Element

✯ Chapter 26

        Everyone gasps. The door was enclosing the training room, which is, well, the biggest room I’ve ever seen.

“Welcome to the training room.” Forge says, grinning at the vastness of the place. The floor is still cement, and the walls are still black, but the room is so big you can barely see to the other side. In the direct center, there is a running track with a greyish-green area in the middle of it. The rest is all empty.

“This is the air training room. But in actuality, for other elements, that only means that some of the open space would be replaced by say, a water pool or trees. Respective to the element, of course.” Everyone nods. It’s simple enough.

“I did say that tryouts would be in your locker room, but most of the first day of tryouts will be held here, actually, even for other elements. The second day of tryouts will be held in your respective locker rooms. The third day is currently undecided what room it will take place in.” What does that mean? Are there many more rooms?

“The first day is physical strength and agility, so you will be evaluated based off of your hand-to-hand combat skills, speed, and endurance. You will fight, race, and compete against other individuals of your same gender. Day two is Elemental power testing. How strong your control of the winds is, how long you can use your powers at an appropriate level, and flying. The last day is testing your ability to work as an effective team.

"The people with the highest scores will join Battle Team and some will be placed in the higher training group. Slightly lower score, and we will consider your place in Battle Team and which group. The lowest scores will either not make it into the team, or will be put into the Lower training group. Questions?”

    The room is filled with blank stares, looks of confusion and concern, and a few determined expressions. But nobody dares ask a question, so Forge continues.

“As you may have noticed, there’s no equipment in this room besides the track. However, as this entire facility is equipped with advanced technology, we still have all the equipment we could ever need.” Forge walks to a touch-screen implanted in the wall. He taps a few buttons, and a jungle-gym silently raises up from the ground to the right of the track. People gasp and “ooooh”.

“Everything we will use for equipment works like that- it raises up from storage below.” We all nod.

“The area inside the track…” He presses more buttons, “is flexible and can change shape, height, and terrain.” Suddenly the inside of the track becomes a giant triangular slope.

“Woah,” I whisper to Kaelie.

“I know.” she whispers back.

        Forge turns back to face the stunned group. “And, that basically concludes our tour. I hope most of you make it into Battle Team so you can utilize our new facilities,” he says with pride. We walk back to the entrance/hole in the ground and fly out, back to daylight. We meet back up with the other groups outside the Dining Room.

“ATTENTION!” General Forge yells. Silence immediately sweeps over the large group. “Thank you for signing up for Battle Team, and I sincerely hope you make it. But please, please be prepared to work hard, show dedication, and be a good team player. Expectations are higher this year now that we have our new Battle Team facilities.The tour has ended, go about your daily business.”

    Chatter resumes, and people start to disperse. Lunch just started, so I head inside with Brooke and Kaelie. We find Alanna waiting for us.

“Where were you guys all morning?”

“Battle Team touring,” I reply.

“You didn’t sign up?” Kaelie asks.

“No, it’s really not my thing,” she says.