He crawls, on the dirt-caked road. His energy is spent, but he knows he still has to make this last lap. He knows it is he who is to blame, he who caused his own fate and suffering.

Had I worked harder before, this would not have happened. He thinks, but shakes his head. There was no point moaning over past mistakes. Heroes look at the future, not at the past. Dwell over past mistakes only when one encounters a situation like that. But now, time was precious.

The boy pulls himself to his feet. Above him the horizons are awash with his dreams, of love, of wealth, of power, of everything he has ever wanted.

But to reach that he must first finish this race. This race of endurance, of knowledge, and of hard work.

Far in the distance he sees his first enemy. He knows it will be a week and a few days before he comes against it. But he has defeated it once, and will not need to do so again.

But behind it lies several other adversaries, each harder than the one before it. Then three more days of recovering, and then another two more enemies, one the second incarnation of an enemy he had already defeated. Then seven days of regaining his strength, before he would battle two more adversaries, one who would become his ally in the future.

Then another three days before the final one, and yet it would be the easiest of the lot, for by then he would already have been fairly proficient at it, and it would only be choosing amongst four or five ways of attack. Four of which would be wrong, of course. There would only be an hour allocated for it as well though.

But after that...

After that...

He would finally be free.

The boy raises his eyes towards the heavens, and smiles at the One who saved him. The King smiles back, nods and points forward, as if to say "Go forth, my servant, and conquer in My name!"

The boy nods, and starts to run.

***********

I think you all know what I was talking about.

Ian, you'll get yr thingie after the 'O's. Taduh inspiration.

God bless all.

josh fatesealer turned back time on 10/21/2004 09:55:00 am.