Running From Darkness

Colours

After James' trainer had come around again, they began working on James' inhibition of his power levels. By the end of the hour session James could push the new punching bag lightly or create large punches of energy that sent it flying on its string without ripping it apart. He left the session, saying goodbye to Shadow Wind and made his way back to the training arena. Joseph left soon after he got back and then Nathan about a half hour after Joseph came back. They all went for lunch where a delicious spread of sandwiches and soups were laid out. They ate quickly and then James rushed off to his physical session as Sam said the purely athletic coaches hated it when you were late to your session. He got to the hallway with the training rooms, bypassed the power rooms and made his way down until he found a long line of doors painted in a variety of different colours. He had been expecting something as it seemed the whole institute was riddled with puzzles to test his brain. It didn't take him long to figure out that each colour must represent a trainer, and since his trainer's name was Coach Grey, he picked the door painted a dull, grey colour. He pushed the door open at exactly 2pm and saw that this room was very different to his power training room with Shadow Wind. The floor was astro-turf and there were a variety of obstacles placed in an oval shaped design. The coach himself was standing in the middle of the assault course, his eyes staring at James as he walked into the training complex. He felt wary but held himself high and faced his trainer with the same cool, calculating expression on his face. Coach grey smiled and chucked to himself,
"Well, you're a feisty one aren't you?" he bellowed in a heavy Scottish brogue, "My name is Coach Grey and I'll be you physical trainer until you leave this dump! First things first, some ground rules during these sessions! Number one, you do everything I say without question! Number two, you will push yourself to the absolute limit and never give up whilst you are here! Number three, by the end of your time here you will have gained my respect! If not, I will personally kick your sorry ass whilst you head off into the big, wide world! Do I make myself clear?"
"Sir yes sir!" James shouted, inclined to believe that this man would do exactly what he said he would considering the fact that he looked about 6"5" and was built like a silverback gorilla.
"See!" he smiled, "You're already learning! Right then first thing's first! Drop and give me 20!" The physical session passed by in a haze of adrenaline, lactic acid and sweat as James was pushed and pushed to his breaking point by the coach. By the end of the session it was all he could do not to drop to his knees and crawl out of the room. He made his way back up the corridor after saluting to Grey and walked back to the dormitory. He fell on his bed and immediately fell fast asleep.

James dreamt that he was floating above a volcano. He could hear voices and see smoke and fire rising from it as lava belched over the lip. He angled his body and clumsily flew down into the mouth of the volcano. As he descended, he saw all small, fat creatures with red skin and with beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads into their black eyes working at forges and smitheries, making weapon after weapon as different small green creatures with pointed ears (that were pierced in all manner of places) and wearing faded denim dungarees ferried them back and forth to big mine carts which, when full, would roll along the metal rails whilst another would take its place. Humongous, pale yellow skinned  troll-like monsters would grind them against large, rotating stones that sharpened them to a deadly point. All the while he heard cackles and screeches as more of the harpies like the one that had taken that form of his mum and tried to kill him flew around, cracking fiery wips and yelling at the creatures to move faster. Meanwhile, down below, beasts with the legs of a bull, torsos of a man and the head of a bull complete with curling, vicious looking horns wielded chainsaws and buzzsaws as they tried to open up a 20 foot high piece of solid volcanic basalt. One of them slipped and broke off a large chunk from the straight line he was trying to cut and a harpy screeched at him and her and her brethren attached him and tore him to pieces with their bare claws.
"That's a warning to all of you!" one of them spat at the minotaurs, "You know what's in there and if another one of you slips up I will personally dismember you limb from limb. It then screamed an ear-splitting scream and flew right through James' incorporate figure.

He woke with a start. He had sweat so much the sheets had stuck to his body and his hair was drenched.
"Shit," he muttered. He grabbed his freshly washed jumpsuit and ran to find Emily's room.
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Go check out one of my friends Emily! She's the inspiration for the 'Emily' character and I think you'll all really like the story she's writing t the minute. Her username is Musicgeek5347! Thanks guys! Keep reading!