In a private training ground in a corner of the barracks, Aknath crouched on the fence, watching Renato in the center of the grounds.
The top of the metal fence was barely two fingers wide, offering purchase only for the tips of his feet. An armored adult would have struggled even to stand on it, let alone crouch, yet the Weapon Master looked utterly at ease, his posture relaxed and his weight resting steadily between his feet.
Renato withdrew his gaze and focused once more on the training before him.
Several waist-high Magic Devices stood in the center of the grounds, their surfaces covered in finger-wide holes, all pointing inward.
These were the training devices Aknath had prepared for him today.
Renato stood within the ring formed by the devices. As a low hum rose from the Magic Devices, he knew his brief rest was over.
The device on his left activated first. A thumb-sized stone shot from one of its holes, hurtling toward his shoulder with a shrill whistle.
Renato twisted aside. The stone skimmed past his pauldron and kicked up a small spray of dirt as it struck the ground.
Then the devices to his right and behind him activated together.
Countless stones sprayed from every direction, raining down on Renato in the center of the grounds.
The stones moved almost as fast as arrows, and Renato pushed his footwork and body to their limits.
But there were too many stones, too tightly packed, coming at tricky angles. Several often flew at him from different directions at once, cutting off every escape route.
Even with his full attention on the task, Renato was still struck by several. They rang sharply against the surface of the Mountain's Embrace, like raindrops striking a tin roof.
"Let's stop for now."
The