I couldn't just let this story stay unfinished. Here's a shorter ending for something I thoroughly enjoyed a few months back when the world of work hadn't come back to haunt me and dominate literally everything I was doing. Further explanation at the end of the chapter.

Chapter Twenty-One.

The End.

Sixteen tributes remained.
Fourteen still to die.

Placed 16th – Sivan Arcuri, Sector Twelve Female.

Unbeknownst to the trio sharing their last moments inside the glass confines of the aquarium, Damali had her own plan, a silent overseer from her position amongst the cameras. Juliet, Ozias and Sivan… determined to find Briel, who like her distant alliance, could do nothing to stop the silent finger that tapped a button and shattered the external glass protecting the inside from the dark ocean. Ozias and Juliet escaped sodden and breathless. Sivan's drowned body bobbed atop the glacial water, face-down, a victim to what Damali now had in her control.

Placed 15th – Syrella Tyriage, Sector Two Female.

Callisto was trying to learn from Palatine. She was trying to learn from all her mistakes; her arrogance that had made it impossible for anyone to truly enjoy the girl that Callisto had become. The vial was in her pocket and in her mind, Callisto was playing a smart, wicked game. Herself a deceptive overseer of her own fate. But there was only so much she could learn in such a short space of time. Svanna almost snorted in derision at the clumsy display as Callisto very conspicuously tried to offer the girl from Sector One some poisoned water. It was almost cute that Callisto thought she was a threat worthy enough of such a cocked-up display of malcontent. Svanna let it play out, though. A switcheroo of water bottles and Syrella lay gasping on the floor, choking on her own vomit, her allies staring down at her as the Tyriage dynasty became tarnished forever.

Placed 14th – Phobos Arroyo, Sector Three Male.

Manfred had ran the moment Phobos had knocked out Reyan. In the maniac's mind, his only true way of getting the fun he so craved, the fight he desired, was from the very two people he'd tried to forge some sort of nonsensical alliance with. He'd felt a weird chill down his spine as the nails had pinned Reyan's hands to the table. He looked at his trouser leg where it had been doused in a spurt of red as he'd torn the skin of Reyan's feet as he'd pinned him to the table in a grisly crucifixion. What he hadn't accounted for was Manny deciding to return to save someone that he had so despised. Phobos died with a knife in the back of his neck just as he'd intended to finally end Reyan's pitiful existence. He died, gurgling on his own blood, the ghost of a smile on his face. Put down like the animal he was.

Placed 13th – Ozias Evermoor, Sector Five Male.

The cult leader had lost all control. Perhaps he'd never had any in the first place. Traversing the barren wasteland that was the underwater resort slowly tapped and unspooled the woven threads of what he had always believed to be a strong, polished mind. He snapped at Juliet as if it was his fault Sivan had died. He lashed out viciously with biting words and venomous insults at his only ally because Briel was still missing. He didn't even think to believe that Juliet was growing tired of everything too – tired of the life he had chosen as an escape from a deadlier fate back home. Ozias died with another insult on his tongue – Juliet staring at him, wide-eyed, as his neck snapped against the corner of the table he'd thrown him into. He was not the chosen one. Not the protector of the misfortunate and the hard-done-by. He was a pretender. A nobody.

Placed 12th – Damali Zahrat, Sector Ten Female.

She hadn't really thought about pushing the button. She hadn't really realised the power she now had, observing everyone running around the Arena like mice. The irony of becoming her own Gamemaker. Briel had left to scour the nearby area for supplies, their food stock diminishing, and as Damali felt a strange sense of strength bubbling up and up inside her chest, she had no idea that the Gamemakers themselves had decided Damali's time in control had come to an end. They fed her a false camera feed. Tributes in places they really weren't. Imaginary shapes and shadows to toy with Damali's blooming confidence that left her gasping for air as Ryland and Tayte appeared in her small sanctuary. Tayte had lost so much of his spark after what had happened to Viorica. Ryland was barely clinging on. Still, united, they did what had to be done. Damali died against the very cameras she believed to be her saviour – her body splayed across the controls as they switched to black; empty and void of life.

Placed 11th – Manfred Vargas, Sector Four Male.

