In another world, Issa Williams sits in front of an easel. He paints a simple still life of fruit in a bowl. But the edges are tinged with red. He has made it to his beautiful world, but he wonders at what cost.
The three final tributes looked each other over, still and silent, as if waiting for one of the others to make the first move. Anthracite rose from her position over Carlotta's body and wiped away her tears. No one responded. No one attacked.
In another world, Arachne Weber smiles shyly as she cuts a ribbon in front of her new home in Victor's village. It is the official opening of District Eight's newest orphanage, one where the children won't be exploited.
This was it. Astra knew only these two girls stood between her and home now. Both looked awful, dirty, and spattered with blood. She knew that she must look the same. Perhaps worse, with Violet's arrow still stuck in her collarbone, a makeshift plug to keep her from bleeding out. Slowly, she reached up and snapped the arrow in half to make it a harder target. If she got this far only to die when someone pulled an arrow out of her, she would come back to life just to die again out of shame. No one moved for what seemed like an eternity.
In another world, Mattock Coccia wakes in the middle of the night, screaming. He goes to the kitchen to talk to Anthracite, only to remember she isn't there.
Serena May hesitated, as did the other two girls, although she only knew her own reasons for the pause. Making it to the end of the Games was always more theoretical than practical. She clung to the hope of winning only to avoid thinking of her own death. Now that victory was so close, the end weighed heavily upon her. Everything was more real, more intimate, than perhaps anything in her life ever was before.
Besides Titania.
After this fight, her fate would be sealed. She would be Victor. Or she would be dead. She wanted this moment to drag to infinity. Perhaps the other two sensed it as well, and all of them were sharing this moment in solidarity. If so, the Capitol wouldn't allow it for long.
In another world, Demetri Donovan tries to get used to all of the new positive attention. Gennie, his long time crush, is the first to welcome him back. "You did Five proud." She says, and kisses him on the cheek.
Anthracite heard a burbling noise and cautiously turned her head without fully losing sight of the other two girls in the cave. She watched as a great wave of lava poured down from the passageway she and Carlotta had fallen through to the cave they were in now. Instinctively she backed up, until the back of her shoes met water, cold and just barely soaking through to her socks. She watched the girl from Six draw her crossbow, for all of the good it would do. Just as it hit the archway where the corridor opened up into the lake, however, the lava began to freeze. Layer after layer hardened on top of itself, until eventually the opening was covered by a thick, impenetrable sludge. She turned to look at the other openings and saw the same exact thing. Now, the only way to leave the lake was to win the Hunger Games.
In another world, Zella Waneta receives an invitation to the Capitol. She is the guest of the president herself, who asks for strategic input in the formation of a new military force. As she accepts her new position as Panem's premiere general, she realizes that the Games were just training for her true purpose.
There was no longer the luxury of sitting still; Serena May needed to consider her opponents, and fast. Anthracite was strong and athletic. She could never take her head on. Astra was physically closer to an equal, but by her dyed black clothes, Serena May sensed she was clever. She couldn't simply outthink her like Elixane. Not only that, but the girl from Six had the advantage of a crossbow. If either of the other two made the first move, she would die. Serena May lunged for Astra, taking a swing at her crossbow. Her foe dropped the weapon, but was able to dodge her fists in time to elbow Serena May in the nose. Painfully.
In another world, Raleigh West stands looking at a newly renovated shop in the South Quarter. All of his earnings from the Games have gone towards this neighborhood rather than himself. He hopes in the future no one from the South Corner will ever be reaped again.
As the crossbow fell to the ground with a dull thud, Anthracite reached to retrieve it, but Astra seemed to panic and kicked the weapon out of her grasp and into the lake. She let out a cry of anguish, then, that seemed disproportionately suited to the loss of a weapon, but Anthracite hardly thought of it as anything but an opening to attack. She charged forward, knife in hand, and slashed up at the girl from Six's neck.
