Levi adjusted his grip on the circular shield... it wasn't designed for this. It wasn't made for what he had in mind. But in that moment, with a steep slope ahead and time slipping through his fingers, it was his only shot at stealing back the lead.
He crouched near the edge, tightening his core, calculating the angle through echolocation pings bouncing off the terrain... The slope was long. Steep. Crude. Grass and dirt patches made it rough, but not rough enough to slow him down if he committed to it.
Behind him, candidates were still pushing their way up with vests weighing down their backs. Below, others took careful, measured steps, praying not to trip.
Further down, the lake shimmered in the sun... A calm surface masking the chaos of bodies cutting through it in a frantic race to the finish.
Levi dropped the shield flat on the shield, and lay down on his stomach... arms gripping the edges, legs tucked in like a missile preparing for descent.
