Author's Note
I do not own the Hunger Games.
Zinnia was the first to leave her podium, leaping nimbly onto the balance beam. The other tributes sprang into life, Orion, Astoria, Ash, Kara, and Colby being amongst the first to follow her. Oliver, Data, and Electra jumped onto the stepping stones to flee. Zinnia, Orion, Astoria, Valkyrie, Calico, and Colby were the first to reach the smaller islands. Zinnia grabbed one of the smaller bags and then jumped onto the bridge to the main cornucopia. Behind her, Calico and Colby collided as both reached for the same backpack and Calico was knocked to the ground. Colby grinned down at him. "Looks like you're up."
"No, please-"
Colby stomped down hard on his neck and snapped it. Calico's body collapsed lifelessly. Colby snatched up the backpack and then followed after Zinnia.
Meanwhile, Briar had her sights fixed on the bow at the top of the pile of supplies. That was hers. It might even be the same one she used in training. She reached for it at the same time as Astoria. The two of them looked at each other, stunned, and then Briar pulled it away and snatched up the quiver. Astoria seized a knife and jumped on her back, running the knife through her throat. Briar collapsed, choking on blood. Astoria picked up the bow and slung the quiver over her shoulder. At the edge of the island, Tupelo grabbed a small backpack and ran onto the bridge to run to Willow's island. Astoria followed him a moment later.
Isaac had frozen on his podium when the gong rang and was shivering in fear. Willow had reached the island first and grabbed the axe from on top of the supplies before slinging a medium bag over her back. Orion grabbed a knife and jumped onto the bridge to the next small island, while Maximus and Silas ran onto the one to the main cornucopia.
Lucian, Tyla, and Kara all reached their island at the same time. Lucian and Tyla both grabbed for the spear, but unlike Astoria, Lucian let Tyla have it and grabbed a knife before running to the bridge for the main cornucopia. Kara too took a knife and followed him.
Maizie was the next to reach that island, and she took the large backpack and the last knife. She then grabbed one of the medium bags as Logan reached the island. "Gadge!"
Gadge had turned around on his podium and was going to flee. He turned again and Maizie threw him the bag. He gave her a thumbs up and she jumped onto the bridge to follow him.
Logan was the last to reach the island. Orion got there as Maizie and Gadge were running off. Logan grinned. "Coming to beg for my help Four? I'd give it for a price."
Orion growled and charged at him. Logan tried to swing a punch, but it wasn't very effective. Orion stabbed him through the eye. Logan collapsed to the ground. "Ow my eye!"
Orion ripped the knife out. "That's for ogling my sister creep." He kicked him in the stomach and then shoved him off the edge of the island. Logan fell into the abyss.
Valkyrie and Ash were the first to reach their island. They stared at each other, two of the youngest tributes, one a Career and the other an outer District underdog. Ash snagged a bag and a knife and Valkrie grabbed the sword, taking a swing at him. Ash dodged and ran to the bridge leading to the rest of the arena as Diamond reached the island. She dove at Valkyrie. "Give me that!"
Valkyrie dodged and swung the sword at her. Diamond tackled her from the side and knocked the smaller girl to the ground. Seeing an opportunity, Sierra ran forward to the island as the other two girls fought. Diamond wrestled the sword from Valkyrie's hand. Sierra grabbed a knife and a large backpack, hitting Diamond over the head with it as she swung it onto her back. Valkyrie managed to kick her and roll to her feet, grabbing at a knife. Sierra fled as the two continued to scuffle.
Tupelo met Willow on her island and the two ran onto the bridge to the main cornucopia. Now all the other tributes were gone, Isaac ran forward and took a small bag and a knife. As he did so Astoria ran past him and onto the bridge to the next island, where Orion had just shoved Logan over the edge. Isaac followed her and immediately ran after Maizie and Gadge.
Zinnia was also the first to reach the main cornucopia. She grabbed a medium sized backpack and was taking a spear from inside the horn as Lucian and Kara arrived. Kara shoved past Lucian, grabbed a large backpack and a machete, and fled back across Isaac's island. Lucian picked up a sword and took a few steps toward Zinnia. She thrust the spear at his stomach. He dodged aside and raised his hands. Again she stabbed the spear at him. He shook his head, pointing the sword at the bridge for her to go. "Go, go!"
