Chapter I, Arena: Pound of Flesh
- Six Feet Under -
The Twenty-Fifth Hunger Games
Bloodbath
Complete and utter silence befell the twenty-four caskets buried underground.
Two coffins lay in each unforgiving stone tomb. The derelict, rotten wood was peppered with holes, but the dimly-lit, bronzed candles on the walls provided little to no light. The only sound that could be heard was the faint drip of water as it echoed throughout the chambers.
Nobody was awake; unconscious in their slumber, blissfully unaware of what nightmare lay ahead.
They had all been here before. Familiar faces to the earth. Lives that were cut too short, too close to the end, or those who never even had a chance for survival.
Somewhere along the darkened, narrow passages that led out of each tomb, a large cavern awaited them. Rocks were haphazardly piled in the centre, reaching towards the dirt-covered ceiling that was covered in hardened stalactites. Jutting out of the rubble, a variety of items held the key to survival in the confined tomb.
Tributes began to stir slowly as a resounding, faint echo permeated the walls.
Panic set in for most. Cries and pleads for release from their coffins. Thuds as the tributes attempted to break out.
They had been here before. Familiar faces to their deaths.
24.
When Thiago's eyes snapped open, it took barely any time at all for him to realise that he was trapped. The darkness was almost suffocating, and he had to breathe slow and steady, fearful that he might eventually run out of oxygen. He swallowed down the fear that bubbled in his chest and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing until he would be released.
Odell's hand crashed into the lid above him, hard, a sound that splintered off into the distance. He was angry, infuriated, hell-bent on breaking his way out of the box they had forced him into. He wasn't an angry person by nature; but he knew that he needed some sort of fire to propel him forwards, despite each feeble attempt to break out.
22.
Unlike many of the others, Alanis knew that she couldn't lose her resolve. Her hands shook violently and she balled them up, desperate to calm down. Her eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away, a fiery pit in her chest that promised she would fight her way out, to Vendelin and Lazarus, and get as far away from the others as possible.
Limos. Please keep me calm and steady. Protect me from my fears, and let me forge forwards. The box didn't scare Ares. It reminded her of the orphanage that had become her home, through every gritty moment that plagued her childhood. In that hard resolve, she had found hope, and she'd do it again in the coffin she was encased in.
20.
All Vendelin could think about was escaping. He desperately pushed against the lid, hoping it would pop up but, deep down, knowing that it was held in place for a reason. Somewhere near him, he heard a familiar voice that whispered in comfort, and his nerves immediately settled when he realised that Lazarus was nearby.
All Lazarus could hear above the sounds of his own words was a repeating thud. Over and over and over. Surprisingly, the distraction was helpful. He hated small spaces. He wasn't claustrophobic; but they brought him memories that he didn't know if they were true or not. And all he wanted, in that moment, was to find his allies and escape for the hills.
18.
Normally calm, Eustolia honestly felt like she was about to break. It was such a whirlwind emotion; she didn't understand it, but her heart beated so loud that she could hear it in her ears, and her chest tightened with every breath that ached from her lungs. She stared up emptily at the lid of the coffin and willed for it to open.
With her eyes squeezed shut, Amryn tried to remain calm. So many thoughts crossed her head, but she shut each one down with a harsh reminder that she needed to focus. She clenched and unclenched her fists, even as the tears welled in her eyes silently, and her mind continued to hammer down on her.
16.
I have to win him over, Roman used the time wisely, plotting his next move. Through the peppered lights, gentle light barely made a dent against the darkness. If I prove to him that I am a threat, then maybe he'll take me on. We can work our way around this. Geneva wouldn't even know what would hit her.
Cenric, on the other hand, thought of nothing but revenge. Sakura. Her name suddenly settled irritatingly on his brain, like an itch he couldn't scratch. He never realised how cutthroat he could genuinely be until he could think nothing more than gutting the girl who struck him down.
14.
Myria had her eyes squeezed shut, humming a soft tune that her Mom had sung when she was younger. It felt comforting, like a warm hug on a cold night. She dug deep into her memories until she found herself focused solely on that, and less about the coffin that felt smaller and smaller with every beat of her heart.
