12 A Blizzard Is Coming (1/2)

So, where was I at again? Ahh, the part where I complained that I was too talented?

Nah, I'm pretty sure I never said that. I'm a humble and honest guy, the type that can get along with anyone.

You must have misheard something. I'm an honest, humble, and most importantly, generous individual. I forgive you for insulting my character.

See? I'm a stand-up guy. The world can push me around, but it's never put me down for good.

Wind and rain may come, and the snow might fall upon the plains, but like a resilient weed; I alone remain.

Heed my advice; the strongest aren't the ones who can split the mountains and seas. Those clowns don't matter.

No, no. It's the ones down below who survive those disasters that matter the most. The individuals who refuse to die every time the world tries to snuff them out.

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They're the strong ones, make no mistake about it.

.....

But I won't lie that I've been in some shitty situations over the years. One meeting, in particular, set off a chain of events that still haunts me to this day ...

His days now consisted of pure torture; Axtorius ordered him to only fight the expert-level android from now on. And if that wasn't enough, the old man personally took it upon himself to guide him during his free time.

A part of him considered it a blessing that Instructor Axtorius now personally guided him when it came to perfecting Yohua, but it came at a price. The man was an unrelenting drill instructor that operated on the philosophy that every mistake one made was an opportunity to grow, as he put it.

Every time he failed to meet his outrageous demands, he would 'personally demonstrate' the intricacies of the martial art, in a manner he'd easily comprehend. He would lovingly beat Reed until he couldn't move.

Again and again, day after day, without end. Eventually, Axtorius told Reed that he would no longer have to return to the barracks.

”Why do I have to sleep with an old fart from now on?! This isn't how it's supposed to go down! I...should have just let the damn android win that night,” Reed told his friends as they looked at him with sympathetic expressions.

Horatio put down his fork for once and patted Reed on the back. He said, ”We know that that he's harsh on you, but that's because he likes you, Reed. I heard from my father that Instructor Axtorius only personally guides people he fancies; he's still a famous figure even after he retired from his service and became an instructor, you know? Some people would kill to be in your shoes right now.”

Ophelia spoke up and said, ”Horatio's underselling Instructor Axtorius's fame. He's a living legend who challenged the Lion King's firstborn son and almost won back in his prime. Even now, some people still argue that the fight ended in a draw. He's a national treasure of the North.”

She scowled at Horatio and said, ”I think you're mistaking yourself for your great-grandfather, idiot. Only someone his status would have the right to address Instructor Axtorius as just a 'famous' person.”

Horatio silently shrugged his shoulders and resumed eating as he never heard her complaint, which only incensed Ophelia further. The lack of respect the boy had was annoying, to say the least.

With a stuffed mouth, Astor said, ”He's doing you a service, bud. The first gift he's given you is his guidance; the second gift he's given you is indirect but equally, if not more precious. The fact that he's bestowed upon you his family's combat art and he's taken it upon himself to guide will act as a shield for you in the future.”

Pieces of food flew out of Astor's mouth as he rattled out his reasoning and hit Reed's face. It seemed like the fellow wasn't taught table manners when he was raised. Reed tried his best to keep himself from beating the blabbermouth prince as he focused on his explanation.

”He's created the image that you're his disciple in some capacity. That's huge. No one, at the very least, in the North, would ever dare lay their hands on a disciple that he picked up. It'd be the same as declaring war on him and the Leonhard family. Whoever did that would be destroyed so as long as they remained on Northern soil.”

Even Sebastian nodded as he heard Astor's reasoning and found himself unable to make an interjection.

Astrid noticed the mess Astor had made on Reed's face and pulled out a blue napkin out of one of her pockets. As she gently wiped the food crumbs that stuck on Reed's face, she said, ”He probably means well, Reed. It's not often someone like you shows up in our world, so you can probably imagine what an old conqueror like must be feeling right now, right?”

”Frustration? Irritation? Annoyance? I don't know,” cooly responded Reed as he tried his best to keep his poker face on in front of Astrid. This she-devil was doing it again; she was too damn close. He felt his heart beating out his chest mostly out of embarrassment and slight fear.

”It's excitement he's feeling, silly goose. For the first time in hundreds of years, he's found someone that's pulled him out of his boredom.” Astrid smiled as he pulled even closer to Reed and whispered, ”It's a woman's intuition...I know because I feel the same way about you, haha.”

”!!!?”

Reed choked on his spit and violently coughed as Astrid giggled at his excessive reaction. Astor's eyes gleamed as he stared at Reed. An ominous grin formed as he subtly checked Ophelia's indifferent face as she ate her meal.

”There are so many playmates...to tease and fool around with here. I've been blessed with the best entertainment in the North,” he thought as his useless mind began churning up ideas. A storm was coming, it seemed...

Horatio kept his eyes down and pretended that he was solely focused on his meal. He wasn't about to join in on whatever nonsense Astor was about to cook up in the future. Not a goddamned chance.

And thus, Reed grueling days continued as scheduled. He'd be beaten like a rag doll, day after day, under Axtorius's guidance and eventually, the results of his beatings came into fruition.

After two months of intense training and hardship, Reed perfected his mastery of Yohua.