Paulus came to the training grounds feeling confident, having been there earlier. Not to mention his meeting with Philolakes went well and had been trained in rudimentary combat from a young age. He listened to his superiors monologues with his chin held high and pride in his heart. Then the training began.

	He had never been worked so hard in his life. The years spent doing manual labor to support his family did not come close to causing the same pain that the training did. A lot of the time it was not the physical nature of the training, but rather the stress that accompanied it. His superiors were like crocodiles, waiting for him to make a foolish mistake and the clamp down on him and tear his flesh to shreds. He saw a particularly ruthless northerner force one man to do push ups until he passed out. Later, he heard the same man made another run a full mile backwards. 

	Paulus’s resolve was tested, but at any point he came close to breaking he remembered his father. “Your duty is to serve the empire!” were the words that would ring through his head, and during particularly demanding exercises he would mutter them under his breath to stay focused. 

	The activity that challenged Paulus the most was the riding. He was very unfamiliar with the horses, and felt very uncomfortable while riding. Once, after falling off, he found himself face down in the mud. For a moment, he thought of his mother, whom he had cast out of his life so easily. That only lasted a moment. Soon he was remounted, and muttering his mantra under his breath. 

	Despite the stress, physical strain, and punishments for when he slipped up during some routine or exercise, Paulus noticed the work become easier as the weeks passed. He was ready to do his duty for his empire, father, and pride.