Eun-woo was panting in the middle of the clearing. His hands were buried in the damp earth, his arms trembling as if they might give out at any moment. Sweat ran down his forehead, his shoulders burned, and he could barely keep pace.
Caelan stood nearby, watching in silence, his expression serious and his arms crossed.
"Lower," he ordered, nudging the ground in front of him with the tip of his boot. "Until you brush the dirt."
Eun-woo clenched his jaw. Every movement felt like punishment, but he obeyed, lowering himself again until his chest nearly touched the ground. Air entered his lungs in ragged bursts, burning.
When Caelan finally told him to stop, Eun-woo collapsed face-first into the ground, arms stretched out, completely drained. He stayed like that for a few seconds, panting, until he managed to roll onto his back.
He barely had time to wipe his hands on the grass before hearing the next order.
"Run."
