Prologue II:

Dracana Molloi, District One, Victor of the 126th Hunger Games

None of them know exactly what is about to happen to them. Dracana had been careful about what information she revealed about herself in the Capitol to not let them have any idea about the real reason she volunteered. She let them believe she was just a dedicated friend who wanted to honor her former friend after her tragic death in last year's Quarter Quell. Let them take pity on her. Think she's weak and barely holding it together still after the death of her beloved Lorelei. And she is still feeling the pain from her best friend's death, Dracana won't deny that. She is a dedicated friend who wants to win for Lorelei.

But she's also here to make sure District Two is destroyed for what they did to Lorelei last year. She will not let District Two get a victor after they let their victor last year so brutally kill Lorelei. She was killed in cold blood…killed without a chance of a fight.

Not this year. This year, it will be District Two getting killed without a chance. She is going to show them that they picked the wrong person to mess with last year.

Dracana waits as the timer counts down, waiting for the start of the Games. She let the pair from Two come up with a plan for their alliance at the start, allowing her to know exactly what their plan is so she can sabotage that. None of the others know her plan, all the better so they aren't prepared to stop her. So when the pair goes to attack other tributes, thinking Dracana will be watching their backs, she'll be watching alright. Watching as she drives a knife into their backs.

Ten more seconds. Ten more seconds until she will get her revenge.

"Just know that this is all Glacia's fault," Dracana whispers to herself, hoping the cameras pick up on it so the victors from Two can know. She wants them to know she had this planned.

The gong sounds and Dracana takes off, running to the cornucopia to get supplies, taking a large bag from the mouth, a belt of knives, and a sword, knowing she doesn't have time to grab more. Not if she wants to catch them unaware.

Screams are already starting around her as the first tributes fall, making her scowl that the first deaths were not the pair from Two. But she finds the first of them quickly as Eddard pulls his sword out of the stomach of a tribute. Their other allies are staring to arrive, getting their weapons as they prepare to defend their supplies, and Dracana makes her move. Eddard moves to his next target, unaware of Dracana until her sword is sticking through his chest.

Eddard coughs as he falls to the ground as more tributes keeping screaming. But one person yelling stands out as Dracana runs over to Lillian, the girl from Two doing what she's trained to do, kill tributes. "Dracana, what the fuck are you doing?!"

Lillian looks over at the sound of Dracana's District partner yelling, seeing just in time as Dracana tries to stab her. She deflects her sword enough for it to go in her shoulder instead and she cries out as she tries to stab Dracana in return, but Dracana places a good kick to her stomach, sending her backwards to the ground. With one quick movement, Dracana stabs the girl in the chest, ending District Two's chances.

Dracana cries out as an arrow pierces her back, stopped from being a fatal hit by her bag. She turns back and just barely has enough time before Elaina shoots another arrow at her, the girl from Four looking quite pissed at Dracana. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting my revenge!" Dracana holds out her hands, gesturing at the pair from Two that now lay dead at her feet. "Those bitches shouldn't have killed Lorelei!"

"Dracana, why would you do this?" Trystan says to her as her District partner is dragged forward, a knife at his throat from their other remaining ally.

"Sorry bud," Dracana says, not really feeling sorry for her District partner. He was going to die anyways for her to win. "This was always my plan."

"You've fucked things up for all of us!" Elaina yells at her again, shooting another arrow and making Dracana start running again as the knife is pulled across Trystan's throat, leaving her District partner dead.

Dracana doesn't look back as she runs off, running in a zigzag motion to keep dodging the arrows being fired at her, waiting for the satisfaction to hit her that she did it. But it never comes. After who knows how long of running away, she starts to slow, confused at why she's not feeling happier about finally seeing her plan through. "I don't understand," Dracana says to herself as she looks down at her hands stained red with blood. "I did it…"

But the two deaths aren't changing what happened last year. It's not going to bring Lorelei back from the dead. It's not going to make Lorelei the victor instead of Glacia.

Dracana collapses next to a tree, trying to hold in the sobs that want to escape as she realizes this hasn't done anything to numb the pain. If anything, getting to this point has just made the pain come back renewed since there's no longer this goal distracting her thoughts.

