Element

✭ Chapter 33

    I'm standing at the edge. A chilled draft wafts up from inside, and I take a deep breath and make the plunge. When I drop down into the dark hole, I find the bottom of it empty. But it’s 4:05. Huh. I guess people aren’t really into being here early. Oh well. I walk into the locker room and to my locker. I swing it open. Pulling out the training suit, I get dressed. Even when I’m fully dressed, no one has entered the locker room. I shake it off, and set off for the Training Room. I spot Mr. Farefax walking down the hall.

“Oh! Hi Ramaya.”

“Hi Mr. Farefax.”

“I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here so early.”

“It was 4:13 last time I checked.”

“Hmm… Guess people aren’t keen on getting here early, huh?”

"I guess not."

"Well... Go ahead and hang out in the training room. The others should arrive shortly."

"Ok. Thanks."

"Oh and Ramaya?"

"Yeah?"

"We missed you at the team advisor meeting. You would've made a great fourth-year advisor for our team."

I blush. "Um, thanks, and yeah, sorry I didn't come... I just don't think it would work."

"Well, that's no problem. We had another person come in and take the position."

"Great."

He smiles at me and turns to leave. I walk slowly down the rest of the corridor and push open the heavy door. The creak of the door hinge echoes tremendously in the vast, empty room. It looks exactly the same as it did during training, except everything has been cleaned until it shines. I smile. I made it to this point. A fourth-year, and on the Air Battle Team. Placing my hands on my hips, I wait patiently for the others to join me.

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“Alright! Quiet, everyone!”

Chatter eventually dwindles out as Mr. Farefax calls attention to himself.

“Welcome… To Battle Team!”

We all cheer loudly.

“Now, the first battle will actually take place this Saturday in place of that practice, so the next four days will have to kick your butts. We’ll get into shape, train as much as we can, and do a scrimmage battle on Friday.”

I put on a smile. I’m actually super excited.

“But for now, we need to, uh, put some muscle on you guys. So, grab a jacket if you want, because we're going on a run!”

Some smile, others look confused. “A run. We’re going on a run, outside,” I say slowly to the befuddled people. They nod and follow us (who are following Mr. Farefax) to yet another door leading out of the training room and into a circular room.

    We all crowd in the rather small space, and I look up and see we’re basically in a big cylinder. A row of glasses sit on a long shelf on the curved wall.

“Everybody in?” he asks.

“Yup!” Someone yells out.

“Alright. Get a pair of glasses.”

We all scramble to grab a pair.

“Put them on. Now, as soon as you can, fly out and the glasses will let you know the rest.” Mr. Farefax presses a button on a panel and the top of the cylinder retracts to open up to the sky. “Go go go!” He yells, and we all zoom out.