Excalibur Rising

Training

Chapter 17

The training facility was the largest underground stadium in the known and unknown world. As everyone filed in through the tunnels they gasped and stared wide eyed and the impossible structure.  It was so vast in size that it was difficult to see from one side to the other, especially with all of the equipment filling every spare inch of the place. Xandria stood proudly dressed in jogging bottoms and training bra as she used her new sight to survey the place around her. Her gaze was most drawn to the ceiling and more than one person was watching her with a smile as a glee filled giggle escaped her lips.

“So pretty…” she sighed before slowly lowering her head, the image of the rainbow swirling above her head making her feel insanely giddy inside. It wasn’t seeing like everyone else but Xandria had already come to appreciate this new gift that was letting her catch a glimpse of the world around her with her own eyes for the first time in her life.

A rumbling sent everyone scattering away from its epicentre where a moment later a man erupted from the ground, his clothes immaculately clean whilst his hair was full of dirt.

“Good morning everyone,” the voice was chipper and spilled forth from a rather stern looking man, a complete contradiction in every sense of the word. “Baby bird, it’s nice to see you again.”

Xandria snorted but nodded her head in agreement. The man before her was always trying to give everyone code names and act like a tough army guy but he was about as tough as a teddy bear. It helped in fights because people would back off at the very sight of him so very rarely would he have to get his hands dirty.

“Now basic training, there are three rules and three rules only.” He held up three fingers as if to emphasise his point. “First, is kill or be killed. They won’t hesitate to run you through so don’t hesitate for a second, even if you know the face. Unless they are in this room right now, you do not trust anyone. Kill now, ask questions later. Got it? Good.”  A few of the group paled at his words but Colton and the other boys nodded grimly in agreement, they had seen enough films to know that in situations like this there were really only two choices, fight or die.

“Right, point number two, protect the chosen. At all costs. No matter the situation, even if you have to throw yourself before him so that he can walk over flaming coals then you do it. He is our hope; if he doesn’t survive then your life pretty much won’t be worth living.”

Xandria raised her eyebrow, is he bloody serious? She thought as he babbled on about protecting the chosen, surely he could have come up with a better example than throwing yourself on flaming coals.

“Finally, teamwork. Work as a team no matter what, if you get separated it is pretty much a death sentence. In a team you will have each other’s backs, you will be able to use each other’s strengths and defend their weaknesses.” He clapped his hands, dispelling the tense atmosphere that had begun to suffocate the group. “Right, now split up into two groups we are going to test how well you work as a team. Xandria come and stand by me please.”

With a huff, she reluctantly moved to his side and managed to duck his arm as he gestured about him only to swing his beefy arms carelessly in her direction.

“Faze one of training, the obstacle course.”  He wrapped an arm around Xandria’s shoulders as he watched the teens divide into groups. “Choose the person who you think is the strongest member of your team and get them to stand forwards please.”

Each group elected someone to step forwards, Colton for his team and Simon for his. In a moment the man stepped forwards and pulled strips of black fabric from his back pocket and proceeded to tie it across their eyes so that they could no longer rely on sight.