NOVEL WEB CHAPTER 14: Come Play With My Balls
After their meeting with Lily, Atlas and Alicia made their way back into the gym, ready to kick off day two of the trials. The recruits had already gathered, their faces a mix of exhaustion and anticipation. Despite the early hour, the excitement of what lay ahead kept their spirits high.
Atlas wasted no time. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to day two of training. We’re diving right in, so let’s start with a quick warm-up.”
Atlas turned the sound system on, and a booming bass song filled the room. It was the first song of a custom playlist that he had made last night. This playlist was perfect for a gym in Canada. It was quite different from what they played in South America, where Atlas had worked out before during a trip overseas.
*Seriously, who plays salsa in the gym?* Atlas wondered. *South Americans, it seems. I never want to hear that again in my life.*
This first song on his playlist was called "Portal Quest." It cleverly described how portals worked and the types of monsters they’d be fighting.
**Verse 1:**
In two years' time, the portals will call,
A world unknown, where shadows crawl.
Demon dogs and trolls, they'll try to break,
But you’ve got to stand tall, for your own sake.
**Chorus:**
Stay strong, stay tough, you can’t lose your way,
Fight through the darkness, come what may.
In the wasteland, you'll face the night,
But with courage and strength, you'll win the fight.
**Verse 2:**
Skeletons rise from the dirt and grime,
Slimes and bandits will test your prime.
You’ll battle the fierce, and you’ll battle the vile,
But hold on tight, and face it with style.
**Chorus:**
Stay strong, stay tough, you can’t lose your way,
Fight through the darkness, come what may.
In the wasteland, you'll face the night,
But with courage and strength, you'll win the fight.
**Bridge:**
The gym’s behind you, the wasteland awaits,
A portal will open, sealing your fates.
Prepare your hearts, prepare your mind,
In two years' time, it’s battle you’ll find.
**Chorus:**
Stay strong, stay tough, you can’t lose your way,
Fight through the darkness, come what may.
In the wasteland, you'll face the night,
But with courage and strength, you'll win the fight.
**Outro:**
So remember this song, as you train and strive,
With each passing day, you’ll be ready to survive.
In two years' time, when the portals do call,
You’ll face the wasteland and stand tall.
***
Atlas made sure this song played at least every four songs. He’d even remixed it a few times so it wasn’t too repetitive. *Might as well start some early subliminal programming.*
The "quick warm-up" was anything but quick. It combined sparring drills in full armor, a run around the gym’s perimeter, and a circuit of weight training exercises. Atlas believed in functional fitness—strength that could be used in real-world scenarios, or at least, in the twisted version of reality they were preparing for. No need for gym muscles when you were eyeballs-deep in slimes.
As the recruits broke a sweat, Alicia quietly slipped away, returning with a large box filled with an assortment of balls.
*Thanks, Amazon Prime one-day shipping!* Atlas thought with a grin.
Meanwhile, Atlas moved over to the dance court, which had been partially cleared for today’s specialized training session. The mirrors had been moved aside, leaving a wide-open space that would soon become a testing ground.
“Wilfredo, Isabella, Barbera, you’re up,” Atlas called out, waving the three recruits over.
The three recruits stepped forward, eyeing the box of balls with curiosity.
“Alright,” Atlas began, “this is what you’re going to be working on today. See these balls? I’m going to chuck them into the room, and your job is to hit them with your weapons.”
He glanced at Isabella, who had a confident grin on her face. “Isabella, you’ve got two swords. I like it. Same setup I use. Wilfredo, mace and shield—good combo. You can decide if you want to keep your shield. This is going to be more agility training than anything else, but by the end, you will need to use your shield.”
Wilfredo looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. “I’ll keep the shield. If I’m going to need it later, I might as well get used to it now.”
Atlas grinned. “Good choice. It’ll make things tougher in the beginning, but you’ll be better for it. And Barbera—single sword and shield, solid choice.”
With a sudden burst of energy, Atlas grabbed the first ball from the box and hurled it into the room. The ball ricocheted off the walls, bouncing in unpredictable directions with alarming speed. The recruits’ eyes widened in confusion, unsure how to react. This ball was on the slowest speed setting, but it still moved quickly.
