VERNOR BOOK:1

CHAPTER SIX: FITNESS EXAMS - PART ONE

The sky was shrouded by a gloomy blanket of clouds, and the scent of impending rain permeated the air. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and lightning bolts illuminated the sky as the winds began to howl. Suddenly, the heavens opened, and the rain began to fall in torrents. The downpour continued unabated, making it seem as though the gods had unleashed their wrath upon us. Despite the inclement weather, we were informed that our tests would be conducted outside in this tempestuous climate. We embarked on a ship to venture into the unknown, and after arriving at our destination, we found ourselves at the edge of a vast desert. The thunder rumbled ominously, and Principal Kaixin informed us that the desert stretched for two hundred kilometers before reaching the sea. We would have to travel across this desert to the sea and then swim across the one hundred and eight miles of turbulent waters. Supposing we managed to reach this far despite the interference of sea creatures, monsters, and tempestuous waves, we would reach an island, a resting point before commencing the next phase of the test.

Tomako yelled with zeal, "Alright, I'm ready for this! In fact, I'm fired up!"

"You're fired up? Gosh, I'm depressed just thinking about how stressful this test is going to be," Vanita replied.

"Oh, lighten up, Vanita. For all you know, it could be really fun," I stated.

"Tests aren't supposed to be fun," she replied, looking drained.

"You've got a point," Romero seconded her.

I tried to stay as positive as I could, forcing an unbelievable smile onto my face.

"The desert will be a breeze for us, especially when we all are ranging from Mach five to ten speeds," Ren stated. "Although I'm the slowest, I think I'll keep up with you guys."

"Don't cut yourself short, Ren," Akashi replied.

"Are you teasing me?" Ren questioned, knowing she was also the shortest among the group, standing at 5.5 feet.

However, Akashi assured her that he didn't mean it that way. He explained that she had the highest stamina among them and could keep running for an entire week nonstop. Lilith also reminded us that Principal Kaixin made every student wear weighted clothing, hindering their overall speeds by fifty percent. Cosima reassured us not to worry because we had trained rigorously for this. Although everyone trained hard, we had sacrificed some of our rest days for additional training, and she believed we would surely ace this phase of the test.

Team Trowa also discussed how the phase would be a drag, with Lolen stating that this test would eliminate some students, and those who failed would have to try again next year. This revelation intensified their will rather than diminishing it because they all vowed to come out of this phase successfully.

The Principal and teachers left us behind on the ship we used to reach the desert's edge. Principal Kaixin explained that they would head towards the island we were to swim across. She also mentioned that drones would monitor our every move and communicate with us through an intercom. Before our respective teachers left for their journey, Shin gave us a word of advice to keep our guards up, especially in the desert.

Nana Bear told her students that with the amount of training they underwent, she had no doubt they would succeed.

Surprisingly, Trowa told his students that within the short year he'd trained them, he was proud to call them his students. Hearing this, Pole's face brightened with a heartfelt smile, her eyes glistening with gratitude at Trowa's words. Lolen's composed expression softened, a gentle nod and a warm glint in her eyes revealed her appreciation. Song's cheeks flushed with happiness, her giggles expressing her delight at Trowa's praise. Meanwhile, Jong's reserved demeanor briefly softened, a genuine smile spreading across her face, silently acknowledging the pride she felt at being recognized by Trowa. Sadly, those touching moments were short-lived as Trowa stated he would throw them off a mountain if they failed. Immediately, they all snapped out of their emotional states.

The teachers left, and we waited for the call to begin the exam through the intercom. Full of nerves and excitement, adrenaline pumped through our veins as we thought about what awaited us.

Everyone had been waiting anxiously for an hour, and people began to loosen up. Suddenly, Principal Kaixin spoke from the speaker and announced that the test would begin.

As we bolted through the desert at sonic speeds, the rain lashed our faces, and the wind roared in our ears. Some of us struggled with the thick, knee-deep sand, while lightning frequently illuminated the dismal, dark landscape. No one was left behind as we persevered, unyielding, unstoppable, and invincible. We reached the seashore in mere minutes despite the challenging terrain. Nevertheless, we persisted, dashing across the water towards the island. We were confident that we had it easy. Suddenly, a whale surfaced from the sea, generating a colossal wave several feet high that engulfed us. As the rain intensified into a tempest, it unleashed fierce winds and more waves upon us, making swimming a daunting task and significantly reducing our speed. The whale resurfaced once more, attempting to devour us all, but we managed to outswim it with our superior velocity. As expected, Miss Nana Bear's team arrived first at the ocean's center, ahead of everyone else.

As the waves grew more violent, the lightning began to strike the water, and the wind pelted us with stinging raindrops. Romero's countenance remained stoic as I glimpsed at him to my right. Tomako, on my far left, was ablaze with fervor and determination. Even though Vanita was not a proficient swimmer, she clung on as I glanced directly behind me. "You can see the island's mountain ahead," Allison added. Lilith, who led the way, commented, "That's no mountain." A colossal wave was approaching us, and to evade the chaos ahead, we all plunged deep into the ocean. The wave still impacted us as it crashed into the water. I scanned the area to ensure everyone was unharmed. As we drew nearer to the island, it came into view. Lilith was the first to step onto the island's surface, where massive pebbles arranged in letters were embedded in the sand. We had completed our journey. We had finally arrived on the island. The storm abated, and the sun emerged from behind the clouds, beaming as it welcomed us.