Do you deserve to live? Tayanna heard the voice at the back of their head. It snarled, grimly whispering, tormenting them until it was all that Tay could focus on. Tay's hands were slick with sweat. Their head pounded in the dark. Somewhere in the distance, they heard water, but nothing compared to that voice. I'll kill you with my bare hands if I have to.
12.
I need to find Ludwin and get out of… whenever here is. Sanjay's eyes stared up at the wall of darkness above him which, with his hands, he realised was the lid of the box. His hands glided across the eroding wood, trying to find a weak point that he could use to simply shove it off.
Ludwin had found the weak point already. He found it the moment he woke up. Just above his head, a sliver of warm light crossed his eyes. It splintered so easily with a few hits of his palm. Deep down, Ludwin knew it wasn't time to do it, but when it was… he was going to break it apart, find Sanjay, and run.
10.
Dad, can you hear me? Isla didn't know why she was calling him or if he was even around. A part of her sought the morbid comfort of her past, even if every meeting ended horribly wrong. Isla's shaky fingers traced the lid above her. If you can hear me, I hope you can help me.
Sakura had expected to be able to just blow the lid off in seconds. Her punches, however, barely chipped the wood. She didn't know if her power was already waning, or if the lid was just super strong, but she had all the time in Panem to get out and cause some damage. After all, she was the biggest threat in the arena. They truly didn't know what she was capable of.
8.
Oscar's fingers traced the lid above him. I'm in a coffin. I just know it. The way it pitched inwards at the bottom near his feet, rather than being a perfect rectangle. The tightness around his arms because he wasn't supposed to move them. The heaviness in his chest when he remembered that, at some point, he had been here before. Will I die in here?
In the darkness, Rafe realised that he had so many regrets that weighed down on him. He wished that he had told his Mama that he loved her more, that he tried harder to cool down, that he worked harder to be better. But most of all, as he lay against the rotting wood and stared up into the shadows, heart beating hard, he wished that he was able to say sorry to Niobe for what he had done.
6.
One...two...three. Niobe kept her breathing to a minimum, fully aware of how little space there was. She didn't know when the oxygen would run out, or if it would, but a small part of her brain told her that it was time to survive. Get to the others and run. Don't look back. Don't falter. She had never been the strong type, but with clenched fists, Niobe decided that she had no other choice.
Four...five...six. Elika traced her fingers from each hole in the lid, back and forth, doing anything she could to distract herself from the fact that she was emotionally falling apart. Externally, she held it together as best as she could, for the others, but inside... she wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.
4.
Cal could feel how scared he was. It was in every shaky breath that rattled his body, in the tight knot that ached across his upper back, in the constant flicker of his fingers as he yearned to just break out of his confinement and run as fast as he could. He steadied himself as best as he could, trying not to let the fear overrun him, as he consciously promised himself that he would be strong for the girls.
Kozin carefully clapped his hands together. The small spark of blue electric lit up the dark space momentarily, allowing Kozin to quickly take it all in. The dark grains of the wooden lid. The peppered holes that allowed in small amounts of light. The general claustrophobic air that seemed to sink upon him. Truthfully, Kozin wasn't as scared as he was ready to fight his way through it all.
2.
Something hummed in the back of Cosette's brain and she just knew that Geneva was almost right on top of her. A vindictive, dark streak made Cosette's eyes flash obsidian black as she purposely dragged her palm against a stray nail, before putting her hands together in prayer.
Limos… Cosette briefly thought as her lips began to move on their own, an ancient language that rolled off of her tongue, her mind lost in the trance.
Geneva heard the mutterings that echoed from her left and immediately knew that she was in questionable company. Unfazed, Geneva could feel the coldness stretch down to her fingertips as she balled her fist, anticipating the end as the lid of the coffin creaked and slid gently to the side.
0.
Geneva wasted no time in pushing the lid up into the air, flipping it to the side as she jumped up. She took in the small chamber they were in — a faint glow from the candles barely illuminating the stone walls — and the second coffin that slowly opened up.
