Unnamed

CHAPTER 5

"Ring!!!!!!" The alarm clock rang. Waking up to the noise, Derek switched off the table top analogue alarm clock that showed 5:00, while he stood up and stretched.

Moving to the bathroom he took his bath, brushed and then donned a set of clothes which includes; joggers and a gym tank top. Moving out of the room, he walked through the small hallway, entered the elevator and pressed the underground button.

With a click sound the elevator moved downward for some seconds and stopped with a gentle jolt, while the doors slid apart to show an underground space full of exercise equipment.

After warming up with a two mile sprint on the treadmill, he went on to perform other exercises such as; bench press, situps and pushups. When he was done, he could hear the shuffling of feet around him which signifies the awakening of the clan members.

Checking his wristwatch just to find out that the time is half past six, and he has to report to the clan's barracks at 7:00am. Concluding the workout, he took the elevator to his apartment.

After freshening up he came out, wearing a set of black tracksuit with crimson stripe at the edges. He descended to the floor level by the elevator, and sprinted a distance of two kilometers, stopping in front of a grand entrance twenty feet tall in height with an archway bearing a crescent crimson colored moon.

The grand entrance is ten meters wide, with two wolf statues howling to the moon guarding the entrance.

The majesty of the entrance made Derek solemn as he took a step to enter the entrance but was stopped by a gruff and loud voice.

"Halt!!!" Said the voice. Turning back Derek could see an average height man, with broad shoulders. He is bald with a large beard just like the mystical dwarf.

"Oh! Is that you, Derek? The pack's barrack is off limits for non warrior personnel" he said, in a friendly voice after seeing who the intruder was.

"Don't worry Gaius, I am not here to cause trouble. I came on a recruitment order, you can see for yourself" Derek said with a smile, while handing the recruitment letter to Gaius. Taking the letter from him, Gaius went through it briefly and nodded his head in approval.

"Wait for some seconds let me get something for you" Gaius said, while he rushed inside and came out after two minutes. "This is your temporary pass, you would get a permanent one when you are done registering" he said, and handed over a small wooden plaque to Derek.

"Thanks a lot, Gaius" Derek said, as he passed through the grand entrance.

"Hey! Wait let me tell you the direction of the administration office" Gaius said, just to find out that Derek is long gone. "He would come asking for directions when he needs one," he said to himself with an indifferent shrug. Whistling away in leisure, Gaius made his way to sit behind one of the stone wolves at the entrance.

After walking for 5 minutes, Derek remembered that he didn't know wjere to go next. Still thinking of what to do, he stumbled into a big square.

Rows of young men and a few young ladies about the age of 18 to 20 years dressed in black tracksuits, could be seen performing some basic martial arts such as kicking, punching and claw attacks.

Standing in front of them is their instructor who is a middle aged man in his seventies dressed in crimson tracksuit, with an air of a retired veteran soldier shouting out commands after another.

"Punch left! Punch right! Claw attack! Leg swipe…" he stopped giving commands when he noticed the presence of Derek. "Don't just stand there cadet, join the ranks!"

This flustered Derek, who didn't know where to join in the line. He immediately jogged to the back hiding behind a tall boy in hope that he wouldn't be seen by the instructor, while he tried to imitate what others were doing. Thinking of how domineering the instructor is and how he would go through the administration part of his registration, caused lag in his movement.

"Stop!" the instructor shouted, everyone stopped including Derek who was woken up from his brief reverie. "Everyone move to the gym and wait for me except, you trying to hide behind there" he said pointing at Derek.

This drew some chuckles around, which was shut by the stern expression of the instructor. All the cadets left leaving only Derek and the instructor.

"Look sir am…." But Derek was cut off by the instructor. "Derek Adamo, son of Kyros. You received your recruitment letter but decided to come late for your enlistment, mmh!" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"But…" Derek tried to explain himself. "First rule of this camp is that the instructor is always right, and the second rule is that you are meant to be thirty minutes early to any gathering. Have I made myself clear?" he asked.

"Yes sir!" Derek said, in a loud voice. "That aside, now give me 1000 pushups and divide it into ten reps," the instructor said casually.

Knowing that arguing is useless, Derek set out to do what he was told to do.

"Seems like your old man didn't slack in training you, that makes it easier for me" the instructor said, after Derek completed the exercise without a break of sweat.

"Now come with me to the gym to choose your equipment that suits you" the instructor said, while he walked to the direction where the cadets moved to earlier.

"But sir, I haven't completed my registration or my recruitment letter would be automatically terminated" Derek said in worry.

"Putiu! Who cares about the administration department? Just go there after I am done with you and say you are from old man Jack. Let me see who dares terminate your recruitment" the instructor said in annoyance. "And now if I reach the gym before you, you're in for it, this time you have to squat 1000lbs"

This made Derek break into cold sweat and he jogged after the instructor who seemed to be gliding across the floor rather than walking.