The landscape around them was covered in snow, huge cliffs rising from the ground as they walked out of the side of one, towering over them as they trotted along one of the paths.
"We used to have competitors from all over travel here to play in the games," Harper said, a small smile on her mouth, before the smile fell. "Before the others ruined it."
"So what happened?" Jesse asked.
"Hadrian and Mevia let power go to their heads- they started pitting people against each other just for sport," Harper said, punctuated with an unhappy sigh as they came to a huge, walled area. "Forcing people to be here... it just isn't right."
They came to a big, blue wool gate, Harper sighing and walking towards the gate, looking rather glum. "C'mon- I'll show you where you'll be staying."
Jesse took one quick look around her, spotting some polar bears in the distance, before following Harper into the walled 'city', bricks lining the roads of houses and stores and other things. It was actually really pretty, people racing around each other and walking around this huge pedestal with a picture of some guy wearing fancy armor on it. "Well, here it is- the competitor village. Sort of a 'home away from home' for all the people playing the games."
Jesse looked around, seeing different colored uniforms- purple, blue, yellow... "All of these people are in the games?" Jesse asked, raising her eyebrow.
Jace picked at a thread on his sleeve, a rather sour look beginning to come onto his face. Cassie and Petra gave him a concerned glance.
"Yep- at least the ones who aren't stuck working in the quartz mines. Those poor souls are just waiting for their next shot," Harper said, giving a store that said 'SHOVEL PLANET' a sad sort of look, with workers straggling out of the store.
"It's a good thing the Old Builders know me expressly- they streamlined my time to get out of the mines," Jace said moodily. "I was allowed to participate two years ago. Blew it three events in."
Jesse's head whipped around to face him so fast that her neck cracked. Rubbing it, she asked in a splutter, eyes wide, "You were in the quartz mines?"
Jace stared at the floor, a grouchy look on his face. "Yeah. Usually it takes at least seven years to get another shot, if not a lot more. I got back in after two years. This was the third event, so at least I made it through this time."
"That's... just horrible," Jesse said, reaching out and squeezing her brother's shoulder, patting his head. He closed his eyes, an expression Jesse couldn't place coming onto his face. "... yeah..."
Jesse glanced over to see some girl get chased off by the pink-haired gladiator away from the food stands as they kept walking, and winced a bit sympathetically.
"They didn't make a deal like you did, Jesse," Harper said, making the dark-haired girl turn to look at the former Old Builder, "they're stuck here until they win the games."
Petra's brow creased, her arms slowly crossing. "And what if they lose...?"
Cassie was hugging Winslow, Jace giving the calico cat an appraising sort of look. Harper turned around, wincing. "Hadrian sends them to toil in the mines. If they're lucky, they'll get another shot at the games... but like Jace said, it might take quite a while."
Harper turned to them, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm gonna go confer with Otto. He and I go way back, and, well, he's usually the most reasonable of the three."
Cassie nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, out of all the Old Builders, I think I liked you two the best. Though I'm pretty sure I liked a different one, too... I'm pretty sure his name was Soren? Out of all these guys he was the youngest. Oh, except for... oh, what was her name...?"
Jesse choked, and Petra started, both of them looking at Cassie with equally startled looks. They looked as though they were rabbits caught in headlights. "Soren?!" they sputtered in unison.
Cassie blinked. "Yeah- you guys know another one?"
"Let me get this straight... Soren, the Architect, wrote like 'Walking with the Endermen' or- or something like that?" Jesse asked, blinking rapidly.
Cassie nodded, hands behind her back. "Yeah, that guy."
Petra and Jesse shared another rather startled look. "... why does our life have to be one big box of surprises?"
"Heck if I know," Petra sighed, rubbing her forehead, before a more thoughtful look started to come onto her face. Her brow creased as Harper turned around and began walking off. "Wait, wait... we still haven't found Lukas or Ivor."
"I'm thinking," Harper said, wincing again, "that Hadrian must've... sent them through the portal to the mines..."
"What?!" Jace's tail went ramrod straight, and his eyes started going red, "that's technically against the rules- people aren't supposed to go there until after their whole team loses!"
Jesse hissed a bit, her face darkening. "Well then, we're just gonna have to get them back out."
"You said it," Cassie agreed serenely. The calming potion apparently hadn't worn off yet.
One of the gladiators was blocking the portal, as Harper put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "See what you guys can do here, I'm gonna try and confer with Otto." She gave the dark-haired girl a small smile. "I've got confidence in you, Jesse. You might just get out of this..." And then she walked off.
Jesse turned to Cassie and Petra, a more serious look coming over her face. "We've got to try and get our friends out of the mines. I'll go with Jace-"
"Yeah, I can introduce her to my team and some of the gladiators," Jace said, cheerfully.
"You guys go and see if you can do anything."
Cassie shot Jesse a serene thumbs up and meandered off with the other redhead. Jesse put her hands on her hips. "You know, for a former murderer and a Blaze hybrid, those two get on exceptionally well," she murmured.
Jace seemed unsure whether to laugh or to look stern, so he compromised by scooping up a handful of snow and choking on it.
A/N: Lol had to end it there xD
rebekahtpe: Aww thanks xD And yes. I've read the entire series over six times. (My favorite is the Goblet of Fire)
RattlesnaketheSandWing: Yep, the minute you turn 15, you're eligible for participation in the games. :)
NoItsBecky: Oh the others all KNOW how to swear... they just tend to avoid it because it's not as polite. Cassie's been alone for like six years and is therefore a bit rusty when it comes to being socially polite. xD
ChoyofBonk: I can't wait for that chapter either... I've got a teeny surprise (evil grin)
Choco: Pffff xD
RapidSammi: Um... because laughter is contagious and I died laughing while writing parts of the chapter?
LittleAngelbun: Heehee
DemonCatLady: Well, Jace is like a pet dog to Jesse- pet dogs are extremely loyal. He's remembered her almost perfectly and is basically like "Oh my god I love you so much" even after you leave the dog alone for a month and then come back. Part of it might be her scent? I dunno how dogs work xD And Jesse's just remembering him, so those memories are really fresh in her head.
Toni42: Heeheehee (evil grin)
Kitty7Claws: Aw thanks :)
angelwings: Naw I think everyone in this day and age knows at least a couple swears
TheRealRedGaming: That may take a while, seeing as my previous social media experience has scarred me for life (partially joking here...)
x.X. A.L. X.x.