It's time to end this before it begins, Geneva thought, throwing herself out of the coffin, hitting the ground and charging across towards Cosette as she rose up, arms crossed over her chest like the dead.
There was no anger as Cosette opened her eyes, revealing them to be pure black.
Geneva, however, let the anger seep down into her fist as she sent it directly into Cosette's face. Her knuckles collided with Cosette's cheekbone, sending her flying out of the box.
Cosette crashed into the wall, though she made no sound.
Her mutterings, however, never stopped. Geneva couldn't even make out the words.
"What are you doing?" Geneva mumbled, fear lodged in her throat. Cosette rose silently to her feet, staring directly through Cosette with her dark, eternal eyes.
Geneva's lips twitched as her fists slowly grew colder and colder, ice encasing her skin until they shimmered. She had to end it. Cosette was a liability; an obstacle in the way of Geneva's eventual domination.
Cosette had to die before the arena even began.
Geneva charged forwards, swinging out with her fists. Each blow landed… but Cosette never once reacted. She was unfazed, lost in a trance, eyes unblinking and mouth constantly mumbling.
And then, as Geneva sent another fist into Cosette, her hand shot up, catching the attack.
Geneva's eyes widened, "Wha—"
Cosette squeezed down on Geneva's fist until she let out a scream, the sound of breaking ice as Geneva's bones shattered with the strength of Cosette's unnatural grip.
"Let go!" Geneva roared, jutting up her knee.
Cosette shoved Geneva back. Through her darkened vision, she briefly saw the girl that she despised, and called upon the curse that had granted her the exceptional powers of Limos.
"Praise Limos…" Cosette whispered. Overhead, one of the stalactites cracked from the ceiling, plummeting down.
The warmth in Cosette's eyes returned as Geneva — huddled over, cradling her broken hand — was impaled through the back of the neck and speared into the dirt. Her body twitched violently as blood pooled beneath her. Cosette was emotionless as she stepped forward; inside, however, a black fire had been ignited.
She stepped over her first kill, blood pouring from her hands, as she walked towards the sound of the other tributes down the tunnel.
The echoes of the other tributes being released travelled down the tunnel, reaching the cavern that Thiago was in. Despite the lid having moved, Thiago did not. Fear encapsulated his body and froze him in place.
Thiago… you have to move… you have to run…
Next to him, Odell was up like a shot. Thiago wanted to shrink away into nothing. He could feel Odell eyeing his hiding place up, sensing him in there. Thiago didn't stand a chance if Odell truly wanted to pick a fight with him.
But then he heard the slamming of boots against the ground, growing distant, and realised that Odell had spared him.
Gently pushing the lid away, Thiago poked his head up into the dampened light.
Thiago… you have to move…
But he just couldn't.
Never had Sanjay been more thankful to see Ludwin until now.
"Jay!" Ludwin bounced across the short distance between their two coffins, clapping his hand on Sanjay's shoulder as he unsteadily stood up. "What are the chances that we end up near each other?"
Sanjay let out a shaky breath, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still need to… get out."
Sanjay surveyed the room. Just a simple cave with a singular tunnel that led into the darkened unknown. From it, however, multiple voices began to resound against the stone.
It seemed the other tributes were on the move.
"Stick together," Sanjay could barely see Ludwin's expression in the candlelight, but the heat radiating off of him was profound, "And be wary of Geneva, I honestly think—"
"—She does," Ludwin stopped him, "I didn't want to say, but Myria all but confirmed that she wants to kill us…"
Sanjay gulped, "I'd rather she didn't."
Ludwin laughed shakily, clapping his hand on Sanjay's shoulder again, "Let's not give her the opportunity to then."
Someone shouted, followed by a strange, unearthly sound that made dust fall from the ceiling above.
"After you," Ludwin whispered, and Sanjay tensed, taking a deep breath as he began a careful journey into the pits of the chaos.
"Lazarus!"