In another world, Lucien Narciso tries on his new suit of black armor. It is beautiful, like him, and fashioned after Katniss Everdeen, also like him. The new Mockingjay walks out to meet the leaders of the rebellion.
Astra silently swore at herself as she instinctively raised one arm to defend against Anthracite's attack. The knife left a deep gash in her forearm, though that was better than being dead. Of course the girl would aim for the neck, she had shown both of her opponents just how vulnerable she was there. Had she any sense remaining, she would have broken the arrow off before entering the underground lake, perhaps even wrapped it so the injury would be less obvious and the shaft held still inside the wound. But ten minutes ago, she wasn't aware there would be anyone else in the cave. All she knew was that a volcano was erupting behind her and precious time was already wasted being fair. Time had come to fight dirty for once.
In another world, Seaward Waters stands in front of a massive crowd, telling jokes. They all laugh. Despite the fortune, and the nightmares, nothing seems to have changed. When he is alone, he wishes that they had.
Serena May watched Anthracite and Astra fighting each other from a short distance, taken by how strange it was to witness a fight to the death without getting involved. But this was her best course of action. If either girl killed the other, the survivor would probably be injured, giving her an advantage in the fight after. She just needed to hold back and save her strength. Thinking this way felt cold and unempathetic. But she was beginning to think that might be what it took to survive the Hunger Games. While she thought on this, Astra reached an arm out and yanked her forward. Serena May lost her balance, toppling onto Anthracite with no chance to react.
In another world, Ruben Ashven struggles to forge a horseshoe. Blacksmithing isn't easy for him, but that is why he likes it. Being good at things reminds him of killing, something he has had far too much experience with.
The other girls crashed into each other, just as Astra planned, buying her crucial time to think. Without Daphne, she had no weapons, and she had only ever seen Careers or sturdier tributes than her win the Games hand-to-hand. She needed a weapon, and fast. Some of her supplies were hidden everywhere she made camp, a clever bit of foresight on her part, just in case she lost things while being chased away. Unfortunately, her closest stash was ten feet past a door, one of those which was now made of solidified ash. But more fortunately, Astra noticed a small tent on the other side of the lake, that might contain her key to victory. Before she could move towards it, however, she felt a hand around her ankle.
In another world, Nettie Sue Monroe attends a meeting about meal plans for District Nine's first domestic abuse shelter. The other members of the project seem unsure about quinoa and bok choy, but people are too afraid of her now to disagree with her for long.
Anthracite gasped as the wind was knocked out of her for the third time in the past hour when Astra fell on top of her. All she meant to do was use the other girl's leg for the stability she needed to get up. Now all of them were on the ground in a tangle of limbs and weapons. She moved too much the wrong way and Serena May's axe tore into the flesh of her thigh. She whimpered in pain and rolled in the opposite direction until she felt the edge of the icy lake, hoping the distance would allow her some time to catch her breath.
In another world, Dash Grester and his boyfriend start a new Career Academy. At the Diamond Institute, children are allowed to train no matter who they are or what the rest of the District thinks of them.
Black sand stung Serena May's face, and she reeled back from the pain, too startled for anything else. Astra used the opportunity to wriggle out from under her and sprinted away at top speed. Serena May's suspicions were all but confirmed: the girl from Six was up to something. As afraid as she was of Anthracite's stamina and strength, Astra's ingenuity would kill her even faster if left unaccounted for. Anthracite was still catching her breath some distance away, so she ran, chasing after Astra.
In another world, Tanner Kelly's brother looks at him with a respect he's not sure he's earned. He still forgets many things, but he will never forget Astra Porter's name.
Hand-whittled tools, some rope, what looked like a few fishing hooks, and other various supplies littered the space inside of the tent. Whoever made camp here was a practical sort, but Astra wasn't looking for fishing supplies. She was looking for a weapon. She found one in the corner of the tent, stashed near where someone might rest: it was a crude blade fashioned out of rock, and she frowned. While it was better than nothing, it would still leave her at quite a disadvantage. There was so little time to think critically, she knew, before one of the other girls was upon her. Still, she took a moment to consider her options, and resolved to build something. Grabbing the rope, she struggled to formulate an idea, when a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye diverted Astra's attention.
