To Travel Through Time

Chapter XVII

"Ladies, Gentlemen and Champions. The first of many tasks to come has approached and as the Master I have been given the privilege, nah, the pleasure of determining your fate. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you and you alone." Master Brullo walks across the podium his voice carrying across the hundreds of spectators who have come to watch. His sword was strapped to his belt and was dressed to the finest while his hands were clasped behind his back. He was a menacing figure and to see him now was a rude awakening of how powerful he truly is.

"Today the Champions will compete in a task that will test their ENDURANCE, their STRENGTH of character and their WILL to NOT fail." He pauses for a moment looking towards each of the Champions, pausing on each of us for a moment before continuing, "The first test will be to complete the course that has been outlined. You may think it is easy, that you have been doing this everyday and that your all secretly laughing. But you are all wrong. There are a few rules that I have neglected to mention, rules that are vital to you completing this test and proceeding to the next task. Rule one, simple yet difficult. Once you start running you will not stop at any time until you make it past the finish line, stop and you fail. Rule two, if you feel the urge to empty your stomach you will fail. Rule three, there will be no harming or purposely making another person lose, if any of these are done, both parties will fail, there will be plenty of time later on in the competition for sabotage."

Ok, to say Sang wasn't totally freaking out would be a lie. She was dying immensely inside as he spoke each word, knowing full well that there hasn't been a day when she hadn't exposed the contents of her stomach for all to see. She couldn't fail this task, she just couldn't. She would rather they killed her now than ever go back to where they found her. The smell of spring soap behind her and the warmth of the Captains body, but still maintaining a safe distance, calmed her down enough to hear the final words from the Master Brullo.

"I will give you all a moment with your mentors before the race commences. Good luck Champions and may the best win." Sang felt like asking him what best meant to him or the King. Did he mean the best runner or the best at what the competition offered as a result... killing people for the King. Sang realised at that moment for the first time in her life she didn't want to be the best and that being the best was over rated.

"Miss Sorenson, are you ok?" Sang turned to see the Captain starring down at her in worry. Of course it wasn't written on his face, but his eyes told a whole different story.

Sang nods and takes a deep breathe. "Yeah, sorry. Just freaking out a little, you know? Pre-game jitters."

"Sometimes I thing your from a completely different world Miss Sorenson, with the things you say."

Sang laughed at this and thought to herself how close to it he was. "Or time. Anyway, on a rating of one to ten, ten being the most difficult, how do think this task will go for me?"

"Well for you, eleven." Sang fake laughs before hitting him in the shoulder. "Be serious Captain." He looks down at where she hit him before directing his piercing gaze back on her. "I was being serious. We both know full well how you end each of your practice runs and today better be different. If you fail Miss Sorenson, you have a lot more to loose than the other competitors, so you need to be strong."

Sang huffed a breath and glared at the Captain. "Thanks for the words of wisdom, Sensei. Remind me next time to not go o you for moral support."

"If you had let me finished, I was getting there. Look over there Miss Sorenson." He pointed with his head, not wanting to direct too much attention towards us. She looked to where he was indicting and say all of the guys standing together all with a different mixture of emotion on their beautiful faces. She could tell they where trying to express indifference, but after spending to much time with them, she could see the smallest traces of uncertainty within them all.