She frowned and he waved wildly for her to leave. Zinnia gave him a final mistrustful look and legged it as Colby, Maximus, and Silas arrived.
The three of them raced to the cornucopia and grabbed their preferred weapons: for Maximus a broadsword, for Silas a scythe, and for Colby a club. Maximus and Silas looked at each other and then charged Colby. Lucian jumped quickly into the battle. Colby swung his club with ease, blocking blows from his opponents.
Orion, Astoria, Tyla, Tupelo, and Willow all arrived in quick succession. Orion grabbed a trident while Astoria tried to shoot an arrow at Colby. Tyla, Willow, and Tupelo all took supplies.
Colby cracked his club into Lucian's head, knocking him down. Maximus took a powerful swing at him with his sword.
Screams rang through the air.
"Max! Max!"
Diamond and Valkyrie were still fighting on the smaller island. Diamond had the sword now, and Valkyrie was trying to hold her off with a backpack and a knife. It wasn't very effective. Maximus grunted. "Later Ten, Nine."
Silas swore as Maximus took off toward the two fighting girls. Colby took another swing at him. Tyla stabbed her spear at Colby, pricking him in the arm. He roared and swung the club, smashing her in the chest and throwing her back. Silas tackled him around the waist, throwing them both to the ground, and roared for his allies to kill him. None of them moved.
Astoria nocked an arrow to her bow, aiming it at Maximus's back.
"What are you doing?" Orion asked. She smiled sweetly.
"Ridding us of two problems."
Before she could fire the ground began to shake and she lost her aim. Chunks of the land on the edge of the biggest island began to fall away.
"What's going on?" Tupelo shouted.
"They're destroying the cornucopia! Like the Games two years ago!" Orion shouted back. He and Astoria ran to the cornucopia to grab backpacks while Tupelo and Willow seized one of Tyla's arms each and pulled her along with them to the nearest bridge. Colby shoved Silas off him and dashed to the cornucopia to grab a bag, a knife, and something else from the floor of the horn.
Meanwhile, Maximus had reached the island where Valkyrie and Diamond were fighting - just as Diamond knocked Valkyrie off the edge.
"V!" he shouted. Valkyrie screamed as she fell. Maximus turned on Diamond. She smiled.
"Well that rids us of that problem."
"You heartless bitch," he growled, and swung for her.
Back at the main cornucopia, Lucian had been forgotten by pretty much everyone. Silas had grabbed a bag and run after his allies, while the twins from Four had dug out some of the best supplies and stuffed them into random bags before bailing out. Lucian stumbled shakily, seeing double as Diamond fought with Maximus. He managed to trip over a small bag at his feet and take it, falling onto a narrow bridge as land fell down around him.
Maximus and Diamond fought until the island began to fall apart around them and a large crack formed between them. They both ran off in different directions.
Lucian was the last of the surviving tributes to stumble from the maze of bridges and collapse on the land of the main arena. Behind him, the cornucopias and the supplies they had held collapsed into the empty air, taking with them the bodies of three fallen tributes.
The One Hundred and Thirty Fourth Hunger Games had officially begun!
Author's Note
Whew! So we're through with that! I know it's a bit jumpy in places, moving back and forth between tributes. If there's anything you think is too confusing or can't keep track of, please message me so I can either fix it or explain what went on there.
Other than that, what do you think? Did anything about how it all went down surprise you? Any theories about what's going to happen next?
The arena does have several themes, references, and pretty much whatever else I figured I could shove in there. Quick disclaimer, anything you recognise does not belong to me. Feel free to guess at any themes or inspirations!
Big thank you to Hopps and Dreamer for your reviews of the last chapter.
I will post eulogies at the end of each day rather than the end of each chapter. We're not done yet folks!
Alliances as of The Bloodbath:
Alliance One: Astoria, Orion.
Alliance Two: Tupelo, Willow, Tyla, Silas.
Alliance Three: Oliver, Data, Sierra, Zinnia.
Alliance Four: Maizie, Gadge, Isaac.
Loners: Diamond, Lucian, Maximus, Electra, Kara, Colby, Ash.