CHAPTER 5

"JEFF"

"JEFF"

"JEFF" Someone was calling him, it was distant but yet familiar, what had happened? Jeff couldn't tell. He felt the cold hands of darkness enveloping him. The urge to stay with this darkness was enticing.

"Jeff, are you okay?" The voice called again but this time it was nearer.

Jeff groaned as if in a deep sleep and opened his eyes, if he had his way, he would lie there forever.

Two pair of concerned eyes were staring down at him.

"Thank the heroes you are okay," Matt said and pulled him into a tight hug. Jeff was surprised to see himself lying on the floor, covered with dirt.

"What happened," he asked Matt who pulled him up to his feet.

"You tell me, Jeff. You bloody tell me how you made the impossible appear so easy" Matt was laughing.

Jeff stared at him with confusion but then he remembered. That was when he noticed that they were standing amid multitudes, all cheering and chanting the name, Grayoner. An ancient name once used to praise someone who had done something great. A name that had lay forgotten since the death of his father, a name used to refer to the Grays.

Jeff stared, taking it all in; they were clapping for him, for the little him. Had he made it? Did he cross the Rubicon that obstructed his father for years?

"Matt, how is this possible, the Red guy was hundreds of steps ahead."

"I don't know Jeff, one moment you were in front of me and the next moment you were gone like a lightning bolt. And here you are lying on the dirt with the crowd chanting your name. I was hoping you would tell me, Jeff."

Jeff looked around to make sure he was the one they were clapping for. The post bearing the last anemometer, which signifies the finish line, was distant away. He must have fallen off his board when he passed that line.

"But what about the guy in Red, was he—"

"—Am a girl you know." Said a soft feminine voice.

Jeff turned and behind him stood a young beautiful girl in Red jumpsuit. She had her red hair tied in a ponytail; with skin color like that if the evening sun. Her rose perfect lips and snow-white eyes were engraved gracefully in an oval face, with smoothness, reminding Jeff of a fresh apple.

"I thought you...emm...I'm Jeffred Peters and this is my friend Martins Zonna," Jeff said sharply and held out his hand for a handshake. He had long forgotten the crowd.

The beauty of the girl had affected Matt too; he was starring at her like a fool.

"Am Emazita Long" the girl took Jeff's hand. The soft skin underneath the toothless gloved was welcoming. He wanted to hold her hands and never let go, but that would but stupidity, he barley know her, despite her beauty.

"Let the contestants step forward please." The Selector from the academy said.

The twenty-five, both those that were disqualified all walked to the right hand side of the square, to where the throne of the king had arrived and now resting.

The noise from the crowd ceased as the King stood up and walked down the podium. There was grace to every step he made; he was from the gold lineage, the lineage of kings and the strongest of all. His gold robe, which was emblazoned with a different coppery pattern, swerve gently behind him, and the image of an eagle clutching a snake, was embedded around his silver scepter. The gold crown that rested on his dark hair sparked when it caught the rays of the morning sun. His aging brown eyes studied the young faces of the racers; he was smiling though, bringing more lines to his face.

His eyes paused when they fell on Jeff who was looking at him with a wild mouth.

"What's your name kid?"

"Jeffred Peters, your majesty."

The king smiled again.

"Well done, you are spectacular. I suspect the racing runs in the family"

"Thank You...I mean sir...I mean your majesty" Jeff said sheepishly. From the corner of his eyes, he heard Emazita chuckled and that made him flushed with embarrassment.

The television was the closest Jeff had come to the king before. He never knew he would get this close in his lifetime.

The Selector came rushing with a plate of medals, and the king, picking out one at a time, gave each of the participant bronze, the top five he awarded with a golden eagle. As to his promise to the top three, he gave Matt, Ema, and Jeff a blue file of documents and smiled with satisfaction when he noted the confused looks on their young faces.

"Long live the kingdom of Anadan." The king's voice echoed. The voice amplifier attached to his robe made sure of that.

"Long live Anadan's heart." The people chorused in unison.

"Today is another great day, a day where a record that was several years old was broken by a Gray, a day where a new history would be written. A new day has come with a new life. To fulfill my promise, these fast three I give these documents which acclaim its bearer as a bonfire owner of one of any of the mansion in Donald's estate."

There were cries of joy from the crowd, from friends, siblings, and well-wishers. Matt almost tripped Jeff to the floor as he pulled him in a tight hug. Jeff, on the other hand, was dumbfounded. The Girl Emazita only smiled as though she had expected it.

"And because this is a historic day, henceforth, I will take it upon myself to see to the welfare of the widows and orphans in the city."

"May you live forever?" Someone shouted amidst the noise from the crowd.

The king raised his silver scepter with the eagle embedded on it and struck the marble floor twice. The crowd became dead in silent.

He nodded as if pleased and continues, "I would also like to acknowledge the tireless effort of these people." One of the enforcers—not the robots—brought him a notepad.

"General, John Northu Red."

The man he called walked out of the crowd almost in a hurry. The Red attached to his name shows that he was from the Red linage. He was in a black suit with a red tire and red wristlet underneath, which flares its color once every second as the General hurried.

The king shook hands with him and gave him the house documents. Northu collected it carefully, almost as if he was already bounded with the blue envelope.

"Come on general, it's not fragile." The king teased.

"I know, but I am not taking any chances."

The crowd laughed warmly as the general walked down the platform.

"Stephie Rex Gray" A plump woman also walked out of the crowd to the podium and collected hers.

"Zack Alfa Red"

"Rex Stuntman Gold"

"Donald Vin Gray"

"And..."

"...the last here but not the least, is no other person but, our genius inventor. Dr. Jakins Oden Blue"