Chapter 7:

To The Finish Line

Twilight Bridge: Immersion



19th day of the Sixth Month, year 666 - Realm of Light: Epcort; Bae City, 077.

It was a cloudy day at the Epcort court on the south side of Bae City. The seats were already full, and the viewers were very excited. The race course was being prepared by scanning drones."GENTLEMEN, LADIES, AND..OTHERS!! PURISTS AND CYBORGS ALIKE, WELCOME TO THE 50TH ANNUAL BAE CITY GRAND PRIX!!" said the anchorman. "MY NAME IS J. SIMON, AND I LL BE YOUR ANCHORMAN TODAY!""AND I M RANDA SHAW, YOUR CO-ANCHOR FOR THIS RACE!" said the female anchor in excitement. "WE VE GOT LIKE AROUND 48 RAVAGE RACERS USING ALL METHODS AND MEANS NECESSARY TO WIN THE ULTIMATE PRIZE!!"
"IT IS TRUELY EXHILIRATING, ESPECIALLY THAT WE HAVE A WORD THAT THERE ARE CONTESTANTS FROM OTHER PLANETOIDS!" said the anchorman through a monitor near pit 13, where Jaden, Herc, and other members of Team Nora were preparing their vehicles.
"How s it going Jeremiah?" Herc asked."The Cyclone is ready to dash right into the finish line!" Jeremiah replied. "These shards are way too powerful than the one you brought before!""All thanks to J. Inferno here!" Herc pointed at Jaden who was examining his bike. "Yeah, sure!" Jaden smiled. "But I ain t gonna go easy on you!" "Yeah, it ll be a waste! I wanna see those skills Libruou told me about in action!" Herc smirked."All set, sir!" Jeremiah said.
...ATTENTION ALL CONTESTANTS....[ PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE NEAR YOUR ASSIGNED WAITING LINE IMMEDIATELY ]
"You heard that?!" Herc asked Jaden."Loud and clear! Let s go!" he replied."I ll head to sit with the others now." Jeremiah ran to the audience seats. "Good luck, you two!" 
Jaden walked dragging his bike along to the 8th row. He put it where the sign tagged his name. He sat on his vehicle, and then took a deep breath. There must be like, forty-something spot in this area, he thought as he was looking around. Surrounded by all kinds of automobiles. Some were even new to Mado. 
Herc s truck was setting up couple of rows ahead. He was looking back at Jaden. "How s the view from back there?!" Herc waved."A lot less fancy!" Jaden waved back.Herc noticed another biker that took a position next to Jaden. When Jaden finally turned and looked, he saw a red racing motor bike with large wheels, and glowing green strips. It appeared to Mado that the biker happened to be female. She was wearing a helmet that covered her face, except for her mouth. She gazed back at Jaden and looked away.
"OH, WOW, THE CONSTESTANTS ARE ALREADY FIRED UP!" "YOU RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, SIMON. THE SOUNDS OF ALL THIS ENGINES IS LIKE A THOUSAND ROAR!""THAT ANALOGY WAS SPOT ON!" the anchorman replied. "WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE BAE CITY GRAND PRIX IS STARTING!"
The lights were turning from red to yellow. Jaden, and the other contestant were fully on their toes.
"READY.SET.AND..GO!" the lights turned green, and fireworks sparked.
All the vehicles charged out to the road. "AND HERE WE GO!" yelled the anchorman.The cars that were in the front crashed into each other few meters away from the start line. There were almost thirty vehicles in front of Jaden."Hey, Jay-Jay!" Herc hollered. "Hope you didn t regret it, yet!"He then used the new adjustments Jeremiah installed. It was a raw of chainsaws spinning in the front of his truck. Herc sawed the way open before him by destroying anything in his way."WHAT A SHREDDING START!""THE CONTESTANTS ALMOST REACHED THE FIRST HIRDDLE OF THIS EPIC RACE, THE FALLING BRIDGE!""YES RANDA, AND THEY GOINING TO WATCH WHERE THEY HEADED BECAUSE ANY SLIP UP WILL GET THEM TO BE DISQUILFIED!" The contestants were raging ahead to the huge metallic bridge. A racer on a modified ATV named Sittzer was in lead. He was followed by Herc and two floating cars. Jaden and the red biker were in the middle as most of those at the rear have fallen due to the collapsing bridge. "Oh, look who I found of all people, my new friend!!" shouted someone who suddenly approached Jaden."Huh?!" 
"YOU KNOW WHAT SIMON?! WE HAVE SUCH A UNIQE BUNCH OF RACERS THIS YEAR. EVEN ARTEMIS, THE SCARLET GHOST!"said the co-anchor."REALLY?! SHE MUST BE IN THE LEAD BY NOW!!" 
