After waking up from the nightmare, Aletha got up and had a nice breakfast: eggs and bacon with a sprinkle of salt and milk —a light meal made for energy.
Even though the nightmare haunted the back of her mind, its shadowy terrors evoking a chill that clung to her skin, Aletha never spoke of it. Her heart thundered, each frantic beat echoing the fear she fought to contain. Remnants of adrenaline still coursed through her veins as she forced her shaking hands to steady, determined not to let the trembling inside show. She took a deep, shuddering breath, pushing the horror aside and moving through the gray light of dawn, swiftly changing into the new, clean attire.
(Oh crap. I forgot about the race!)
She sprinted out with ruby-haired Alai, her closest confidante. Ubel, the wise silver-haired man, followed, balancing their energy. Orange-eyed Phthonus, ever enthusiastic, and analytical Pridia, joined too. Emine, once an enemy, is now an ally, and they have completed their group. Together, they rode a horse-drawn carriage to the edge of Linuxinia City, united by experience and trust.
* * * * * *
As they drew near, the starting horn—a deep resonant boom—vibrated through the ground, signaling the commencement of the race.
The brilliant blue sky burst alive with a flurry of pounding feet.
Faces surrounded Aletha—a kaleidoscope stretching through the city to the field, proof of the Linuxian Footrace's popularity.
The towering green peaks enshrouded the foothills. The dirt track wound up and down hills and valleys.
Anticipation crackled in the air; the square pulsed with a different energy.
Banners fluttered in the crisp summer breeze. Their vibrant hues stood out sharply. They contrasted the grey stone buildings that lined the square.
Lively drums and pipes echoed through the square, matching the competitors' pounding hearts.
A loud, radio-like contraption screamed as the audience roared and cheered in unison.
"And so we have it, the fiftieth anniversary of Linuxinia's foot race! All for the grand prize of one MILLION Gincoins!"
And with the announcement, ten racers in vibrant silks and gleaming shoes launched forward.
Roasted nuts and spiced wine scents mingled with the scent of sweat as racers readied themselves for the challenge.
With the horn, Aletha surged ahead, her friends cheering her on from a distance.
"Aletha, you can do this!".
"Go, Aletha! Go Aletha!"
The starting line brimmed with diverse competitors. Each introduction grew lengthier than the last.
There was Kaelen, the swift-footed warrior from the Southern Mountains of Astait, his physique honed from years of battling harsh weather and even harsher enemies.
Then there was Serp, the enigmatic sorceress from the Whispering Woods of Destia, her presence cloaked in an aura of mystery, her silver eyes twinkling with hidden power.
Theron, a stoic knight from Zomrack's Royal Pyramid, radiated strength and loyalty. His armor and tan skin gleamed in the sun.
A smaller figure caught Aletha's eye—Emine, the nimble rogue from the zombie village. Her presence as a racer came as a surprise to everyone.
As contestants readied their legs and feet, the radio announcer spoke throughout the arena.
"This cross-country race will span from Linuxinian Square all the way toward the Valley of Glistenias, toward zombie village. Then through gushy geysers they shall return to the square and one victor shall be remaining."
The starting horn blared yet again, a sharp, piercing sound that sliced through the excited chatter.
The square exploded with motion as runners burst forward—a torrent of vivid colors and unique abilities.
Kaelen, true to his reputation, shot off like an arrow, his powerful legs propelling him across the cobblestones with breathtaking speed. Serp moved with almost supernatural grace, navigating the jostling crowd with effortless ease.
Aletha ran steadily, conserving energy. She and others passed blocks, climbed stairs, and crossed hills.
Barricades lined the path. The sweltering sun energized her. Memories of wall-jumping returned as she ran through buildings.
She remembered scaling a wooden ledge and climbing rocks barefoot with ease.
With memories swirling, she latched her shoes to a wall, pushed off, skidded ahead, and passed stunned competitors, her ponytail flying.
Theron, a pillar of strength, steadily shoved through the crowds. His frame easily parted competitors.
Emine weaved through the runners, her nimble feet barely making contact with the ground.
Alai stayed vigilant, cheering Aletha along with Ubel and the rest as she passed the square.
. . .
Beyond the city, the track wound through fields and forests, rivers glimmering like silver ribbons.
The air was still, and the sun was warm, allowing racers to appreciate the track's beauty.
The initial leg of the race proceeded smoothly as competitors left the city behind.
But this sense of calm was short-lived as the racers continued onward.
"Get out of my way." Said Thereon as they zoomed past. "You're too slow."
Near the central mountains, a sudden, violent windstorm erupted, buffeting racers and throwing them off course.
"Look out!"
Goopy humanoid creatures oozed from the earth, reaching for Aletha and bellowing menacingly.
"For the prophecy foretold that the Owner's curse shall raze the stars and heal this existence." The humanoid shrieked as it opened its creepy purple book. "Or shall ye hearken to the false words left by the dragon?"
While the audience cheered, the monsters invading the track, the radio shrilled with static, saying…
"It appears that bystanders have invaded the track! Be careful, my competitors!"
The audience and Alai watched fearfully and roared as humanoid beings rose from the earth, spreading their toxic, goopy essence all over the track.
"It's the Promise!" Pridia exclaimed with uneasy breaths, pointing toward the invading monsters. "What are they doing here?"
Now, with the windstorm raging and monsters on the track, the race became a true test of skill and resilience, challenging every racer.
"What are they doing? I can't-" someone said seconds before a collision. "I can't see!"
Aletha wasn't alone in her struggle.
Racers struggled for footing as winds flung many off course. Aletha saw others lose control.
Kaelen, distracted by a sudden apparition, faltered for a moment, losing precious ground.
Serp felt overwhelmed, anxious from grappling with a series of confusing spells. Though not allowed, she momentarily lost her way.
