Pile of Ruin

Kiah watched them sprint off, shaking her head in disbelief.

"They are going to burn out halfway." She mumbled.

She approached the tank warily, crouched, and slid the straps over her arms. The second she lifted, her knees buckled. She had severely overestimated her strength. The tank was heavier than it looked.

In fact, she was certain she would have kissed the dusty ground if not for Wayne's firm grip catching her shoulder just in time.

"Careful," he muttered, steadying her as he pulled the heavy backpack upright and helped her secure it.

"Thank you."

Kiah grunted, adjusting the straps. The weight felt like a brick wall pressing into her spine. It was a miracle she had not snapped in two under the pressure.

Wayne moved to help Naya with hers before the four of them turned to face the towering wreckage ahead — the so-called 'mountain'.

"We need to pace ourselves. Rushing won't help anyone."

"Got it," Kiah breathed.

She already had a strategy. She had to shorten her stride, keep an upright posture, and steady her breathing. That was the only way she would finish this task. She had never climbed a mountain before, but her knowledge from physics and biology told her that was the best way to go.

Together, they took their first step forward toward the top.

Thirty minutes later, they were still hiking, one painful step after another. They passed a handful of initiates who had either stopped to rest or collapsed entirely, sprawled out on broken slabs of concrete with their tanks.

Kiah was panting like a dying engine, her entire body soaked in sweat. Every step burned. Her thighs, her shoulders, hips, and back. It all throbbed.

She wanted to drop the tank, but the thought of not getting any food if she did kept her going.

Beside her, Naya wheezed. Kira's face twisted in discomfort, and Wayne looked as though he was operating on pure discipline.

"Why is the top still so far?" Kira groaned.

"We have to keep going," Wayne said hoarsely.

"I can't see straight." Naya whimpered.

"I can't feel my body," Kiah added grimly.

***

Later that day, Kiah sat on the dusty ground, shoveling rice into her mouth like a starved animal. Every scrap vanished before it hit her tongue.

All propriety and image were thrown out of the window. Not that she cared about appearance right now.

Everyone was in a similar state anyway. They looked like wilted vegetables left under the sun.

They had completed the first half of the assignment. Ten full ascents and descents. The sun now hung high and merciless in the sky, blistering their skin. They couldn't even take cover from the heat since there was no shade in the vicinity and the capsule was off limits until the drill was over.

Kiah glanced at Warden Gregory in resentment as he sipped water from a chilled flask, lounging under a makeshift umbrella while the rest of them sat on the dirty wasteland like beggars.

"Eat fast, lots! You have ten more hikes before sundown. If not, you'll have a bigger assignment on your hands. Fighting degenerates!"

Groans rippled across the initiates, followed by a sudden increase in chewing speed. The only good thing that came with this drill was the lunchbox. At least today they were spared from the blob of despair.

"We have to be fast." Wayne reminded them, his wet black hair plastered to his face.

"If I go any faster, I'll drop dead," Kira complained. "Everything is all about endurance at this point."

"If the sun goes down, do you think the warden will wait behind? I doubt it." Wayna stated.

Kiah glanced at the Warden's cold face. He did look like the type to leave them to die.

She downed the last of her water and stood with a determined look. "We better start climbing then."

The other three blinked at her sudden boost of energy. She squinted at them. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that we were expecting you to agree that fast." Wayne explained.

Kiah looked confused, so Naya clarified.

"You always have this despondent look on your face whenever it comes to any activity. You're the last person we expected to be optimistic about this."

Kiah's eyes widened as she pointed at herself.

"That's impossible. You're making me sound pessimistic, and I am not. You couldn't be further from the truth. I do get excited about things. This world just lacks anything worthy of being excited about."

Surprise, disbelief, then confusion. That was the range of expression that flashed across the others' faces as she spoke.

"This world?" Naya tilted her head to the side.

Kiah nodded.

"Yes. In other sane universes, there are fun games, safe night strolls, a trip to the park, tests that do not involve you dying, and most especially… good food. Life is good over there."

They blinked and gazed at her like she had gone mad. She probably had.

Kira finally shook her head and stated. "Whatever. It's weird seeing you take the first step. You should keep up the spirit."

Kiah paused, giving them disbelieving looks. Was her personality this poor? Had her defeatist attitude become that obvious?

Unacceptable.

She was at the top of her class. Best student in freaking Oxford. She didn't belong at the bottom of anything and could not let people view her as lazy and incompetent.

Things had to change.

She picked up her backpack tank. This time, it felt lighter. After hiking that hill ten times, her body had adjusted to the weight. She strapped it on, inhaled deeply, and looked up at the mountain with burning determination in her eyes.

Then she marches forward.

The other three scrambled to their feet in surprise. Not wanting to be left behind, they strapped their tanks and dashed after her.

The rest of the initiates, who had been taking their time, saw them charge forward and blinked. Then panic hit. God forbid they let the losers beat them to the top.

Moments later, Warden Gregory lowered his flask and raised an eyebrow as the entire battalion of initiates surged up the mountain, all racing to catch up with the group they once mocked.

A small smile played at the edge of his lips.