Infestissumam

I. All Your Dreams Will Come True

Kaisarion Van Doren walked down the stairs from his room, the throng of the chaos of breakfast emanating from the kitchen. The rays of the sunlight that shone through the windows were hard on his eyes they were still accustomed to the darkness almost made him miss a step. Entering the kitchen, clearing the sleep dust from his eyes he was greeted by the taunts of his sister.

"Look who finally decided to emerge," Alecto jeered.

"It's a big day, I'm allowed to sleep in," Kaisarion replied. Selection Day. The that in which Kaisarion would find out whether he had gotten the coveted volunteer spot. He was confident that he had, he had excelled in the selection trials though Nero fucking Bane was clipping at heels right behind him. It would please Kaisarion a great to wipe the smug grin off the arrogant bastard's face and he was quite sure that would get to see such a delightful sight.

Considering Valerian though…Would they? Could they?

"I would think you'd be up early to get ready."

"Well, you thought wrong."

He poured himself a cup of coffee from the cafetiere and slumped himself into the back of a chair. Julian was stabbing his knife into the wooden table, the scraping sound that it produced piercing through the sizzling of bacon.

"Stop that Julian you'll ruin the table, or worse, hurt yourself," their mother chastised

Kaisarion took a sip from his coffee. "Don't shout of the boy, I did the same when his age and I can't point out exactly what marks are mine," he said.

"Kaisarion!"

"I can point out what marks our Alecto's as well," He added.

And Valerian's too.

"Kaisarion, that's not something to be proud of."

Though Kaisarion begged to differ, he dared not test his mother further. It would better not give her an excuse to feed him with the smaller pieces of bacon or the eggs that had broken in the pan. Or both for that matter.

Making broken eggs that amalgamated into one mutated blob, something that Valerian had been quite adept at making. It was a shame that he…

"Kaisarion, come and get your breakfast," his mother called out.

He pulled himself from his seat, walked over, and took his plate. Broken eggs and what he assumed were smaller bits of bacon. A glance at the frying pan confirmed such. He returned to the table, dragging the seat as to be right beside Julian.

"I'll teach you a little game Julian, surprised you don't it yet." He whispered, placing his left hand down on the table and spreading out his fingers. "First grab a knife, then place it between of your every finger and then back again, but fast and getter even with each cycle," he added giving a demonstration as he explained.

"What if that stab or scrape one of my fingers?" Julian asked

"You get to stop. You until someone for lack of better phrasing injure themselves." Kaisarion replied, holding both hands revealing an array of tiny scars. "And you might get hands looking this. "I suggest you practise before you challenge anyone"

"Your teaching Ju that stupid knife game, aren't you?" Alecto yelled from across the table

"Alecto! You fucking rat! And just you're saying that because you never beat me" Kaisarion retorted

"Kaisarion! Do you want your little brother to lose his fingers" his mother chastised him once more

"Everyone plays it!" Kaisarion said, conjuring up an excuse for himself

"That's not an excuse, Kaisarion"

Kaisarion wasn't to blame, well not entirely, only mostly. It was Valerian who had first taught him.

"Practise away from the eyes of your mother" Kaisarion whispered to Julian.

Kaisarion finished up his breakfast and then returned to his room to get dressed and ready. After thirty minutes he returned in the suit that his parents had insisted he wore. A sudden nervousness had rushed over him, all his underlying doubts were pushed to the forefront of his mind. What if didn't get the volunteer spot? What if it went to Nero Bane?

Was this how Valerian had felt?

"I'm sure you'll be selected, Kaisarion," His mother said

"You'll be selected and give our family the victors we deserve" His father declared.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, father. I have been selected just yet."

"Son, don't doubt yourself, doubt his step on the.."

"The path to destruction. I know father" Kaisarion cut in.

Doubt is was had consumed, Valerian

Kaisarion was waiting in the Great Hall with all the other hopefuls, for the grand announcement of who had the honour and the privilege of representing District Two in the 95th Annual Hunger Games. Kaisarion was just anxious as nearly everyone else, if not more so. If there was one person who was not worried, it would be his friend Telemacus Forge, who was certain that he wouldn't get the spot. Kaisarion was sure that was at least a little disappointed but he was set to enter Peacekeeper training. Being a Peacekeeper was something Kaisarion placed near equal honour with being a tribute, protecting the nation from criminals and dissents, punishing those who destroy the peace had been kept for nearly one hundred years. Something that outer districts often failed to recognise.

