"So, the course is completed, a run of one mile through the forest layed with traps." Iskandor states, looking forward to the challenge.
"We all know the stakes, no magic and only a dagger throughout the course." Serena adds.
"Are you ready?" Hikari asks recieving a nod, "Ready. Set. GO!" With that they run.
Iskandor encounters a trap first, a typical snare but uses it to lounch himself into the trees by cutting the rope at the right time without losing balance. A difficult feat for many, but compared to the stunts he pulled in the prototype armors in his past life it was nothing.
Serena's first trap it a tripwire, it releases a suprisingly well hidden log trap that by all means should have hit her in the back. However she also used the trap to her advantage and used it to increase her momentum. How she did this even she didn't know, she thought nothing of it as her instincts were screaming at her to duck. As she did so a Lynx appeared seemingly out of nowhere and would have taken her head clean off (under the assumption she was a normal human with no gear or training.) As it passed overhead she drew her dagger but continued onward, seeing Iskandor in the lead.
Iskandor noticed the development but resisted the urge to turn back and help, afterall he was sure the others would interfere if needed. At this point it seems they haven't thought to trap the trees, or at least it seemed that way until he stepped on a branch that was cut in a way that it appeared to be normal but snapped as he put pressure on it. This was okay as he had a bigger problem, in order to preserve momentum he would need to roll, and that roll would lead him into a pitfall. However if he didn't it was more than likely that Serena would take advantage of this and take the lead, leaving the Lynx to him. Luckily the breath of a dragon wasn't technically magical but he was unsure of the amount of thrust it would give so it only would work to scare if not kill the lynx so it would take less time to catch up.
Noticing this Serena, as predicted, took the opportunity and took first place, ignoring the pitfall as it was slightly too sturdy for her to fall in at this speed. What she didn't expect was the other side to be coated with a fine yet sticky layer of tree sap that slowed her down somewhat.
They were roughly halfway through, taking shockingly little time, not even four minutes. They were neck and neck making Lar and Hikari even more anxious to see a victor.
Iskandor, despite seeing the sap and how it slowed Serena leaped over the pit, Lynx at his tail and did the unexpected, picked Serena up and ran forward past the sap. He turned around trying to preserve momentum as he does so and spat a small amount of flames to ignite the sap and kill they Lynx. As he does the he tosses Serena to the side, away from the flames but no closer to the goal than he was. He continued the spin and ran. Straight into a branch, not even a trap but a simple branch. Apparently the accuracy and power of the flame as well as the accuracy and power of the throw slightly weakened his senses, senses he wasn't fully proficient in yet anyway and failed to notice the branch.
The women didn't know whether or not to laugh, despite losing his initial momentum from the tumble and the slowing of the sap he was still moving at a fast pace. If he wasn't a dragonborn but rather a human he would almost certainly have broken his nose badly.
"As Iskandor is knocked out he can't complete the race, but I would like to suggest we officially draw, and both our requests are met." Serena states, feeling that it was more than fair, until it wasn't that is...
***************
"Ugghh... Did someone get the name of the truck that hit me?" Iskandor asks, trying to lean up from his bed where he now lay.
"Truck-kun." Hikari jokes to the confusion of the others who don't bother asking.
"I decided to not finish the race and instead call it as a draw, both of our requests stand, we shall follow you on an adventure but you need to accept a single request from each of us." Serena states.
"Sounds fair, and this is more beneficial to you anyway, it was more than likely that if you one one of you would request that you all join me anyway, so it actually leans towards you a bit but I dont mind. Hell I kinda apparently the level of foresight it takes to see past pride and make the wise call like that, even if it is a bit devious as it makes it that much better in my books." Iskandor replies, "Now, what are your requests, I've probably been out a few hours so you probably figured it out by now."
"Yup, you won't like Lar's but she's sure you will appreciate it in time." Hikari states.
"And it's a good this we somehow managed to make you swear it by the River Styx in your sleep." Lar adds with a smile even a demon would find cold.
"Fuck..." Iskandor sighs.
"Not yet time for that, afterall there's three of us." She replies with a wink.
"Mine exceeds the 10 words but I would like you to help restore my memory as you've already agreed to, allow us to join you which you already have but to also help me find my brother. I recovered slightly from the amnesia, on the Terra life anyway, and I have fragments of memory that seem recent that lead me to believe my brother is in danger."
"Of course I accept, but I would've anyway without all this, you can this of something later as this is a freebie. We can set out as soon I I get you all equipped with something decent. Now Serena how about you?" Iskandor asks.
"You will probably help me with this anyway but I would like to learn more about my lineage, if you count that as a freebie I'll tell you my actual request in a bit." She replies.
"I feel it's my duty in order to gain your favor so of course that's a freebie." Iskandor states.
"And now, for my request, I ask this as it will serve as entertainment to me but I am certainly you will appreciate it later, make a harem!" Lar says with a tone of voice sounding not unlike the encouragement of an angel but laced with the irresistible offers only devil's can provide.
*Ding* *harem questline initiated, you can not decline as you have sworn on the River Styx.*