Alanis came charging out of the tunnel, a layer of dust covering her face. Her eyes widened at the large mountain of stones that were piled in the centre, reaching up to a ceiling that was a few storeys above her head.
Other tributes began to appear from the nearby tunnels. Faces that Alanis had grown accustomed to seeing, but were now threats to her life.
Alanis steeled her gaze on Roman from District Four as he appeared next to her.
He flashed a cocky grin, "You should see what I did to the kid back there."
Alanis could see in the crooks of the rocks were items. Worn backpacks, bundled up pieces of cloth that most likely contained useful stuff, even a stray knife or metal pole sticking out. Alanis' stomach flipped when her eyes locked onto a mean-looking knife that was so close.
"Race you," Roman said before making a run for it.
Alanis didn't think. Impulsively, she ran at him, feet pounding against the ground hard. She didn't know where Lazarus or Vendelin was — and a small part of her brain reminded her that she was being stupid and reckless — but she needed to get supplies before they were all gone.
Roman reached the stones first, leaning up to tear one of the backpacks free. He swung it out as Alanis neared. She jumped back, dodging it, before making a beeline for the knife.
"No!" Roman shouted, kicking outwards.
His boot collided with Alanis' arm and she yelped, stumbling backwards.
"This one is mine too," Roman sneered, snatching the blade up into his hand, "Get your own."
Alanis' breath was shaky as she held Roman's stare, refusing to back down.
It's what killed her last time; a harsh reminder that she couldn't fight every injustice in Panem.
"Take it," Alanis stepped out as she caught a shadow running at Roman from behind, "I think you have bigger things to worry about."
Roman's eyes widened as the metal pole came crashing down on the back of his head. He crumpled to the floor instantly.
"Alanis!"
Alanis buckled over in sheer relief, "Lazarus…"
He couldn't find her.
Cenric had his back pressed against the curved, stone walls of the main chamber. Tributes began to trickle out from the tunnels, finding their allies and squabbling over the meagre items wedged into the rock.
Where is she? Cenric couldn't focus on survival. Not yet. He had to kill her for what she had done.
Deep in his head, a surge of power seemed to turn on. He watched as Cal from Eleven attempted to climb up the stone, reaching towards something. Cenric narrowed his eyes as one of the stones came loose, and Cal went crashing back into the ground.
He smirked. Not today, kid. Nobody gets to run.
The underground system shook again. Some of the tributes screamed as dust and loose stones rained down from above.
We'll be caved in soon, Cenric realised. There has to be more than this.
Cenric continued to edge around the perimeter slowly, observant, until he heard a faint sound coming from down the tunnel over his shoulder. He peered into the darkness.
Is that her? Cenric was so consumed with anger that he was blinded, running down it before he even knew what was happening.
He heard someone running up towards him. Cenric tucked his shoulder in and sped up. And then, they crashed, and Cenric put all of his might into shoving the tribute as far back down the tunnel as possible.
He heard them hit the floor, the whimper as they struggled back to their feet, before he locked onto their eyes.
It's not her.
"I'm sorry, kid," Cenric whispered as his eyes narrowed, a purple hue glossing over.
The boy began to scream as his body tightened, his legs forcibly marching back down to the tomb he had tried to escape.
Cenric followed. He needed to get some practice in.
In the dimly lit chamber, Cenric realised it was the boy from Five, Thiago. His posture was rigid as Cenric had full control over him.
Somewhere, in the pits of his soul that he had long since buried, Cenric knew that Osgar wouldn't approve.
But Cenric felt dead inside. Emotionally empty and void. All that existed was a higher power from Limos that desired pure and utter revenge.
Cenric marched Thiago in the corner, pushing him up against the wall.
Locked in place, Thiago was unable to fight as Cenric picked up a chunk of stone, abandoned on the floor. Silent tears streamed down Thiago's soot-covered face, streaking it, as his lips quivered.
"I said I was sorry," Cenric muttered again, raising the rock up and slamming it down against Thiago's forehead.
Thiago was unable to scream. Unable to flinch or defend himself or even react as Cenric had full control over every fibre of his body.
