The wind was blowing strongly from the sea that morning. Salt and seaweed filled our lings. The sea breeze pulled at the banners that were laid out. It tugged at the robes of the nobles that clustered nearest us, afforded the finest space to view the day’s contest. Baltazar stood proudest among them. The wind may have whipped his robes about him, but the man was a statue. I wondered if anything could shift that grim expression from him. Those eyes, always observing, always calculating, met mine fixedly.

Mario was in heaven, it seemed. The bastard had come to life with the appearance of a true audience. He paced back and forth before the gathered nobles, his white robes training away from him on the breeze.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and our miserable lot of contestants," Mario began, his voice carrying over the wind and the murmuring crowd. "Today's challenge is simple in concept but deadly in execution. You must race to retrieve the flags from the distant tower, and return here. However, you may only pass through fields marked by banners."

He paused, allowing the wind to whip around him dramatically. "These fields are guarded by our knights," he continued, gesturing towards the distant figures on horseback. "They will each stay within their designated fields, tasked with taking you down. They are very motivated, for they have their own rewards for knocking you down, stopping you, even killing you if they can."

The crowd gasped, the reality of the danger settling in. Mario smirked, enjoying the reaction. "These knights are doing their duty for Boston, cutting the chaff from the wheat, refining this miserable lot to find one half capable of being the Sword."

His eyes raked over us, lingering on me for a moment longer than the others. "You must return with the flags. The last two to return will be ejected from the competition. Remember, the knights are not your friends. They are your adversaries, and they will show no mercy."

Mario continued, "You may attack or hinder each other in any way you please. But remember, you cannot use the beam on the knights below. You may only defend yourselves from them."

As Mario spoke, I focused inward, practicing Katya's meditation technique. His voice was endless, and this time would be best served communing with the suit or flexing my attributes.

Mario held a long pause, then said, "Prepare yourselves. The race begins soon."

The voice came, cheeky and familiar, "Oh, what's this? You're calling me now? This is new..."

In my mind, I responded, "It's time I learned to live with you, I guess."

The voice giggled. "Tiberius, you should have figured out by now that you can't live without me. Where would you be now without me? You wouldn't have made it through the first day. We can be friends. I'm excited, Tiberius. I can feel you're opening yourself up to me."

"I’m ready to do whatever it takes," I said.

The voice was superior. "All it takes is to listen to me, Tiberius, you've been doing it all along and you've been doing so well."

I steeled myself. I’d been making my own plans. I wanted to use the forewarning Baltazar had given me gain some kind of advantage. "And there's more I need from you."

The voice was silent for a minute, Mario blabbing away in the background. Then the voice spoke again, quieter, less mocking, instead earnest, amused, and focused on me. "At last..."

***

Mario stood before us, holding the flag aloft as he had so many times before. We watched intently, deepening our stances. I saw Gideon get down low, planting his hands in the dirt, ever aggressive, ready to pounce when Mario dropped the flag. A flash of light caught my eye, and I turned my head slightly.

Lance was practicing. He stood away from us. He would have the day in the suit, as I had had in the forest. I thought of the advantage I had gained for myself with that ploy. Lance would be afforded the chance to wipe that advantage away and build one of his own.

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Fireworks erupted as Lance demonstrated the CUT attribute over and over, his blade igniting with each swing. Each pulse of light colored the faces of the gathered onlookers, the faces bright with awe.

My eyes drifted away from Lance and his spectacle, searching the crowd. Then, I saw him—my father. Our eyes met, and for a moment, the world around me faded away.

I shamed myself by the pride I felt at this attention. His attendance at such an important moment should have been such a cause of elation. My father had always treated me as another asset, another tool in his grand design. His love was conditional, tethered to my success.

Yet still, I longed for his approval.

As I held his gaze, his expression melted into one of horror. Shocked, confused, I turned my head in the direction he was looking and saw the others streaking away from me.

I had been distracted. Idiot! Mario must have dropped the flag while I wasn't looking—maybe even on purpose. He had it in for me.

My father's panicked urging filled my vision, his mouth moving soundlessly, his hand gesturing frantically. I turned and sprinted, the last to surge down the hill.

I brought up my HUD, flicking through screens, the world around me a blur of speed and determination. The voice in my ear said, "I don't know if this is a good idea."

As I sprinted, the suit driving me forward like a charging horse, I responded, "It's a contingency, a safeguard."

The voice pouted, "There's nothing safe about this."

"What's wrong with you?" I snapped, "You never take anything seriously."

The voice retorted, "I like when I'm the one rolling the dice. I'm not sure how I feel about you pulling the strings."

Ahead of me, I saw Gideon leap the fence into the first field, dirt exploding around him. He landed in an old cabbage field, already harvested, smelly leaves flying through the air. The others bounded over the hedge as I raced to catch up, my heart pounding, legs pumping, every ounce of my being focused on closing the gap.

The wind whipped past me, the crowd's roars fading into the distance.

They already had a fair lead on me. I didn’t need to be going to such lengths to disadvantage myself.

I could see the low wall of the first field rushing to meet me.

Gideon was a blur ahead, his powerful leaps sending debris flying. I pushed harder, pumping my legs. I needed to make the ground up. I had been an afterthought for long enough.

As I reached the wall I flexed those incredible suit muscles, pushing the ground away from me. Instantly I was airborne, the power of the suit propelling me with explosive force. I dove over the fenceThe instant my feet hit the slick earth, I slid, cabbage leaves squelching slimily beneath my boots.

The field was a warzone. Knights on powerful chargers galloped across the fields, their power weapons cleaving through the air. My classmates dodged and scrambled, barely evading the weapons or the heavy hooves. Soil exploded around them as glowing lances struck the ground. The panic was everywhere.

Gideon raced ahead, reaching the far end of the field. Easily he leapt, soaring over the next fence and disappearing from sight. He moved like a predator, utterly at home in his suit.

I raced forward, my heart pounding in my ears, desperate to close the gap. As I moved, the others reached the far wall, one by one. Lauren was next,ever graceful as she bounded over the fence. Katya followed, then Arthur, Zara, and finally Emilia.

I felt a chill. I was now the sole focus of a dozen eager knights. Twelve horses turned to me and me alone.. I dodged left, then right, barely avoiding the sweeping arc of a glowing power axe. The air crackled with energy, the ground erupting around me.

A knight lunged, his spear aimed at my chest. I threw myself to the side, the spear grazing my shoulder. My SHIELD activated, deflecting the blow but still sending a jolt through my suit.

Another knight closed in, his sword blazing with kinetic energy. He swung, and I ducked, the blade passing inches above my head. I felt the heat as the weapon passed above me. I rolled, coming up in a crouch, and sprinted toward the fence. My muscles burned, but urgency drove me.

A third knight aimed a crushing blow at my legs. I leapt into the air, the weapon striking the ground where I had just been. Dirt and stones exploded, showering me. I landed, skidding on the slick earth, cabbage leaves flying.

Then I was up.

I pushed harder. I could see the gap widening, my classmates already moving far ahead. I was losing ground, each moment under attack delaying me further. A knight swung his hammer, and I barely avoided it, the impact sending shockwaves through the ground.

Then the wall was before me. I leapt, my feet scrabbling for purchase on the carpet of slick cabbage leaves.

I landed awkwardly on the far side. Then I was up and moving.

The others had only widened the gap. The knights had delayed me terribly.

Still, I ran, with everything I had, even though the backs of the others had only grown smaller and more distant.