Titan Turn; A TDS Story

Chapter 50

A week had passed by in the blink of an eye. Everything finally felt like it was settling back into a mundane normality.
Well, as normal as a bunch of Titans sharing a base with Towers could be.

Grave gazed out onto the training field, watching the soldiers do their training routine akin to a bunch of dancers on a stage. A little less elegant sure, but with the same speed and precision. Scout himself had improved tremendously since he had first seen him attempt to match the others. He climbed the wooden pole he had once struggled with like it was nothing, he made quicker times than a majority of the older recruits too. But even with his friend's great performance, even with the pride he felt in knowing he had a hand in his newly found expertise, Grave couldn't help but let the nerves drown out his excitement. After the Towers finished, it will be his turn.

His first ever fighting lesson with Swordmaster...

It was intimidating to say the least, close to a rigid wall with barbed wire. One you would stare at from afar and dared not try to climb. He had lost count of the times Molten had come either teary eyed or shaken to the core from Master's claws. Which did not help his uneasiness. Even Ducky had strayed away from the 'Old fossile' and his cruel lessons, despite the louder confidence he had shown in the past against the elder. And yet, the younger boy decided today would be the day he finally tried it out.

At least he won't be the only beginner.

Mind you, they were never forced to attend since Master had the tendancy to be vicious, making his teachings not for the faint of heart. Their poor parents knew that all too well... However, they would still need to learn how to defend themselves eventually, should their elders not be there to protect them.

Grave accepted that truth a long time ago but Swordmaster had refused to give him a chance. It was no surprise nor a secret the elder did not like him. And because of that Fallen insisted he be present for his son's first lesson, just like he had been for Molten's.
Thankfully, his recovery had been going smoothly, his lung was far better than it had been when they returned and his ribs were well on their way to be fully healed, meaning Medic gave him the clearance to be there.

Almost everyone will be, minus... Frost Spirit. The bandages around his head were long gone but the beet red scar barely peaking out from under his coal colored hair was a good enough reminder of 'that' incident. The very moment everything he believed and knew about his grandfather had changed.

Krampus had agreed wholeheartedly for his boy to take it easy for a while. Even he himself stayed clear of Void Reaver.
As if he had had enough. As if the knife was still stuck in the bleeding wound.
His always forgiving uncle might have finally truly had enough. And Grave could not blame him.

"Grave!"

The boy did not even get the chance to turn around as a pair of arms wrapped around him, bumping him forward.

"Geez- Scout! Easy!"

His friend paid him not mind as he twirled the smaller boy in his arms, squeezing him.

"Did you see that?! I managed to beat my record time!"

Grave struggled against his grip,
"Augh- yes, yes Scout! I saw it! Ow- you are squishing me!"

The young man let go of him, prompting Grave to gasp for air.

"Are you ready?" He beamed.