In another world, Cordelia Korver ignores the judgemental stares of people who think she isn't looking. She has survived and that is all that matters. "It's better to be hated," her new friend, and fellow mentor Brook Silvertip, tells her, "Fewer of them will try to own you."
Her lungs burned and her legs felt like the bones inside had been ground into mush, but Serena May didn't stop. She was hardly out of shape, but this was her third or fourth fight in a row, depending on how exactly she defined a fight. Only an hour ago, there were nine tributes left, and Titania remained alive. Keeping up was turning into a struggle of its own. She stopped as she reached the entrance to the tent to catch her breath. Astra was inside the shelter, unable to leave without confronting her. Anthracite was further down the lake bed, still a few minutes away, too far to be dangerous. She had time. Then Astra burst from the tent and wrapped a rope around her neck.
In another world, Tesla Nichols holds her father tight. She is older now, and a little wiser. But she has learned the hard way to never let the ones you love go.
Rope was barely a weapon, but Astra was desperate enough to make anything work. Serena May gasped, clawing at the rope to try and get free. Without warning she propelled herself backward, by accident or on purpose, it was impossible to tell. Astra fell on the end of her rope and collided with one of the support structures for the tent. It came down around her and Serena May both. Slashing blindly at the canvas with her makeshift knife, she hoped to cut a hole large enough to see through. A loud rip, and suddenly pale green light shone to the left of her. Serena May must have had a similar idea. Quickly and without really thinking it through, Astra charged.
In another world, Diamond Stark shops for an engagement ring. He is afraid the jeweler will send him away, but instead she designs a custom piece for him for free. "She would like that, I think," Sapphire Topaz says with a smile.
Contrary to popular belief in the Capitol, fighting to the death was rarely pretty. Anthracite watched as Serena May and Astra practically shot out from the tattered remains of the tent, the latter using what dwindling strength she had to push them both back towards the lake. Serena May fell into the water, and Astra held her head down. They were preoccupied with each other, and Anthracite realized that she was the least injured of the three. If she killed Astra now, Serena May would be unable to stand against her, if she didn't drown first.
Creeping towards the water as quietly as she could, Anthracite moved unnoticed, the sound of her approach covered by Serena May's frantic splashing against the water. She took a deep breath. Astra would not be her first kill, but before now, it was always in the heat of the moment. This was the first time she really thought about what she was doing before doing it. But if she pulled this off, she would be able to go home. She was almost there, with her weapon raised, when the girl in the water suddenly went limp and Anthracite's reflection appeared in the water as it went still.
In another world, Titania Topaz helps out around her mother's shop, both she and it are now favored by the Capitol again. A girl looking at necklaces winks at her. She does not wink back.
Astra really should have known by now not to lose track of her surroundings. A similar mistake almost cost her her life in the Boneyard, and as she rolled to avoid Anthracite's attack, she realized just how close her obliviousness had come to killing her again. Panic-stricken, Astra threw her rock knife as hard as she could. It hit Anthracite squarely in the head. As her opponent wiped a torrent of dark red blood from her eyes, Astra used the opportunity to pick up Serena May's dropped axe. It was heavy in her arms, and difficult to swing, but it was a much better weapon than what Anthracite had. Before the other girl could fully recover from her head wound, Astra swung the deadly blade.
In another world, Rust Waxy looks at the statue of himself erected in the town square. It is strange to him how the District that once hated him now sees him as a hero. He wishes that someone could see him as simply Rust, but everyone who once did died in the Games.
