A Story of Evil

Chapter 10: The Laps

"How many more laps do we need to run?"

"Just keep moving! The last one needs to run another hundred, right?"

Right off the bat, the five children were subjected to the hellish training of Pandora. There was no pause nor rest and, all their thoughts on their last few days being spent in peace was shattered right away.

"MOVE YOU MAGGOTS! I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY WEAKLINGS AMONG YOU!" A man as tall as Onyx yet twice as buff commanded the five. He wore a green cargo pants and a white tank top. His hair was trimly razored on all sides, leaving only a small amount on the top and, all over his body, one could see scars which they dared not ask of.

"SOLOMON YOU FUCKING ORPHAN! RUN FASTER!" He shouted next making the other four a bit relieved.

"Well at least we're sure we won't be running that hundred lap." They thought to themselves because, Sol was running way behind them.

"I SAID PUT MORE EFFORT INTO IT!" The man had every right to bark these words at Sol. He was really running too far at the back after all.

"Oh my god he just keeps on yelling does he?" Sol was actually running the fastest that he could. But what he had in abundance when it came to intellect was deprived in his own physical abilities.

He was easily tired and, had the strength that was almost on the same level as Eve. This was all that his body had to offer and yet, he wasn't bothered by it. Because, no matter what situation he was in, his mind was able to get him safely over it. And that instance was no exception.

"GOOOOAAAL!" The first one to finish was Peter. The boy sat down as he watched the others suffer, with their instructor still giving the remaining four a good scolding.

One by one the children finished and, as they did, Alice took notice of Sol and what he was seemingly doing. She then decided to adjust her running speed so that Sol was able to catch up to her.

"Hey, is that gonna work?" Alice said. She sounded tired but, not as tired as Sol was.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The boy said in reply, his breathing was already rugged and he was doing his best just to move his body at that point.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THE TWO OF YOU DOING! RUN FASTER!" Their instructor barked again but both orphans had no intention of listening to him. They were still moving across the field and, even though they were tired, they were still running.

"But you're actually being considerate you know that?"

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"What do you mean?" Sol still pretended not to understand and this was fine with Alice. For all she cared, Sol could play dumb all he wanted because she already caught on to his plan.

"I'll see you in the finish line. I don't want to get shouted at any more than necessary." With this, Alice ran at her top speed. Leaving Sol in her trail as the female orphan finally reached the goal.

"Eyyy welcome to the winner's club!" Jake said proudly, raising his hand for a high five. However, Alice ignored him completely. Sitting at a corner with a towel over her head and drinking the water provided for by the facility.

"Hey that was kinda rude you know. He was just cheering you on." Peter said, sitting right next to Alice.

"It's not like I did anything wrong plus, I might've taken it if he actually won." She said, confusing Peter who didn't know what to say anymore.

"Are all orphans like the two of you?" Peter asked, getting amused by Alice's words.

With this the four boys were properly rested. Their trainer's patience was running low because of how slow Sol was going but, he wasn't about to beat the boy up. Sol was still moving beyond walking speed and so he was still abiding by the rules. He was simply jogging at that point and, after a few more minutes, he finally reached the goal.

He stopped at the finish line. Catching his breaths as his body continued sweating profusely. The three boys thought that he was simply taking a short break before continuing with the hundred-lap punishment. Even their instructor thought the same.

That was probably why, all of them were shocked when Sol went to their direction. Getting both the towel and the water bottle provided for. Their instructor didn't waste any time and moved to where Sol was, slapping the water bottle out of the boy's hand.

"What do you think are you doing?" He said, with a genuine look of irritation on his face.

"I'm getting my drink sir." Sol courteously replied.

"Getting your drink? Are you mocking me boy!"

The other three were just as confused. The water and the towel were only reserved for those who were finished with the training. Sol was nowhere near this. He was the last and, as a punishment, he was supposed to continue with another hundred. Yet he casually walked back to where the other [Void Titans] were, acting as if he was truly done.

"I'm not mocking you sir. I really am done am I not?"

Things were about to get ugly. In fact, their instructor was winding up his arm for a punch without even listening to what Sol had to say. And the only thing that stopped him was the opening of the room's door.

