"Come on-!" An egar voice cheered echoing throughout the gym, "-let's go, push yourselves you are almost there!"
"I am going to die!" A brown eyed girl gasped out, her chest burning as she pulled in desperate breaths of air, collapsing to the ground failing to complete the push up.
"You are not going to die-" The cheerful voice was amused, he gazed down at the girl, "-even if you do I know CPR, you will be fine."
"That does not make me feel better Coach Lewis!" The girl squawked.
"No-?" Dakota Lewis glanced over his shoulder, "-it made me feel better." The head coach joked as he continued walking around the gym floor inspecting his students' performances.
"Why do we even need to learn this!?" A young man growled as he threw down the knife in his hand. "I can control fire, I don't need to know how to use this crap!"
"It is not crap." Dakota calmly responded picking the knife up, "Just because you have powers, does not mean you are invincible. Your powers take up energy, what would happen if you were to run out in the middle of a fight?"
"That won't happen!" The kid laughed, rolling his muddy green eyes. "I would have won the fight by then."
"Dino-" Dakota sighed disappointed; "-you cannot rely solely on your powers to keep yourself safe, you never know what could happen. Every member of Camp Northern Light is required to have proper training in-"
"Of course I can rely on myself-!" Dino scoffed. "-I am-"
"-Arrogant." Dakota flatly answered for him, Lewis's emotions leaked into sight. "I have seen some of the best fighters drop in the middle of a fight and had to rely on unfamiliar objects such as this one-" Lewis said handing Dino the knife back. "-as well as hand to hand combat. Who do you think won those fights?"
"Like whom?" Dino's sparring partner butted in.
"Well Micah I am not sure you would have heard of them." Lewis flashed a toothy smile waving his hand as he turned to leave the group.
"Who was it?" The girl who collapsed walked over still panting. "If you are powerful enough then you really shouldn't need to learn skills like this...right?"
"Well, last I spoke to Holden or Fields I thought they were still pretty strong-"
"H-Holden?" The girl blushes recalling the handsome man as she played with her dirty blonde hair, "He does stuff like this?"
"Who do you think designed the course you're in?" Dakota chuckled.
"Why though?" Dino asked, feeling like Lewis was blowing smoke up his ass.
"People like Holden or even take Fields for example, she can draw power from harnessing raw energy, that is what makes her so strong but that kind of power tires a person quickly, especially when you're in a fight for your life. She is the one who made this class a requirement to becoming a member of our camp. Now, get back to work-"
"But-"
"Emily-" Dakota interrupted the girl, "-you and your two friends are so close to finishing the course. You need my signature to complete this stage before you can continue on with your application for the Camp, you wouldn't want anything to postpone that now, would you?"
"No." Emily puffed her cheeks out.
"Good, now get back to those bags and let me see those burnout hooks!" Dakota clapped the three along back to their training as he turned, pulling his attention back to the other students in the room.
----
"Do I want to know why those three are glaring at you?"
Dakota Lewis turned not expecting anyone else to be coming to the gym today; a smile quickly blossoms over his face as he took in the woman before him.
She wore a simple blue shirt with black leggings, her ponytail slightly a mess as she clung to the water bottle in her hand. Sweat glistening on her forehead causing a few strands of hair to cling to her face.
"Fields!" Dakota grinned ear to ear, "What do you mean?" He asked glancing around the hot gym floor.
"Those three are burning holes into the side of your head." Elea muttered, glancing over Dakota's shoulder at the group of three standing around a punching bag.
"What?" Dakota laughed, waving his hand. "Those aren't glares, those are looks of love and affection!"
"Your definition of love and affection are very different from mine." Elea smirked, tilting her head to the side as she spoke.
"What brings you down here to our little slice of heaven?" Dakota questioned smoothly changing the subject.
"I'm not allowed to come check up on our favorite probie trainer?" Elea joked.
"You know you are more than welcome to stop by, I just don't see you around here much is all."
"Yeah well..." Elea sighed, "...our gym is out of commission at the moment."
"Oh?" Dakota replied blinking a few times trying to grasp her comment, "Do I want to know why?" He finally finished his sentence.
"Raiden." Elea said the one word that would explain it all.
"Ah." Dakota nodded understanding, "On the bright side you saved me a trip."
"I did?"
"Yeah, I had to come find you after my sessions were over."
"Why is that?" Elea asked pulling a water bottle to her lips.
"When were you last at the Tower?" Dakota questioned, wondering how long it had been since Elea returned home to Camp Northern Light's home base.
Dakota Lewis knew most of the members of Camp Northern Light were pulling mission after mission trying to collect as much payment as possible from Terrin.
Terrin: a new branch of government created to oversee the activities of all active Camps.
"I was there this morning." Elea answered, her brows furrowing together. "Why?"
"Benny called, that's why."
"What does he want?"
"He couldn't get a hold of you; I assume he knew you were nearby so..." Dakoda nodded to the blue smart watch on Elea's wrist.
"I forget this thing has a GPS in it." Elea shook her head, "What did he want?"
"Speaking of Raiden, he called; said he and Carver were going to be late returning home from their recent mission."
"Again?" Elea ground as hunger scraped the sides of her stomach, "I swear those two run off to a casino or something every time they go out on a mission together."
"I wouldn't put it passed Raiden, but Carver-?" Dakota laughed, "-doesn't sound much like him."
"What does that have to do with me though?" Elea wondered, shifting her sore feet.
"I assume Benny knew you were here and why you were, so he wanted to wait for you to finish blowing off some stream before bothering you. He just asked me to relay a message."
"What would that message be?"
"Get home." Dakota grinned, closing his pale blue eyes as he did so.
"Why?" Elea wondered, knowing it wasn't an emergency if Benny was willing to wait until Elea was done here.
"I haven't the slightest idea." Dakota replied, "I am just the messenger around here." Elea turned from gazing lazily around the room.
"You know if you wanted to move into the Tower and have a more active role in the Camp you are welcome-"
"I know." Dakota waved his hand like he offended did, smiling wide at Elea Feilds. "I just don't think living in the middle of nowhere is for me, you know?"
"Yeah." Elea sighed with a slight nod of her head understanding Lewis completely. "Benny is still squirrely so he is keeping us off the radar."
"I figured; besides if I left, I would miss the night life around here!" Dakota joked, "And who would be here to train all these newbies?"
"That would still be your job." Elea joked, "That is why we pay you."
"Yes-Yes." Dakota brushed off,
"The offer still stands." Elea wanted to make crystal clear.
"I know." Dakota nodded, "Thank you, but I am happy where I am."
"Alright." Elea shrugged looking back at the students who were stealing quick glances towards her and their coach. "How has the training been?"
"Good actually." Dakota nodded, "Much better than I expected. The group over there who are gazing at me with adoration are greatly improving."
"Really now?"
"Yes, they are excited to get out into the field and try out their new skills."
"I'm sure they are, but you know not to let them rush to get out there. That could get them killed."
"Yes ma'am." Dakota dramatically bowed, causing Elea to roll her hazel eyes.
"I better get going-" Elea sighed, "-I need to shower before figuring out what Benny wants."
"Good luck!" Dakota joyfully waved, "I'm sure whatever he has in store for you is going to be a handful!"
"Isn't it always?" Elea asked before turning on her heel exiting Camp Northern Light's training gym as the hundreds of questions floated around in her head, what could Benny possibly need now?