Weiss Forge, 18, District 1.
The ground shakes under Weiss's body as her fists tangle in the girl in front of her hair. Ripping at it harder the other girl screams as they collide over the jagged ground. There is nothing solid to this fight. Nothing suggesting that the two girls had been trained since they could walk. It is pure desperation. Pure chaos.
It echoes of the arena, of the world that seems to be falling apart around them. Weiss's hand moves lower down and she digs her nails into Cassia's ear causing blood to gush over the girl and Cassia to scream out as she brings a hand up and claws and Weiss's cheek.
Blood squirts again and a pain bursts from Weiss's face. Blood runs hot against her cool skin and she feels tears start to dot at the edges of her vision. She grinds her teeth together, trying to push the dagger clasped in her right hand toward Cassia's throat.
Cassia remains unarmed, trying to dodge out of the way of the dagger it nicks her hair and sends a ribbon of it streaming down her face. "Nate!" Cassia yells out desperately, trying to push her way on top of Weiss the other girl shifts. Weiss smiles to herself as she swipes the dagger again, Nate will not come to her rescue. Not with the ground shaking like the waves.
Because Weiss knows the truth, Nate is nothing but a coward. A coward who will only pick fights he can guarantee that he can win. He can't guarantee this one. So, he will run. Abandoning the girl he swore to protect not a moment sooner.
"Are you waiting for your boyfriend to save you," Weiss jeers. Shifting her weight suddenly she throws Cassia off balance. Waiting no time Esme shifts her body on top of the other girls, grasping her wrists underneath her palms and pressing her legs against Cassias hips she gets Cassia pinned beneath her.
Beneath Cassia, the cruel arena digs into her back. Weiss sees red. But she's not ready to kill the girl yet. Not with the arena shaking, not knowing that every camera of the Games will be trained on her. This is her moment to shine. A moment of victory and a moment of fame. I am about to take out the first person I have ever known to score a twelve. The thought causes Weiss's body to alight with lust. The lust of power.
"Your boyfriend isn't here to save you, and right after you, I'm going to go off and kill him." Weiss's mouth curls open into a grimace. Cassia struggles desperately underneath her, trying to wriggle her way out of Weiss's grip she only causes more cuts to open up on her back. Weiss's grimace only gets larger as red starts to pool beneath the two girls.
"Fuck you!" Cassia yells between breaths. Her voice is raspy from the weight of Weiss crushing her. Weiss smiles down.
"You wish," she teases.
Cassia screams, arching her back she spits into Weiss's open mouth.
Weiss's mind clouds with a rage unknown to her as she pulls up one of her arms, intending to sock Cassia in the head she forgets about the knife for a moment. She burns with a desire to hurt this girl only with her own accord. She wants to feel Cassia's life drain from her knowing that Weiss did it all herself. No help from the Capitol.
Yet, just before her hand comes back down she feels an extreme force. The force comes from the hand that was in the air, it sends her arm out beyond Cassia and her body tumbling after it. Weiss yelps as she falls forward on the ground. It cuts into her, causing blood to flow from her as it did from Cassia.
Weiss feels a burning from her hand, looking over she sees something that causes her blood to run cold. In the middle of her palm, a trident sticks out.
Carolyn Aquana, 17, District 4.
Carolyn rushes forward as the ground shakes underneath her. On the horizon, smoke bellows from the large cone shaped mountains. The ones she just escaped from. She never expected to stumble onto such a site.
But the Tribute she most wants vengeance against just tumbled into her reach. She won't waste a moment longer. "It's been awhile." Carolyn smiles as she walks slowly toward Weiss. She threw the trident with such force that two of the prongs have embedded themselves into the harsh ground.
The other is embedded into the palm of the female Tribute. Blood runs down her wrist as she tugs at the Trident, desperately trying to escape now that Carolyn is marching toward her. "I thought you would be dead by now," Weiss spits out. She continues to pull at the trident, shimming it from side to side she bites down with the pain it is causing her.
"I thought you would have had your daddy sponsor you by now," Carolyn jeers back. She stares at the large red patch on Weiss's shirt. "But it looks like you've been abandoned. What a shame. I guess they are betting on the boy of your district to make it home after all."
