Keeper Dargo allowed me to eat and drink water before we began. My thirst was not what it should have been for seven days without water. Nevari must have dripped water in my mouth as I slumbered, another thing I must thank her for. My hunger however was ravenous, the nutritional bars did not fill me as they always have, and I was allowed to eat three times the normal amount, still my belly feels empty. Strange.
We move towards the training field now; our pace is swifter than I remember it being. I am surprised to see that the others follow it, weeks ago only a few of us could. The soreness in my body begins to fade slowly as the blood pumps through it, there is a lightness in my step now, like the weight of my body barely keeps me to the floor. My breath has never been so even either, my heart slower than it would have been before I drank the silver speckled purple tea. I cannot help but wonder if it has something to do with the changes I feel.
Looking to my side I see that everyone else is barely sweating at this speed. I remember Nevari said the sponsor gave everyone medicines to make them stronger, but I have never heard of such a thing before. Perhaps they gave it to me while I slept, perhaps the tea has nothing to do with the lightness I feel. Still I remember the dream, and I can’t help but feel they must be related.
When we arrive to the training grounds, I see there are rows of vests laid out upon the sand, upon closer inspection I see there are metal weights attached to them. Sekat, what has he been doing to them while I slept. Seeing the others pick up vests, I move to grab one.
“This one is for you.” Keeper Dargo says tossing one towards me.
I grab it from the air, the weight of it heavy in my hands, almost knocking me over. Putting it on, I feel my body is much heavier now. My vest looks lighter than the others, the weights smaller and a different hue of metal. My jaw tenses. Have I fallen this far behind in the last week? I will need to push harder to catch them. I will not become a burden to those around me. I am Ulima, I must always rise to the top.
When everyone has been fitted with their vests, the run begins anew. The pace faster again, the starting pace those marked in black struggled to achieve the first time.
***
We have been running up and down the stairs of the stadium that surrounds the field of sand for more than an hour now, I feel sweat beading down my brow. Looking to the others, I see they begin to feel it as well. Not as much as me, Sekat. Have I really become weaker than everyone else? The pride in me bids anger to rise and give me strength as I lengthen my stride to catch up to the front of the group.
Near the front, I find my chief and his daughter in equal strides, their breath more even than mine. Nevari and Nekam even outdo me now too? They were in the purple grouping before. Looking forward I see Korra and Neeba directly behind the Keeper in stride together.
“Do not push yourself too much.” Nekam says to me as I drive past him. His words meant to soothe, but they fuel the fire inside me.
I push myself harder until I am upon Korra and Neeba’s heels, how have they become so fast, their muscles ripple between strides, seeming to be more toned than before. As I approach their side they nod to me, grins on their faces.
“I told you he would catch up.” Neeba says, there is pride in his voice.
“That you did.” Korra says, clapping me on the shoulder.
Dargo turns now, running backwards, he too wears a vest, the metal bulky upon it, a different hue than the others, a different hue than mine. The fabric that holds it, appears to be different as well, there is a sheen to it, it is woven with black metal fibers. There is a grin on his face as he nods to me before he turns back around, increasing the pace again, this time faster than when I fell out the last time.
***
My legs are throbbing as he explodes the pace again after we have been running for three hours. People begin to fall to the side, and we lap them, my eyes are wide as I realize I will soon be lapped as well. When did I fall behind? How did I shame myself like this. Why is the gap between me and the others so far?
I feel a swipe on my back as Dargo passes me, I turn and look, seeing that I have been marked in red like the others who have been lapped. My jaw tenses, I have never been in the first group to be lapped for physical training. There is a sick feeling rising in me, fueled by the self hatred of my own weakness, it is the feeling of pride breaking under reality's boot.
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“I cannot stop here.” I say aloud between breaths. I do not stop like the others do when marked, I must not, I still have strength left to move – bidding me to continue as anger holds the pieces of my pride together.
***
Another hour passes, I have been marked seven times now, seven times they have lapped me. The Keeper does not tell me to stop. My back a testament to my commitment to continue. I will not give up, there is life in me still. Nekam and Nevari begin to fall behind now, there is sweat flowing from their brows as they are finally marked in purple. The standard has risen I realize.
