*Discontinued* Bending The Flames(Elemental Control Series book 1)

Chapter 3

There were ten targets on one side of the room, and ten dummies spread out on the other side of the room. In the middle of the room, a large mat was laid out. Around the very edge of the room laid a large track.

"I see everyone made it here on time." I didn't bother looking for the speaker since I knew that it was Jackson. "The initiation process consists of four levels. The first two levels are physical levels. In level two you will start with the Valorous-born initiates. The third Level is psychological, and the last level is a surprise level." Jackson and the woman I saw yesterday came around and stood within my line of sight.

I looked at what she was wearing. Her hair was in pigtails again. The choker was around her neck again, and her outfit consisted of black shorts and a black t-shirt. Jackson started talking again. "This is Abbey. She will be helping train all of the initiates for the next few weeks, and today she is helping with you six. Now we will be starting with the first level. This level is where we see how much you can handle. First I am going to ask you all to line up on the track."

The six of us lined up on the track. Jackson stepped in front of us. "You have not had breakfast this morning for a reason. You are going to be running this morning. Run until you can't take another step." Jackson stepped off of the track. "Go."

I began jogging at a slow pace. A guy with brown hair and grey\/blue eyes was jogging beside me. I recognized him as the guy who transferred from Unanimity. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "I'm Matt, and you are?"

"Sage. What's up?" I saw Matt smirk.

"Not much. Just jogging until I collapse from exhaustion. You?" I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips.

I smiled as I said, "Pretty much the same." We then ran side by side silently. After a little while, I began to tire a little. I looked around to see who was still running. It was only me and Matt left running. "Looks like it's just you and me." Matt looked around and nodded. We were both panting from how long we had been running. I had no idea how long we had been running, but I was starting to give out, and I had been one of the most fit back in Equity.

Matt started to slow down. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow, but he just waved me on. I nodded and kept going until I fell to the ground, exhausted. I tried to at least get into a sitting position, but I couldn't. I felt someone lift me up, I looked up to see Jackson. "Abbey hand that water bottle." He took me to a chair and sat me down in it. "Are you okay?" I nodded still panting. Abbey handed Jackson the bottle then he handed it to me.

I took a swallow before managing to ask, "How long did I last?"

Abbey chuckled and said, "She is definitely Valorous." I looked between her and Jackson. "You lasted the longest anyone has lasted in a long time. You lasted an hour and 10 minutes." I just nodded my head. I stood up. I was a little wobbly at first but I managed to gain my footing.

"I don't think you should be walking right now." I rolled my eyes at Jackson before walking around a little. "Seriously. You should sit down and catch your breath."

I said, "You're supposed to walk around after running, not sit down." Abbey smiled at me, while Jackson raised an eyebrow at me. I just shrugged.

After two or three minutes, when I had caught my breath, Jackson said, "All right. Next we are going to work with weights." It was that moment that I noticed weights, bench presses, and leg presses were in the very back of the room. "Since there are six of you, three of you will be at leg press, and the other three at bench. Matt, Sage, and Sam you three will be at the bench press. The rest are on leg press. Get your max on both, understood?"

Sam had brown hair and brown eyes. I recognized him as the guy who had run into me yesterday. I sat on a bench press and said, "Who's going to spot me?"