Weiss screams in rage as she pulls the trident out of the ground, blood pouring from where it punctures her hand she brings the spike back through, taking a chunk of her flesh with it that was caught on one of the spiked prongues.
"Oh, have we touched a nerve?" Carolyn chides. She holds no weapon, but her hand is a length of rope. The same rope that was used to tie her up. On one end, a large rock has been tied. "You never were any good at the trident at training," Carolyn reminds Weiss as the girl takes a defensive position.
"And you look god awful, whatever happened to the girl sitting at the interviews. I know you made quite the impression on Drusus. Hell, half the Capitol was drooling over you." Carolyn laughs as she continues to advance, twirling the rope around her hands she starts to pick up its speed. As if testing how much force she can get into the rock.
"You're just jealous," Weiss spits back, baking away from Carolyn.
"Jealous?" Carolyn laughs. "You've got me there I am so jealous of you. Jealous of how easy your life has been. Jealous of how you didn't even need to be here. But you threw that all away, didn't you?" Weiss stays quiet, she has started panting heavily.
"Now look at you, no one to protect you. No daddy to come to your aid. No mummy to coddle you. No hoard of fans to keep you safe. Just a broken little girl. One who has greatly overestimated her worth." Carolyn throws the rock, it comes within a meter of Weiss's face before Carolyn pulls it back. Laughing harder as Weiss flinches.
"You had everything, and you chose to be here. I'm going to make you regret that." Carolyn jumps forward. Weiss sticks the trident out desperately trying to keep the girl away. Carolyn sidesteps it easily. Grasping the prongue that is slick with Weiss's blood she pulls it tightly.
The force almost causes Weiss to topple over, she drops the trident to keep her balance and Carolyn smiles now she is reunited with her weapon. Then she does something unexpected, throws the weapon away. Far out of both girls arm reach.
"I'm going to prefer doing this slowly," Carolyn informs Weiss before she brings the rock up again. It happens quickly. One moment Weiss is upright and facing Carolyn. The next she is on the ground with blood pooling from her head. Staining her blonde hair that she once cherished so much.
"This is going to hurt you a lot more than it is going to hurt me," Carolyn teases Weiss. Brining the rope up she smashes it down on Weiss's ankle. There is a sickening crunch as it meets the bone and Weiss cries out. Tears streaming down her face her whole vision starts to distort.
Carolyn flips Weiss's body over, holding her in a position much like what Weiss held Cassia in. "You know, you really are quite beautiful," Carolyn muses, her lips right next to Weiss's ear.
"It's such a shame I'm about to ruin that," Carolyn brings the rock up once more before smashing it into Weiss's face. The girl screams for her final time.
Jerry Kapper, 15, District 6.
Jerry awakes to a cold sweat and the ground shaking. He thinks at first that it is simply his mind playing tricks on him. His heart palpitates as he realizes this is no trick. This is reality unfolding around him.
He scrambles to his feet, legs shaking like he was shivering his life away he desperately tries to grasp on a nearby tree for support. A branch snaps underneath his hand and he is sent sprawling back to the soft earth. He moans as twigs scrape at his skin, a musky scent enveloping his nose as it hits the ground beneath him.
Loud thundering noises can be heard all around him and Jerry wonders if the arena's sky is falling. Surely that is all that could make the immense noise that he can hear right now, the noise drowns out everything, even his own thoughts.
With wide eyes Jerry places one hand in front of the other, one knee in front of the other he starts to crawl toward anywhere but where he is. He needs safety. But the word has become such a foreign concept he barely remembers what it means. Let alone what it feels like. It has been so long since Jerry has felt truly safe.
It has been so long since Jerry has had an innocent encounter.
Suddenly, someone rushes through the bushes in front of him. He stares wide eyed as they almost trample his hands. Jerry has to bite his lip to stop from crying out, startled. He stares as a blond head disappears into the distance of the forest.
Jerry feels his blood go cold. That was Nate.
But then where is Cassia? It didn't take anybody long to figure out that they would be a pair right until the very end. A cannon booms, as if to answer his question.
Esme Layton, 17, District 6.
"Who do you think that was?" Esme asks Ace, startled at the sound of a cannon. Not only does the arena seem to be shaking, but the very foundations of the Tributes themselves. Final eight no longer, soon it will be time to go home.
