The evening alarms began to flare on and off in my ears. I could barley breathe. Air left body so quickly I almost could’ve collapsed where I stood now. I started to attempt to regain my balance.
Despite all of these negatives, I was ready to rejoice. The training was finally over.
I turned to look at my handiwork. Smoldering remains of technology and multiple targets decorated the space with sparks, fires and several pieces of them were sprawled over the grounds.
The entire room looked like a ground war happened right before me. I was on my hands and knees trying to reclaim my breath when the alarms blared.
To me this was routine, a normal sight, and this feeling of exhaustion was all too familiar.
The floor was lined in dust, gravel, soil, and debris. To me, it almost looked like a very comfortable bed. And yet, I could tell I wasn’t finished. I just wasn’t satisfied.
The room began to rumble. Everything on the ground had shaken. I looked down at the floor before me. The dirt was bouncing right off of the ground. Something was coming.
A loud metallic groaning was heard, and a massive robotic being rose from the ashes of its predecessors. It immediately targeted me, its artificial eyes scanning for threats. I would have to call it a fool if it didn’t see the obvious one.
Objective found, it began to stomp toward me. By the time I regained my stance, it was towering over me. I reeled back, sizing up the metal monster.
It began to ready its weapons. Both arms and cannons taken their aim.
I was completely exhausted. I felt like it was my time to die, like I was going to expire, like it was finally my time. I had my own doubts.
“Training is over, it all finished right? This could not be happening…I am supposed to be finished!”
My fists began clenching and the blood started pumping. Harder and faster my heart was beating. “NO it isn’t over! I will fight it! I will defeat this monstrosity!”
I stood to face the metal giant. Its weapons started charging, everything aimed at me. I was juiced out. I felt like I had absolutely no energy left.
Attempting to muster all the energy I could I let the sparks come. They moved all towards my fingertips. I felt the energy fighting my nerves.
It wanted to escape me. It wanted to get out. I decided that it was the only real thing I could do. The enemy looked at me with bright blue and yet intimidating square eyes. They didn’t move or look around. They were perfectly focused on me.
I pointed my hands at the mechanical beast. The lightening left my body quickly in a flash. The streaks made contact as soon as they left me, latching onto the monster. The streaks danced over the armor, sucking the energy out of the systems for its own needs, depleting the charged weapons. The beast began to shake sporadically. It tried to counter against me, attempting to brutally stomp on me.
Its giant metal boots came down faster than I thought. I almost thought I wasn’t going to make it.
I dodge it, diving to my right almost into a flaming pile of what now is scrap. Thanks to me. I take the one second to look at it. Almost forgetting the impending danger. Though I was not sealed in, I could see the smoke pooling at the top of the room. The smoke seemed to manifest above me.
Looking at my hands, the energy was still there, trying to escape me. The beast was recovering from the initial blast I delivered. Weapons were disabled, but the life-lights were still glowing bright. I could’ve sworn the enemy was defeated. I screamed, this time targeting the head, I gave it everything I had.
The lightening went straight to the head, then began to move lower down the body.
The entire room began to light up as if a nuclear weapon had struck. The energy moved all throughout the enemy, shorting out all circuits, frying systems, and disabling it completely.
The monster, now defeated, reeled back in fright of the even greater threat. This time almost falling. It covered its face with a hand in a pitiful attempt of defense.
I was enraged that it wasn’t over yet. Completely furious, I charged for it, letting out all of my strength. I tackled the monster straight to the chest. The armor I wore and the metal it was constructed with collided with a loud bang. The sudden addition of weight to the already large amount.
As it fell, I moved towards the head, The Machinery groaned under its weight along with mine. Reaching its zenith, I looked straight into the ‘eyes’ of the monster. I placed my hands upon the head and released the rest I had. Sparks left me and made contact around my hands. The very light that once shined drained from its eyes.
I clenched my fists, I began to smash into its eyes with surprising strength I had no idea was in my possession.
The mega-glass ‘eyes’ broke under my efforts. Cutting into my hands. Nevertheless I continued to pound. The blood started to flow, I didn’t care. I didn’t focus on anything but my objective. I let punch after punch and blow after blow continue on.
“I will defeat you! You are an enemy of the Empire! I shall crush you under my boots! I am your superior! YOU WILL SUBMIT TO MY TRUIMPH!”
I screamed the whole time, draining myself of strength and stamina.
They told me it was actually over a long time ago, that the lights had been dim for some time, but I kept going.
As I finished, all became still and quiet. The cackling of fires and lose electricity had ceased. All I could hear was my increasing heartbeat and heavy breathing.
I heard the automatic sliding of a blast door. I thought it was a new challenger. I turned to face the source of the noise. I saw a silhouette of a tall man. It was slender and muscular. To me, this seemed like an easy target. I snarled at the new enemy, and began charging towards them. I screamed at the top of my lungs. They told me that it almost seemed that heavens could’ve heard me.
I was sprinting now, barley keeping balance. I felt like I was feral. I felt no fear, no pain from my wounds, no agony, no other thing was on my mind but succeeding.
The silhouette held up a hand. At the gesture I froze in my tracks, I felt like I wasn’t even in control of my own body.
The shadow of the man I saw then began to speak to me. I recognized the voice. It was horse, but had the most serious of tones. It felt like I was being commanded. “Aiden, settle down, it is over. There is no more enemy, there is no more objective. Your job is done. Be calm.”
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t reply. I merley stood there and accepted orders. Just like I was meant to do. The man let down his forboding hand. In absence of the gesture I didn’t burst back into my rage. I just continued to stand there, unmoving.
The man began to speak again. “Good Aiden, you have done extremely well today. Your training is finished for now. You are well on your way pupil.” The man held an outstretched hand. “Come here now Aiden, you have done well.”
I approached the man, the shadows clearing, my vision restored. I saw a very familiar face. Out of all of my 13 years of life, he was always there. His name is Norman Tiran, and he is my mentor, leader, and guide. The aging leader of the VON Empire. He had a short beard now grey from aging and short yet shaggy hair. He was a very tall man compared to me. He was slender now, but from what I’ve been told, he used to be very muscular and defined. He had pale light brown skin. This man was certainly old enough to be my great grandfather.
I bowed to my leader. “Thank you mentor. I aim to serve the Empire and fulfill all of its needs.”
He put his hand on my head. He smiled down at me. “You do an excellent job doing it. You will be an even greater leader one day Aiden. Sometimes I even think you surpass me. Your peers are very jealous of you. I know your brother is.”
I paused. “Have I given them a reason to dislike me?”
I felt depressed at the fact that even my own brother had disliked me, and I had no idea why. I looked at the ground in shame. Norman placed a hand on my chin and lifted me sad face. “Do not falter Aiden. You do give them reasons, but not the ones you think. You are an exceptional warrior, a great leader, and an even greater person. You are serving your purpose to the best your abilities can. Don’t ever forget that.” Norman cracked a smile again. His dark hazel eyes lit up.
I smiled back. “Thank you mentor.” I looked back at the damage I had caused to the chamber. “Could anybody else cause such destruction mentor?”
Norman looked at the catastrophe as well. “Aiden, I don’t even have your abilities. They are very rare amongst us. You have a gift, cherish it always.”
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