Ender's Judge

The impact didn't come. 

Instead, Rune felt his body turn sharply to the right as his horse turned left. He held on to the beast's mane tightly to prevent himself from falling, but he still felt himself slip.

No, no, no, no way in hell are you falling!

He dug his left foot into the horse's back as he pulled his body up, but it only caused the creature to increase its speed.

"No, no, no, no!" 

He lost his footing, and suddenly, Rune was dangling, his head coming up to the horse's racing legs as he lost his grip on the beast's mane.

A woman in the crowd shrieked.

In the last second, his left leg hooked into the horse's back, preventing him from splitting his head open. 

Onlookers watched him, horror etched on their faces as they watched his predicament.

Rune felt the strength of his left leg falter.

I'm going to die. 

 "Lies." The voices within him hissed in unison.

Unnatural strength flowed through him as a newfound surge of power helped him secure the hold of his left leg. 

Needles prickled his back, waves of pain following the force he attained. It blinded him, but he fought back his senses.

One by one, Rune put one mental brick upon another as he envisioned a grand brick wall in his mind. 

The pain subsided as he fortified his mind, clarity coming into his line of vision once more.

"Erraahhhhhh!" He felt the adrenaline kick in as he maneuvered his body in ways he had never before. Using his newly gained core strength, Rune pulled his body up the beast.

In front of him, Caster was looking back at him, a mixture of worry, awe, and shock crossing his face. 

"You good there!" He shouted against the cheering crowd and wind. 

Rune felt as if he had 10 times more strength than his usual state. 

A form of unrestrained glee flared through his body.

"Never felt better!"

Caster's face fell with relief at his reassurance.

Rune's horse fell into pace with Caster's. 

"We're approaching the balance section; we'll lose some points, but we won't need to stand on the horses. Our opponents and Quin, however, will likely stand."

He turned to look at the golden-haired boy, the wind pushing back his hair.

"No. The Brionians looked down on us Eastern Nythians. You've heard what Tuja said to Quin."

Caster shook his head. "I don't know what you're going to do, Rune, but it's not worth your life."

Rune's gaze fell upon Quin and Tuja, who began to stand on their moving horses, his eyes narrowed with determination.

"Who said I'd do anything to lose my life."

"Rune, do you hear what you're saying? You're not yourself right now."

He ignored the other boy's comment. Besides the force flowing through his veins, Rune felt more like himself than he'd ever felt.

"If anything, right now is the most clear-minded I've ever been."

I'm sorry, Silus, but I'm going to give this match a go.

"Elsie wouldn't—" Rune tuned out Caster.

He tucked his body close to the horse, squeezing his thighs as he urged the beast faster.

"Surely you will welcome an increase in speed, won't you, Beastie?"

The horse accelerated, doubling its speed at his request.

As he came across another lady wearing white, she shouted as he approached, waving a handkerchief.

"Sttttaaaaannnnd!"

Preparing to raise himself, Rune slowly tucked his thighs to his chest, his gaze steady ahead.

Watching riders attempt the stunt in past races, he'd always dismissed it as easy. Now, however, he grasped its difficulty. Simple training wouldn't suffice; balancing was far more challenging, given that most racers were taller than the boys.

Rune moved his hands from the creature's neck to its back, planting his weight there as he kicked off his boots and brought his feet up to find purchase on his horse's back.

"Steady, steady, steady." He slowly shifted his weight back onto his feet, letting the horse adjust to his weight.

Using the force within him, he stood, stretching out for balance.

The crowd roared, astonished by the turn of events, feeling their gazes as he zoomed by, passing Nol, then Cal, fast approaching Quin and Tuja, who, like him, also stood on their horses.

The Brionian, keeping pace with Quin, peered back. When he saw Rune, shock flashed across his face.

I bet you didn't expect this.

While he kept his balance, he got in between the two riders.

Quin's face lit up in delight, finally taking notice of his presence at his side.

"Didn't think you had it in you, Rune!" He shouted.

"I didn't think so too!"

Quin looked at Tuja.

"How does it feel to be bested by two 'lowly' Nythians, uh?"

"The race hasn't ended yet!"

"You still hold optimism that you'll win?"

Tuja didn't answer Quin's jabs, lowering his body, his arms still out as his horse started to outrun theirs.

Quin and Rune mirrored his action, crouching with extended arms as they neared Central Square, another woman in white coming into view. She stood by the iron clock, waving a handkerchief.

He put Quin and Tuja out of his mind, erasing everyone's presence except him, the horse, and the woman in white.

Rune angled his body to the side and crouched.

He would win.