"No way of knowing," Ace muses. He stretches his hand out, grimacing. It pains him to straighten his fingers out again. The medicine's effects have worn off almost instantaneously. All that is left is the smell of rotting flesh. A smell neither can get out of their noses. But none has mentioned it.
"It's almost time to go home," Esme says her thoughts aloud before she realizes she is doing it.
"You think so?" Ace asks her, a wistfulness to his voice.
"I can feel it," Esme replies.
"What you can feel is the arena imploding," Ace replies with a cheeky grin.
"No, I can feel something else." Esme insists, getting up on shaky feet she walks over to where Ace stands, his back propped against a tree. He brings his good arm up, wrapping an arm around her shoulders he pulls her closer as the ground continues to shake.
It would be easier to sit, but both prefer to stand. To watch thick smoke billow up in the distance beyond the trees. Beyond the refuge of the forest. "When you get home, will you name your son after me?" Ace asks suddenly.
"What?" Esme asks, startled.
Ace looks over at her with pained eyes. "I'm not making it, not with this arm." He explains, wincing as he glances at it. Esme feels her stomach drop to the ground. "And all Victors have children, it's just the way of things," he shrugs as if saying something nonchalantly. "So, can you name your son after me?" He smiles at Esme with his crooked grin.
"No point in giving up, you might make it home just yet," Esme replies. Her stomach sinks like she is telling a lie to a family member. Expect she doesn't have any of those. And she isn't lying. Not exactly. It's impossible to know if Ace will make it home or not.
Ace looks over at her with a pitiful look on his face. "There still eig-seven of us left. That's six more to get rid of. With me gone it will be five. I like those odds for you." Ace smiles, "it's a shame the majority of them are Careers but I'm sure you can take them. You just gotta play it smart." Ace winks at her.
"You might make it home," Esme repeats. A knot has developed in her throat and she does her best to swallow it down.
Ace looks at her again, this time he has a small smile on his lips. "Fine, if I make it home I'll name mine and Tiffany's first daughter after you. Now, will you return the favor?" Tears start to fall from Esme's cheeks.
"Okay," she stammers out.
Cassia Slander, 16, District 2.
Cassia feels branches whip at her face as she changes her way through the undergrowth. She could not think of much except getting away from Weiss. And Carolyn. Two girls she once trusted with her life now could be her death.
From her back blood splatters the ground and it trickles down her neck from the wounds made in her ear from Weiss's nails. She must be the luckiest tribute alive, forever saved by others vengeance. Forever trapped from those she has known. Debts she will never be able to repay.
Her head throbs from an old injury and her mind's a mess. She is barely able to string thoughts together manic thoughts swirl around her brain like water in an unplugged sink. All she knows is she has to get as far away from the shaking ground as possible. Even if that means abandoning Nate.
Nate.
Who abandoned her first.
"Let's just enjoy this."
Who would have known that this was to be ended so soon? With a cry. With the attack of someone they thought could be an ally. Cassia can see Weiss as clear as day in her mind. The rabid look in her eyes as she sprang on top of her. Surely they could have stayed together longer. But it was Weiss's time to make her move. For better or for worse.
Cassia can't hold a thought for long before a new one bubbles up. Desperately she wonders what she can do now? All of her gameplay has been dictated by others up until this moment. Now she is alone. And she is startled by the fact that she has no idea what to do. Her whole life has been people telling her what to do.
From her brother selling her, to her parents training her, to Nate protecting her. Cassia has always had others around her. Though never because she has requested it. Now the endless possibilities have left no room for anything but a swirling mass of thoughts inside her mind.
A crashing boom that seems to come from the sky brings Cassia back to her sense. She looks up to see a darker cloud coming from the mouth of one of the large cone shaped mountains. It suddenly dawns on her. They aren't mountains at all.
They are volcanos.
Callum Lennon, 18, District 3.
Callum lies on the ground, curled into the fetal position his shoulder throbs from the pain of the blisters caused by Jerry's sword. His body has erupted into a cold sweat yet he feels too hot to be alive. Like he is being cooked in a large pot he rips at his shirt, trying desperately to get it off and cool down from the heat.
