War God for Hire- Gladiator by David Burke (books under 200 pages .TXT) 📕

”Secondly, I need to know how I regained all of that essence or even how my strength and War Essence were both higher yesterday than when you first showed me how to access them. Based on what you have told me, our highest priorities are staying hidden and growing my power, particularly my essence,” Kyle said.

He realized that he might not have enough time to get her answers as he had just reached the arena floor. The guards he was following led him to a side of the arena that was set up with thirty-foot posts in the ground. Each was about one foot in diameter. They formed a grid that was ten poles by ten poles in a square with each placed about five feet apart.

Saber was waiting at the base for him and as much as he wanted answers from Hilde, she had thankfully gone quiet in his head so that he could focus on whatever this was about.

“Well, if it isn’t our war elemental. Hopefully, you slept well last night. Your tutor reports that you are learning the language rapidly. Perhaps soon whatever magical means you have of translating won’t be required and I can get a real sense of how keen your mind is. For now, we are going to work on your agility.

“Yes, I know that most trainers would take a fighter like you and lean into your strengths. But I’m not most trainers. From everything I hear, you are ungodly powerful when it comes to raw strength. This is the big time here, though, and if you want to impress, you need to shore up your weaknesses. More than that, I am hopeful that a true war elemental will be able to develop agility as well as strength and constitution.

“So, with that in mind, I had our mages and slaves set up this little training ground for you. I see that you didn’t put on the new clothes that were provided for you. So if the bare-chested look is gonna be your thing, then we will go with it. It sure as shit will make you popular with the ladies,” Saber instructed him almost as if he wasn’t there, like Kyle was just incidentally hearing the man’s musings.

The head instructor scratched his head and continued, “We will have to get you something… hmm… I know just the thing.” Then he turned toward another of the trainers and said, “Go get two large leather belts.”

Looking back at Kyle, he said, “While we wait, I want you to see how high you can leap, but don’t go trying to escape. If you do, the mages will just have to activate those bands and then we will lose a bunch of training time while you are recovering.”

Kyle nodded and raised an eyebrow to ask if he should jump now.

“Well, get to it, I still have six other trainees to whip into shape,” Saber snapped.

Cutting loose would feel good, so Kyle was only too happy to comply. Saber wasn’t the only one who was curious to see what this body was capable of. Flexing his knees, he leapt into the air. His feet cleared the top of the poles that were near them. And then he was falling.

The fall hadn’t seemed so bad when he was in the quarry fighting for his life, but he felt his stomach clench up and his throat go dry as he plummeted to the ground. Kyle braced for impact and sure enough there was a thud and he sank several inches into the hard-packed arena floor. The light layer of sand that was spread all over, puffed up in a cloud from the force.

“Interesting. You are pretty heavy to do that, and sinking into the ground could slow you down, but maybe it has potential. Try it a few more times,” Saber instructed.

With each leap, Kyle found that it became easier and easier. This body, his body, became something that he was becoming more attuned with. It would still take a great deal of practice, but he was getting excited about it. He hadn’t even realized just how much he missed the precise control and understanding he’d had of his old body.

On the seventh leap, he realized that he could push essence into his leap and probably jump even further than he did now. In fact, a part of his mind was beginning to realize that there were many limitations that no longer applied. It was going to take years for him to undo a lifetime of habits, though.

A few more jumps later and Saber shouted out, “Do a flip in the air.”

Kyle had seen Kierra twisting and spinning in the air as she avoided or caught multiple arrows that had been shot at her. It had been impressive and, honestly, sexy as all get out, but that didn’t mean that he could imitate even a fraction of it. Still, it wasn’t a request, and if he was gonna trust Saber to help him learn to fight, then he was gonna have to trust the man’s methods.

That was another thing that had always set Kyle apart from his fellow players. Once he decided to commit to a course of action, he went all in on it. So this time, he leapt and, on the way down, tried to do a flip.

It didn’t go so well. Instead, he ended up belly-flopping onto the arena floor. Not comfortable at all.

The trainer laughed at him, but when he got up said, “Looks like you have some work to do there. Try again.”

Not one to quit, even after falling thirty feet, Kyle went right back at it. Before he knew it, they had been at it for a couple hours. A slave girl he didn’t recognize brought him water anytime he signaled, and Saber had passed off watching him to another trainer.

She was a lithe elf and clearly knew a thing or two about acrobatics. She demonstrated flips for him, so he could get a better