Dash! Dash! Dash!

DASH! DASH! DASH!

In a small hamlet like Sedna, a horse racing is a traditional game played every time there's a celebration. One of the best racer on their hamlet was a young lad named Raniel.

One late afternoon, Von and the others coincidentally bump into a crowd of people. The people in the hamlet was gossiping and betting on something. It piqued the interest of Von when she took a peek at the place where the crowd was watching. She found out that they were looking at a guy who kept running in circle with his horse on the field.

"If he keep this up, I bet he will not be able to enter the competition tomorrow"

"I pity the horse for running in circles for hours. I think 5 hours had already been passed since he started?"

"No. Raniel was already doing this since the morning. I think he just let the horse rest when you didn't saw him earlier"

"This is the first time, I've seen Raniel keep practicing before the competition starts. It's not like someone could take the victory from him"

"Yeah! He is the best among the best! I wonder what happened to make him do all of these?"

Von heard all the whispers and she couldn't help but to glance at Esperanza who was on her side. Esperanza didn't noticed it. Von helplessly sighed as she kept watching the young lad.

"Von, let's go. We still need to look for a place to stay in" Esperanza said.

She waves her hand at him, "Go without me. I want to watch this guy for a little longer"

Esperanza frowned and looked at the direction where Raniel is. "Do you miss Eli that's why you're watching him?"

Von just shrugged as she crossed her arms. Esperanza noticed that Von doesn't want to be bothered anymore, thus he decided to look for the place himself.

"Fine. When we find a place, we'll come and pick you up here" Esperanza said before he walks away.

The sun was already resting while the moon was wide awake. The crowd of people earlier was already at their own house, but the young lad was still at the field.

"Finally" Esperanza sighed in relief when Von decided to leave the young lad alone. He was observing Von and the young lad for almost 45 minutes after he found a place for them to stay in.

"Let's wake up early in the morning tomorrow. I want to join the horse racing competition tomorrow" Von stated her decision as she walks.

Esperanza got startled but he decided not to ask. "Okay. Does the horse you have right now is fine or shall we rent a new one?"

"Any horse is fine. It will have no difference anyway, unless the horse is Eli" she nonchalantly commented.

Esperanza laughed, "Yes, your highness"

"I already warned you about that, didn't I?" Von glared at him, but he just shrugged and smiled.

---

It's the day of the competition and people was wondering who were the 2 new competitors that will join. Most of the people were curious how good these 2 newbie are. Will the both of them be even a match for their Raniel?

They were disappointed when they saw the faces of the newcomer. The 2 newcomers does not look like they're worried or nervous at all! In fact, it looked like they don't even care if they win or not.

Von yawned as she fixed up the gear of her horse. "Hey, you better race for real. I want you to beat me" she challenged Esperanza who was forced to take part in the competition.

Esperanza wryly smiled, "How could I beat in a horseracing the 2nd princess of Hesperia?"

"Don't kid me, Esperanza. You're way better than me in every aspect" Von admitted as she sighed.

Esperanza chuckled, "I'm flattered. I didn't know that you were thinking highly of me"

Von crossed her arms as she stared at his eyes. "I do think highly of you, Espe. That is why I asked you to inherit my master's adventurer name."

She holds her chin as if thinking deeply before continuing, "Actually now that I think of it, Esperanza really fits you and your history. I like the way how you are, right now."

Von puts her right hand on her waist as she ordered him, "So, I want you to put use of your name to also give hope for someone who were like you before. Be useful for that person and teach him a lesson"

Esperanza was surprised at her remarks. "You mean, Raniel?"

Von turned around and hopped in the horse. She smiled at Esperanza, "Doesn't he looked like you?"

Esperanza blinked and tried to think of where does Raniel and him was similar at some point? He couldn't think of anything at all!

He sighed and just accepted Von's challenge of winning the competition. He also thought that maybe he could really win since Von was not riding on Eli today.

Raniel, on the other hand, didn't mind even if there was 2 newcomers who's participating today. All he could think of is his own. He tightly hold onto the reigns.

"I wonder where you're real goal is" Von whispered when she approached at the side of Raniel.

Raniel almost jump in surprise when Von talked to him. "What?" he confusedly asked.

Von just smiled as she look forward, "Do your best"

All of the competitors are already on the starting line. People were now cheering for the person they were betting for.

The loud bang of the gun was loudly heard, a sign that the race started.

People gasped in amusement and in surprise as they saw how fast Von and Esperanza were. They were equally matched with their Raniel!

"Who are those two?! They're good!" the people commented.

"Raniel might even lose!" someone theorized.

"Well, I won't be surprised about that anymore. Did you see how long Raniel practiced yesterday? I think he over did it" The crowd kept chattering about how Raniel might lose.

Raniel annoyedly clicked his tongue, "Tch.". He desperately made his horse galloped faster, in return he successfully outrun Von and Esperanza.

Von was amused as she also made his horse run faster. When Esperanza saw this, he also became more serious. He tried his best to become one with the horse so that he could race faster. After a while, Esperanza finally took the lead!

Raniel's eyes went wide as he watched how Esperanza overtake him. While he was focused at Esperenza, Raniel didn't realized that Von was also catching up.

"Say, whom are you running from?" Von curiously asked as she was already near behind Raniel.

Raniel turned around to see Von. He noticed that she once again smiled as if telling something meaningful.

"You do realize that no matter how fast you are, it wouldn't matter. Because in the end..." Von stopped at her words as she looked at where Esperanza is.

"You'll still end up losing" she continued before she galloped faster than Raniel.

After hearing Von's words, Raniel slowed down his pace as if realizing something. Before he reached the finish line, the ghost that was hunting him down started to appear in front of his eyes.

It was so terrifying but he was also somehow feel satisfied.

"You did won" Von congratulate Esperanza who arrived first.

"I guess because you're not using Eli today" Esperanza humbly said.

Von disagreed. "No. I think, it's because you've put your mind into it"

Esperanza scratched his cheek. "Well, it's because you ordered me to. It's not like I could disobey the order of a prince---ehem" Esperanza coughed to stop the word he was about to say when he noticed Von's glares.

Von and Esperanza watched how Raniel arrived as 3rd place. "Congrats" Von unenthusiastically said.

Raniel jumped down from his horse. "Thank you for today" he gratefully said.

"What for?" Esperanza asked.

"I was lost for these past few days, but with today's event I've come up with many realization. Although, I haven't find a solution yet, I know that with the things I am right now nothing will indeed change. That is why I thank you for winning today" Raniel admitted as he bows his head.