I woke up right after the bell finished ringing. It's now Saturday, so there are no classes today, but my body is still feeling sore because of all the running we've done these past five days.
Going back to the second day of the so-called "stamina building lesson," I still remember how our energy was completely depleted compared to the first day of school.
Tyiyn, Cirris, and I, the three of us, were tasked with running 40 laps because we passed the first task, which was to run 50 laps around the training field, but as I expected, the three of us weren't able to run past 10 laps and had already given up.
On the other hand, those guys who needed to run 60 laps because they didn't finish the 50-lap task did a good job, and one of them even reached 40 laps, but as expected, they didn't finish either and gave up along the way.
That hellish stamina-building lesson continued until the fifth day, and in the end, no one was able to pass other than the three of us on the first day.
I am now here, laying on my bed, even though the bell has already rung, signaling that it's time for breakfast. I don't feel like standing up because my whole body is still sore from all that running.
"Everyone wake up! The bell already rang!" My plan to just continue laying on my bed was suddenly destroyed by none other than the one who didn't experience that hellish training, Tork.
"Tork, please don't shout; it's making my body more sore," Tyiyn replied to Tork while still laying on his bed.
"Then stand up already, or all the tables in the cafeteria would get taken," Tork said.
"So early and you're so loud again, Tork, can't you be quiet for a change? My body is screaming in pain," Raiden said, then made a move to go down from the top part of the double bed.
"But they won't wake up if I don't do this much," Tork said, pointing at Tyiyn and me.
"You two stand up already; let's go have breakfast. There are no classes today, so we don't need to worry about running for today," Raiden said.
"Well, it can't be helped; let's go," Tyiyn said, then made a move to get out of his bed too, but he slipped and fell from the top side of the double bed.
"Ouccchhhh!" He screamed in pain, then the three of us who saw it laughed at him.
"Why are you laughing? My body's already sore and now this. Ah, it hurts," he said.
"That's your fault for trying to get out of bed while still half asleep," I said, then finally got the energy to stand up.
"I'm not half asleep!" Tyiyn rebuts, and after that, we all laugh together.
After that, the four of us headed to the cafeteria to have our breakfast. There we saw Chris with Lana and Lucia, but Crestia wasn't with them.
Chris saw me walking sluggishly towards them, so she called out.
"Your body is still sore?" She asked when I reached their table.
"Yeah, my body is screaming in pain," I answered her.
"Oh, good morning, Lana and Lucia," I greeted Chris' friends.
"Yeah, good morning, Will."
"Good morning, Will," both of them said at the same time.
"Crestia isn't with you?" I asked because it was the first time I didn't see her with them.
"Yeah, she said she needed to do something this morning, then left without telling us what it was," Chris answered.
What is she doing this early in the morning? Well, I don't care, though we're not that close.
After that, I said my goodbyes and then headed to where Raiden and the others were sitting.
"Done greeting your girlfriend?" Raiden asked teasingly.
"I said it so many times already; she's not my girlfriend!" I said, then the three of them laughed.
When we finished eating, Tork said that he had plans to train with his classmates today, so he left, leaving the three of us in the cafeteria.
Five minutes after Tork left, we decided to head out too. Today there are no classes, so we're free to do whatever we want, so my plan is to find a secret place where I can train my magic because I can't let others know that I've already mastered all of the beginner spells of the two elements.
"Then I'm running for a bit; you two can go ahead to our room," I said to them.
"I thought your body screamed in pain?" Raiden asked.
"I don't understand either, but my body really wants to run today," I answered.
"Okay, but we won't accompany you; we don't want to die yet, right, Tyiyn?" Raiden said, then looked at Tyiyn.
"That's right!" Tyiyn answered.
"Okay, then see you later," I said before I started to run.
I'm not lying when I say I want to run. I don't understand it either, but my body is urging me to run as if it becomes a habit and I won't be at ease if I don't run today, so I head to the training field to run 10 laps.
****
After finishing 10 laps, my body is satisfied now, but the pain won't really just go away.
I started to wander a bit and headed to the back of the building for the fourth year students to search for a nice place to train my magic. I head here because this place is always deserted and no one comes here, plus there are many trees here, so it's not hot here.
While searching for a nice place to train my magic, I heard voices coming from behind a tree.
"So? I don't care if you lose or not, give us the money now." I heard the voice of a man.
I immediately hide myself behind a tree, where I can still hear them. It would be a problem if I got found out; I might get involved with them, and I don't want that, so I'll just wait until they finish and just hide myself here.
"I'm really sorry, Alad. I just don't really have the exact amount you're asking, so I tried betting, but I lost," replied a voice coming from a girl.
Wait, that voice sounds familiar; where did I hear her voice again?
"How many times am I going to repeat myself? Fess up the money or I'm going to beat the shit out of you here," the man named Alad said.
"I'm really sorry, I'll double it next time, just don't hurt me, please," pleads the girl.
"No, I don't want that. We need to discipline you so you won't repeat again. Werk punish her," ordered Alad to another man named Werk.
"Sorry, but it's Alad's order; I can't defy it or I'll be the one who gets a punishment," said Werk as if having fun.
It's clearly bullying they're doing, but it seems like the girl has a debt to them that she cannot pay, so they decided to punish him.
If that's the case, then I can't do anything about it. Sorry, but I can't interfere and help you.
"For her punishment, then for her to reflect on her action, beat her with your wooden sword. Hmm, let's see, Werk give her five vertical slashes." Alad ordered Werk
"Understood!" Werk replied energetically.
I'm really sorry, but it's their business, and I can't just interfere.
"Excuses"
Huh? Who said it? Did I just hear something?
"Excuses"
No, there's really someone talking to me. Who is it?
"You can spout any excuses you want, but the truth is, you're just really afraid of bullying," he said.
"Excuses? I'm not making excuses!" I shouted.
Oh wait, why did I shout that they would find me?
"Lift your head; stop staring at the ground," the voice said.
I lifted my head and got surprised because the place where I am right now isn't the same back of the fourth year student's building but the same place where I was after I died—the white-encased world.
That's not all that surprised me; what surprised me the most is the man in front of me—the man I hate so much, my former self.
"Yo Will," he said, then raised his hand then greeted me.
"What's happening?" are the only words that come out of my mouth.