Can't Cheat Death - Brennan Sorrengail

XIII: The Gauntlet

Scrambling down the stairs to the courtyard, I my flight jacket is haphazardly thrown over one shoulder, and I'm practically flailing to swing the other sleeve onto my arm. 

"That was close," Hugh mutters as I slip the open space the twins had left for me. 

"You should have seen the look on Dian's face when he realized you weren't at battle brief," Abel adds, nudging me slightly with his elbow before not-so-subtly pointing towards our squad leader. 

Sure enough, Breas is fuming. I can practically see the smoke shooting out his ears as his face turns an angry mottled red. I'm so fucked. Not only did I make a scene at breakfast by snapping at my Best Friend and storming out, but I also completely missed Battle Brief. Brennan, farther up in formation besides Breas sends an arrogant smirk my way and I glare as best I can. The burning embarrassment spreading across my cheeks isn't quite as intimidating as I would have hoped it to be.

"Nice of you to join us, Cadet Riorson," Rilier says, eyeing my ruffled uniform before continuing. "I don't need to explain what this," he gestures to the mountain of pain and suffering behind him with a wave of his hand, "- is. Squad Leader Dian, you can head to your station." We watch as Breas, still red-faced marches towards the staircase and disappears behind the rock. 

"Why can't we just take the stairs?" Iosaph asks, and I just shrug, my nerves getting the better of my Suprise.

"Those are reserved for Riders, Cadet Cormac." Rilier's words are clipped, and Iosaph flinches.

I want to reach over and grab her hand, but I squeeze them into fists. I'm still mad at her, no matter how petty a reasoning it is.

"When I activate the course, your objective is to reach the top as quickly as possible. The hanging ropes are there in case you fall, but be warned, for now they add 30 seconds to your overall time, at Presentation, it will cost you your life. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Professor!" 

"Good! The order for today's session has been based on your performances on the mats. These are subject to change based on the next two weeks of training and your final Presentation run will be decided by the average times you complete the run until then. I suggest you be quick!"

He calls out 17 names in rapid succession, and to my chagrin Brennan heads the line. Hugh and Iosaph are ahead of me, mixed in with another 4 cadets who have remained undefeated in challenges. I sit roughly in the middle of the line, the empty sheath on my chest burning hot with my damaged pride. If I hadn't lost to Moren I'd be up there with Brennan, breathing down his neck. But I can't psych him out from 6 spots away and I know what I have to do.

"On my mark!" Rilier calls, grabbing his pocket watch and the meek scribe readies their quill. "Go!"

Brennan takes off like a shot in the dark, sprinting across the log as if it's not even rotating, his strides long and confident. He pauses briefly before jumping between the raised platforms and approaches the spinning wheel. He's almost to the hanging balls by the time Rilier sends out the next cadet. The next one, Isaac Preas is slower than Brennan, stumbling across the log and barely making it to the platform before Rilier's calling Flora to the line. 

By the time Hugh is up to go, Brennan is scaling the Chimney, his long legs bent in an awkward star fish shape. I watch him shimmy up, and he hardly even pauses before he's sprinting for the vertical wall. Between the probably fifty feet he has above me and his gargantuan limbs it hardly even looks like he had to jump at all. 

Grinding my teeth, I step forward, glaring at him as he pushes himself up and disappears beyond the cliff wall. A wave of competitiveness washes over me, and I almost see a mop of unruly black hair as Brennan crosses over. For a moment I let myself forget where I am. I'm not in Basgiath, I'm not actively trying to kill myself. I'm home, half drenched in snow and trying not to slip on the ice-covered streets. My brother is with me, and he's smirking, taunting.