Ancient Forces (2018 Reboot)

Chapter 45 - Fitness Freaks

The clock struck ten A.M. when the doors opened, allowing five young, vibrant teens to enter the room with confidence and determination written across their faces. Within the room laid exercise equipment you'd see at a normal gym, and then sectioned off in the back rested the government approved workout machines that the team would be using in their day to day work. Miller walked in behind them all, escorting them to the devices in the back of the room. Once they were all within the sectioned off zone Miller activated a small barrier to reserve the place just for them. Inside were multiple machines for them all to use at once, two different water dispensers, a fridge stocked with healthier snacks than an average home, and speakers to play music from if one was so inclined. The barrier that blocked off the area was sound proof, so they could turn it up as loud as they wanted and no one else would hear them. Obviously within certain acceptable levels however, especially since they didn't want to become deaf.

"These workout monsters were made specifically for people of your talent. Indestructible to your abilities and impervious to overwork. They were built by yours truly," Miller gestured to himself, "with the help of multiple Mystic and Dragon Force members. A lot of money and time went in to these, so I'm glad they're getting their proper use now."

"Why hasn't anyone else been using them?" Austin asked.

"Well, to put it simply, no one else has ever been able to use them. It takes incredible strength and willpower to even so much as budge these bad boys," Miller slapped a hand onto a bench press looking display, "So you'll be getting the best training yet from these guys."

"Sounds like just what the doctor ordered," Zayne spoke from the back of the group.

"Care to give us a tour?" Damien asked as he looked to the options they had.

Miller moved to a large bench that could sit around four people across it, then pointed to the suspended straps from a bar up above. Gears were positioned above the straps in a very inconvenient place that prevented them from being moved. Resting above the gears were nearly two hundred pounds of metal and weights. He sat on the bench and put both hands on the straps above him.

"The Rising Gears. Your goal is to lift yourself fully off the ground from a sitting position while also having to lift two hundred pounds above you with only your arms on the straps. The more you pull yourself up the more weight you push up with on the metal from the gears, meaning you're both lifting and pushing. An extremely difficult task indeed," Miller attempted to do one single rep himself but ultimately failed, laughing off his attempt as he moved to the next option.

The next machine was a bench press looking device that had a single elongated dumbbell above. On either weight suspension of the dumbbell rested nearly five hundred pound weights. Then at the end of the bench were two smaller pedal looking extensions with strings attached to a weight lifting device that held nearly three hundred pounds of dumbbells. Miller set both of his feet into the pedals and then raised both arms to the dumbbell above.

"The Omega Press. This tests your sheer strength with both a lifting of arms and a lifting of legs, although arguably the lifting with legs can be passed off as a simple bicycle exercise for some. Unless you're confident you can do this alone, I'd recommend having someone else ready to assist you if you can't handle it," Miller pushed up with as much strength as he could and didn't even so much as budge the bar or the pedal bar.

Miller got up and stretched, then marched across the room to a large treadmill that almost took up the whole sixty foot wall. The machine was one single tread with multiple split bars in between each one, a single control panel on either end of the huge running length. Miller got up onto one of the parts and gestured for everyone else to get on too in a separate running stall. Everyone cautiously and curiously got on to the device while making sure they didn't touch anything they weren't supposed to.