"Heeey! How is everyone doing!" It was King Jubilee and as soon as he entered the room, everyone bent their knees and lowered their heads.

"Your highness!" Their instructor greeted, still having the thought of punching Sol as soon as King Jubilee left.

"At ease." He said, with everyone standing up.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit my liege?"

"Well I have a schedule with one of your trainees." He said, pointing to Sol.

"I was just wondering if I could pick him up now."

"Of course my liege. However, there is a slight problem. He was the last to finish on the lap and I gave the instruction that, the last to finish would run another hundred as compensation."

"Well that truly is troublesome." King Jubilee knew that punishment must be given when it is due.

Without it, the other four would simply perform however they wished; thinking that there was a favoritism going on and that they weren't being treated equally. This was the last thing that the King wanted.

"Well I guess we'll have to move our little date then boy."

Sol would have no trouble explaining himself to their instructor. He would simply accept the punch to make the man's head a bit calmer before he proceeded with the explanation. But in the presence of the king, he knew that he needed to stay quiet,

Sol had no idea on the amount of tolerance King Jubilee had of him. In fact, he was only taking part of the [Culling] only because King Jubilee permitted it. And if he spoke up at that moment and somehow roused the King's fury, then he might just get replaced by Eve altogether.

King Jubilee was just about to head out of the room when another person interfered.

"He didn't lose!" It came from none other than Alice.

"Oh what do he have here." King Jubilee said, looking at the child who didn't seem to be lying.

"Silence you orphan!" The trainee said but, King Jubilee himself held the man back. He then walked towards Alice and asked:

"What makes you say that child?"

"There was something he was doing while we ran and, I believe you need to hear it for a fair judgement to be made my liege."

King Jubilee remembered Sol's words ta that point. That if the boy ever failed to entertain the king, then Arthur would be release from prison. He smiled at the thought of this, knowing that he might get a slight bit of amusement out of the event.

"Colonel."

"Yes my liege."

"Let the boy explain himself, I'll be the judge on what happens next."

"O-of course my king." The man said reluctantly.

"Boy come here!" The man whom they finally knew to be named Colonel said. Sol made a quick glance at Alice who mouthed the words "you owe me one" before he was finally in front of the two adults.

"Well? Spill it then." King Jubilee commanded, getting Sol to nod before he began speaking.

"When the drill began, the instruction given was that we run a hundred laps around the oval field. The color of the running area was clearly distinct form the center part meaning, running would not be counted if I simply continued moving in a small circle within that said area in the center."

"Well that is true." King Jubilee said, smiling form the thought of Sola actually doing it.

"However, the instructions were also vague. He mentioned that we should run a hundred laps around the field yet everyone knows that the distance between that same oval is not the same. For example, running at the left end would make one finish faster since the area covered on that part is smaller. While those running at the right end would take longer as the oval's size widens naturally towards it."

The King was amazed at how Sol thought about all of this so thoroughly. He was a twelve-year-old boy after all and, that much understanding was not even shown by Colonel himself.

"If the field was divided by lines and our starting positions were equally computed, then there would not be any problems. However, this was not done and so this is the problem." Sol made a brief moment of pause. He was still out of breath after all.

"All of us did run a hundred laps, yet the distance I ran was longer than the other four. If we take into account that part and measured the running distance of the other four then"

"You would be the only one to complete the task." King Jubilee finished.

"Yes my liege."

"HAHAHAHAHA! Ohh this is rich." King Jubilee began clapping. Thinking how he was right about Sol. The boy was really the answer to all his problems.

"Colonel."

"Y-yes my liege."

"This boy's explanation was right. Make those other four run the same amount as he did, then give the punishment to whoever finishes last."

"Whaaat?!?" Jake said in a scared shock because, out of all of them, he was the only one to run at the left end. Meaning, the distance he ran was actually the shortest in the group.

"Come on then boy, we still have some things to attend to." King Jubilee said, making Sol bow to his instructor who took his frustration out of the other four.

"START RUNNING YOU MAGGOTS!" Was the last thing Sol heard as the door behind him closed.