Talon Academy

Chapter 7

The Training Room had white walls, ceiling and floor. Upon entering you see four doors lining the back wall. There are two large screens on either side of you and on them was a list with timings and names. The lights above shone a sharp white light into the room causing shadows to flood the floor as the new dragonriders walked in and clustered around the middle. All of us were wearing nervous looks on our faces and glancing around surprised by how bare the room was.

In the middle of the room stood a middle aged man with short brown hair, caramel skin and tattoos covering his entire left arm. He had broad shoulders and a thick layer of muscle covering every inch of his body. A scowl was set on his face as he took in the student before him.

"Quiet!" his voice boomed through the room and all whispering stopped, "My name's Hamish and I'm your physical and elementary trainer." He began pacing with his arms locked tightly behind him, "In my class there are no slackers. You will all do your best in my classes and leave knowing that I was satisfied. And until I dismiss you none of you can leave this room, understood?"

"Yes," we responded with hesitation.

"I said, understood?" he repeated louder and with more force.

"Yes!" this time we responded without hesitation and in the steadiest voice possible. He looked terrifying as he paced in front of us. His hard golden eyes glanced at each one of us individually before turning. My blood ran cold when I met his eyes. He looked at me and yet through me.

He stopped pacing, "Today you will begin with elementary training and then you will have physical training afterwards. I want you to split yourselves into five groups according to your elements. Anyone that was named undecided form the fifth group."

Everybody quickly formed five groups and I moved to the group in the center.

He moved to the first group to the left, "Fire bearers go into the first room to the left. Your teacher is inside waiting."

He moved along to the group on our left, "Air bearers go into the second door from the right. Your teacher is inside waiting."

He walked past our group without even a glance and it made my blood rush with anger. It seemed like he was marking us as worthless; as not being good enough.

"Earth bearers go into the second room from the left. Your teacher is inside waiting."

"Water bearers go into the first room from the right. Your teacher is inside waiting."

The groups all shifted through to their individual rooms leaving us behind with the terrifying trainer.

"So you are all the undecided ones, still not picked by their elements yet. Follow me." He walked through the door in the middle of the back room. We seven undecided follow him through the door and down the corridor filled with warm light. The corridor led to another open room with the same walls as the first.

"A key to reaching your element is through a healthy body on the outside. Everybody run twenty laps of this room," he ordered.

I followed the group around the room. After a few laps my speed increased and I kept it steady around the room. I didn't realised how fast I was going until I stood alone in front of Hamish. I glanced back surprised to see the others move on to their last lap.

"So you both are runners," that's when I realised that I was not alone. I glanced to my side and saw the last person I expected. The last person I wanted right now. Stood behind me was Roubin, the only person that had been able to keep up with me. "Good now do another ten."

My feet began running again, this time at a slightly faster pace than before. Roubin ran steadily beside me, our feet hitting the ground evenly and steadily. After the first lap I glanced towards Roubin and met his eyes. They glinted as a smirked appeared onto his lips.