Cenric raised the rock and brought it down again and again, his purple-hued eyes growing increasingly darker with every crunch of Thiago's skull cracking open under the weight of his attacks. Thiago's eyes flickered shut as the blood that poured down his face made him unrecognisable.
"I said I was sorry…" Cenric didn't know who he was saying it for as his eyes returned to normal. Thiago's lifeless body crumpled in a heap at his feet. "Forgive me."
"You should pick on someone your own size."
His attention was stolen. Cenric glowered over his shoulder at the shadow stepping out from the tunnel. It was her. "You."
Sakura raised her fists, "A little birdie told me that you wanted to kill me? Not before I kill you again, fucker."
Lazarus, Vendelin and Alanis scaled the pile of rocks in the centre, tactically grabbing what they could and avoiding anyone who got too close.
Besides Alanis' run-in with Roman — and thanks to Lazarus' decision to just whack him with a pole like a pesky animal — they had been a little too lucky than most.
"Vendelin!" Lazarus shouted as he ran around the pile.
Vendelin was halfway up the rocks, shakily attempting to grab a backpack that glimmered in the candlelight. Whatever it was, it had made Vendelin decide to act like a hero, one of which made a ball knot in Lazarus' stomach.
He was never cowardly. Lazarus was, in all definitions, a free-spirit.
But Vendelin made him feel responsible, grounded, more mature than he had ever felt before.
"Vendelin!" Lazarus called again.
"Lazarus, watch out!"
Alanis' voice bounced across the room as Lazarus jumped back, barely missing the boulders that tumbled down from the pile, crashing at his feet. Above, Vendelin hung on, snagging the backpack proudly.
"I got it!"
"Lazarus, we need to find a way out!" Alanis shouted again.
Lazarus' palms were sweaty as he tightened the backpack onto his back. "Grab what you can and we should scout the tunnels!"
He kept an eye on Vendelin as he descended, but ultimately circled the perimeter, trying to ascertain what else they could possibly use. And then, he heard the roar before he was thrown to the ground.
Lazarus felt the gust of wind on the back of his neck as he rolled to the side. The metal pole crashed into the dirt where his head was just moments ago.
"Stop moving!" Roman roared.
Lazarus scrambled to his feet as Roman kicked outwards, connecting with Lazarus' gut. He buckled over onto his knees, fingers digging into the dirt as another kick sent him sprawling onto his back, dazed.
"Get— away— from me—"
Roman swung the metal pole downwards. Lazarus couldn't move in time — he curled his elbows inwards, balling himself up, as the metal pole slammed into his ribcage.
"Ah!"
The pole came down again. Lazarus took the hit once more, a cry for help evaporating on his tongue. Through the tears in his eyes, he could barely see the dried blood that arched down Roman's forehead, making his eyes seem feral.
Roman raised the pole again. The metal rod crackled with electricity, sparkling up the room before he disappeared from view, and Vendelin was suddenly there.
"Laz!" Vendelin was fraught, dragging Lazarus to his feet despite every protest in his bruised body saying no, "We have to move!"
Lazarus was unsteady as he looped his arm over Vendelin's shoulders, "Thank you…"
Vendelin swallowed the tears in his throat, "We should go… quick."
The air was knocked from Sakura's lungs as she hit the stone wall.
Oh, so they gave me super strength but made me as weak as the others? That sounds fair. Sakura barely had time to feel sarcastic about it before Cenric's fist came flying at her face. She ducked, hearing him cry out as his knuckles slammed into the stone.
She took advantage of his momentary idiocy, sending a hardened fist directly up into his stomach.
She smirked, waiting to hear his guts turn to mush, but instead, he just whimpered and staggered back. Sakura's eyes widened as she looked at her hands. Every vein was pronounced but she felt so much… weaker.
"You think you can beat me?" Cenric's eyes flashed purple, "You're not the only one who knows their power."
Sakura cracked her knuckles, "You think your prissy eyes scare me?"
"They should," Cenric blinked, and in that instant, Sakura fell to her knees. They dug into the ground until she could feel stones cutting into her skin, followed by the warm sensation of blood pooling.
