My hands spin wildly over the haft of my spear, attacking and thrusting and countering the blows of my opponent. Sweat runs in rivers down my face. I am blind to everything but the spear in my hands, the ground under my bare feet, and the weapon of my opponent. And my own tiredness. This fight has been going on for a long time, every minute of it filled with countless attacks, blocks, lunges and increasingly desperate tactics. I'm not fighting nearly as well as I was when we first drew our spears. My attacker knows this; I can see it in the savage grin spread across her scarred face.
Suddenly she lunges at me, whipping her spear at blindingly fast speeds as she goes in for the kill. An hour ago I would have met the charge head on, but now I find myself taking a step back, then another, as I desperately try to fend her off. And then I see my opening.
Able as my opponent may be, she's not invincible. She's gotten so caught up in her attack that she's forgetting to guard herself. I know this may be my last chance to end the fight, so I draw back my spear and stab for her unprotected abdomen. The tip of her spear appears out of nowhere, effortlessly blocking my blow. Then, without stopping or even slowing the movement of her spear, my attacker gracefully spins around and uses the butt of her weapon to knock my feet out from under me.
I land flat on my back, wind knocked out of me, and scowl. I've lost the fight and we both know it, but I refuse to shut my eyes as I wait for the end. She smiles, and puts a foot on my chest, keeping me down as she goes for the knife in her belt.
But instead of plunging it into my throat, the scarred woman leans down and makes a small cut in my belly. It hurts, but I don't cry out, I won't give her the satisfaction, even when she dips her forefinger into my blood. Slowly, she paints a large red X on my cheek.
"Dead." my mentor growls. "A bit more than an hour long fight and you're dead, Anzilee. That is pathetic. The reaping is a week away! I'm not sending weak tributes to lose the Games for us, especially not this year. You better get it together if you want the Victor's crown, Anzilee, because I'll send someone else if I have to." And she turns, and walks out of the training school gym without another word.
I get to my feet and push a strand of my fire-red hair out of my face, smiling slightly despite the scratch on my belly. I've been training under Gilla Trembar for 17 years- I know how to tell when she's bluffing.