Chapter 14 - Working out and Wolf (2/2)
”Damn! Are his standards too high or am I that disappointing?” thought Balthazar looking at dissatisfied expression on Salazar's face.
”Your speed and shooting skills are the only good thing about you. Let us check your reaction time,” said Salazar as he took him to a combat room. Here, he made Balthazar wear a sensory suit and he set the standard to advanced. The combat room had a bunch of machines which fired rubber balls with varying sized from that of a bullet to a football at the subject. He would have to dodge them as the machines would slowly increase the rate and force of the balls and would be graded based on it. This kind of machine would be present in most of the well-known gymnasiums.
The user would have to select the standard of the test - Amateur, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced or Expert. They would be graded - unqualified, barely qualified, Qualified, Excellent or Over-qualified. Obviously, unqualified and over-qualified results recommend using another standard.
After 15 minutes of dodging and jumping, he was finally graded advanced-qualified.
”You have good reflexes and your main focus was on speed. You also have good observation and senses. But you need to improve on your physical strength,” said Salazar summarizing the results.
”Now only endurance is to be checked for today. Come with me,” said Salazar leading him out of the gymnasium building. They went behind the mansion, past a couple of herbariums and found themselves in an area filled with trees.
This was a large ground, where they usually trained the animals. It had a large racetrack filled with various hurdles. A large dark-blue furred creature suddenly jumped on to Balthazar, pinning him on the floor and started licking him. It looked like a wolf but had a couple of horns with bony plating on either sides of its head. It was An old man who seemed to be the grounds keeper came right behind it.
”I am very sorry. He never behaves this way,” he said to Salazar.
”Leave him and come here, Anubis.”
But it didn't budge and stayed near Balthazar. It was when he heard the groundskeeper say Anubis that Balthazar finally recognized it. It belonged to John. It was a pup when he was a kid and he used to play a lot with the pup. As a pup it didn't have the horns and he always thought it to be a wolf.
He slowly touched its muzzle and pushed it back. He sat up and started to brush it with his hand. Anubis put its tongue out, lay down beside him and started to enjoy it.
”It belonged to my dad. It must have smelled me,” he explained to the groundskeeper who looked perplexed. Anubis belonged to a very-ferocious species of amphibious canines called Grypa found in a different solar-system. It was a regulated species. John brought its mother to the mansion somehow and a few years later it birthed Anubis. It was Bolena who named it Anubis.
The groundskeeper was naturally afraid as Anubis' breed itself is considered a dangerous one and it never pounced like that on a person before.
”Oh good. Then you know your company,” said Salazar.
”The track is 4km long has a few hurdles and other obstructions. You have about 30 minutes left. Just go around the track as many times as you can. I am expecting at least 10. I won't be monitoring you. You will keep track of it yourself and report to me your daily progress.”
”This is an animal racetrack,” said the groundskeeper to Salazar.
”I know Elric, consider him one of them during his runs.”
”You are not to disturb any of the other creatures using the ground. This is a training area for the animals we rear, and you are just using it. You are to meet me at the main hall by 5 p.m in the evening,” he added looking at Balthazar as he left.
”10 rounds in half an hour. That is about 80 kmph for half hour. That is very hard,” thought Balthazar.
”I thought rearing animals didn't require such extensive training grounds.”
”That's for the domestic animals kid which are usually reared on large scale for their meat. These are all rare wild ones, which are being reared in seclusion. They need the exercise they usually have in the wild for their biological development. Without it, they would become useless specimens.”
”You can start now. I will inform the others of you. Don't worry all the creature loose here are tamed and wouldn't hurt you unless you bother them.”
”Thanks. I'm Balthazar by the way,” said Balthazar extending his hand.
”Lucian Elric. I maintain the grounds here along with my sons,” replied Elric shaking it.
”Can I come here occasionally to meet Anubis.”
”Sure.”
”OK. See you. Bye Anubis.”
Balthazar started a stopwatch on his wrist band and started running along the track.
Twelve rounds later, he was completely exhausted. He went to a large tree and rested in the shady area beneath it. Anubis walked upto Balthazar and sat beside him resting it's head in his lap.
A few minutes later, Elric came with a water bottle in his hand. Balthazar immediately took the bottle and thanked Elric.
”Don't sit down beneath the trees or some random place to rest here. You can come to the cabin,” he said pointing to a cabin more than a kilometer away. ”Though the animals here are tamed, it is best not to take chances. Even if Anubis is guarding you. That is why we cave a small cabin for every few square kilometers.”
”Oh! Thanks for the advice and offer.”
”No big deal. You weren't the first nor will you be the last. Even Salazar was here doing the same.”
He made his way slowly to the cabin. There was plumbing and fresh water available, along with a few weapons and first aid kit. A few minutes later, he decided that he better go back to the mansion and have some breakfast. Anubis also tried to follow him.
”Can I take him with me? I will take good care of him.”
”Uh! I am surprised that it is willing to follow you. Were you there when it was born?”
”Yes. Both my sister and I were there beside my parents,” said Balthazar. It was a dear memory to him. He remembered the good times when they played around with the pup every day after its birth.
”Well that explains it. He must have imprinted upon you. The first few faces a creature sees when it is born are considered by it to be its closest allies by instinct. It probably considers you on the same level as its siblings.”
”You can probably take it. But not out of the mansion. You need to leave it here or secure it some place safe when you are not with it.”
”That could be done. I can have Thaddeus look after it, when I am off the premises.”
”There is pet shelter right behind the mansion. I will send you the details and also how to feed and take care of Anubis.”
”Thanks,” said Balthazar receiving the information from him and left along with Anubis. He soon went to the mansion. After breakfast he put Anubis in the pet shelter behind the mansion and left to the board of directors meet at the mining company.