Manny had no idea why he'd saved Reyan. He still couldn't really believe it. And not only had he saved him, but he was also helping to recuperate him from his gruesome injuries, tending to the wounds in his hands and feet. He didn't trust nor like nor appreciate anything that Reyan stood for. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Aurelian was dead – a true friend that Manny had clung to for some semblance of actual existence. But two tributes could win, and Manny knew his chances were better with Reyan than Phobos. And he knew Reyan, for all his wits and cunning strategies, knew in his state, Manny was better alive than a puppet to play with. Yet, for all Manny's warped loyalty now to a young man he still considered an enemy, it left him open to the fact he forgot the one thing that Reyan really, truly was: a coward. Manny had saved Reyan. Reyan did not do the same for him. Callisto was no battle-hardened warrior, but in a three versus two fight, she did her best for Palatine and Svanna, the trio still intact despite Syrella's death, and brought down Manny with a knife to the gut. Reyan ran away. Three versus one. He never stood a chance.

Placed 10th – Valdis Solgren, Sector Seven Male.

Despite Viorica's death, despite what had happened, Valdis did not want to be alone and found Kaia soon after his friend's bitter end. Now, it had been days since her untimely death, and the two still walked in heavy silence. He had felt the soul sapping from him, his heart blackening, his light darkening. Amongst it all, an ember stoking in his head, hot and fiery. Angry. Because Kaia still acted as nonchalant as ever – and she was not suffering like he was. Almost like she did not care. When Tayte and Ryland found them once more, back near the Cornucopia, opposite ends of the destructive room, Kaia found herself with a choice. She was smarter than anyone had ever given her credit for. She simply played things a different way. She ran towards them with Valdis by her side, and at the last second, darted right and disappeared down another corridor. Though Tayte and Valdis had shared many a laugh and smile, the Games had truly soured the teenagers that they had once been. They were Careers. District Two. It was all they ever had been. Tayte's sword skewered Valdis through the chest and he died an extinguished being, his soul shattered, nothing more than an empty version of the boy he'd once been.

Placed 9th – Tayte Vasburg, Sector Two Male.

Tayte was still trying. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he was failing and he knew it. Ryland's joie de vivre was still there in glimpses, a joke to be shared, a hard look whenever he was slowing them down. But now, as he pulled the sword from Valdis' body, he could feel something inside of him that made him turn to Ryland and fall into her arms, sobs wracking his body. Ryland stood there awkwardly, never one to understand the abstract idea of sentiment. One thing she did know, though, deep down in her bones was one hard truth: Tayte was her friend. She closed her eyes and placed a hand on his quivering back. In their moment of unity, they'd left themselves open. Kaia hadn't vanished completely. She'd simply been biding her time. An arrow shot from a bow that had been left amongst all the weapons from the starting area came arching through the air and shattered the tenderness of their united moment. Tayte gasped and fell still in Ryland's arms. She didn't even notice Kaia slip once more into the shadows. She stood in disbelief, a shocked statue, until the tears fell from her own eyes. Strength no more.

Placed 8th – Briel Novack, Sector Nine Female.

When she'd seen Damali's face, Briel hadn't returned to the camera room. Knowing that Ozias was now gone as well as Sivan, Briel still had no idea that Damali had killed her former ally and for both girls, she grieved silently. But Juliet was still out there – traipsing through the halls, alone and ready to be reunited with perhaps the only friend he'd made during his time here. They'd always said it – they would make it to the bitter end together. Unfortunately for Briel, the last she ever saw of Juliet was back when the muttation had grabbed her, screaming to the wind; her last glimpse of a former friend. Svanna, Palatine and Callisto were the only alliance remaining. Palatine had hardened – aware of Callisto's betrayal, and using her all the same. Callisto had become something even Svanna was shocked by after Manny's death: she was a force, though not exactly formidable yet, but still a force. Briel was a fighter and she fought despite knowing the end result. She went down to Svanna's spear. A warrior's death.

Placed 7th – Svanna Hyland, Sector One Female.