At the audience seats, Libruou and the others were attentively watching. "Artemis is so cool!!" Maqi shouted."How s it so far?" Jeremiah sat down. "Herc is almost in the lead!" Libruou answered."But that Sittzer guy is blocking the way.." said Nico."With the power of the shards, he should be unstoppable!" Jeremiah said. "What about Jaden?"
Jaden saw a face he recognized. That long straight blond hair, and the shining blue lightning only belongs to one person."Speck!" he uttered. "Surprised to see me, dear?!" Speck grinned as he drove closer to Jaden. "You stirred this little heart of mine, and there s no stopping it now.." Speck hands were glowing bright and blue. He attacked Jaden in a swift as he was laughing maliciously. "Hahaha!" 
~Swing!
~Bang!
Jaden avoided the attack by driving away from him, but Speck kept chasing while the bridge around them was falling apart. 
~CRUMBLE!
~CRASH!
Artemis passed Jaden and rushed forward toward Herc and Sittzer. Near the end of the bridge, falling trains were crumbling down on the racers heads. Almost 30 contestant met their end, and got disqualified.Speck, the Demon Rider, was still fighting Jaden as they entered the second phase of the race.
"OH, WOW, WE RE ALREADY IN THE SECOND HURDLE, THE CROUMBLING CITY!" "IT SEEMS THAT ATREMIS IS ALREADY IN THE LEAD ALONG WITH SITTZER!"
That little red pin is speeding her way to the lead, Herc thought. He tried to boost his way forward to catch up. The second phase was full of twists and turns with falling buildings, cracked ground, and swinging lines of wracking balls. When they reached a wider area, a big truck crossed the way ahead. Sittzer was taken by surprised and ended up crashing into it.
~CRASH!
Artemis on the other hand, leaned obliquely, and slid her way from beneath the truck. Herc sawed his way through it, and chased Artemis in attack mode. "I won t let ya get that ship!" he yelled.
"THAT S UNBLEIEVABLE! SITTZER IS OUT OF THE COMPETION!""CONSIDERING HE WON SECOND PLACE LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR IS TRUELY FULL OF BRAND NEW SURPRISES!!"
A little behind, Jaden and Speck were exchanging blows. Jaden already caused some damage to Speck s bike, but it wasn t as much as the damage he got.Dammit! I don t have a range weapon to attack from a distance, he thought. To make this idiot move away, I gotta get closer.
~Vhamm! Shot!
Using his lightning rod, Speck attacked him from the side, but Jaden was able to lock blades with his knife. "Oh, baby, I was waiting for a competition just like this my whole life!" Speck yelled.Jaden was still struggling to keep the Demon Rider s hand tied and still; so he can negate his ranged shots. But in couple of seconds, Speck withdrew his hand, and with the other hand, blew a blast towards Jaden. 
~BEAM! BLOW!
He barely avoided it by lowering his speed, and retreating backwards.
Not yet!, Jaden thought. 
Speck laughed out loud. "Come on!!" he yelled. "LET S PUSH DOWN THE RED LINE!!" 
"WELL, RANDA , WE APPARENTLY ENDED UP WITH ONLY FIVE CONTESTANTS!!""THAT S RIGHT SIMON! AND WE RE ALSO NEAR THE END OF THIS PHASE!!"
In the lead, Herc and Artemis were trying get over one another. Artemis was shooting with a laser pistol, while Herc was going all out with his series of large saws. At one point, he was right behind her, but Artemis kept the distance between them as she stayed in the front."So, that s how you wanna play?!" Herc smiled, and pressed a button on his truck holding the chainsaws out with metallic arms. "There s no way you can run now!"The spinning saws kept chasing Artemis wherever side she took. Some of them tried cuting her way forward, but She was able to out-smart it by driving on walls of falling buildings. They reached a gap where they have to jump forward to get to the other. Artemis slew down preparing to jump. Herc s saw was right above her head, ready to strike."Gotcha!" Herc yelled.Artemis speeded up faster, and the saw missed her. They both leaped throw the cliff-like gap to get down. Artemis twisted her slender body, aimed her pistol right at Herc, and shot. Herc was taken completely by surprise as there wasn t so much he can do up in the air.
~Bang!
But the blast went right by near his face without hitting him. It hit one of the fragile large steel strands that went falling as the both landed on a boundless bridge with water underneath. The strand collapsed onto the bridge, but Artemis survived the impact. Herc, on the other hand, lost control, and steered out of the way."Holly shit!!" he shouted, and fell down into the water.
~Fall!
"HERC!!" Herc s friends yelled in sorrow."Oh please, no!" Jeremiah cried.
~SPLASH!
