章 5: Endure
Areis stood tall, his posture straight and sharp.
His voice surged with energy as he elaborated: "To be specific, you will be running laps, from start to finish and back again, several times, as much as you can."
Speaking further, he said: "To help motivate you, know that a reward awaits those with a notable amount of endurance who are capable of doing several laps. This reward will be of help to you as Heroes."
Signaling with his hand near the base of the training dummies, Areis questioned: "Do all of you see this spot?"
Adam's along with the other heroes examined where Areis pointed before nodding at his question.
Areis went on: "You shall be starting from this point."
In a split-second, without warning, Areis positioned himself into a running stance that instantaneously transformed into a blur, leaving feetmarks in the packed dirt of the training field as he charged forward, stopping only after he was several yards away.
The other heroes had a shocked expression as they saw Areis move like the wind.
'Are you not a hero already?' Adam jokingly thought. His surprise not insignificant at actually seeing a novel-like ability playing out before him.
Areis declared: "This is the end point which you must loop to the starting point from.
Looking at the heroes, Areis questioned in confirmation: "Understood?"
In affirmation, the heroes nodded, with jet-lagged reactions at what they had just saw.
"Good, alright then," Areis responded, jogging to the side of the starting point, to be clear of the field and went next to the other instructors.
Beckoning the heroes, pointing at the start of the field, he called: "Get over to the starting point. We shall begin the endurance test whenever you all drag your feet over there."
Some heroes slightly bothered by his words had the corner of their lips in a downward slope.
However knowing his prowess that was superhuman, they dared not to show any more dissatisfaction and reached the start fairly quickly.
Adam hyped himself up as he arrived at the starting point: 'I can do this.'
This was a test for himself first, before it was a test by the instructors.
A deprecative question running in his mind: 'Was he worthy of going forward if he could not manage this much?'
Once everyone was positioned, Areis smiled, loudly declaring: "Start!"
Adam put his foot forward and started to run alongside the accelerating heroes. As they did, Areis softly mused: "Endure best you can, oh Heroes."
Compared to the speed of Areis, their speed was akin to snails.
Regardless their stride was focused.
It did not take long for a hero to trip.
Surprisingly, Elaina fell first as she stepped on her shoelace.
Adam who was starting to pull behind the running heroes looked back as he saw Elaina fall.
He called back, "Stand up Elaina, don't you wanna show Areis your will?"
Elaina glanced at Adam, shaking her head as she observed his slowing pace but defiance-filled words, scoffing: "Yeah. It is not on my agenda to die to demons. I have a place to return to."
Adam chuckled, and continued running.
Elaina more motivated got back on her feet, regained her will to run, and swiftly passed Adam. Elaina starting to shrink in the distance as he was left behind.
There was no anger at being passed, they were running for the same purpose, though perhaps not the same destination.
Adam soon lagged behind every other hero, being last, with the two high schoolers that were summoned closest to his position, but remained in the horizon.
He could not compete in speed, nor could he with endurance.
He wanted to blame his fitness. That he always had stayed inside on Earth.
That the world was simply being unfair.
However, that wouldn't be accurate.
It came down to his willpower. He was in last because he did not strive to win, just to do "well enough".
His will weakening at his doubts, his legs rammed into each other, that threatened to cause him to collapse. His body shaking as he ran.
His muscles weakening, and his breathing became more inconsistent, thinking: 'I am not good enough to be a hero,' this thought crossing his mind caused him to fall forward, his legs slamming into each other. His face crashing into the dirt.
"No..." Adam muttered, his feelings condensing in his thoughts: 'Right now I am not good enough.'
Adam did not want to remain mediocre. He did not want to remain in unhealthy shape.
At this time, Areis watched as the running Heroes started to get out of breath, some collapsing. Running the least distance, he saw that Adam was on the ground.
Areis eyebrows scrunched up as he cast an evaluation that read plainly on his face.
He looked forward, towards the hero in the lead. It was the old soldier Marcaine that was head and shoulders over all other heroes. Although he was older, and was not the fastest, he was leagues above everyone in endurance, his trained body maintaining his physical performance for longer.
The few heroes still running were already on his way back as Adam, frustrated by his weak will-- his weakness, watched them return to run another lap.
Still, Adam was not competing against Marcaine or Elaina or anyone else, not truly. This was a battle against himself, a battle against his limits.
His will returning, he attempted to sit up.
If he did not do his best, it was not on others to lower themselves so he could succeed.
The world was not so nice. This was not his limit. He had to push himself.
Though his heart was pulsating madly, and sweat drenched his face, he would not cower and be shamed for not doing his best.
Right now, it was true he was ordinary.
If he wanted to do better than that, he had to know, he had to determine if he would shatter because he couldn't compete?
Would he breakthrough his weakness and win?
Anybody can try once, anybody can give up, but was failure acceptable to him?
He screamed, "No!" all the negatively that was swarming his thoughts bursting.
Gritting his teeth, Adam tried to stagger to his feet but he felt glued to the ground. Sweat drenching his face, his tracksuit covered in dirt.
'No. I. Must Move!' Adam fumed, his gaze fiery.
He arched forward, in a way that was not running, and too slow to be walking. Adam's hands clawing into the dirt, feet dragging.
A heat-haze running over Adam's eyes with one word running through his mind: 'Endure.'
His arms barreling forward, his knees bleeding, face scratched, and breath shallow.
He began to crawl.
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