The heat that seems to come from his very core.
He wonders briefly what he ever did to deserve this pain, this pain that is flowing through his veins like hot lava and makes him want to rip his very skin off. His fingernails dig into his knees as he tries to think despite the agony that is throbbing through his body.
The agony that surely can only amount to death.
He wonders what has happened to have caused this, surely he isn't infected, Jerry made sure of that. Maybe he ate something from the Gamemakers, something they had made sure would cause a stir. But he can't remember the last time he ate. He can't remember the last time he did anything. All he can seem to remember and feel is the burning pain. The pain that surely is worse than death.
His thoughts go to Talia. Is this how it felt to die? If it was then surely the end was not the best part. Surely the end is better than what he is experiencing in this very moment, His whole body convulses for a moment and he sends the almost empty contents of his stomach up and onto the dirty in front of him.
He can't be sure through his blurred vision, but his puke does not look the regular color. It looks more like blood. He groans and rolls from the fetal position into his side, his arms wrapped as tightly as he can around his legs he starts to beg anyone willing to listen.
He is no longer thinking about the Gamemakers. About the Sponsors that would surely be able to help him. About those watching helpless back from his District. He is begging for anyone that will listen. For a god that he does not think exists. He's not begging for forgiveness. He's not begging for a miracle cure. He's begging for it all to end.
Lying on the dirty floor of the forest barely able to think Callum is begging for his death because the pain has become too much to bear. The pain of loss. The pain of the burn. The pain of whatever seems to be seeping into his very bones.
He starts to feel his mind slipping, the world becoming less and less prominent and the ground somehow becoming softer beneath him. The pain doesn't fade, but his connection to his body does. It's almost like he's watching someone else go through it. Watching from a long tunnel that is closing up like a landslide by each second. He can't make himself angry. After all, all tunnels have a beginning and an end.
He is merely leaving the tunnel.
Authors note:
Oops.
May the odds be ever in your favor,
And,
Thank you for your sacrifice.
Eulogies:
8th: Weiss Forge, 18, District 1. Killed by Carolyn. Created by Team Shadow. Weiss was such a fun character to write and I have wholeheartedly enjoyed writing her journey throughout the Games. She was a Tribute who had a real shot at winning and she almost did it. She just let her ego get in the way in the end there. She had a good battle, I think she would have been proud of how she left.
Sponsoring Information:
Sponsoring is now open to your Tributes, or any Tributes that you would like to sponsor.
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As the Games ramp up I would like an increased level of detail to your answers :) And the reviews you have previously left will be factored in.
The fallen:
24th: Flint Fraser, 13, District 12. Killed by Blake. Created by iridescenteverdeen. Flint became one of my favorite characters and I shed some tears thinking that he had to go. He was just too young and too scrawny. His persistence optimism followed him to the end and I'll miss him.
23rd: Pricilla Winters, 15, District 12. Killed by Carolyn. Created by Mewkitcat. Pricilla fought to the end, her fear leading her to turn on those she probably could have trusted. Her family will miss her deeply, its almost fitting that she followed her District Partner out.
22nd: Weft Loomis, 15, District 8. Killed by Ace. Created by destiny's sweet melody. Weft has a hard life, he had a solid plan but unfortunately was carried away by talk of alliances and those he trusted. His interview will be remembered as one of the best and his quirky sarcasm will be missed. He's with his mother and sister now.
21st: Cole Rockweld, 15, District 9. Killed by Cassia. Created by The-Moth-God. Cole was a Tribute I think many expected to go far inside the Games. He almost did, but the true worth of alliances was shown at his expense. Cole did not go easily and he will leave his mark in the Games with the injuries he inflicted on Ace. He died fighting, Barrick can be proud of that.
20th: Trafalgar Zaun, 15, District 10. Killed by Weiss. Created by 66samvr. Trav, they were different from any other Tribute I have seen before. They were so interesting to write and almost made it away. They can find solace in the friend they made in Eva, the true acceptance of their identity she had. But it is a bittersweet ending.
19th: Eva Brath, 14, District 10. Killed by Esme. Created by Team Shadow. Eva was never designed to win these Games and I think most people saw that. I added a lot of backstory to this Tribute myself and she will always have a special spot. She can be with her sisters and father now, the hope that her youngest sister is not reaped will live on with the Capitol. That's all she ever wanted.
