Demi, the Drill Sergeant

Hah, hah, I lay on the ground of the training center, struggling to breathe. I underestimated Demi. He's been going easy on me this whole time. A figure blocked the sun that was beating down on me. Demi stood over me with a towel and canteen. I glared at him as I snatched the bottle and downed the water. Cough, cough

"Careful Taya." He crouched down beside me and helped me sit up so I wouldn't choke. This time I glared with tears in my eyes.

Sigh. "Don't look at me like that. This training is necessary for your survival. Of course I'll try hard so you don't have to use it but you never know."

"Yah, yah I get it", I grumbled at him.

True to his word, Demi fitted me for a new sword and made me attend every class. And I mean EVERY class. The other hunters were taking turns hunting and attending class but not me. Nope, since I have the privilege of being Mr. Drill Sergeant's partner, there's no hunting for me. Only training. And Demi was a training tyrant. So I swung a sword repeatedly in the air for a week. Now it's the second week and I've moved up a level. I get to attack a scarecrow instead. I train separately in a corner like a naughty child in time-out. Yeah me! Apparently everyone else has the basics down. This town has high standards so only good to great hunters are in this guild.

On a side note I understand why Demi insisted that I get a new sword. This sword is lighter and thinner, better suited for my body. Thankfully training is over for the day and now I get to have dinner. Dinner is my favorite part of the day. Demi takes me to a restaurant after training and I get to eat whatever I want. He says I have too much of an appetite after burning all those calories that it’s not worth cooking at home. Well excuse me. It’s not my fault I have a fast metabolism! I’m eating three times the amount I’m used to and still losing weight. It’s his fault! Now I don't feel bad about using his money since he makes me work so hard. Actually the guilt disappeared in the face of daily fresh bread but details. I think it's fair.

Every night after dinner, I sleep like the dead. Demi shakes me awake every morning and we head over to the training center. After another week I finally graduated from the scarecrow. Now Demi is teaching me basic sword combinations. I like this training a lot better since I'm fast and was quite the tomboy at the orphanage. So I took to this part like a fish to water. I even started adding my own stunts; somersault landings, backflips, anything that I could think of that would give me the edge. Of course Demi has a way of stoking my competitive spirit. I think our sessions might be getting a little much because sometimes other hunters stop to watch us as we train. That’s with Demi assigning laps to anyone he catches slacking. Like I said, drill sergeant. Unfortunately I always lose. My little tricks aren't enough to beat technique, but I'm at least going to make him work for it! After the third week, the results of my Spartan training have finally paid off. Now I’m allowed to spar with other hunters. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but considering the skill level of everyone here that is a massive achievement.

I don’t want to admit it but Demi is a good teacher. The other hunters all respect him, referring to him as captain. I’m pretty sure only the guild master knows who he is since this area is so far from the capital. So the captain bit is out of genuine respect and not because of rank. It’s for good reason too. He teaches the main class and then works with every individual according to their needs. The class doesn’t end until he’s assessed everyone’s progress. He could easily make this a permanent job, not that he needs one. Just like that, like the blink of an eye, a month has passed.