/ Duel Universe
/ Author: The Cowboy of Oklahoma
/ Ch 19: Physical Training
/ word count: 1676
Training Field:
Every abled-bodied individual was dragged out of bed and onto their feet, then were marched into the wilderness for miles, just to reach a makeshift obstacle course erected on short notice. Sergeant Mulcahy, in his abrasive accent, pushed every recruit hard.
"Come on ya lazy bastards this course ain't gonna run itself!!! Get those legs higher!!!" He screamed as recruits went through a low rope obstacle and over some fallen branches.
"Climb that rope you ninny, your momma could climb that faster than you!!"
The people had a hard time getting to the top of the ropes since their upper body strength was lacking. Over on the rope swing, a recruit's hand slipped off and they fell into the pool of muddy water below.
"You like drinking that gobshite!? You're in it enough!! The state of ye!! Move it!! Double time!! Double time!! Double time!!"
A mix of human trainers and monster warriors pushed everybody to move their bodies, and work off the sluggish bodies that had built up over the past few years.
"Sergeant… we need… to take… a break!!" A recruit said almost keeling over gasping for air.
"Break!? The head-on ya!" Sergeant Mulcahy said incredulously. "You don't need a break, let alone breathe!! You need to move your arse up this hill right now!! Now!! Now!! Now!!" He pushed them on again.
After cresting the hill, the entire group dropped to the ground gasping deeply for all the air their burning lungs could hold.
"What… are… you… trying… to… do!? Kill us!!?"
"What!? This easy jaunt!? You're knackered!!
"You forced us into this you asshole!!" A recruit screamed.
"Well, it was either me or him." The sergeant said, pointing to a warrior standing beside him.
"He's your man. This here's Heroic Challenger-War Hammer lads. If I stop shouting at you, he's going to pick up where I leave off!!"
War Hammer stood at 13ft tall, wearing blue armor and carrying a massive hammer.
"Uuh…" their collective jaws dropped to the ground.
"So, who wants me to take a wee break?" He asked the entire group.
They all shared looks then went back to panting, releasing the breaths they didn't realize they had been holding.
"Alright then!! On your feet lads!! We still have five kilometers to go before we're back at base!! Get up!! Get up!! Get up!! Move out, ladies!! Move it!! Move it!! Move it!!"
The training was hard for the many that weren't used to it, but a few weren't too bothered, they had taken time while onboard the ships to do exercises. They realized that the fight ahead would more than likely take more than just some knowledge of the card game to beat the goo. Their bodies would need to be able to handle the strain of prolonged periods of movement and action, which meant increasing one's endurance and stamina. After about two weeks of the Sergeants pushing everyone to their breaking points, they just didn't show up to the drills where everyone else was involved in. This was the first time this has happened, and everyone was quite surprised. When only the warriors themselves started to show up, the recruits all had a look of dread on their faces.
"Wait! Where's the Sergeant!?"
"It was decided by the leaders and ranking humans that, if you all were to possibly prevail in the upcoming fight, you will need to be pushed even farther and harder than any human can possibly go." Marauding Captain said. "Therefore, a few other of the warriors and myself will be your instructors for the next three weeks!"
The cries of pain and wails of despair didn't stop for the entire time they were out training. Every day for three weeks, their bodies were pushed so far that many had to be carried back, medicated, then bandaged, and put through strong healing magics just to revitalize them for the next day's training. Their hard work was not unrecognized, and after this grueling period of rigorous training, they were given some time to relax. They were so mentally and physically exhausted, many didn't even want to get out of their beds for nearly 48hrs. Afterwards, they finally saw the results of their training, their bodies were leaner, with muscles protruding from places many didn't realize they had any. A few even saw bigger changes, as they were originally the larger of the group. They could look straight down to their feet! Men and women alike saw the differences in themselves as well as their fellow trainees. Results did vary, but nobody argued about the facts, they were in better shape now than they had ever been. A few of the human Sergeants and duel trainers were found afterwards, each with sweat, blood, and tears all their own, running down their faces. What none of the recruits had known, the officers weren't excluded from training, they just had to do it separate from the others.
