She may be strict, but she sure gave out hope and confidence. The whole stadium was looking at the big guy, the cute girl, and me. They had new objectives. That was to beat us.
"The second trial will begin momentarily. We have sent the relevant data to your astromix. Please be ready within 10 minutes."
Then she went back into the tower.
I looked at my astromix and clicked the yellow button. NO WAY! The second trial was to test one's speed. THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY! It's as if my dad knew what the trials would be. First, it was strength, and now speed. I wonder if I was the fastest in the stadium. Well, only 1 way to find out.
After this, everyone was stretching their legs and getting ready. Meanwhile, the cute girl came up to me and said,
"Aren't you gonna practice?"
In an attempt to sound tough and unfathomable, I said exactly what my dad told me when I stretched before running 200 miles.
"Stretching is for losers. If you are truly fast then your legs are always ready."
I realized it made me sound like an arrogant person which I definitely wasn't. So I was bracing myself to be judged by her. Then she grunted,
"Well said. I live by that principle too"
WOW! MY DAD IS A GENIUS! It worked. Now I feel grateful for all those lessons. If only I could thank him. But sadly I can't. Six months before this selection my dad said he had some business to take care of and left home. I couldn't find a trace of him all this time. Finding him was also one of my reasons for becoming an annihilator. Well enough about that stuff. I and Nicola didn't talk anymore and instead kept looking at the so-called losers who were stretching for preparations.
10 minutes went by in a flash and the Miss Carsalina came back out from the base of the tall tower. The master and the captains took their seats.
"Well then, I hope each and every one of you has prepared well. As you have been informed through your astromix, the second trial is one determining your speed. In case your annihilator squad is in trouble you have to be fast enough to escape and request reinforcements" she instructed.
The master nodded in approval of her words.
Several doors opened around the stadium and then we were instructed by Miss Carsalina to leave the gigantic stadium.
Then she announced, "Let the second trial begin!"