The next few weeks passed in a blur of excitement and anticipation. The regional meet loomed just over the horizon, and every member of the team could feel the weight of the challenge that was soon going to be placed before him. Yet for Cassian, there was something pressing on his mind: his speed.
He had always been fast, but now he wanted to be faster. He wanted to tap the potential of his fast-twitch muscles—the kind that afforded sprinters explosive power in short bursts. His 100-meter time at the district meet was impressive enough, but he knew that shaving off even a fraction of a second could make all the difference at the regional level.
During the practice, the thought distracted Cassian. How could he tap into that raw speed any more effectively? He knew he needed to talk to Coach.
When practice was finally over for the day, Cassian made his way up to Coach, who was counting down what little time was left for the rest of the team as they sprinted.
"Coach, can I ask you something?" Cassian asked while wiping at his brow to get some sweat off.
Coach turned around, raising an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?
"I want to get faster," Cassian said, his voice steady. "I know I have fast-twitch muscles, but I feel like I'm not really using it as much as I could be. Can you help me out with some pointers on how to improve my explosive speed? I feel like there is more I can do."
The coach watched him for a moment and nodded. "You are right to look at that," he said. "For your body type and muscle structure, you have the possibility of being even faster. But it's not a question of running harder. It's technique-starting; the ability to get off the block—how you go through every phase of the sprint.".
He just stood there for a moment, pointing toward the track's starting blocks. "First, you have to improve your reaction time. The instant that gun blares, your body should be moving already. The difference between milliseconds can mean the loss of the race even when you get a good start.".
Cassian listened intently as Coach continued, "Next is the drive phase of the race: the first 20-30 meters. That's where your fast-twitch fibers should be going at full capacity. It's where you're exploding out of the blocks, low to the ground, knees pumping forward. Once you hit your maximum velocity phase, you open up your stride, and let those muscles carry you through to the finish line.
Cassian nodded, absorbing every word. "So it's about the start and the drive phase."
"Right," Coach said, crossing his arms. "We'll practice it in practice, but you're going to need to work on it outside of practice yourself if you really want to see results.".
Cassian left practice feeling restored to a sense of purpose. That evening, he returned home and laid out his own training program. He had heard about reaction ball training; it was a small bouncy ball with odd shapes inside to help assist with hand-eye coordination and reaction time. Worth at least a shot, he thought.
He had made some room in his bedroom, and he was bringing out a reaction ball that he had ordered online. Dropped onto the floor, it rebounded erratically, and he lunged forward to catch it. It was, at first, disconcertingly hard to keep up with the unpredictable movements, but after a few tries, he began to get his reactions sharper. Muscles twitched and flexed, adjusting to the rapid turnarounds as he moved swiftly and stayed focused.
For the next few weeks, he balanced sprint training with reaction ball drills at home. He also managed his studies and was acutely aware that maintaining good grades was of vital importance for competing. His daily schedule was very hectic: mornings, afternoons for school work, then track work and reaction work in the evenings, finishing off with homework. His parents recognized his commitment and gave silent support, knowing that this was something he had to work through on his own.
As the days passed, he was acutely aware of his body responding to what the situation required. His starts were cleaner, and his drive phase was now smoother yet more forceful. Reaction ball drills were also yielding quicker reflexes and an impression that the body was moving in response to what he saw. He was getting better every day with his ability to unleash his full speed during the race.
The day before regional competition, Coach declared, "Practice is going to be really light. I don't want you burning out before the meet." "We've done the hard work," he continued. "Now it's time to fine-tune and stay sharp.".
The lighter load felt welcome to Cassian, as he knew that the real test was just around the corner. He spent the next couple of days focusing on stretching and calisthenics to keep his muscles loose and ready. But even while he prepared on the physical side, his mind remained fixed on one goal: to be faster than ever before.
It was the night before a big competition, and Cassian lay in bed, unread and not thinking about anything; he was just staring at the ceiling. His body vibrated with tension, every muscle ready to spring into action. He had worked hard and pushed himself farther than ever before, and it was now time to find out the results. The regional meet would be the biggest race of his life so far, but he felt more than ready for it.
As sleep finally overtook him, Cassian thought back over his conversation with Coach. It was not just running harder; it was running smarter, understanding how to tap into the raw power within his body and use that towards his goal.
Tomorrow would determine just how far that understanding could take him.
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Author note: Some of you are probably thinking about when he is going to awaken as a hunter. Well, we are getting there. I'm just laying out his foundations, and besides, it's just been a year since the gates appeared.