Chapter 609 Memorable
Although Andrew got a good position, the audience's focus soon shifted to Emma, filling the gym with an almost tangible aura of anticipation. Her name resounded off the walls, and as she began to walk towards the turntable, a wave of silence swept through the crowd, as if all eyes were fixed on the young archer walking with confident strides.
Emma was a remarkable figure in every way, of commanding presence and serene self confidence.
Her red hair usually cascaded over her shoulders, but now it was all arranged in a ponytail and shining under the intense light of the spotlights. Her eyes, a deep, piercing shade of blue, displayed an unwavering intensity, conveying the will that pulsed within her.
As she stepped onto the turntable, Emma appeared calm and confident. Her muscles were relaxed but ready for action, every fiber of her being seemingly attuned to the challenge. Like any prudent person, she waited for other competitors to do the challenge so she could watch from afar and do her best.
The way Emma held the bow showed a natural intimacy with the weapon, as if it were an extension of herself. Her delicate but firm fingers held the string of the compound bow gently.
The silence in the audience lasted only until the moment Emma released the first arrow. The arrow flew through the air gracefully, meeting one of the rings that was literally as small as a bracelet. The sound of the impact reverberated through the gymnasium, filling the space with a soft but resonant echo, which was soon replaced by a unison of sighing, reproduced by practically every person in this place.
Then Emma picked it up again, spun it in the palm of her hand and almost without pulling the bowstring she fired, hitting yet another very small target.
Emma's every movement seemed to be with relentless focus. She moved with an almost hypnotic fluidity, as if she had incorporated the very movement of the bow into her body. The spinning platform, rather than being a challenge, seemed to be an aid to evolving her skill, because she didn't seem to struggle at all, but rather that she mastered the platform.
At this point, it was as if the audience, even without realizing it, was collectively holding their breath, witnessing the spectacle that was seeing Emma in action.
As the minute unfolded, Emma continued to shoot arrows almost non-stop. Sometimes she took a risk, launching two arrows at once, as Max did, but still her accuracy was impeccable. Each arrow sliced through the air like an implicit destiny to hit targets that seemed to have been pre-chosen. She did not hesitate, did not show even a fraction of doubt. Her focus was unwavering, and her determination was like an invisible force that propelled each arrow towards its target.
The audience in the gymnasium was captivated by Emma's presence on stage once again.
Each time she hit one of the rings was a masterpiece, and so the crowd was transported into Emma's world, a place where time seemed to blur in the intensity of the moment, where there was nothing and no one, just her.
As Emma released her last arrow at the last second, the whistle blew, but the arrow flew through the air in an elegant arc, hitting one of the smaller rings with perfect accuracy and the final impact rang through the gym, echoing like a high, clear, final note of a beautiful musical composition.
The audience erupted in deafening applause. The applause was not only for the exceptional performance, but also an expression of admiration for Emma.
Emma lowered her bow slowly, with a serious expression but a sense of victory that shone through her gaze. She stepped down from the platform with the same confidence she had climbed up and didn't even need to look at the leaderboard on the screens, because the reaction of everyone made it clear that she had taken the top spot.
Klaus, among the crowd, applauded too. He had seen Emma's talent many times before, including when she shot an arrow in his direction when he first saw her, but seeing her in action in the real world was different, completely different. Emma had the ability to turn archery into an art form with a bow and arrow.
As Emma joined the other competitors, the energy in the gym was electrified. Her performance had touched everyone in a profound way, and the second challenge of the second phase had found its great heroine. At that moment, Klaus got up from his seat to leave, but as he was heading for one of the exit corridors, he passed two familiar people and didn't even notice them, as his mind was elsewhere. These two people were Riley and J. Paez, that is Dodir and Orkoi, both from the Guild of the Bloody Lily.
J. Paez was thrilled with Emma's performance, but Riley was someone calmer and that's why he noticed Klaus passing in front of him, even though Klaus was wearing a cap and sunglasses, after all Klaus was practically unmistakable.
Then Riley looked at J. Paez and said:
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"I'll be right back... I'm going to the restroom." 𝘪𝘯𝑛𝑟𝑒𝘢𝘥.𝑐𝑜𝑚
"Wait a minute, there are only a few more people left before the second challenge is over and we have the break." J. Paez said, pointing to a contestant who was walking towards the turntable.
"I'd rather go now that it's not too crowded, make sure no one is going to sit in our seats." Riley replied.
"Yes sir." Dodir joked, saluting and popping another handful of popcorn into his mouth.
Riley followed Klaus to the exit corridor and when he realized they were alone, he called out to him. "Hey, wait a minute there, Klaus."
Klaus stopped in the hallway and looked at Riley, raising his eyebrows slightly behind his sunglasses. He recognized the voice, but still turned to see who it was.
"Oh, it's you." said Klaus, pushing aside his cap and sunglasses to reveal his face. "Sorry, you caught me a bit distracted. How did you know it was?"