It was a dumb move…so, so stupid… She hadn't even told her mentor what she was going to do and she doubts she'll get any support now. Not after her actions inadvertently got Trystan killed.

She's on her own…with no Lorelei to lead her or give her guidance. She has to keep making stupid decisions and hope that they get her out of this arena.


Glenwood Salix, District Seven, Victor of the 133rd Hunger Games

Glen knows if he doesn't do something desperate soon, he won't survive this arena. He's all on his own – his own dumb mistake, as Stefan put it, but now Glen understands a bit – and with no one to watch his back or help him try to find supplies. The supplies are the biggest issue and no matter how much Glen searches this awful arena, he has to finally admit to himself that the only way he is going to find water is through the supplies given at the cornucopia.

He's found places that could be water sources, but only steam rose from the channels, the water evaporated just like Glen's hopes of not dying by dehydration seems to be doing. He knows the early signs of dehydration. Everyone does in Seven to watch for anyone working long summer days to keep them safe. He is long passed the early stages.

Glen did have a good water supply at the start…but three days in and it's all gone as Glen was forced to hydrate himself after this arena has made him sweat profusely. All because of the rivers of magma that flow down the path next to where Glen walks. He leans against the opposite wall and occasionally stops to catch his breath. He's never sweat this much in his life. Not even on the hottest summer days. But how could summer compare to being inside a volcano? At least his sweat has kept him cool for a few minutes, until he gets too close to magma and gets dried instantly.

"Stefan…please," Glen begs his mentor for the millionth time, hoping maybe this time will be the time he actually listens and gets him some water. But as he stares up at the ceiling, he has to accept that he's never getting that water. Why would any sponsor want to pay probably raised prices to send water to the scrawny kid from Seven? He's not remarkable in any way. He's just a scrawny nerd that tries to keep to himself at school and tries to avoid the bullies, but they still always find him… If anyone in the Capitol had thought Glen could fight from the black eye he had at the Reaping thanks to the bullies, he's long since proven them wrong.

"Why would anyone want me to win?" Glen whispers feebly as he finds a little nook in the wall and slides down it, keeping him out of sight from anyone glancing down the pathway. "I'm nothing special…just pitiful. I can't even find water on my own or protect myself…"

If Glen had enough water left in him, he's sure he would have started crying out of self-pity. His eyes still prickle, but stay dry and leave him taking shaky breaths as he wraps his arms around himself. He's going to die in this arena. He had thought the worst possible death would be at the hands of one of the bloodthirsty careers, but he was so very wrong. Dehydration is so much worse.

The bullies were all right back home. He's pitiful and never going to amount to anything with his life. He's going to die in this arena, somewhere in the middle of the Games, and be long forgotten by time they get to the victor. Because who will remember some sad kid that died of dehydration?

Glen freezes up when he hears a rock scuffling, the noise echoing up the small pathway to where he hides not too well. If someone were to walk past him, they'll see him…and he has no way of protecting himself. He pulls his legs up to his chest and tries to press himself into the wall as far back as he can, in a desperate attempt to hide himself, because for all the talk about dying and being pitiful, he still really doesn't want to die.

The footsteps get closer and Glen's heart starts racing in fear as he waits to see who it will be and tries to formulate some sort of plan to attack them when they see him. He fumbles around on the ground next to him, searching for some sort of rock he could use, but the ground is smooth. He slouches over and stares ahead as the footsteps get even closer, staring at the bubbling stream of magma running passed him, and a terrible thought fills his head.

The person stumbles as they reach his alcove and they reach out to catch themself on the wall, dragging their bag behind them and Glen and Paldin – one of the two from Five and thankfully not a career – make eye contact with each other. Paldin just starts to hold up their hand to stop him, letting go of their bag that Glen reaches for immediately as he moves forward to push Paldin with his other hand. "Wait!" Paldin yells at him, but it's too late.

Glen pushes them with strength that surprises him – he's not winning any weightlifting competitions back home – and Paldin screams as they stumble back, flailing their arms and trying to catch themself on anything. But it's too late for them and Glen watches with wide terrified eyes as they fall into the magma, their screams getting cut off instantly as they are burned up.

Boom.

