[Nogrod]

Cnebba's lungs were screaming for mercy. He was so broke he couldn't have imagined before. It felt like all his bones and muscles were aching. He was just panting, struggling to give his lungs even the minimum amount of air they needed to work to begin with.

He was not looking about him but mainly concentrated on not falling down as his exhausted feet suggested. He didn't see anything but everything was black.

"Well done, Javan! ... I've never seen a race run so fast, or boys so hasty to begin another after the finish. I'd keep an eye on those two next time Javan. Good luck!" He heard Erbrand call hilariously - seemingly trying to keep them at a good mood and congratulating Javan. Cnebba couldn't be farther from a good feeling.

He had lost the one race he thought he could have fared well in. That was it, he thought trying to gasp air. A tear appeared into his eye and went slowly down his cheek as he finally dropped down to his knees not able to stand up anymore.

I tried... I'm no good...


Stigend saw his son dropping down and immediately rushed forwards to meet him. He layed down to his knees beside him and took him from the shoulders.

"Now my dear son... what is it?" he whispered into his ear trying to steal a look from Cnebba's eyes.

Cnebba shivered slightly holding out the tears and bit his lip. That was something Stigend did feel and see.

"C'mon lad... you're my champion still and you ran well. No one runs better than the one who has given all he has..." Stigend whispered. He was about to continue with the words his father used to repeat to him time after time... Losing builds character. But suddenly he remembered the humiliation and the shame that went with those words, those times from his childhood that had stuck deep into his mind as moments of disgrace and failure it had taken a long time to grow over. That's not something I'm going to pass to my son..., Stigend thought and embraced Cnebba gently not to embarrass him.

Finally Cnebba looked up to his father.

"I...I lost daddy..." his voice was trembling a little.

"So what about it? They're older than you are my son. And still you will climb any tree faster they could imagine, now couldn't you?" Stigend looked at his son with a comforting smile. "And winning competitions isn't everything you know." Stigend paused for a while and looked at his son.

"Would you like to come and to just follow the longer race with me? I could then teach you some manouvers for the later games?"

Cnebba looked at his father and suddenly his eyes ignited with a fire Stigend had rarely seen. "No dad, I'm going to run."

Stigend stood up and stared intensively at his son. "However it goes Cnebba... I'm proud of you", he finally said and took him by the shoulder and pressed it slightly - feeling that Cnebba was still bit shaking. They looked at each other into the eye for a moment before Stigend nodded to him and let his shoulder go.

Stigend went back to the crowd his heart about to break with pride.

But Cnebba stood alone at the finishing line still trying to catch his breath glancing at the others speaking of the run and how they fared in it.