The Orion Project (Rewrite) (indefinite hiatus)

Chapter 10

Devon had never felt so sore in his life. His time at Orion had shown him just how terrible physical training could be. He had never know what it was like to really train rather than play. He laid on the grass next to the obstacle course outside the facility. It was the only time he was ever allowed outside the confines of its walls.

      Behind him stood the facility, while the vast ocean calmly moved before him. In the distance he could just barely make out the outline of the neighboring islands but, it seemed like they were so far out of reach.

"Get up Thorne! I didn't say you could rest!" Their drill instructor, Aesir yelled at him. Her brown hair was tied back into a military styled bun and her blue eyes flared intensely at him. "Y-Yes ma'am!" He responded half heartedly.

Aesir was their physical training instructor. She was there every morning before breakfast to get the children out of bed and out on to the obstacle course. She is Desir's younger sister, and yet, you would have never guessed she was younger due to their strikingly similar features. They almost looked like twins.

"I expect you to give this training your all Thorne. Do not let me catch you slacking off again. Understand?" She quietly said to him. He nodded his reply as he was too busy trying to catch his breath. "I didn't hear a response Thorne. Another lap through the course 'cause of his defiance to answer!" She bellowed.

       The children moaned in complaint as they, slowly, started the course again. It began with a half mile run that merged in to the main part of the course. Climbing walls, rope crawls, team building exercises, and a wide array of others were part of their everyday routine.

       Lucas bumped into Devon, almost knocking him over. "Nice going 'squad leader'." He hissed. Rose steadied Devon before pulling him along with her. He, begrudgingly, followed her as they started their run.

"Don't worry too much about it Dev. It happens to everyone." She said comfortingly with a small smile.

"I know, she's just so mean about it. We're only six years old ya know!" He complained.

      An hour later and they were scarfing down their breakfast. The soldiers in the cafeteria could have sworn they were watching a massacre when the children started asking for seconds.

"Man! I'm getting really sick of this!" Lucas said as they made their way to Hannibal's class. He ruffled his hair in frustration making Rose giggle. "What part are you sick of, Lucas?" She asked. Devon turned his attention to him as well as he sighed.

"I'm sick of all this military stuff! I'm only six! They can't expect me to get all of this stuff right on the first try, can they?!? I'm sick Aesir and her annoying attitude! Like, why is she so mean?!" He practically cried.

      They all laughed for a moment before falling silent. Each of they were thinking the same, but they lacked the resolve to voice it. "C'mon Devon, you can't tell me you aren't sick of it too, right? She made us do the whole course again just because you laid down to rest! That isn't a crime!"

"Well, I can't say I don't agree but, what are we gonna do?" Devon said.

"Devon's got a point Lucas, what are we gonna do? But, I'm excited to see what we will do. Seraph made it seem like we were pretty important and I kinda like that." Alyssa said clasping her hands behind her back.

"I agree with her." Eune said quietly.

"See? Even Eune's excited! So it's gotta be fun at some point yeah?"

"Eune always agrees with you, it's clear as day that he's got a crush on you." Rose shot back. Alyssa crossed her arms with a 'Hmph!' as Eune's cheeks flushed red. Lucas and Devon laughed as they entered the classroom. Hydros was already there, standing by Hannibal's desk.