Glen lets out a sob of fear at how…easy…it was to just kill someone… His first kill… One second they were there and the next…dead. But he didn't want to kill…he had to out of desperation.

With shaky hands, Glen pulls the bag closer to him and slowly unzips it, praying that there will be water in there. He sifts through the rope and pickaxe, packet of nuts, until he finally finds a water bottle. "Yes!" Glen says as he pulls it out, before his face falls as he stares at the few drops remaining in it. "Fuck!" He yells as he tosses the bottle at the magma, feeling defeated once more. All that…and he doesn't even have any water.

Glen looks at the pickaxe in the bag, contemplating its uses. Clearly Paldin didn't realize that it could easily be used as a weapon… He actually has a weapon now to defend himself with…

Shit, this means he's going to have to kill again to find water.


Astrid Vadim, District Eight, Victor of the 135th Hunger Games

Two more.

Only two more tributes standing in her way of getting out of here alive. She's so ready to get out of here and away from the putrid smell that comes from the bogs bubbling up hot water all around her. The steam from the hot water has kept her hidden for the most part, except for three times. One she was able to run away from. One she talked into thinking she was just 'a scared thirteen year old' until they found her knife at their throat. And the third…Astrid shakes her head, still able to hear the screams from the girl she left to be attacked by mutts that crawled out of the bogs and dragged her in.

But now isn't the time to worry about those she killed. Or rather, worrying about the fact that she isn't feeling more from their deaths. Shouldn't she…? But then again, what was murder when she already spent years on the streets and have seen so many terrible things.

No, all Astrid cares about is getting out of this hell.

She scans the steamy field in front of her, knife held in front of her, gripped tightly in the rubber suit she wears. She pauses for a moment to stare down at the thermal suit again, still amazed that someone actually sponsored it to her. It had taken a bit to figure out just what it meant, but after one brave test of sticking her hand in a bog and feeling only a slight hint of the heat, she understood just how valuable of an item it is.

A rustling of stone has her head snapping up, just in time to avoid a punch from the girl from Seven. Not much older than Astrid, the girl has a desperate look in her eyes, clearly just as ready to end it as Astrid is. She keeps trying to throw punches and Astrid does her best to keep darting around her, reminded of the times she had to stay out of the grasps of shopkeepers she stole food from. She tries swinging her knife at the girl, but she dodges it before punching Astrid's hand, forcing her fingers to open and drop the knife. The girl kicks the knife and Astrid throws herself after it, just barely missing it before it slides into a nearby bog, sinking in and dissolving right away.

Astrid rolls over as the girl tries to kick her in the face, scrambling to her feet and feeling a rage in her that she hasn't felt in years. Not since she was kicked out onto the streets. "Really?" Astrid asks as she glares over at her opponent, getting a glare back. "The fight wasn't already balanced in your favor against someone who's thirteen that you had to take away her knife?"

"I'm not going to lose!" The girl lets out a scream as she runs towards Astrid, grabbing onto her shoulders and trying to force her towards the bog. Astrid quickly grabs onto the girl's shoulders and digs her feet into the ground, trying to stop her from pushing her in, but her feet slide on the loose stones.

"I'm not losing either!" Astrid yells back, spitting in the girl's face before trying to kick out at her. Her foot hits her thigh, making her falter but she catches herself before she can fall in.

Astrid doesn't see the boy from Ten running over until it's too late and he pushes both of them, sending them falling towards the bog. The girl screams as Astrid stares up at the smug look on his face as he watches them fall. There's a loud splash as they hit the water and Astrid's ears are filled with shrill screams as she cringes, waiting for the pain to hit her.

Yet there's nothing. No heat, nothing like the sizzling noise from next to her as the girl from Seven is dissolved by the heat. The screams stop and Astrid freezes, floating on her back as the boy walks closer to the edge, staring down at them with a look of victory.

Boom.

The boy starts laughing before looking up at the sky and yelling, "I won!"

I don't think so.

Astrid slowly shifts her legs down into the water, able to reach the bottom of it. Just as the boy is starting to look back down, face full of confusion that there hasn't been an announcement yet that he's the victor, Astrid pushes herself forward. She grabs the boy's ankle and yanks hard, causing him to lose his balance and fall right into the bog.

"No!" He shouts just before splashing into the water, screaming immediately.