Formidable, maybe Callisto wasn't. Strong, perhaps Palatine never had been. But with Syrella's death, Palatine had made his decision. He would see this to the end with Callisto regardless of her betrayal. He would use what she was becoming. Her growing wits were still obscured by the naivety that lingered: a loyalty to Palatine. As Svanna pulled the spear out from Briel's body, his knife entered her side and she screamed in sudden agonising pain. Even Callisto was shocked. He was not an open book. No one had been expecting that. She fell to the side and lashed out, her spear slitting open Callisto's cheek. Palatine stamped on her hand and even as tears fell from his eyes, a quivering apology, his resolve did not waver. Svanna died with fury in her eyes. A fury directed not just at Palatine, but at herself. She had seen what Callisto had tried to do, and yet she hadn't done anything but stick with them, believing she wouldn't try anything again since it had failed. Her biggest foe; the biggest threat in this entire Arena however, had turned out to be someone no one had expected. The reaped tribute. One of a few. His face burned into her eyes as they dimmed and her cannon rocked the Arena.

Placed 6th – Kaia Wilder, Sector Six Female.

For a long time, Kaia had seemed like the girl who didn't care about much. Eyes locked on the tranquillity of the sky. Clouds and stars and sunlight painting strokes of colour as she let time drift through her. And yet she had done things in the Arena that though she wasn't proud of, they had made her the survivor she had always believed she was meant to be. Alone, yet surprisingly strong, confidence was brewing in her gut that led her to take swifter strides, bow in her hand, arrows on her back. She had a knife at her hip that was etched with flakes of dried blood, found abandoned in the shadows. She would do what she had to do to make it to the end. It was a mantra every other tribute in the history of the Games at this point clung to. When she found Reyan Nalara dragging his wounded feet behind him, limping and looking a sorry state, her resolve toughened and when their eyes met, in her mind the outcome had cemented itself. But Reyan always had a trick up his sleeve – even when everything else had crumbled to ash. His limp suddenly vanished – thank you, Manny – and though he looked and felt a complete mess, Reyan was not ready to die. Not at all. He swept his body forwards under Kaia's arms, watched her body lose balance and pitch forwards, and he drew the knife across her throat as quickly as he possibly could. Pain shot like pokers through his skin, blood dripped from his fingers, but he carried on. The Nalara name though shaky, was still intact. He was not ready to go just yet.

Placed 5th – Callisto Rius, Sector Eight Female.

She wondered how the people at home thought of her when they saw how far she'd made it. What their perceptions of the bratty, idiotic girl could possibly be now that she had kills to her name and a solid foundation from which to actually make it home. The old Callisto would have only imbued her sense of self to higher levels had she made it this far. But that was the point. The old Callisto never would have made it this far. So, rather than strut like a peacock, she clung to Palatine's side with an awareness and dutiful loyalty to survive in memory of all the people she'd hurt both back at home with her words, and in this Arena with her weapons. Sometimes, though, luck simply was not on the side of those who had changed for the better. Palatine was no physical force to be reckoned with so when the two of them were jumped on by a Ryland that had a face streaked with dried tears, but with a resolve fixed through loss, there was nothing she could do to block Ryland's weapon from slicing her head from her shoulders. Callisto's body pitched sideways. Palatine fled. And gone was the girl that had changed so much.

Placed 4th – Juliet Romero, Sector Nine Male.

When the tributes had descended the tubes into the once luxurious Capitol resort, a voice had rung out, a foreboding welcome cutting off into static. It had been a week since their arrival and as the four remaining tributes clung to the shadows, the hope of survival on the horizon, its voice echoed clear as day once more. We would like to welcome you all to a celebration worthy of the determination you have proven over the past seven days. Please return to the lobby where a reward for your gallant effort awaits you. No one wanted to move; everyone wanted to ignore the awful voice. Yet, even with those rebellious thoughts in mind, each tribute headed back to where it had all begun. On a centre table, two bejewelled sceptres laid resplendent along luxurious, purple robes cut with the most intricate and awe-inspiring designs. Fit for royalty. Two of them. The message was clear to them all. Juliet was second to arrive after Ryland and as the two of them made eye contact, they accepted their entwined fate and charged at one another. He had always been one to fight in the shadows of a grimy lifestyle, the alleyways of Two his home and playground. In the open, Juliet had learnt more about who he was as a person; learning secrets even he had no idea he had inside of him. As his sword met Ryland's, the two barely noticed Reyan and Palatine arrive from opposite corridors. Locked in a bitter fight, it was only when Juliet fumbled slightly that Ryland was able to deliver the killing blow. Juliet's body fell in a silent scream. Three left.

