DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWNE ERAGON.

BUT I DO OWNE THIS PLOT AND ITS OC:S. IT HAS VERVY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE ACUAL SERIES.

chapter one

One, two, five, ten, eight, one, twenty, hold. "

Stand, attack, dodge, jump, down, stand, vault, hold.

And again. Standattackjumpdownstandvolt hold.

The sun, the ground, the steel in my hands, the sweat.

The pain, the exhaustion, more sweat, more pain. Nothing but the movement, nothing but the sword in my hands and the invisible enemy. And all the time one thought. 'Continue until you can't move and when you are at that point, do it five more times.'

I had lost my sense of time many hours ago. I Vaguely noticed that the sun was sinking and that the other novices one by one left the training area. I too want to stop, just like everybody else, I want it so badly. Going to dinner, wash off the sweat and sleep. But I can't. I need to go on. I need to be better, stronger and faster than the others. I have to prove that I belong here as much as anybody else. More than anybody else. This is my place in the world, and I won't let anybody take that away from me.

Suddenly there was a cold blade pointed at my back.

"Your landing is sloppy. And the little finger on your left hand is not supposed to twitch and even if you are at the brink of exhaustion, you need to know if there is anyone behind you. Did I miss anything?"

The voice was deep and the words were meant to sound disapproving.

"The rough landing was there to create the illusion that there was an opening, I noticed you when your horse bite the stable boys hand and if you would take the necessary step to the left to be able to kill me you would have lost your pride and any plans of becoming a father. "

the last words, I spoke while making him aware of the dagger that was placed millimeters from his best parts.

The arrogant smirk that had been on the officers face turned into a frown as we both heard the soldiers on guard duty burst into hysterical laughter. It grows into an all out plead for help, as there was another voice that craved our attention.

"Barbaros! You haven't been back for more than 30 minutes and already you go picking on Lex. Don't you have anything better to when you finally come home after three years?"

We both looked up to see General Severus. Just like his name said, he was the most severe, serious person I have ever met and was not to be trifled with.

"And don't you have things to report?"

"Yes, sir"

"And Lex"

"Yes, sir?"

"Help the stable boys with the insane horse that officer Barbaros insists on keeping alive."

"of course, sir."

"dismissed."

With a last amused look between me and Ros (what anyone close to Barbaros calls him),

we both followed our orders.

With insane horse Severus meant Lucifer, Ros's huge, black and very temperamental stallion. Her unofficial nickname is Bitch.

The one Ros had given her was Lulu. Funny that she only listens to her full name or the one given to her by the stable boys. She only liked two persons. Ros and me. But normally she would be tolerant after a long ride. So I wondered why the general had me take care of her.

As I reached the stable I realised why. The box she had been in the last time she was here was taken by another. It had been this way for more than a year, but for Lucifer it was still hers. Even after three years gone. I sighed and tried to rub away the pain in my arms. This was going to take a while.