Anthracite barely had time to wipe the blood from her eyes before there was even more spattering her from the fresh axe wound in her shoulder. There was so much pain she almost dropped her knife, but managed to readjust her grip for a quick retaliatory slash. Her earlier hesitancy cost her dearly now; Astra forced her from calculated thought to desperation. Once again operating on instinct, her stabbing was quick, but precise. After a few missed attacks the other girl easily dodged, one quick, sloppy jab was enough to reopen the wound in Astra's neck. Anthracite heard her foe gasp as blood gushed from somewhere vital-seeming. A killing blow, both of them realized, albeit a slow one. Astra's attack became even more relentless than before. At this point she only needed to outlast her opponent, and so Anthracite did the only sensible thing.
She ran.
In another world, Ashlar Granodum hosts a lecture for the newly official District Three Career Academy in their expensive auditorium facility. He smiles wide, but his mind is far away, still trapped in the Pit with the boy he left to die.
Participating in the Hunger Games had given Astra a lot of time to contemplate her own death. She had imagined herself poisoned or run through by a spear or blown up by the mines at the cornucopia. But she never expected death to come for her in slow motion. Applying pressure to her wound with her spare hand, she did her best to slow the bleeding as she watched Anthracite run away. She was in no shape to chase after the girl, but without taking drastic action she would die here, slowly choking on her own blood. She clenched her fist around the rope in hand. Feeling the coarse material gave her focus, and she realized that she had one crazy plan left in her.
Grunting loudly, Astra pulled a fish hook embedded in her arm when the tent fell out of her skin. Anthracite heard her pained sound and stopped about eight feet away to watch her curiously. That curiosity gave Astra hope. If her opponent had run much farther, her plan might not have worked. She tied one of the ends of the rope to her wrist for stability then secured the fish hook to the other end with a tight knot. There was no choice but to let go of her wound for a moment to make sure the knot was tightly fastened, costing her precious time, but it couldn't be helped. Twirling the makeshift lasso a few times to test that it held, she threw the rope as quickly as possible at Anthracite. She managed to securely wind the rope around the girl from Twelve's ankle and the fish hook bit into her skin. Astra pulled.
In another world, Elixane Marcus trains a new generation of District Three Careers sanctioned by the Capitol and celebrated by all of Panem. Those caught cheating or using dirty tricks to get ahead are promptly thrown out of the program.
Anthracite heard something crack inside her, suddenly filled with searing agony. Yet she felt lucky not to have broken anything more, given how often she was falling lately. The stakes now were too high to worry much about a broken bone. Astra was dragging her along, but she no longer had enough energy to break free of the rope. Pain blurred her vision and part of her thought about simply giving up.
Then she remembered Mattock, and Tesla, even Carlotta. So many people had helped her get this far. Even if she died here, she owed it to them not to give up. Astra Porter was above her, axe in hand, her form distorted strangely by the perspective of being dragged and the reddish tint of blood in her eyes. Before the girl from Six could strike the killing blow, however, Anthracite jolted forcefully up at her.
In another world, Violet Beckingridge tries to adjust to a world where she doesn't have to work for much of anything anymore. She begins to think that maybe her actions have been rewarded after all.
The headbutt took Astra by surprise, and she took a couple steps back. This tightened the rope, however, and Anthracite cried out in pain. They were tied together now, making maneuvering difficult for the both of them. Astra hadn't quite thought through what would happen once she got the other girl close to her. Eliminating the distance between them was her sole focus. But the girl from Twelve flashed her a smile of triumphant realization and Astra knew that she had made a mistake. Anthracite forcefully kicked her leg backwards, pulling the rope taut the other direction. Astra braced herself, using all of her strength to stay standing. For a moment they stayed like that in some sort of morbid tug-o-war, until Anthracite pulled again and Astra's leg gave out. She crumpled forward, where Anthracite's knife was waiting for her.
In another world, Carlotta Pierce squeezes the hand of her former mentor, who smiles back reassuringly. She takes a deep breath, and knocks on her aunt Marge's door.