Placed 3rd – Reyan Nalara, Sector One Male.

Ryland wasted no time in charging straight at Palatine. She blinked back frightful tears; tears that she had once refused to let fall. Between Palatine and Reyan, she knew her chances were better against the smaller, frailer, reaped tribute that he was. Two could survive – whether Reyan was worthy of making it out alive or not, she wasn't stupid. She never had been. She'd simply been too stubborn to allow others to see that side of her. As Palatine dodged her first strike, she knew that whether he was reaped or not didn't truly matter. He'd made it this far. There was something to him that maybe so many had overlooked and had paid the price for. She watched Palatine's eyes slightly widen and knew, as the wind whistled, that Reyan had taken his chance. She rolled out of the way and Reyan grimaced. He had made it this far – so close, so very, very close to the end – that he refused to allow himself to fall at the last hurdle. He was a shitty person and he knew that. He'd always been shit bestowed with a golden spoon and maybe it wasn't fair that people like him were allowed to thrive when good people suffered in this world, but he wasn't about to break the status quo that had served him so well. Maybe he could make ground-breaking changes if he did survive. Maybe he could be a better person. Maybe… Palatine was smart and as Ryland had realised, he'd used those smarts to make it this far. Svanna, Syrella, Callisto… even Bex. They were all dead and here he was, almost at the end. As Ryland swung at him again and charged, he drew her towards a heavy-breathing Reyan and the two collided in a heap. Ryland screamed. Reyan roared in pain. Palatine struck. In the confusion, not really caring who his knife found, he stabbed out and collapsed in a heap as the final cannon rang out. His knife was stuck in the top of Reyan's skull. The final tribute fallen to the Games.

Placed 1st – Ryland Mercer, Sector Four Female and Palatine Linott, Sector Six Male.

The stubborn, fiery girl threw the sceptre as far as she could when her name was announced as Victor. It shattered into a thousand dazzling pieces. She collapsed to her knees and wept. Palatine could only stare, mouth agape, at his own sceptre. He didn't touch it. In fact, the sight of it made him feel sick and queasy. As his mind blurred and vision swam, Palatine barely saw through clouded and hazy spots. Blackened at the edges, his fellow Victor Ryland was scooped up by the Capitol. He felt metal claws encase his own body. They were headed back to their new lives. As Victors.

Congrats Ryland and Palatine. You deserve it.

This is most definitely not the way I wanted to end things, but it beats leaving this story completed unfinished. I am ever so sorry to everyone that believed I could get this done and submitted. Lockdown meant that I was able to finish Forever Neverland and I thought I had it in me to continue and get this done. The Capitol was so much fun to write, the tributes were amazing, and you guys were fantastically supportive.

But then I started work again and honestly, it's been so much this year. I won't bore you with the details but covid is obviously shit and it's made teaching even harder. Plus I've got a very difficult class to year on top of that. I just had no motivation to do this anymore.

Then… I did get motivation, and I realised I'd honestly forgotten everything I'd built up for this story. All the development points. All the plots and deaths and twists and everything. I could have read back through the entire story to help me, but I really struggled. I tried to write the next chapter properly and it just wasn't happening. This was a very tricky chapter to write for the reasons I've just said, and this cast of tributes deserved better, but I wanted to get something done to wrap this all up.

Funnily enough, I have an AU idea that I would absolutely love to write, but I have to be realistic with myself and it'll probably never see the light of day. Who knows. Simpler for me – 12 tributes only, but still…idk.

Thanks everyone who submitted, read, reviewed, whatever you did. It was much appreciated.

Well done again to Em and Katie for submitting Ryland and Palatine. I know it's not a Victor from a completed story, but I hope you like it either way.

Thanks Stoneheart, you were great!