The weight continued to push her further down until she forced onto her stomach, head tilted to the side, eyes locked with Cenric.
"I've been waiting for this since last night…"
Sakura pried her mouth open, "Get— a life—"
Cenric grimaced, "You killed me last time. If there's one thing that I'm certain of, it's that I'm vindictive enough to want revenge."
So you keep saying, Sakura struggled, wiggling on the ground as she was restrained invisibly. The weight continued to push down until her belly warmed with blood, jagged stones tearing through her shirt.
To her left, though, she could see Thiago's lukewarm corpse in a pool of dirt and blood. Her fingers twitched as she stretched out her hand.
"I want to take my time for this," Cenric mumbled.
"Fuck— you—"
"Stand up."
Sakura was forced up from the ground, helpless… but the movement was all she needed. In a blink of an eye, as she was lifted up, her fingers curled around Thiago's lifeless hand and, with a powerful yank against all odds, she ripped his arm clean from the socket.
Cenric didn't have time to react as Sakura broke free of the control long enough to swing Thiago's arm into his head.
The crushing weight on Sakura's bones eased as she was set free. She flipped the gruesome weapon in her hand — the sharp, fractured bone protruding where she had snapped it from the shoulder — and sent it straight into Cenric's chest.
The light in his purple eyes dimmed back to blue. Sakura snarled triumphantly as she used the memento to take him off of his feet, his back landed hard against the ground.
Sakura twisted the bone in Cenric's chest, "Do you hear that?" Sakura taunted, "It's the sound of you dying by my hands… again."
Blood pooled at Cenric's lips. Thick, red rivulets that pooled down the sides of his cheeks.
"No… you deserve a true way to go out."
Sakura ripped Thiago's arm from Cenric's chest, throwing it to the side. She fell to her knees, jamming her thumbs right into his eyes. Cenric's scream bounced off of the walls.
But that didn't stop her as she pushed down with gritted teeth, feeling the squelch of his eyeballs popping, the blood and pus squirting out around her. She pushed until she felt bone, until Cenric finally stopped screaming, until her thumbs hit something soft and squishy… until his skull shattered, and Cenric's head was obliterated.
Sakura stood up, feeling blood trickle down her belly and legs. She felt woozy and weak.
"See you never," Sakura chuckled breathlessly as she fell against the coffin, looking at the massacre before her.
She had plenty of time. After all, she was invincible.
The dark was suffocating as Isla kept close to the walls.
It was nothing short of chaos as tributes scrambled up the rock heap, grabbing what they could, getting into scuffles as desperation drove everyone a little mad. So many people were fighting that Isla knew that their chances were slim.
"Where's Cal?" Amryn asked by her side.
"He went in," Isla whispered, trying to search for him amongst the masses.
Heat radiated off of Amryn's body. Isla could feel it. "Maybe I should look for him?"
Isla's throat was tight. She could hear voices… voices from elsewhere. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of something grey, floating above the ground as it entered the chamber.
She didn't need to look to know what it was. She swallowed the cry in her throat as she saw Thiago move across the room, lost, his faded body missing an arm, his face smeared with dirt and blood.
"Rafe?"
Isla focused on the middle as another spectre appeared from the other side.
They needed to get out of here. She watched as some tributes found their items, their allies, and ran down tunnels that held no promises.
"Yeah… go and find him," Isla mumbled.
"Shout me if you find him first," Amryn nodded, bravely running into the middle to find him.
I hope I don't find him first.
Out of breath, Oscar looked around the chamber, ignoring the chaos and leaving himself completely exposed.
There's only twelve tunnels… there's twenty-four tributes… and I was with Rafe from Ten—
"Elika! Kozin! There's no way out!"
Kozin whipped his head around to face his ally, "Wait, excuse me?"
"There's no way out—" Oscar said, panicked, "—It doesn't add up! There's only twelve tunnels, and if we all came from them in twos, then… then there's no way out!"
"Oscar, move!"