Anthracite lay in the dirt, struck dumb as she heard the cannon fire. Astra was gone, and she was the last person standing. She was now the winner of the Hunger Games. But with that being the case, shouldn't a hovercraft arrive to retrieve her? Maybe a hole would open in the ground and swallow her, the way Tesla's body was taken. There was no sign of the gamemakers or movement of any sort at all. Her heart hammered in her chest, an uneasy feeling settling over her. Then it hit her what seemed wrong; Astra's cannon was the first and only shot she had heard since the finale began. She stood up and turned her attention fearfully towards the lake, where Astra had left Serena May's body.
There was nothing there.
In another world, Astra Porter looks at the burnt remains of her family home. The President made it clear she wasn't lying, calling it 'the price of her rebellion.' But even so, she needed to see it for herself.
Relatively mild as the lake water might be, it felt icy cold to Serena May, after days of searing desert heat. But the temperature shocked her system enough to supercharge her thinking. Always a fast thinker, she could be even quicker with some adrenaline in her system, much less on the brink of death. Astra scarcely had her under the water before she was considering how to break free of the girl's grip. District Seven's many lakes and rivers were a friend to Serena May, places where she swam peacefully countless times. She could hold her breath for several minutes at a time, but Astra didn't know that, and neither did Anthracite. Serena May went limp, and both of them assumed she was dead, perhaps even those watching the Games at home did too. She tried hard not to think about her Mom and her Auntie's breaking hearts as she swam to the opposite side of the lake.
As she emerged from the water, her foot banged against something hard and metal on the shore. Serena May looked down and saw Astra's crossbow lying in the sand at her feet. She wondered if a wet crossbow could fire.
Across the lake, she could see Anthracite looking for her. It was only a matter of time before she looked up and found Serena May. Even as fast as she could do it, there was no longer any time to think.
As it turned out... a wet crossbow could fire just fine.
In another world, Anthracite Amber Weitz looks into the camera for her latest propaganda shoot. She encourages the districts to join the rebellion. Afterwards, she promises President Thornewood she will never tell a soul what she has been asked to do.
But in this world, Serena May Lenovius stands on the bank of an underground lake clutching a crossbow she knows nothing about. As the cannon fires for the last time and the ground starts to open up beneath her she passes out from her injuries, equally unaware what life beyond the Games will hold.
AN: And that's it, folks. We have reached the end of the games. Not quite the end of the story, though. There will be two wrap up chapters which I highly recommend everybody read. But we finally have a victor! Congratulations to Serena May by Lunasfanworks. But I'd also like to acknowledge the other two tributes in the finale.
3rd, Astra Porter by Team Shadow- Some characters I had an instant connection to, and some I grew to love over time. My affection for Astra was a bit of a snowball. I originally had her dying somewhere mid-games, but every time I wrote her she would do something interesting and innovative and great. I was still looking for a counter mockingjay for Anthracite (that plot point was decided pretty early), and after a while I realized just how perfect Astra was for the job. She was bright and stubborn and passionate and my story wouldn't have been the same without her.
2nd, Anthracite Amber Weitz by CuriousClove- I knew the arena before most of the tributes were submitted. So when I saw Anthracite's submission, my sadistic tendencies came out. I knew I just /needed/ to put the girl who almost died from heat stroke into a desert. The way Anthracite's personal arc of learning to rely on herself intersected with the Capitol arc of trying to fashion a fake mockingjay has probably been the core of this entire story, and it wouldn't have been possible without this character. I'm going to miss you, Double A.
And of course, 1st, Serena May Lenovius by LunasFanworks- I didn't see a lot of people predict this, and I admit that was sort of by design. While I doubt many people think Serena May is incapable of winning, she was often in the background of all of the subplots occurring around her. Sort of a tortoise and the hare scenario. That said, if Anthracite's arc was the plot core of Desolation, Serena May's romance with Titania was the emotional one. I absolutely loved writing her, and look forward to writing her more since this story does have a sequel.
As you may have picked up from this chapter, I loved every single one of my submissions, and I think about all of them constantly. This finale has been very bittersweet for me, and I thank everyone who went on this journey with me. Please stay tuned for the final two chapters, and have a wonderful day.