“This isn’t normal training,” Barbera muttered, her grip tightening on her sword.
“As you can see,” Atlas said, a hint of amusement in his voice, “that ball bounces everywhere. So get yourselves in position. Now, the real challenge begins. You’ve seen how the ball moves—now imagine dealing with five of them at once. Ready?”
Alicia, who had been silently observing, picked up a couple of balls, as did Ray, who had just entered the room to assist. The three of them stood at different angles around the room, ready to launch the balls in every direction.
“Here we go,” Atlas said, and in the next instant, the balls were flying.
They smashed against the walls, the floor, the ceiling, creating a chaotic flurry of motion. The recruits swung their weapons wildly, trying to anticipate the balls’ movements. Isabella, with her dual swords, was fast, but even she struggled to keep up with the relentless barrage. Wilfredo instinctively used his shield, blocking one ball by sheer luck, while Barbera did her best to track the movement of each projectile.
The chaos lasted only a minute before the balls began to lose momentum and settle on the ground. Out of the five, only one had been successfully struck—by Isabella. Wilfredo’s shield had inadvertently deflected another, but the rest had evaded them entirely.
“Not bad for a first try,” Atlas said, clapping his hands. “Isabella, great job getting a hit in. It’s not easy, especially on your first attempt. Wilfredo, your shield came in handy, but you need to be more proactive. Don’t just defend—use it to your advantage. Barbera, keep your head on a swivel. You’re focusing too much on what’s in front of you, and you’re missing what’s happening on the sides. Remember, you’ve got to watch the flanks, just like Isabella.”
The recruits were breathing heavily, but they seemed eager to try again.
“Alright, let’s go for round two,” Atlas said. “This time, I want to see more coordination. Work together, and make sure you’re aware of where the others are at all times.”
They reset, and this time, the recruits were more prepared. The balls flew through the air once more, but this time the group moved with greater synchronicity. Isabella managed to land two hits, while Wilfredo successfully deflected one with his shield. Barbera, still struggling, at least managed to avoid being hit herself.
“Much better!” Atlas said, clearly pleased. “You’re getting the hang of it. It’s not just about speed—it’s about awareness, positioning, and timing. Alicia, keep the session going. Cycle in new recruits every ten minutes, and always make sure there is at least one shield user in the group. Ray, help out with the ball launching.”
As the recruits cycled through the training, their initial confusion gave way to a sense of purpose. They might not fully understand the reason behind Atlas’s methods, but they could see the results. Their reflexes were sharpening, and their teamwork was improving.
After a particularly intense session, Wilfredo approached Atlas with a grin. “I’ve got to hand it to you jefe, this training is… different. But it’s working.”
Atlas laughed. “Glad you think so. It’s all about being prepared for anything. Out there, the enemies won’t wait for you to be ready—they’ll come at you from all angles, just like these balls.”
Atlas gathered the recruits and delivered his motivational speech, “Remember, recruits, the five D’s: dodge, duck, dip, destroy, and deflect. Keep these in mind, and you’ll be unstoppable out there!”
Just as the recruits were getting the hang of the ball training, Atlas decided it was time to up the ante. He signaled to Alicia, who nodded and stepped out of the room, returning with a life-sized mannequin dressed in full battle armor.
The recruits exchanged puzzled glances.
“Uh, Atlas, what’s with the mannequin?” Barbera asked, voicing the confusion in everyone’s minds.
“This,” Atlas said, patting the mannequin on the shoulder, “is your new training partner. His name is Fred.”
Wilfredo raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Fred? Seriously?”
“Yup. Fred here is going to help you with your close-quarters combat skills. The balls are great for reflexes, but you also need to know how to handle an opponent up close and personal. So, Fred’s here to lend a hand—or rather, a stiff arm.”
The recruits stared at the mannequin, still not entirely sure if Atlas was joking.
“Don’t worry,” Atlas added with a grin, “Fred won’t hit back. Much.”
Alicia proudly displayed the mannequin in the center of the room. “You will all be dancing with Fred soon,” she said. Then she took the mannequin back out of the room.
After seeing the mannequin the recruits realized that this racquetball training wasn’t that bad.
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