The morning had advanced by the time Atheline finished the last set of exercises.
A thin mist rose from his body despite the freezing air, each steady breath escaping in small clouds before disappearing into the winter sky. His muscles burned pleasantly from the exertion, but unlike several months ago, the fatigue no longer felt overwhelming.
It was controlled, familiar, and perhaps most importantly, it no longer carried the faint warning that he was pushing his body beyond its limits.
He picked up the towel left on a nearby bench and wiped the sweat from his forehead before drinking from a flask of water.
The palace training grounds had become almost second nature to him.
At first, every session had been about surviving the overwhelming amount of Aether locked inside his body. Every spell felt dangerous, every swing of his sword risked drawing out more power than his body could safely withstand.
