Ryder felt his body starting to struggle under the weight, holding the heavy bag over his head. Floyd circled around him, watching his technique as he started to sweat, his shirt off showing his slightly chiseled physique. It was freezing, but Floyd had demanded that if this was going to be done it would be done in a way that he could fully examine technique. Besides, there was no time to sit aside and not train. If Ryder was to keep proving himself to the higher ups, he had to be the best he could be.
Ryder felt himself start to slouch under the weight, to which Floyd straightened him back up. "It's all about technique and form. You wanna get stronger, you have to maintain that good form for as long as you can, understand? I can train you for weeks, or years, but you gotta put the work in. Mentally, it's all on you."
Ryder nodded to the man, straightening himself out. He had little time left of it, it was just a case of carrying on. He wouldn't let himself give up. He would perfect himself, become the best fighter he could be. He was going to lead these mercenaries through pure skill alone, showing all of them the potential he had. This was his chance to be more than just a mercenary, and Ryder planned on taking it.
"Stop" Floyd said, finally, taking the bag from Ryder and lowering it to the floor. Ryder knelt down, sweating profusely. Floyd chuckled and leaned back against the wall, watching as the man rested. Noticing his staring, Ryder glanced to him. "What? I didn't do somethin' wrong did I?" Ryder panted, exhausted from the strain he'd put his body through.
Floyd shook his head, before kneeling beside Ryder and putting a hand comfortingly on his back. He put Ryder's arm over his shoulder and helped him stand, walking him to the other end of the room where a small iron bar was over the door frame. "I'm chuckling because we're not done yet. This is your rest, then we move on to another technique. But I'll make that the last one. I promise" he assured Ryder.
Truth be told, Ryder was exhausted. They'd been training hard for the past break, and it was starting to take a toll on Ryder. But if Ryder had learned anything from combat, it was that pain like this was a good thing. It meant his body was recovering, and hopefully in a way that would be stronger than he had ever been before. He held on to that thought desperately. Just Arcs before, he had to lead a small group when their leader had been killed. Now he had something to prove. They looked up to him, and he had to show that he deserved that power.
"Show me" Ryder muttered, trying to keep going despite the exhaustion. It was difficult, but he could do it. He believed in himself, and Floyd believed too. That was enough for Ryder to stay motivated. Floyd nodded and let go, letting the man stand on his own. He went to the bar over the door and raised his arms, gripping on to it before lifting his body up until his chin was above the bar, before lowering himself down slowly.
"You ever done pull-ups before?" he asked Ryder, turning around after just the one to look at him. Ryder shook his head. He'd never heard of them, or done them, but they looked fairly simple. It didn't even involve any extra weight, Ryder wondered. How was this going to work him as hard as a weight would?
Without asking any of the questions he had, Ryder went under the bar and grabbed it, pulling up. His form was off, meaning halfway through he felt a shooting pain in his arm, causing him to let go. Floyd shook his head and helped him straighten his body in to position, straightening his arms and ensuring that he kept his body straight.
"Remember, good form is important. Keep that shape as you lift" he ordered, Ryder nodding. In truth, he was glad to have someone to teach him, but there was some embarrassment to it. It was difficult, to say the least. Readying himself, Ryder finally pulled himself up to the bar, his body struggling as his chin went slightly over the bar, before he lowered himself down.
"Again" Floyd demanded, Ryder obeying. This repeated five times, until Ryder got halfway through and couldn't manage another, letting go of the bar. Floyd smiled at him and nodded his head approvingly. It was a good start, though Ryder had plenty of room to improve. Didn't everyone, though?
Floyd sat Ryder back against the wall, before seating himself opposite him and offering him some water from a small water skin. Ryder took the drink and smiled, resting his head back against the wall. He was told to take small sips earlier that day, so he did, sipping little bits of the water at a time. Before he knew it, the water was finished. Ryder offered the skin back to Floyd with a warm but exhausted smile.
"How do you feel?" Floyd asked, though he knew the answer. With a chuckle, Ryder sat himself up a little straighter. "I feel like I've just 'ad the shit kicked outta me by a guy ten times my size" Ryder admitted, knowing exactly what that felt like. Floyd chuckled in return.
"You just gotta keep at it, it'll get easier. You work your whole body and before you know it you'll be in the best shape of anyone here. Maybe even better than me one day, aye?" he teased. Ryder smirked at the idea, then nodded. Floyd's expression turned serious, however, causing Ryder to glance questioningly.
"What you did, taking lead out there - there ain't any other man on this team that woulda done that. They'd have done their own thing, and we'd all have been as good as dead. But you? Fuck me, you'd swear you were ex-military or some shit. You led a small group of rag and tag mercs in to a losing battle and you won" he said, looking Ryder dead in the eyes before extending his hand for Ryder to shake.
"A hell of a lot of people owe their lives to you" he nodded, Ryder taking the hand and shaking it. Ryder gave a serious look to the man, maintaining the eye contact they had before.
"We're a team, all of us. We're in this together. Whether we're doin' what's right, what's wrong - whatever the fuck we're doin'. We do it together. Any man can join this group, be part of us, live with each other. But we gotta be ready to die with each other, or we can't call ourselves a team. I just did my job as part of that team."
His passion for it was evident, and surprised even Ryder. He never realized the impact that the loss of his friends had on him, but it had. He'd hidden himself away from close relationships for a long time, and now that he finally had one again, he was making sure that nothing could take it from him. These mercenaries helped him out once, and that was enough for him. Nobody had done that before but them, and his old friends. This time, however, he would be the one to die for them should he have to.
With a small sigh, Floyd stood up and offered a hand to Ryder. Ryder took it and got up, standing back against the wall for support, before Floyd took his weight for him. The two shared a moment, a small glance of eye contact, that told both they would be there for one another should they need it.
"Come on then big guy, best thing after a workout like that is a good meal and a pint" Floyd chuckled, starting to walk the two forward. They made their way past a few mercenaries, before stopping when they saw Will and the others. Will took one look to Ryder and rolled his eyes, chuckling. He knew exactly what had happened.
"You gone through Floyd's torture routine then?" he asked, mockingly. Floyd playfully smacked his chest. They then agreed to join the other two in the tavern, as they had done many days recently. All of them walked alongside one another, two helping Ryder until he was able to find his footing again. Ryder slowly walked alongside them, laughing about the recent events that had happened and the people they had managed to kill.
Floyd bought Ryder an ale, sitting down with him and the others with a smile. He raised a glass and toasted as he did before, and every time they'd been in the tavern, before taking a sip and smiling - enjoying the time he spent with his friends.
At long last, Ryder was more than just content - he was happy.
