"I will teach you four skills of your choice from this list." He handed me a paper, and on it was a list:

ACROBATICS

 ATHLETICS

 DECEPTION

INSIGHT

INTIMIDATION

INVESTIGATION

 PERCEPTION

PERFORMANCE

 PERSUASION

 SLEIGHT OF HAND

STEALTH

"How about six and we'll call it a day"

"If you can learn six in three years then that is certainly something I'd like to see."

I chose Acrobatics, deception, perception, investigation, stealth and slight of hand.

"You're really pushing your capabilities here. All the dexterity based skills, one intelligence based skill, one charisma and one wisdom. And in three years? Call me a turkey."

"It's your coop and my pain, and you're probably going to enjoy every second." 

" Again with the confusing stuff? Just go to sleep now, it's late. You'll be going through simulations and training starting tomorrow."

He led me to a room, and I slept.

.......

I awoke to a splash of cool water. "Get ready, two minutes 'till breakfast," The elf said. "Wear these-" he handed me black clothes.

I was ready in one, as he brought the tray a minute later.

As I ate he monologued.

"My name's Fyxzher, or Fix."

"Probably stayed up all night thinking about that," I said with my mouth full of bread and meat. "If you were going to tell me you're real name this early, you'd have said so yesterday. I'm Pinkle Ephaunt, inkle."

He scowled and said, "don't talk with your mouth full."

"Yes mom."

"Anyways," he continued, "you're going to be training your speed, and dexterity, so do everything I say and don't slack. I'm going to drill the technique into you the hard way."

And drill he did. Like a military drill instructor.

Running, monkey bars, walking upside down, handstand push-ups, and magic tricks (which I didn't see the point for outside of training since magic was not a trick here), and close quarters combat.

I'd lift my foot for a kick and he'd block, returning it, and I would try dodging unsuccessfully. I'd try to punch but he bent low and rammed me with my own weight.

"Not this," I muttered.

"What?"

"You're fighting elusively," i said clearly, "but it's not enough. I need to increase my speed to fully start combat training."

He seemed to understand something I said for the first time, and agreed to hold off on the combat training for a while longer, pleased. He was an elf, but by no means skinny like I'd been promised. Which was perfect for me.

That was for the morning sessions. With a short break between them, we'd then move on to the illusion room. There was a slate with intricate carvings all over it. "This took me fifty years to aquire!" Fix said. "To be able to get something like it would take years to make, and even longer to convince someone to make it."

He motioned me over, and instructed me to lie on the slate.

"Your job is to find out what's your job. Complete it without being discovered."

Vaguest thing I've ever been told. But I cleared my mind, and channeled my frustrations into determination.

.......

"Welcome, traveler! What can I put you up for?"

"I'd like to know the latest news," I answered.

He gave me a suspicious look, then his eyes widened.

And the illusion broke.

.......

I woke up to laughter.

"Fastest record- Three seconds!" Fix was holding his sides, in a chair.

When he calmed down, three seconds later, he said "again."

.......

By the time I reached the bed, I was tired physically, but my mind was racing, thinking about things I should've and shouldn't say. The facial expressions that the people in the illusions had were extremely realistic, and each time I tried again, the situation was different. Then my mind wandered from the illusions to training. What could be improved, fixed, and what was good.

Before I knew it, I was splashed with water.

"Second day inkle, time to eat in two minutes."