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sorry for teh lateness. im a horrible writer cuz i cant keep deadlines! crying but ill get better at it.


Chapter 11: Mountain’s Base


All teams were still in close range of each other by mile five. We were in second with Kratias a good 20 meters ahead of us. If I didn’t have so much stuff, I could easily catch up! Even so, I have to be considerate of Ashley and her condition.

“How are you doing?” I asked her as we jogged. I looked like the one slowing us down with all the equipment I had.

Ashley picked up this point and replied, “I hope you’re talking to yourself because I’m fine!” I ended up giving her my arrows to carry. She had our tent, her personal things, and her Demox jewelry.

“Come on! Let’s catch up!” I told her speeding up because of the weight loss. We ended up closing the gap between us and our allies. Now I know I was taught better than to look back, but I couldn’t resist a glance back at Lamis. They were what I estimated to be 50 meters behind everyone else and Melissa just ahead of Tyler.

“How much farther?” Ashley panted.

I gave it a few moments of thought and answered, “I’d say about another mile and a half to the base,” By base I mean the mountain base. The 1st landmark we hit was the mountain.

The mountain’s name has been forgotten for years. Older generations say it’s due to the lazy teachings of the modern times. It was made with three passes in this area. Neravien took the central path, Kratias the left, and Lamis the right. I’ve never been to this mountain. I’ve always been too young to go every time there was an attack. They send out of us Demox to drive whatever is attacking.

“I see the pass!” I gasped. It was a small, rocky, area with little grass, the grass that was there was dead and golden brown. Eventually, that area sloped up to the mountain itself. Just seeing it gave all six of us a kick to keep going.

Ashley and I passed Kratias soon. We turned and shouted things over our shoulders. “This is a race! Let’s go guys!” Ashley taunted them. We could hear their tired laughter behind us, but we never slowed down until we hit our destination.

“Nice!” I exclaimed. I staggered a few steps before finally falling back and staring toward the late morning sky. “I have never, ever, in my life, run that fast of long, and I hope I never have to!” I managed to shout.

“Well maybe…this wouldn’t happen…if you…paced…yourself!” Ashley said in between breaths.

“We got here 1st right?” I asked sitting up. The others were just arriving at their spots now. From now until the end, we knew we wouldn’t see much of ach other at all anymore.

After I drank a little water, I checked my watch. Only five after nine. It felt much longer than that. “So Dyron,” Ashley wondered. “When are we leaving?” Good question. I hadn’t thought about it. But it had to be in the next few hours.

“How’s 12 sound?” I asked quietly. “That gives me a two hour nap.” I rested my head on my bag Ashley hummed as I dozed off.

She then stood and stretched. “Wow! Me and Dyron in the Race! We’ve dreamt of this day for so long and look at us now! Our dream really did come true! What else’s in store for us?” Ashley thought.

Meanwhile, Kratias was getting a little food in their stomachs; fire courtesy of Nathan. Lamis had set up a small tent and seemed to be planning their route. Ashley looked at our own map and stared at the 1/3 mark. This is where the 1st flag was as well as the Moracian Strait. It was so named being the first body of water ever to be recognized in ancient recordings. But this mountain pass took at least a week and a half to get through. At 10 to noon, Ashley shook me violently. “Come on! 11:50 Dyron, let’s go!” she said in my ear.

I sat up and looked around without a word. I saw the others wrapping up their breaks and packing their things back. “Let’s go! We gotta win this!” I shouted throwing my stuff on my back. Team Neravien, first to hit the mountain!