Oscar heard the footsteps behind him as Kozin pushed him to the side. Kozin swung out with a metal pole he had found — stained with blood, he morbidly told Oscar — as it collided with Odell from Seven.
Odell stumbled to the side, eyes widened in shock, "Get out of my way!"
"You came near us!"
Oscar could feel the hesitation from both of the boys. Kozin and Odell squared each other up, but Kozin was the only one with a weapon. Odell, however, didn't look like the kinda guy to just back down without a fight.
"Let me grab this, and I'll be out of your way," Odell levelled.
Kozin took a step back closer to Oscar, "Hurry."
Odell never removed his gaze as he snatched the backpack, turning on his heel and running for one of the tunnels that Oscar knew would provide no help.
It didn't make sense. The Hunger Games would barely last if they were all trapped. Oscar looked at Kozin with shaky eyes.
"It… it doesn't make sense."
Elika soon came bounding around the corner. A hefty bruise was beginning to form on her forehead.
"Don't say anything to her," Kozin whispered at Oscar, who was immediately confused.
"What— what are we going to do?"
Oscar couldn't see Kozin's face but his posture tightened, "We'll work something out."
"Where's Tay?"
Eustolia had barely made it out of the tunnel when she found Ares, blood trickling down from her forehead, hiding in the shadows. Eustolia was so overwhelmed for the first time in her life that she didn't know what to say, or think, or how to put one foot in front of the other.
"I— I don't know," Eustolia mumbled.
"There's no way out!"
Eustolia and Ares both looked towards the boy from Three, Oscar. He was almost screaming at his two allies as they huddled by the rocks.
Eustolia tightened, but it was Ares who grabbed her hand, "We have to find Tay! There has to be a way out!"
Ares dragged Eustolia behind her as they ran across the ground. The candles on the wall flickered as more unearthly rumbles tremoured against the ceiling above. Panic was setting in, however, as the tributes continued to fight for survival.
In the blink of an eye, Eustolia was suddenly ripped from Ares' hold as a blast erupted directly beneath them.
Ares spun on her heel, words on her lips, as the impact shoved her backwards.
Eustolia hit the ground awkwardly, pain shooting up her arm as she was forcibly shoved across the dirt. She heard a crunch, followed by the indescribable fire that ached against her body.
All around her, the tributes screamed and shouted as the explosion rippled through the cavern. A ferocious crack split the earth, swallowing large mounds of the ground and causing the tributes to react, jumping and splitting to avoid it. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, the stalactites shaking from the impact.
"Ares!" Eustolia screamed before she knew. Fear seized her throat and, for the first time that Eustolia could truly remember, she felt helpless and scared. "Ares!"
A mushroom cloud of dust puffed up into the air, obscuring Eustolia's vision.
She couldn't see anything. Shadowy figures scrambled for safety, their voices penetrating the dense, sandy fog. Eustolia pulled herself slowly to her feet but the pain in her arm caused her to buckle over.
"Eustolia!"
"Ares!"
In the darkness, though, a figure moved towards Eustolia. She blinked the dust and tears from her eyes, steadily her feet, realising that Ares' voice was too far away to be walking right towards her.
Eustolia's breath was ragged, "A—Ares…?"
All she saw in response was a flicker of blackness that looked like the night sky, before the darkness overwhelmed her.
"Eustolia!"
Ares stumbled through the cloud of dust. She could hear the moans from those caught in the blast, or whatever it was, as well as the heat that radiated from the crack across the outer perimeter of the chamber.
Looming over her, the rock pile was intact, scraping the ceiling.
"Eustolia!"
"Ares—!"
Ares stopped, heart hammering against her chest. Her palms were sweaty. Her shirt clung to her wet back. But she recognised that voice, and somewhere inside of her, hope sprang alive. "Tay!"
A figure came bouncing at her and before she knew it, she could see Tay's grimy face, streaked with blood and dirt. "Ares, I'm so glad I found you!"
Ares' body sagged with relief momentarily, before she tensed again, "I lost Eustolia!"