18th: Violet Mercury, 14, District 8. Killed by Blake. Created by Booklovin'03. Violet, like Eva was never meant to win these Games. I think she knew that too. I think she would be okay with that, she wasn't sure if she wanted to win. Jasper will surely mourn her and her death will affect the District. It just wasn't meant to be.
17th: Harvest Kohl, 15, District 11. Killed by a mutt. Created by curiousclove. Harvest was a special Tribute, so pure at heart and trying to be positive he just wanted to protect his crush. He sacrificed himself for her, even if he did not realize it at the moment and Poppy will surely be devastated. His memory will live on, and the courageous actions that he left. I think he would be happy, Poppy told him how she felt and they we're able to share a moment. I'll miss writing you Harvest, you and Poppy we're so cute together.
16th: Kalista Stone, 17, District 9. Killed by Oliver. Created by The Girl With The Knives. Kalista's death was so hard for me to write, the reason for me balling my eyes out late at night. Shes a Tribute I got attached to but never really managed to spread that attraction. Her death is going to devastate Oliver and impact his Games forward. She could have made it so much further. Never getting to show off all of the skill and potential the Gamemakers saw in her. She's a Tribute I will miss deeply.
15th: Blake Calloun, 17, District 4. Killed by Poppy. Created by 66samvr. Blake, you are the Tribute that we all loved to hate. But you will be missed, your complete lack of empathy and self-centered behavior was very fun to write and you were one of the most real Tributes inside of the Games. I know your character ended pretty far off of what 66samvr originally intended every story needs a villain and Blake, you did a very good job. I also think its a little funny. Blake, a Career, ended up being killed by one of the weakest Tributes.
14th: Talia Lancaster, 15, District 3. Killed by a mutt. Created by FrostyShadow. Talia, you were too pure and soft for these Games. In your complete trust of Callum, you forgot that sometimes the fight or flight instinct cannot be helped. And sometimes intentions are not kept no matter how well intended they are. I'm sorry your death was so gruesome, but the Capitol is starting to need a bit of a show. I'll miss your innocence and your story. I hope you're painting pictures from the beyond at the moment. Rooting Callum on.
13th: Caroline Hollyhock, 17, District 5. Killed by Jerry. Created by jaded-love-pure-hate. Caroline, you were another character that we all loved to hate. You just wanted to keep your baby alive and ended up regretting the biggest decision of your life. I don't think that you were an honestly bad person, you just tried to do what you could to stay alive and keep your baby alive. Immoral maybe, but I don't think you truly had malicious intent. It's funny how karma catches up though.
12th: Willow Ashes, 16, District 7. Killed by Carolyn. Created by Team Shadow. Willow you certainly had a journey. I'm glad you were able to come into your own for a bit at the end there even if you did not get away quite in time. I'm sorry about that. You were one fun character to write that just wound up in a bad situation. You taunting the Careers was one of the most fun scenes that I have written and I will miss that from you.
11th: Oliver Apollo, 17, District 5. Killed by Weiss. Created by StephenSwiss. Ollie, you were a good man. You tried to stay true to yourself at the end and ultimately you just lost the plot a little bit. Everyone experiences death differently and for Ollie, it pushed him over the edge. Its a bittersweet ending for Ollie, he finally has escaped the present that he hated so much. Yet he has lost his opportunity for a future. He will be missed.
10th: Nirvana Ivanov, 18, District 7. Killed by Carolyn. Created by BabyRue11. Nirvana you were a character I largely ran away with and loved to hate. Gosh, maybe you were a little less sleazy than Blake but you were pretty messed up too. You really did not expect to die when you did and I had a lot of fun writing about you. As weird as it sounds I'm really going to miss you.
9th: Poppy Northrop, 15, District District 11. Killed by Callum. Created by curiousclove. God damn Poppy you did not have an easy ride. You and Harvest were so cute to write about and you two were so pure and god and it kills me to have to kill you. I'm proud of Poppy for taking out one of the biggest competitors inside of the Games and keeping on going despite loosing Harvest. I think you are happier now.