Astrid pulls herself out of the water collapsing to her knees, hearing the screams from the boy has his flesh is melted away in the bubbling hot spring, turning the crystal blue water crimson red. Yet she can't look away from the boy who nearly killed her. He would have killed her if not for the thermal suit sponsored to her days ago…

Boom.

She lets out her own scream at the cannon, letting out all the anguish and pain and fear of the past twelve days. She did it. Astrid Vadim, youngest of her Games. No, she's no longer just the youngest. She's the victor of her Games.

She starts laughing as she pays attention to the voice announcing in the arena, unable to stop herself. "…The victor of the 135th Hunger Games, Astrid Vadim!"

Who would have ever predicted that she would end up as the victor? No one in District Eight had believed that the thirteen year old orphan girl living on the streets would make it past the bloodbath. Yet she did. No one back home was rooting for her, there was no one left to wish for her to make it home alive. But it doesn't matter to Astrid. She did it. She won.

She had thought no one in the Capitol was rooting for her. It had seemed that way from the start during the chariot rides. But one person was rooting for her…someone sent her the thermal suit that just saved her life. Astrid stares down at her hands, covered in the thin blue material. She would be dead right now if she didn't have that suit to protect her from the extreme heat that was enough to melt away flesh and bone. The boy from Ten would be the victor and his family back home would be cheering for him. Instead, they're probably cursing Astrid. But she doesn't care. She won, fair and square.

Well…not quite fair. But the Games aren't fair. People win by the advantages given to them. Astrid had every disadvantage at the start of the Games but she deserved this one advantage. She doesn't know who would actually care enough about her to buy what must have been the most expensive item in the arena. But she knows one thing.

She'll never be able to repay whoever saved her life.


Lelantos Henrikson, District Nine, Victor of the 119th Hunger Games

Fonio told them to do whatever it takes to win, and Lelantos really took that advice to heart. They weren't going to stand back and let someone else take the victory. They want to win, damn it! And if that means doing things they wouldn't even think of doing normally, well, they will have time to apologize for it after they win.

They don't think Fonio had quite meant do anyone. But what else were they supposed to do? They aren't strong. They don't know how to fight or use weapons. But they do know that they have some good looks and are confident in their sexuality. So what were they supposed to do when they saw that big manly career from Two giving looks at them in training?

Well, they made sure they spent a lot of time near Brayden in training and also may have given a few suggestive looks. By the end of the first day of training, Brayden was filled with anger at the hard on he had with no outlet. Who would have thought Brayden just needed some good dick to be manipulated? That was something Lelantos was happy to provide to him later that night.

It was too easy convincing Brayden to ally with him. The boy was a suppressed mess of sexual tension just waiting to burst, all from the parents that would cast him out if they knew their son didn't fit their perfect heteronormative family and wasn't the perfect trained volunteer they have put pressure on for his whole life. All Lelantos had to do was bat their eyelashes a little bit, whisper in his ear about how he shouldn't risk dying without being himself, and Brayden was theirs.

Lelantos has been patiently waiting to play all their cards. They let Brayden run into the bloodbath, the other careers still thinking he was part of them, until he killed one and injured another before they ran off with supplies. They let Brayden protect them in the arena against the other tributes, cheering him on in fights and fucking him well after each fight. But now the numbers are down to six. And with Brayden as the only career left…it's time for Lelantos to make their move before Brayden realizes victory could easily be his.

Lelantos slowly adjusts how they hold onto Brayden, the larger boy curled up against them, blissfully sleeping after Lelantos kept him distracted from the Games with a good fucking. They'll admit, they're going to miss the sex with Brayden. Once they got a taste of it…they didn't really want to stop. But, they suppose there are plenty of other people out there. People who will gladly want to sleep with them once they are a victor. So it's time for poor sweet Brayden to go.

The boy lets out a snore as Lelantos moves their arm back, making them freeze for a moment until Brayden's breathing becomes slow and even once more. They almost feel bad for how much Brayden has fallen for them, almost obsessed to the point where he can't see the truth about Lelantos. Well, he's about to find out very soon.

