The next day, Geeta and I stood side by side as we faced Seela. We were standing outside of the white dome at the center of the sector and looking up at it. Geeta was here when Seela and I arrive escorted by one of the Lemurian that we saw in the plane crash. It was the one who assisted'
her before. I believe his name is Tarun. I remembered his face, but I wasn't able to fully look at the man when he came to help us. Tarun has a black hair with white bangs covering his green eyes. He was as bold as Seela but a bit shorter.
Geeta and I were wearing red fitted jumpsuits. An attire that symbolizes our beginner status from the group. Seela was wearing a gray and black attire with green shoulder pads. Tarun stood just behind Seela with one of his hands on the door. Seela gave us one last look before looking back at Tarun and gave him a curt nod. Tarun returned the gesture and twisted his hand a little. Blue circular light with foreign language appeared over his bracelet, then there was a click and the door slid open.
"Let's go." Seela said. We headed inside the dome to find ourselves in a huge, polished cement wall and hard concrete floor. I saw a lot of people wearing the same white jumpsuit outfit that Jack, Willum, and Israr wore yesterday. I saw a few groups doing leaps over steel blocks that stood over six meters. There was a scream and a splat as the man hit the block and fell over a white cushion. Another group were practicing javelin throw. The speed and height that it flew was so ridiculous that it looks like it was being shot by an arrow. Others were sparing with different weapons and others were practicing some sort of hand in hand combat. There was another portion in the room that was separated by a glass wall. Behind it were people with some sort of white fingerless gloves made of some sort of solid material. I saw a girl aiming it at a moving target and shoot. I faintly saw a thin light fire and the target burst into pieces. Then there was another girl who carried a huge metal ball and flung it at a wall. Numbers holographically flashed and I saw the girl cheer in victory.
"Over here, newbies. "Tarun called out when Seela moved to the other side of the room. There was another room separated by a glass wall. Behind it I saw a few people running on treadmills while the portion below their chest is covered with water. There were other facilities that I couldn't describe of, but some of the equipment's looks like it is used for strength training. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. After all, the weights look different and looks alien.
Seela raised her hand and to briefly scan the bracelet and then the glass door opened. Tarun ushered us inside and I could somehow feel the hair heat up a bit. Seela stood by our side as Geeta and I both took in the scenario. Geeta started bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. "I have never joined a gym before, but this looks fun!"
"Easy there, Miss Geeta." Seela said. "You both will have to do a few stretches and then you will start running. We want to make sure to what extend you both can do first. Maximum of two hours of running while being submerged in water. The solution in the water will monitor your heart rate and vital signs. We'll be able to tell when you can still keep on going or not. Only we can say when you'll stop or not."
Geeta groaned while I let out a tired sigh.
I briefly saw or two Lemurian instructors sharing amuse look before they lead us to do some stretches. Then they assisted us to the water threadmills. We were skeptical at first because our outfits might become wet and would weigh us down, but the second that our boots touched the bottom our body was still dry. It was then that we realized that our suit was waterproof from the neck to our toes.
"Just run as fast as you can. You can slow down but do not stop running." Seela instructed. Geeta and I followed and started running at our own pace.
***
It has been 40 minutes since we ran. I know because I saw the digital timer to our side. Running on water was more difficult than running on land. It was hard to kick against the buoyancy that was fighting your every movement. Geeta was panting heavily from the other machine. When Tarun moved in front of her, I saw her sped up a bit.
I could only bet that she doesn't wanna get scolded.
"You're doing great, Mr. Mithun." Seels said while looking at the tab. I saw Tarun coming up beside him at peak at the tab. His brow creased as he gave me a look. Then he placed the tablet that he was holding beside Seela's to compare. Seela looked and tilted his gaze to the side when he saw the results of Geeta from Tarun's tablet. Seela brought a hand up to hit a Tarun's head. Then Seela grabbed Tarun's tablet and flipped it upside down. Tarun made a look of realization while Seela simply shook her head at him tiredly and grumbled.
I have to admit, I was getting a little tired, but I could feel that I can go a bit longer. I breathed in to my nose and breathe through my mouth, just like how my father thought me. My father. I am doing this for him. I will climb the ranks to find him on my own. With my own efforts.
More than an hour has passed, and Tarun finally asked Geeta to stop. I started slowing down as well when I heard Seela speak. "Don't stop, Mr Mithun. You can keep going." she ordered and I kept running.
Breathe to the nose and exhale through the mouth. I can feel knees starting to burn and I have to slow down, but I was still running. I wipped away the sweat from my forehead and splashed a bit of water to cool my neck and face. I kept running and running.
I hit the two-hour mark already and was about to stop. "Keep going, Mr Mithun." She ordered.
"But you said...two hours." I panted.
"Keep going." She ordered. The look that she was giving off made no room for argument, so I complied. My legs were trembling already, but they still kept going.
Tarun appeared beside Seela. "It's two hours already. Make her stop."
As a reply, Seela showed him the tab. "him vitals remained stable at 1:28:48. He can still go on."
Tarun seemed confused as he read the tab. Even I was curious as well, but I did not speak. "Well, he's almost a huge of a monster as him." He whistled.
***
"Alright, stop." Seela ordered as soon as I reached a 3 hour and 12-minute mark. I breathed heavily as I continued to slow down until I came to a stop. Seela and Tarun were on a leveled platform the same height as the tank. They both reached out and hauled me up on the cool aluminum top of the platform. "Good job, Mr Mithun." Seela said and handed me a towel to wipe off the remnants of the water from my suit.
"Please tell me that's all our training for the day." I panted and took the metal canister greedily from Tarun and took large sips of water.
"For morning training? Yeah. For afternoon training, you will have to do double the work since miss Geeta started on strength training." He says and points at Geeta, who was currently waving for me.
"Mithun!" She yelled. A huge barbell like instrument was in front of her with circular orbs at the end. She adjusted a dial on both orbs and I briefly saw them flashing 30kg before it vanished. Then, with one hand, she easily carried it over her head. "See? SEE!?" She beamed and dropped the barbell to the ground.
"I just have run for a long time." I mumbled.
"You ran for 3 hours and you're surprised?" Tarun chuckled beside me. "You know, I highly suggest that you stop being surprised by everything and start accepted reality."
"Yeah. Mumm. Sounds good." I said as I continued to watch Geeta playing with the 30 kg barbell. She was now twirling it in the air, and she was clearly having fun. Then the barbell flew from her hands and to the large water tank that provides fluids to the thread mills. The glass started to crack.
"Get her out of there now!" Seela said. Tarun immediately sprung and leaped from where we are and towards Geeta. But just as he got there, the glass burst open. I heard Tarun cursed and tried to cover Geeta from the incoming impact that never came.
There was a paused. Then a lot of hushed voices as we all saw the glass break, but the water never hit them. It was more like it was floating in the air. A woman with long brown hair with white streaks that ends at her shoulder stood. She had her hands raised as he walked towards Geeta and Tarun. "We really should change these glass containers. It's hazardous to newbies." She said and looked at Geeta, who was now hiding behind Tarun. The woman used her other hand pushed the remaining water inside. Drones suddenly appeared and sealed the holes and cracks with some sort of blue goo. After that, the woman stood in front of Tarun and smiled. "Good to see you guys have returned. "She says.
I was going to ask who she was when Tarun suddenly lowered his head and bowed. "Lord Brinda. I offer myself to thee, lord prince of the sea."