The following morning, Adara emerged from the barracks, her eyes immediately seeking and finding Storm's familiar figure. A radiant smile spread across her face as she closed the distance between them. Storm, his features reflecting an unusually high-spirited disposition, was a welcoming sight to her. She reached him and slung her arm around his neck, her excitement effusing into her words.

"Can we take a moment to appreciate the divine sleep I just had? Those ingenious inventions, cushions, they truly work miracles. And the mattresses, their softness is beyond compare!" Adara gushed, her words tinted with exaggerated awe. As she playfully tightened her hold on Storm’s neck, her humour was contagious.

Storm, however, responded with mock irritation, dislodging Adara’s arm from around his neck. His feigned scowl couldn't mask the sparkle in his eyes as he retorted, “So, your luxurious sleep now requires you to strangle me?”

Adara’s grin widened. “Precisely.” This exchange triggered an impromptu wrestling match between them, as Storm, in retaliation, snared Adara in a headlock.

Their playful scuffle formed the backdrop for Kenji, Astrid, Keanu, Kenna, and Atlas as they emerged from their buildings. Astrid, stifling a yawn, pointedly asked, "Isn't it a tad early for attempted murder?"

Keanu, with contagious enthusiasm, chimed in, "I've never slept better. The softness, the comfort – simply divine!" Their shared sentiments led to a boisterous discussion about the necessity of introducing cushions and mattresses in their villages.

While the morning sun still hid behind the horizon, they navigated their way to the mess hall. Kenji took this opportunity to brief everyone about the acquaintances they had made the previous night, and the day’s plan.

However, Atlas gently turned down the offer, explaining that they had already made commitments to meet their fellow village friends. Kenji took the news in stride, smiling in understanding. Kenna chimed in, revealing another unexpected piece of news: the older village trainees would be segregated for more intensive training, given their delayed start.

Astrid reacted with surprise and a touch of outrage. "That hardly seems fair."

Keanu shrugged, offering a resigned sigh. "It is what it is. Our interactions will likely be limited to mealtimes and barrack gatherings." Their once animated conversation was replaced by a weighted silence as they digested this information.

Upon reaching the nearly empty mess hall, they claimed a table by the entrance. As they settled down, Adara reminded them of their post-breakfast obligation. "We need to get our measurements taken after this."

Astrid, surprised, confessed she'd almost forgotten about it. The conversation continued, with Storm expressing his confusion about Phoenix and Reign's whereabouts the previous night. He was under the impression they were housed in the same barracks, but he hadn't seen them enter. His observation hung in the air until Atlas offered an explanation, “It appears there are multiple buildings assigned to us first years.”

Storm, Kenji, and Adara expressed their realisation in unison, "Oh."

As they absorbed this information, the mess hall began to bristle with more activity, the servers bustling around, distributing breakfast to each table. Astrid, observing this unusual scene, shared her thoughts aloud, “I find it rather odd that we're being waited on."

Keanu, following her gaze around the room, responded, "I’ve heard it's due to the impracticality of self-serving. Apparently, the queue for food used to take so long that some trainees only received their breakfast half an hour to an hour later. This disparity led to disputes over line order."

Atlas supplemented Keanu's explanation, adding, “Additionally, it provides employment opportunities for some. They earn wages doing this.”

The servers swiftly set down plates before each of them and retreated. The breakfast plates featured apple slices, a banana, egg, and a pair of bread slices. As they had the previous night, the cousins only managed to consume half of their meal, once again offering the remainder to an eager Atlas.

Leaving the mess hall, the group moved to a building across from it. Inside, they were greeted by a sprawling workspace strewn with various materials. A man in his late forties appeared and welcomed them. He beckoned a few others from a separate area within the workspace, who arrived armed with measuring tapes. Kenji, Kenna, Atlas, and Astrid were the first to have their measurements taken, followed by Keanu, Adara, and Storm.

However, the man and woman responsible for measuring Adara and Storm exhibited slight frowns. They had encountered slender villagers before, but none as gaunt as the cousins. A sense of pity replaced their initial confusion as they noted the thinness of their waists, their hands meeting with minimal distance as they wrapped the measuring tapes around them.

With the uncomfortable process concluded, the cousins breathed a sigh of relief. As they exited the building, their spirits were lifted by the sight of Phoenix and Reign leaning casually against the wall, waiting for them.

Keanu, Atlas, and Kenna were introduced to Phoenix and Reign before they left to meet their village trainees. Astrid too, was introduced, and the rest of them proceeded towards their designated resting area, discussing the day's agenda with growing anticipation.

Upon reaching the furthest tree in the resting area, they settled down. Phoenix suggested, “Since the wealthy folks are unlikely to be awake this early, we can decide how to pass the time.”

Reign's eyes brightened at this, proposing, “We could guide you on the trail we typically use for stamina training.”

Astrid, stretching her limbs, agreed, “Sounds perfect to me. A bit of activity would certainly be beneficial.”

“Alright,” Storm said, “Lead the way."

They lightly jogged down the incline they had ascended earlier, bypassing the training grounds. Phoenix and Reign led them to the edge of the training grounds, where they were greeted by a forest. The experience of jogging through the forest just after sunrise was nothing short of enchanting.

The forest was just rousing from its slumber. The group watched rabbits emerging from their burrows, squirrels scampering up trees, and listened to the harmonious orchestra of bird songs. They continued jogging in appreciative silence, soaking in the serenity of nature until they reached a river.

They took a brief rest by the river, before resuming their early morning jog. Eventually, they emerged on the opposite side of the training grounds, slowing down their pace. The group, gasping for breath, sank down to the ground to recover.

Phoenix, her hands resting on her hips, glanced at the sun, and announced, "It should be time for the wealthier folks to surface. Let’s get moving."

© Crimson B