Something hard slammed into Ares' side, stealing the air from her lungs as she buckled over.
"Ar—!"
There was a muted thud as Ares saw Tay's body hit the ground, eyes squeezed shut, limbs limp at her side. Ares blinked once, twice, before the figure appeared as the angry boy from Ten, Rafe.
Ares stiffened, "Rafe…"
He looked at her, eyes wild and petrified, "Who are you?"
Ares raised her hands defensively, "Rafe… please—"
"—Who are you!?" Rafe shouted.
Ares winced, "I'm— I'm Ares. I—I'm just looking for my other ally…"
In Rafe's shaky hands, he held a large rock that was stained with blood. Realisation suddenly hit him as it dropped from his hand, and he backed away from what he had just done.
"She… she attacked me first, I swear!"
Ares' eyes flickered from Rafe to Tay, "Okay… I'm sure it's a misunderstanding, it's okay— I can handle it—"
But Rafe turned on his heel and disappeared into the cloud of dust that continued to flit in the air.
Ares didn't know what to do. Eustolia was now missing, and whilst she had found Tay, they were exposed and Tay was unconscious and all Ares wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.
She had to make a choice at that moment.
To leave Tay and find Eustolia, thus leaving Tay vulnerable.
Or, to stay with Tay, and hope Eustolia can hold her own or find her way back to them both.
Limos, what should I do?
Her eyes fell on Tay's unmoving body and she knew almost immediately. It wasn't in her nature to abandon anyone, particularly those most in need. Ares bent down to try and move Tay, but she knew she was too weak to do it.
Instead, she crouched at Tay's side, bundling themselves up together, and waited out the storm as the deafening sounds of footsteps and shouts echoed around her.
Cosette flinched at the crack of a leather belt.
The darkness around her reminded her of the cupboard she was often forced into. To sit and pray to Limos for forgiveness for never quite being the appropriate daughter.
The contempt that her parents held for her, even as she grew stronger, and their power over her waned.
But the scars would never heal.
Cosette's face contorted horrifically, twisting and moving as if her skin was alive. Tears streamed down from her obsidian eyes, fingers and knuckles twitching. She was rooted on the spot, completely still, as her jaw unhinged and a monstrous howl beckoned.
The sudden warmth that filled her chest was replaced with coldness, and then sadness, and then the hateful fire of anger that she had hidden for some long. Light, darkness, emptiness all continued to switch roles, messing with her, tormenting her.
At her feet, Eustolia was paralyzed, eyes also black as the girls seemed focused solely on the other.
The crack of a leather belt that made Cosette flinch… the darkness that she prayed to… and the hatred that she hid deep within her…
"Stop!"
The unearthly moan that had plagued the arena began to grow louder and louder. It wasn't the same quake that had happened moments ago. In the distance, the faint echo of water droplets hitting the stone caverns felt more… pronounced.
"I said… stop!"
Eustolia's jaw opened, and she screamed, as Cosette yanked herself out of her trance and angrily swiped her hand.
"Enough!"
Cosette's eyes were full of fury as she stared down at Eustolia — the girl who had sent her to an emotional hell — as her head twisted slowly to the side, further and further, as the soft skin on her throat was ripped open by the trachea that Cosette had slowly forced out of her.
Blood pooled and gurgled from Eustolia's mouth but her scream was eventually silenced, her body flopping lifelessly to the floor.
Cosette felt nothing as she stepped over the girl, heading into the fray to claim a third casualty.
She made it two feet when the chamber began to shake once more. Cosette clenched her fists, ready to use whatever it took to survive, as the sound of dripping water began to intensify and the cavern continued to shake even stronger.
There was a loud crash as something hit the ground beside Cosette. She staggered as more and more fell around her. Screams continued to resound against the walls.
And then, through it all, a thin stream of light hit the rock pile, illuminating it for all to see. The cavern was no longer victim to an impenetrable wall of muted light. There… was a way out… up above… as if Limos was calling Cosette towards it…
She made it about two more feet when a wave of water came crashing into her out of nowhere.
Oop, you really thought it was over, huh?