"You've got this, Kai," reassured Telemachus. "The sung bastard's not gonna steal spot and if he does, I'll kill the little shit for ya"

"If your correct, Tel, you won't have to go killing anyone and much like to not the arrogant fucker around anymore, if you are for your sake," Kaisarion replied

"Speak of the devil," Telemachus said noticing Nero sauntering over to them.

"Take all in Kaisarion," Nero said, each word slicked in arrogance

"Take what is, Nero?" Kaisarion asked sarcastically.

"Me. My glory. The visage of the next male volunteer," Nero replied, seemingly not noticing the Kaisarion's mocking tone.

"You sound like bloody One." Kaisarion taunted

Nero grunted in anger. "And what do you know of District One?"

"A fair bit, I've analysed their behaviour over past games, gather information on their typical traits and mannerisms and you've exhibited some of their worse qualities. Self-importance, an inflated sense of one's physical attractiveness… I could go on" Kaisarion derided

"Well…you…you…"

"I'm not surprised you can't muster a response, wit was never a strength of yours, my dear Nero."

Nero grew angered grew and seemed on the brink of starting a fight. "It is not wise to insult a future of victor!" Nero snarled. "In fact, in the mind to give you a taste of the consequences right now…"

"Settle down everyone." Vespasian Lang, Head of the Selection Board and previous victor, boomed.

A silence befell the previously buzzing Great Hall. Nero withdrew, his anger still visible.

"I hope that his confidence will be demolished in just a small few moments". Telemachus muttered

"Me too, Tel, me too."

"The time a come upon us to announce the volunteer for the 95th Hunger Games. Representing District Two in great honour and after much deliberation with we are sure that the chosen trainees will bring honour and pride to our most noble district" Vespasian declared. "First the female volunteer this year will be Enyo Thebes!"

A cheer mixed with groans of disappointment erupted, throwing the Great Hall into a cacophony once again.

Vespasian waited a moment for cheers to quiet. Moving on to the male volunteer this year," his voice cutting down the last remaining voices. "The male volunteer this year will be Kaisarion Van Doren!"

A wave of elation washed off Kaisarion. He had done it. He had secured the converted volunteer spot, and all of his years of training had paid off. A week from now he would declare triumphantly was volunteering.

What had Valerian felt in this moment? Elation? Surely.

Amidst his celebrations, with Telemachus, he saw Nero storm off followed by his lackeys. An extra thing to celebrate, the smug bastard was not so smug anymore. Kaisarion snuck over to get a closer look at Nero's amusing reaction to not getting what he felt was owed.

"I can't believe that gave, it to him!" Nero growled "How fucking, could they! After that stunt that fucking coward brother Valerian pulled!"

Fury flared up in Kaisarion. Suppress it, suppress it, suppress it. He tried telling himself but was futile. "What the fuck did you say, you salty little shit?!" Kaisarion shouted, malice pouring through every word

"I said. I can't believe they gave it to you. After the stunt your coward brother, Valerian pulled!"

Kaisarion lunged forward swinging at Nero, his clenched fist hitting Nero squarely in the jaw. Nero fell ground spitting blood onto the floor. "Keep his name out of our filthy mouth"

Nero pulled himself up. "You're defending him. Someone like you entering the Games, defended a craven shit like your brother, the fuck's this place come to?"

Kaisarion lunged at once again, this time he was pulled back by Telemachus. "He's not worth it Kai. He's not worth anything." Telemachus said in an attempt to calm Kaisarion down

"Then what you worth Kaisairon. What's Valerian worth" Nero continued to taunt.

"Ignore him, Kai,". Telemachus said he dragged him away from Nero.

Nero did have point though, for once in his life. Valerian was a coward. He has no business calling himself a Van Doren. Then why had gotten so enraged at Nero's accusations? Did he still harbour good feelings and not just good memories about Valerian?

No. No. No.

It was the slander against him that Nero has delivered that got him so riled up. Whilst was right about Valerian, he prove would Nero wrong about himself.