Peril on the Agility Course

    Five floating orbs circled Gnathan's head as he prepared his speed. He closed his eyes and breathed calmly. When he was fully prepared, he stepped up to the starting line. The course was closed off from his view and wouldn't be revealed until the starting horn sounded, and he broke through the barrier.

    When it did sound, Gnathan burst from the starting line, shattering the barrier. He had only moments to examine the course, his surroundings, and the enemies before they attacked him. Gnathan leapt and barely dodged the initial barrage. He landed true and continued racing along the course. The faster he ran, the faster the orbs circled his head. They provided a minor barrier to debris from explosions, but their real power would be shown when he used them offensively.

    An athletimech descended onto the course some distance before him, and it was clear this would require his orbs to defeat. The mech wore short shorts and a tank top, held a Gyserflow water bottle in one hand, and a Powerslam protein shaker in the other. As Ganthan approached, the mech shot a jet of water from the Gyserflow; the orbs barely kept him dry. It slowed him down greatly, and so did the orbs, losing much of their defensive effectiveness.

    Gnathan did approach, though, and when he came in near enough contact, the mech powered up his Powerslam. It slammed down towards Gnathan, who again dodged just in time. Cracks propagated through the ground and sent Gnathan soaring into the air. The athletimech's weapons were down, and an opportunity opened. Gnathan launched all five orbs in succession at the mech's chest, and each one exploded, shattering the mech's core. Its arms detached from the body and alarms blared and flashed. The entire thing would detonate.

    Though the mech was defeated, Gnathan wasn't yet safe from peril. He needed to run. The finish line was in sight now, but he needed to run faster to avoid being caught in the explosion. He drained every remaining bit of his speed, and just as the mech detonated, Gnathan passed through the finish portal, and just before the explosion reached him, the portal shut.

    Gnathan's time flashed on the wall. A new record. His training had worked, and he finished unscathed. The citizens would be talking about this for weeks to come, and Gnathan could rest for some time.