"Now that you jammies have completed that part of the overall training, here comes the next part!" Sergeant Mulcahy said, walking up to the recruits.
"Next part!? What else could you possibly train us for that we haven't been training for already!?" Recruits questioned.
"From this day forward, you will be conducting duel training with the monsters of this realm! And If any of you sissy's think what we did to you onboard the ships were extreme, you haven't experienced anything yet!!" He said.
The humans looked around with mixed looks on their faces, duel training? That wasn't that difficult compared to the training they just did. They were wrong.
The monsters didn't just stand the humans in one spot and have them duel, no, as the monsters were using their own cards to duel the humans, other monsters made the field shift and shake, changing its looks and even shifting the terrain around with their magic to make the humans work harder. Then came the labyrinths with obstacles to overcome. There were obstacles in lava-covered fields, barren landscapes, frozen tundras, deep jungles, and some were even underground in hidden caverns. Each one with its own unique versions of dangers. Each one meant to test the resolve and determination of the duelist.
"Alright humans, each of your trainings will be under observation from a human and monster instructor from sensors throughout the courses. You will have to duel to progress in these areas. Lose a duel, and you will be teleported back to the starting line. You cannot pass this training until you get through no less than three courses."
All the recruits looked to each other, then began to develop strategies to get through the courses safely.
"You will not be going into the same course together, you will have to find a way to survive and pass these trials on your own! Oh, and don't think that if you end an opponent quickly, the rest of the course will be easy. A new opponent will take the place of the last almost immediately, and you will have to restart your duels all over again."
"What!? You can't be serious!! That's impossible!!" Were the collective responses from the humans.
"Your life points will remain as they were when your prior duel ends. Even if you face the same deck for each duel, the lack of life points will reduce the amount of time you have to mount a comeback!"
"No! No way! This is impossible!! You can't possibly expect anyone to be able to clear such a hurdle!! It just isn't possible!!" A voice in the crowd stated.
"Then your Sergeants and trainers must be able to do the impossible then. Since they each were put through these trails while you were undergoing your last weeks of physical training."
"The Sergeants… did this... impossible..." Voices squeaked.
"Make no mistake, these are designed to break your spirit! If you can't pass a course like this, you will have absolutely no chance against the darkness that is now spread across your planet!"
One by one, recruits entered a course or maze, they were encouraged to try each and every one until they found the perfect setting that their deck choices would thrive in. As each would lose their duels, they were moved to another course and tried again. A few of them said they got to the end of their second duel, just to lose to their opponents. The first few days were grueling, nobody could pass the course. One person tried to drag their first duel out so long that they nearly reached the end of the first course, only to be stopped by a magical barrier and forced to face their opponent, which they promptly lost. Back at the barracks, the recruits slumped to their bunks defeated.
"Man this is impossible!!" One of them shouted.
"Why are they pushing us so far!? It's not like we will be on the ground helping to fight the goo or anything!?" Another stated. "Right?" They asked the rest of the group.
"Man, how are we supposed to know!" A man lying down on his bunk stated. "We're in the same boat as you are. We won't know anything until one of the higher-ups tells us."
"I just don't get why they think this will help us."
"Just relax and get ready for tomorrow's duels. Cause, if you continue to fail these trials, you won't ever be able to help retake our home."
"Yeah, alright I hear you." Lying back, "man, every time I make a move, it's almost like the opponents have the perfect counter ready."
"You noticed that too? I had the perfect hand, I was all ready to call out one of my biggest monsters, and they shut me down before I played a single card."
"I smell some cheating going on!"
"Say, maybe you're on to something there! Let's see if we can hide our moves! Like holding our cards lower or closer to our chest?"
"That's not a bad idea. Let's do that tomorrow!"
It didn't help.