"AND THAT LEAVES US WITH THREE BIKERS!!""THAT LAST FALL WAS VERY TRAGIC!!""THE FINAL CONTESTANTS ARE NOW HEADING TO THE LAST PHASE!! THE DARK SUBWAY!!"
Artemis charged inside one of two tunnels that got railways."IN THIS PART, WE GOT TWO TUNNELS WHERE THERE RE TRAINS GOING EITHER YOUR WAY, OR AGAINST IT!""CONTESTANTS GOTTA CHOOSE WHICH ROUTE THEY WILL GO FAST!!"
Jaden and Speck reached the tunnels as well. Speck pushed Jaden, and forced both of them to take the tunnel on the right.
"LOOKS LIKE THE TWO BIKERS TOOK A DIFFERENT ROUT FROM ARTEMIS!! IT S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT WHO WILL COME OUT FIRST!!"
The were dark and narrow, and struggling with Speck was getting harder as time went by."I told you, we ll push it passed the red line!" Speck said as he was swinging his rod. Jaden was blocking most of his blows despite the dim tunnel. But all of the sudden, a bright light in front of them was coming their way, and it was coming fast. Shit! A train is coming, Jaden thought. They both quickly drove to the sides against the wall. Then Speck drove upside down near the ceiling. He started throwing lightning bolts down on Jaden in every direction. 
~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
"Yeah!" he laughed. "Dance for me baby, dance!" Jaden kept avoiding Speck s hits, and steered left and right. A little bit more, he thought hopefully. Just a little bit.
It seemed like Mado got some sort of plan.
"I m not planning to let this race end while you re still on wheels, you got that?" Speck got closer and locked blades with Jaden.
~Clank!
"How d you like that?!" Jaden pushed Speck away with all his might. The Demon Rider almost lost balance, and retreated backwards. "Haha! How about I return that favor?" Speck leaped towards Jaden s bike as it was driving at the center of the railway. His lightning rod was sparking and glowing bright and blue. But there was yet, another light source getting brighter."Humph.." Jaden steered away in split second, and the train rushed through hitting Speck, dragging him along with his bike away as it passed.
~SMACK!
"It s over.." Jaden said.
"OH, WHOW!! TAKE A LOOK AT THAT!!" the anchorman shouted."WHAT AN UNEXPECTED TURNOUT!! THE FIRST ONE TO COME OUT OF THE TUNNEL WAS NOT ELSE THAN THE FORIGN RACER!!""AND LOOK!! HE S ENTERED THE STRAIGHT SAFE ROAD ALL BY HIMSELF!!""YES SIMON, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THE WINNER RIGHT NOW!!"
"Oh shit look!" Libruou jumped. "It s Jaden!""He s apparently the last contestant!" Maqi was jumping in excitement. "He s heading to the finish line!""C mon Jaden!" Both Jeremiah and Nico cheered.
Jaden was driving steady through the safe zone. He was able to see the finish line. Finally, he thought. Almost there, and I ll get that ship, and search for the Seven Keys. And then, I ll get the rest of my memories back, and return to my own home. Jaden was only three-hunderd meter away from the finish line. "C mon!" he yelled.
"OH MY!!" yelled the anchorman."NO WAY!!" yelled the anchor lady.
"What s goin on?!" Jaden was wondering, but then noticed a strange scarlet streak.What s that?!, he was terrified. In the next second, and before he was able to look behind, parts of Jaden s bike were falling apart as some others blew up.
~Blow! Break!
The moderate explosion made Jaden fell and rolled on the ground few centimeters away from the finish line."OMVRG!! IT S ATREMIS!! ARTEMIS TURNED ALL TABLES, AND CROSSED THE FINISH LINE FIRST!!" yelled the anchorman.
Artemis stopped her bike on the other side of the finish line, and took off her helmet. Her face was smooth, but got sharp edges, her eyes were deep forest green, and she cracked a slight side smile with her dark scarlet lips. Her hair was black with scarlet colored ends, and was slit to the side with the right side being shaved. Her leather black racing suit was a little ripped from one thigh, but her bike was intact.
"SO I GUESS IT S OFFICIAL!! OUR THIS YEAR BAE CITY GRAND PRIX WINNER, ARTEMIS STORMCLOUD!!"After hearing that, the crowd went loud, yelling Artemis s name on repeat. Team Nora were completely devastated that they were completely sunken in their seats. The rest of the audience kept saying "ARTEMIS, ARTEMIS, ARTEMIS, ARTEMIS!!" as Artemis was waving back at them.
At that moment, near some shore, Herc just pulled himself out of the water. "God dammit!!" He yelled and smacked his helmet to the floor.
Jaden struggled to get himself off the floor. He barely raised his head to look around as he was panting while it looked like as if the entire planetoid was cheering for Artemis on loop."ARTRMIS, ARETMIS, ARTEMIS, ARTEMIS!!"