"Holllddddd!" the woman shouted as they sped past, her hair streaming behind her.

Rune quickly settled back onto his horse, bringing the beast to a stop. He found it wasn't nearly as challenging as it had been initially, and his horse offered no resistance as if acknowledging him as its rider. With the beast now under his control, he circled back toward the woman to hear the winner's announcement.

Beside her, Tor, Silas, and Hector awaited, the first with a scowl, the last with a grim smile.

The boys dismounted their horses, handing them over to the horse attendants as they retrieved the creatures.

"Pleasure riding with you, Beastie," Rune whispered to the horse that had carried him for the race, patting the creature. 

Intelligence flashed through its eyes, scrutinizing him, but that was impossible. His overflowing adrenaline was likely causing him to see things that were not possible.

He joined the line of boys, standing next to Caster, the same position they held at the start of the race. 

Among the sea of faces, Rune caught sight of his sister, joy written across her face as she perched on Nilu's back. Nilu was also looking at him, the same joy on her face as on his sister's. Both girls were waving handkerchiefs and shouting his name.

Seeing his sister's happiness, Rune didn't care what would come from Silus or Tor, who were both not pleased with how things turned out.

The woman in white approached, carrying a tray with three bowls filled with black, red, and white ink.

She bowed to the three authorities and then stood before the boys.

The crowd quieted as the first woman in white they saw at the starting line approached, taking hold of the white ink.

She drifted past Rune, Caster, then Quin, stopping at Tuja.

"Third place, Tuja from Brionia!" 

A couple of merchants from the crowd cheered at the boy's winnings.

Tuja was not happy. Anger reflected on his face. Anyone could tell the boy didn't like third place.

Tuja stepped forward. The woman dipped her thumb into the white ink and put it on the boy's head, dragging it down his nose.

"For your persistence, may Terra honour your winnings."

Tuja bit his lip, saying nothing in return. 

The woman placed the white bowl back on the tray, taking up the red.

Rune's heart beat loudly as she approached. She paused when she reached him, then moved on, stopping in front of Caster.

His heart stopped.

Did I win?

"Second place, Caster from East Nythos!"

An ear-piercing shriek at his side caused him to regain his composure as there he saw Vilda shouting.

"Go Caster!"

A petite girl stood by her side, hair a dark shade of red and brown, in two long braids. She was staring at Caster in disapproval. 

Oh, Mira is mad.

"For your determination and persistence, may Terra honour your winnings."

She dipped her already white thumb in the red ink and brought it to Caster's head, leaving a trail of red and white that went down to the tip of his nose.

"The honour is mine," Caster said, bowing in reverence as with custom.

It was Rune's turn. 

The woman put the bowl down and reached the bowl with black ink, stopping in front of Rune.

The crowd roared, startling Rune.

"Delivery, boy!" He heard the crowd shout.

It was surprising how many people recognized him. Despite delivering packages across various neighbourhoods, he never expected to be noticed—always striving to remain small and unseen. It was clear that his attempts at anonymity had failed.

Rune stepped forward.

"First place, Rune from East Nythos!"

Another wave of blaring cheer sounded, but Rune's focus was on the Reaper's informant, Silus, who was battling a smile from spreading across his face.

Better than losing, isn't it Reaper?

"For your unwavering spirit, determination, and persistence, may Terra honour your winnings!"

A third applause sounded, and he fought to keep himself standing as the unknown strength slowly left him, pain starting to creep back in. 

He held back a grimace as the woman dipped her white and red thumb into the black ink.

When she pressed her thumb to his forehead, he felt the coolness of the ink as the woman continued her descent past his brows and to the tip of his nose.

The ink would stay for the next couple of weeks, a mark of his achievement.

Like Caster, Rune bowed, "The honour is mine."

Rune stepped back into place.

The woman put the bowl back on the tray, then turned to the crowd, throwing both her arms in the air.

"This concludes this year's race. May Terra watch over our winners!"

The crowd cheered.

The crowd surged toward the victors, hands outstretched for shakes, backs patted, and praises offered. For Rune, it was too much; an overbearing wave of pain hit him, forcing him to try and push through the mass of people.

Caster sensed the change in his figure and addressed the crowd.

"I understand everyone here is just as excited as we are, but we need to rest. Hope to see you at tonight's dinner."

The crowd began to disperse, taking the second-place winner's word to heart.

Caster bootlickers the lot of them.

Despite being annoyed by the other boy's presence, he was glad for the space the other boy managed to give them.

Rune looked around. The Brionians had already left the area. Elsie and Nilu were no longer in the crowd, probably waiting at their home.

Smart.

Rune turned towards home. He needed rest.