heading over to the Military Training Grounds outside of the city.

• Base Stamina - 250/250
  
• Word Count - 781/750
  
• New Stamina - 250/270
  

 

For the next two weeks, Magnus fulfilled the requirement amount of PT to get back into shape. He spent his mornings running throughout the city and ending the day with a small jog on the outskirts of the city. Day in and day out, Magnus would continue to strengthen his body and prepare himself for the vicious additional training sessions he would be going through in the Marine training grounds in Orange Town. The Training Grounds had numerous training pits, which would consist of numerous types of weapons, sparring grounds, and even a target range within its walls. Magnus knew that today would consist of simple weapon sparring with other Ensigns that are in Orange Town as well.

The final morning run through the city ended with him back at his apartment to change into some acceptable training attire. He pulled out a pair of kind of tight black joggers with a white V-necked shirt. He let his long braided hair flow down his back as he left his apartment towards the training grounds. The marine training area was just outside of Orange Town. It consisted of a barracks for marines that hadn’t completed their first year training, four to five training pits that consisted of sandy foundation with a white fence encircling it, and at least two marksmen target ranges with various circular bullseye targets. Numerous Ensigns would litter the training grounds all doing various forms of sparring and exercises. Of course, Magnus walking into the grounds would make a good number of them would turn to look at the recently transferred Marine Quiet whispers would begin to circulate around the grounds. Magnus was a hot topic due to his background in the medieval environment of the Briss Kingdom, but he knew that he would shut up a lot of them today. He hadn’t been in the Training grounds in a good couple of years. He had spent the last two years developing his blacksmithing abilities.

“So what does a Marine have to do to get a sparring partner around here?!?” Magnus spoke to everyone around the weapons circle. He quickly found a suitable sword that was categorized as a “short” sword and stepped into the ring. Normally, Magnus would also don a shield for his fighting style, but he wasn’t fighting for his life. He wanted to gain experience in fighting against various sword styles and fighting styles. Twirling the blade in his right hand as he waited quietly for an opponent brave enough to step into the ring with him, Magnus paced back and forth while the numerous Ensigns quietly surrounded the ring.

“I will go up against you, newbie!” A sound rang out from the back of the crowd. The crowd split to reveal a medium build man with a long katana in his hands. He wore the typical samurai attire and looked like he had been around the battlefield before. “I am one of the seasoned Marines at this base. Looks like we get to see what the barbaric fighting style of a Briss Inhabitant looks like.” The man gave Magnus a devilish smirk before stepping into the ring with his blade. “Alrighty, I haven’t fought someone with a blade like that before, but it should be fun.” Magnus gave a small wink before tossed the blade from his right hand to his left hand and back again.

The pair circled one another in the ring, but what broke the silence between the two was the Samurai. So, we do things by moves and kill strikes. We both square off and make a move. You can counter the move in any way, shape, or form, but you need to remember to go for the kill strikes. That is the only way to stop the fight.” The samurai laid out all the rules before Magnus. It was a pretty straight forward concept.

Of course, Magnus was the first to make a move. He took the necessary steps to close the gap between the two fighters, and Magnus slashed at the Samurai’s left shoulder. The samurai quickly countered and made a move for the Briss Marine’s neck. “Two moves. Not good for you.” The samurai spoke as the blade stopped inches away from Magnus neck. He quietly chuckled as the rest of the Marines laughed in his face.

“Again Samurai,” Magnus spit out as he knocked the Katana away from his neck. The two began to watch each other and move around the ring again. They were already so close that their blades basically touched until Magnus knocked away the blade again and made a lunge for the Samurai’s opposite side. They traded blows, counters, parries, and attacks at one another until they reached seven moves and the Samurai beat Magnus again. “Damn, that one was a bit better. Might as well, finish training for today. You seem a bit winded.” The crowd grew larger as the Samurai taunted the young Briss Marine. Magnus had been drained from his morning run that the blade felt heavy in his hand.

“One More.” Magnus spit out again. He knew the honorable way of fighting would be hard against someone that is as traditional as this Samurai. He didn’t waste movements and he waited for Magnus to move. Magnus began to calculate the way he would have to win this next bout. Luckily, Magnus’ sword style involved a very aggressive form of thinking, which would allow them to adapt to the various other fighting styles. So he knew what he had to do with someone with straight forward movements and attacks that would make him waste movement and get outplayed.

The two circled each other again without averting the gaze between them. Magnus had been moved back a bit, which instantly put him at a disadvantage with the longer sword already touching his short sword already. Magnus again made the first move. He smacked away the longer sword to the left to knock the Samurai off balance, but he simply adjusted his body position to counter the next move. This went on for a good minute with Magnus testing the waters between the two; but unknowingly, he quietly closed the gap between himself and the Samurai.

The back and forth between the two swordsmen was interesting to see, but it all quickly changed when Magnus made his move. He parried the Samurai’s blade a lot harder than he had been before. This parry knocked the blade down towards the ground, giving Magnus just enough time to perform his plan, and he quickly dove at the Samurai to tackle him. Magnus’ sore body slammed into the stomach of the Samurai, knocking him to the ground, and the blade out of his hand. The Samurai was pinned and Magnus’ short sword was at this throat and all that could escape Magnus’ lips were, “Got you…”

The Samurai shoved Mag off of him and cursed as he left the ring saying, “If we were going to go all out and just not use blades, someone should’ve let me know. Fuck this. Newbie trash.” The Samurai disappeared as the rest of the Marines shared his thoughts, but Mag was used to the way everyone was looking at him now. But he didn’t care; he was going to be one of the greatest swordsmen and blacksmiths in the world. He didn’t care. He knew he would be leaving this island eventually. He just had to wait for a higher ranking Marine to need the assistance of a Blacksmith, because he was the best candidate when it comes to that skillset.

Magnus tossed the blade back onto the shelf and began to walk out of the training grounds before a shirtless huge Marine stopped him. “Hey, if you want to learn more about how to control your body better and how to utilize that with your swordplay, you will need to come back tomorrow during the Martial Art training sessions. We will be doing a lot of grappling and ground fighting, which could help you in the long run.” The marine gave Mag a huge smile before continuing on. “Plus, we need to learn how to disarm weapon users.” Magnus just gave a small nod before disappearing through the training grounds entrance.

The next day, Magnus came back in different training attire to hopefully learn somethings about the way weapon users fight against martial arts. Unfortunately for Magnus, he was about to be battered back and forth by trained martial art users. The day ended with him being bruised, battered, and completely sore all over from rolling around in the sand with trained martial arts users. At the end of the day, Magnus lipped his way back to his apartment to soak in a huge tub of ice before laying down on his couch to take in the past couple days’ worth of training. “Damn, I didn’t know that getting back into shape and getting ready for the real world out there would kill my body soo much.” Magnus said to himself as he began to drift off to sleep from sheer exhaustion of the past couple days.

• Base Stamina - 270/270
  
• Word Count - 1,522/750
  
• New Stamina - 270/310