Theron, despite his strength, found himself trapped in a net of thorny vines, forcing him to spend valuable time freeing himself.
Only Emine, Aletha, and two others remained unscathed, surging past obstacles.
Three more competitors sped through the grassy hill as the radio blared updates.
"And so folks, our competitors made it to Zombie village! Be careful of roaring flesh. Our competitors will be racing through poisonous ground."
"Poisonous?!" Aletha and Alai screamed in sudden shock. Fear prickled at their spines as the reality of the danger set in.
As her feet raced across the field, her gaze caught dark brown grass choking the track. Not just scorched grass, but also pools of sickly purple water cluttered the ramps. White hair flashing, Aletha darted through the first house, dodging encroaching zombies while Emine and the others picked their way around the hump.
As she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, Aletha remembered how she rolled on the ground in the training grounds.
"Don't let fear control you," past Alai echoed in her mind from a wooden platform.
At an instant, Aletha bravely leaped into the air and then rolled downward, catching solid ground. Those rolls she made paid off as Aletha implemented her training in the foot race, rolling forward and stopping her two feet.
Afterward, Aletha and a brown-haired competitor jumped and skidded down, rolling on the dirt. Although she couldn't celebrate it externally, she did internally. She nimbly dodged reaching arms coming from behind, saying.
"Zombies!" She shrieked as she skidded on the ground away from the village, dodging groaning ghouls in the midst
"Get away from me."
The crowd's roar gave Aletha an adrenaline rush, shifting her caution into playfulness.
Meanwhile, the field had narrowed—only four competitors remained.
Emine darted left, Aletha surged in the center, while Runa and Serg veered right, each dodging a barrage of monstrous attacks and maneuvering through the last tricky stunt.
The final stretch of the race was a thrilling sprint to the finish. Aletha's eyes cruised over to Emine, who gave a gesture, saying…
"You can do it, Aletha." She said, giving her a thumbs up as she willingly left herself behind. " I believe in you."
Aletha, pushing her limits, surged ahead, muscles straining as memories flashed—a dark-haired woman with magenta eyes, a mask, a glowing locket—fueling her drive and speed.
Serg tried her best to pass her, but her feet were stubbed by a rock, forcing her to the ground.
Runa, her blue hair waving, just a couple of meters away from the finish line, willingly threw sand in Aletha's eye, causing her to crash out of the course.
Although the audience couldn't see it, Alai sneered at Runa, and when the rest found out, all Ubel, Phthonus, Pridia, and Alai screamed in unison.
"Cheater! That girl is a cheater!
Aletha heard her ears ring with the audience chanting, "Cheater. Cheater. Cheater." Shame and injustice burned in her chest, and panic surged as she struggled to see. In that moment, she thought she had lost. The bits of sand strained her vision, forcing her eyelids shut as she ran, fear and frustration threatening to consume her courage.
"Ah, I can't see."
Her visibility was obstructed, and she could only hear the loud sounds of boos echo around the block.
But just before she gave up, Alai reminded Aletha of what they had done throughout these seven days.
"Aletha! REMEMBER what we did."
There was one particular training course she did that stood out from the rest. A stunt of pure excellence.
She had to slice a fruit using only Alai's voice. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold as she heard Alai chant.
"Here!" Her voice echoed through the walls, "here
As Aletha came to her senses and stepped forward, she instead used her foot to strike the fruit with absolute precision, rather than her sword.
Then Aletha was reminded of the prophecy: a strong girl shall come and swoop in.
During the deep hours of a summer night, Aletha remembered sitting under the starlit sky with Alai.
Under the gentle whispers of the wind, Alai's voice was strong and unwavering as she said, "You have the strength of the stars, Aletha. They shine for you."
This memory sparked a determination.
She recalled the countless days with Alai and Ubel, a beacon of discipline and encouragement, who taught her that true strength lies in not how you fall, but in how you rise. "Your true power," she once said, "Is in perseverance, in turning the impossible into the possible.'
With Alai's belief and Ubel's wisdom fused into her very soul, Aletha was ready to embody that prophecy.
She was reminded of everything Alai had taught her and how she had never given up on Aletha.
Runa, unjustly reaching toward the finish line, reached her arms toward it.
But after hearing her rapid breaths, Aletha…
with shut eyelids …forcefully kicked Runa's leg, forcing her to fall to her knees.
The crowd roared its approval, swept up in the intensity of the final sprint. Only Runa and Aletha were left.
Although Runa fell to her knees, she couldn't give up. Just as Aletha could reach the finish line, she felt something clenching her ankle.
"I won't… give up. No matter what it takes." She said.
"I shall be Queen of Zomrack, and I shall take your position," Runa said as her grip increased. Her voice trembled with both desperation and determination. "I shall get the money, and everyone will love me. I've spent too long living in the shadows, unnoticed, undervalued. Being Queen is my chance to prove I'm worthy, to show the world my strength and intelligence. It's my turn to shine and gain the recognition I deserve."
"Delusional!" Aletha tried hard, pushing her ankle.
And then, just as both feet met with the ribbons of the finish line…
Time slowed down.
The initial burst of speed faded, replaced by a grueling rhythm of pounding feet and strained breaths.
Once everything came into silence,
"And the winner is…"
Before Runa's feet barely touched the line, the radio screamed and pushed the silence away.
"ALETHA!"
It was at that moment, as Aletha rubbed her eyes and opened them to see the sea of faces, that she heard them cheer her on, their voices growing in intensity as the radio played.
"Aletha. Aletha. Aletha!"
It was at that moment that Ubel, Phthonus, Pridia, and everyone else went WILD, chanting…
"Aletha. Aletha. Aletha!"
It was at that moment…
... that Aletha finally tasted the delicious flavor of victory.