Lelantos carefully picks up one of the knives sitting with their supplies and holds it up in front of their face, studying the sharp edge. They have to be careful about this and make sure they do this right. They can't let Brayden get any chance to fight – not that they think he will against them – or he will definitely win. Lelantos knows they don't have a chance against Brayden in a direct fight. Good thing that won't happen.

With the hand wrapped around Brayden, they pull the boy against their chest, holding onto him tightly. Brayden lets out a noise of content and pushes back against Lelantos, completely unaware of what they're doing. "Babe, I don't know if I can go another around already."

"There won't be another time," Lelantos whispers to him and before the words can really sink in, Lelantos drives the knife deep into Brayden's chest. Brayden tries to struggle against them, but Lelantos holds onto him and quickly drives the knife in a couple more times, until Brayden is barely moving and gasping against their chest.

Lelantos lets go and rolls away from him, getting a little grossed out at the blood now soaking into their clothes. Brayden tries to roll over towards them, sputtering as he tries to say something with his dying breaths. Lelantos crouches next to him, holding the knife as Brayden stares at it, deep hurt in his eyes from the betrayal. Well, it might also be from the pain of the stab wounds. "Wh-wh-"

"Why?" Lelantos asks and shrugs as they bring down their hands, dropping the knife to the ground. "Sorry love, I did what I had to do to win. But thanks for the fine ass."

Boom.

Lelantos shuts their eyes for a moment, letting the sound of the canon echo in their head. Ah…what a great sound. Only four more times to hear that canon and then they will be out of here. They open their eyes and start moving around, whistling to themself as they start gathering up their supplies, tossing aside things they know they won't need, things that Brayden was using. Soon enough, they have one pack full of supplies and get ready to head out into the arena to find the others.

They pause a few feet away from their camp and turn back to look at Brayden, betrayal frozen on his face. Poor guy never knew what hit him. "Thanks love," Lelantos jokes as they blow a kiss at him. "I'll never forget the ass that got me my victory."


Kanzi Yesenia, District Eleven, Victor of the 130th Hunger Games

No one is expecting Kanzi to actually win. Not with the terrible odds Eleven has had over the years… Only one victor who won back in the 79th Hunger Games. Fifty years without another victor. Kanzi has no doubt that has made a lot of the other tributes from her District over the years lose hope of winning. Hell, her own District partner Roger was one of those – and that's why he died in the bloodbath.

But not Kanzi. There's a reason her parents always tell her she should have been born in Ten because she's as stubborn as the bulls there. So what if people say Eleven has bad luck or something? So what if she's severely outmatched by the careers? Non-careers have won before, and she's going to make sure she's the next one. And the careers this year ain't shit, considering they're halfway through and their numbers are already down to two. She should have known from the way they were bickering throughout training and couldn't seem to agree on anything. Which is fine with her. Let them fracture and lose.

That victory is going to be Kanzi's.

"Okay, listen up," Kanzi tells her two allies as she crouches down, using a stick to help draw out their next plan in the dirt. She stares down the pair from Seven, making sure they're paying attention to her. They had been easy to recruit into an alliance with her, both having knowledge about the wilderness but just needing a bit of guidance. And that's where Kanzi stepped in. They've done well so far, helping her get supplies in the bloodbath and then with executing plans to trap other tributes. Between the three of them, they've already gotten four kills. And it is time to make that five. "We saw evidence of a camp nearby so let's lure that tribute out."

Kanzi draws out her plan in the dirt, indicating where they'll set up a trap and how they'll lure the tribute to the trap – something that immediately makes Millie, the younger of the two from Seven, start protesting. "Why does it have to be me leading them to the trap?"

"Because you're the fastest," Kanzi tells her calmly, doing her best to not let the girl know that there's a good chance she could get injured if she's not fast enough. "Come on, you've done it once before and it turned out alright."

"I suppose…" Millie grumbles and she crosses her arms, making her partner Jordan pat her on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Well let's get to it then," Kanzi tells them, standing up and getting right to work, knowing the two will be right behind her.

In under an hour, they have an old trap modified and ready to lure this tribute in. Kanzi gives Millie a reassuring smile, but the girl still looks nervous about this plan. "You'll do great, Millie."

