The lightning drake, Salt, sprinted as fast as possible next to the speeding train. Her rider, Pepper, clinging to her reins and driving them faster and faster. The border was in sight, they didn't have much time. The sound of Salt's claws on the hard packed sand was completely deafened by the earth shaking rumble of the train's wheels on the track. Pepper felt a jolt of kinetic energy every time Salt connected with the ground, but remained determined and in control of her powerful mount.

 Wasteland Guards remained close behind the bandit and her drake, on dragons of their own. Their wings flapped furiously against hard gusts of displaced wind. They might've caught up to Salt and Pepper if it wasn't for their fear of getting clipped by the train. That was one of the many advantages the lightning drake possessed. They didn't have wings, yet they were still one of the fastest breeds in the world. Which meant they could thread the needle at top speed if needed. And that was exactly what Pepper needed now.

The bandits fought to maintain their high speed, to catch up with and surpass the locomotive. Bit by bit, stride by stride they succeeded in this. Inching closer to the front of the train until they were parallel with the metal beast. Now things got tricky. The border to the region was closer than ever and as the train approached, the magic forcefield was lifted. Opening just enough for the train to pass through and not a centimeter more. They had seconds left. Pepper looked back for only a moment and saw that the guards were slowing down. She returned to her jockey position, prayed to her god, and drove her drake onward. This was it. 

The forcefield approached. Salt, with one last push of motivation, bolted up and surpassed the locomotive. They leapt across the tracks in front of the train. They passed diagonally over the tracks and through the border. The train clipped Salt's tail as it sped furiously onward, leaving the racers behind next to the tracks. For one shimmering moment Salt and Pepper were the glorious victors of their race with destiny.

The two tumbled to a stop and watched the train speed on. Salt collapsed exhausted on the ground. On this side of the border the hard sand had become a medley of soft grasses. Pepper watched as the Wasteland Guards flew up against the border and hovered around like mayflies outside a window. They would certainly alert the authorities, if they hadn't already. But for right now, they were completely powerless against The Lightning Bolt Bandits.