“Cami Akur Neda.” Nekam tells me as I pass by him, the words burn into me, the anger rising higher, clutching pride tightly to its chest. In the old tongue it means – Know the limits of your body.
***
At the end of the fifth hour there is only Neeba and Korra keeping the pace now, all others have returned to the assembly hall. Nekam tried to tell me to return, but I told him I will not stop until my body does. Pushing past the pain, embracing the burning of muscles breaking past their limits.
Within another thirty minutes, Neeba begins to lag behind, soon after Korra follows. To my building shame I have been marked ten times now in red. But I do not stop, my muscles still have more to give, my will is not broken, only my pride is wounded.
“There is no shame in your performance.” Korra says as I approach where they have stopped, she begins to speak again, but Neeba stops her with a light pull of the arm shaking his head.
I am glad for the silence he asked for, every word of encouragement etching the shame deeper into my soul. He gives me a nod as I pass by. My breath uneven, my legs barely keeping my slowed pace.
Dargo waits near the entrance now, arms folded behind his back, a grin upon his face. The grin drives the anger to greater heights, I thought we were past him shaming me, I thought he was finally acknowledging my efforts.
“Fifty more laps, if you can manage.” He says as I pass.
“I will do a hundred!” I yell to him, my pride lashing out against the provocation.
“We shall see.” He chuckles, leaving towards the assembly hall.
***
When I finish my final lap, I remove my vest and fall to the ground. Looking towards the high ceiling, trying to catch my breath. Sekat. I know I have improved a lot since the first time we did this, but why have I fallen so far behind in so little time. I will have to ask Neeba how to get these medicines, how to receive my gifts.
“Sekat…” I grumble as I stand up again.
Moving now towards the assembly hall, I see a lone Bipki follows me from a distance, my mind wonders if she still watches me. I wonder if she has found the black box yet, if she has, did she discover its secrets? As I move through the halls a door opens from a recess in the wall to my side, drawing my attention to what’s behind it.
There is a single table in the center of the room, a small pool of liquid upon it in the black ink the Keeper uses to mark us. As I enter, the door closes before the Bipki can follow. A message begins to form in the ink, becoming clearer as I stand before it now.
Drink it all. Do not speak of it. They have begun to take notice.
Who is they? Warden Akaria? Senator Adonius? Why is there always so much secrecy. Speaking plainly seems to allude these people. Before I can think of it further, a hole opens in the table, a glass kettle and a black cup rise from the hole. My body recoils as I see the purple liquid swirl in the kettle, remembering what happened last the time I drank it. Deciding against it, as I can’t afford to lose another week – I move towards the door again. The lights in the room turn red, I turn and see a new message appearing in the ink in larger letters.
Drink.
Sekat. I fill the first cup and down it. The warmth spreading inside of me. From my blood, to my bones, then my tendons and my muscles – until it rises from my skin outwards. When I finally finish, the table takes the cup and kettle into it, and the door opens.
In the hall I see the lone Bipki has left, I follow the corridor towards the assembly hall where I find everyone meditating. My body feels weary still from the training, a bubbling inside of me, a fear that I will be in a coma for another week on my mind. Quickly I find a place next to Neeba, my eyes closing quickly as I try to find my inner peace.
I feel the vibrations within me that I felt the first time I drank of the strange tea. This time, it does not overwhelm me, it echoes inside of me like music playing against the walls of my soul, expanding its essence. In my mind I begin to see the silver tree from my dreams, the water is beginning to rise in waves again, the purple lights streaking through it. Flowing into the roots of the tree rising upwards, sustaining its growth to greater heights.
The waters become still again after a time and I begin to open my eyes, I am still in the assembly hall. It is strange, my body feels rested, full of life once more, ready to train further. Looking around I see Neeba and the others have left, checking the time on my holopad, I see it is late in the night. Sekat, how did I meditate so deeply that I missed combat training. If I fall behind in that as well, I will only be a burden. The peace from meditation begins to fade as the irritation rises. Practicing alone will have to suffice, I do not want to burden the others who no doubt sleep.
“Alakin. Is now a good time?” A voice says from behind me.
Turning now I see Daki and his brother Maki close behind him.
“It is.” I say remembering he wanted to talk.
When he approaches me, his head is lowered, as is his brothers. There is tension in them. I realize now, they have been waiting for me this entire time.