Millie doesn't look to sure about this, but eventually nods her head, following Kanzi's leadership once more. "Okay…"

"Go get that tribute and get us one step closer to home," Kanzi tells her and Jordan gives her a thumbs up before she turns to leave. Kanzi and Jordan get into place, hidden away in the trees near their trap, and then they wait.

Kanzi keeps Jordan quiet, not wanting to give up their spot but also just not wanting to talk to him. She has no idea how long it has been before she hears Millie screaming and footsteps running towards them. Jordan looks like he wants to jump out of the tree to help her, but Kanzi grabs his arm and keeps him in place. "Don't ruin the trap."

"But Millie-"

"But no," Kanzi whispers, shaking her head at him before turning her attention back to the footsteps running towards them.

But then Millie screams out again, Jordan's name this time, and there's nothing Kanzi could have done to stop him from running towards her. "Millie!" He yells as he runs towards his District partner, leaving Kanzi alone and cursing the idiot. If she loses both of her allies because they wouldn't listen to her, she's gonna slap herself for picking idiots.

Boom.

"No!" Jordan screams in the distance and Kanzi shakes her head more as she leans back in the tree, knowing she shouldn't run after them. If Millie got killed by this tribute, well, it's likely Jordan will too.

But she doesn't hear another cannon yet, instead hears Jordan's screams of protest getting closer until she sees him getting dragged closer by the dumbass girl from One. Well, she supposes she messed up there in thinking it was a tribute they could handle. But at least it wasn't her that was out there and discovered.

"Kanzi, show yourself!" Zen shouts, looking around the trees and continuing to drag Jordan by the hair on his head. "I know you were allies with this pathetic pair."

Jordan starts whimpering, but Kanzi stays quiet, pressing herself closer to the tree as Zen keeps walking towards her. "Kanzi, please!" Jordan begs her, but he should know better. Why would she sacrifice herself for him when the career will just kill them both? No fucking way.

"Yes, Kanzi, please show yourself," Zen says as she keeps walking. Come on, just a few more steps. "I'll give you to the count of three before I slit his throat."

"One…"

"Two…"

Zen pauses, giving Kanzi one last chance, but she must really be dumb if she thinks Kanzi cares that much about her allies.

"Three," Zen finishes and Jordan screams out, just before Zen slits his throat, cutting off his scream.

Boom.

Zen pushes the body to the side, making a disgusted face at the blood on her hands before wiping them on her jacket. "You can't stay hidden from me," Zen says, still looking around and not finding Kanzi, all because she won't look up at the trees.

Kanzi finally jumps down from the tree and shows herself, just as Zen is about to go in a direction away from the trap. She positons herself appropriately, holding out her arms and showing she has no weapons. "I'm right here, come and get me."

Zen lets out a yell as she starts running towards Kanzi, getting caught in the trap right away and getting pulled to the ground, a wire tightly wrapped around her leg and cutting into it. When she fell, her knife fell out of her hand, just out of her reach, and instead of reaching for one of the other knives she has on her, she keeps reaching for that one.

Kanzi walks over, picking up the knife as Zen starts to get close to touching it with her fingertips. "I don't think so."


So there we have our first set of the mentors! I decided to group them by who is getting a Games POV vs Current Day POV rather than District, so yeah, that's why we have a seemingly random group lol. These were the ones I had Games ideas for/are greatly shaped by what they do in the Games, and I'm excited to show this group at the time of the 137th Games!

Which one of these five did you like the most? Who do you think will be the most impacted by their decisions? Next up we're going to take a look at Jory, Matla, Muir, Letha, Jarle, and Danila at current day!

Subs are still open, of course. They'll be open until I get through the four prologues. Thank you to everyone who has submitted a tribute so far! So keep those subs coming, just please make sure they're detailed and you do your research on anything you're not familiar with. I also ask that if you're going to sub, please do your best to keep up with this story. I know life happens and I get it, sometimes you need to take a break from this, but it makes it harder for me to write tributes when I know the submitter isn't reading, especially for the featured tributes. And I want to have fun with this story and enjoy writing all the tributes.

So that's about it for this prologue! We'll start up questions for sponsor points once the prologues are done. The second half of the mentors will be up soon ish (aka whenever I have it done and have updated both Senseless and Wayward lol). Anyways, see you soon!