Chapter 34:

Day Four

Bellona Silvanus, 18, District Two

Bell is almost certain that Major knows she's up to something, just as certain as she is that Major is also planning something himself. And that fact is making her nervous. Bell doesn't know what he's up to, except that he's clearly trying to keep her and Odyssey separate… Why else would he insist on going out hunting for a few hours in the early morning with Odyssey and suggesting Bell and Demarcus stay behind to guard the camp? Or keep jumping into their conversations when they were around and asking Odyssey what's going on? Maybe there isn't an ulterior motive and he's just trying to stay part of the group… But Bell knows people. She's seen his smug looks when he thinks none of them are watching him. He's scheming…and Bell is starting to put together what he might be scheming about.

After all, the sun is getting higher in the sky with each passing minute, bringing them closer and closer to noon and the next Trial by Combat. Bell is suspicious about what the Gamemakers might do, having had all morning to think about the potential combinations. And she knows what she would want to see if she was watching these Games back home with six careers left.

But she doesn't really want that when she's in the middle of it.

Bell paces the camp, knowing that it's getting more and more critical that they get out of this alliance while they both can alive.

"Why are you pacing?" Demarcus asks her, bringing her to a stop as she looks over at her partner in their system. He doesn't try to look in her direction, instead focusing on swirling his finger in the sand in front of him.

Bell contemplates what she wants to tell him, aware of Delta not too far away swinging her spear around in practice and Anastacia stretching nearby. They might look busy but she knows better. Everyone is on high alert and will be listening in. "Just a bit on edge with the Trial by Combat approaching."

Demarcus pauses what he's doing to stare in her general direction before slowly nodding his head. "I understand that…" He answers quietly before letting out a sigh, his shoulders hunching over. "But I'm sure you'll be fine. You can still see."

"You'll be fine too," Bell tells him, but from the grimace that forms on his face, she knows he doesn't believe that. And there's an unspoken part to that. He'll be fine if he's not up against another career, unless that career is Anastacia. Otherwise, the other tribute will have a huge advantage over him. If she is put against him…well, she'll fight like she's been trained to do, even if she has gotten to know him and knows he's a good guy.

But she doesn't want to dwell on this for long. "What are you up to?" Bell asks, diverting the topic as she walks over to him. She sits down next to him and looks over curiously at what he was drawing in the sand, considering he can't see anything.

"Drawing," Demarcus answers quietly before letting out a rare laugh. "At least, I think I am. Not quite easy to do when you can't see. But it…it's calming right now. I like it."

Bell can't really tell what he was trying to make as it just looks like a bunch of squiggles. But it gives her something to focus on other than the upcoming Trial by Combat. "Do you draw at home?"

"No," Demarcus tells her, shaking his head. "No time with training and with how many siblings I have… But I think I would like to try painting when this is done, if…" He trails off at this if, both knowing what are the chances that he wins and that it means her dead. And she's going to do everything to stop that from happening. "What about you? If you win, what will you do?"

Bell cringes a little at the thought of winning, knowing that if she does…she'll have lost Odyssey. And her heart hasn't started preparing for that possibility yet. "School. Definitely want to attend the new university."

Demarcus nods his head, turning to be facing her more. "That sounds nice. What would you want-"

Bell cuts him off as she stares across the pit, "They're back." She lets out a sigh of relief as she watches as Odyssey and Major head down the stairs, filling her with relief that her District partner is back before tension builds at the smug look on Major's face. She stands up and starts heading towards them, leaving Demarcus behind and looking a little dejected, but she has bigger concerns as she heads over, a hand in her pocket on the knife tucked in it in case Major tries to start anything. "Find anything?"

Odyssey nods his head as he stops in front of her and watches as Major heads to their pile of supplies, picking up a fresh bottle of water and drinking a majority of it as he stares over at Anastacia. "A few empty rooms. Again they did that thing where they kept some of the doors locked."

"Not wanting you to find tributes?" Bell asks, worry growing in her with each passing second. That's never a good sign if the Gamemakers are keeping the careers from finding tributes…

Odyssey nods his head as he swings his bag off his back and swaps it with his bow, before he takes out his own bottle of water. "Three empty rooms, all with various signs that tributes were there at some point. Let me tell you, I am glad I couldn't smell in the forge room because that did not look good."

"Yeah I don't need that image," Bell tells him, getting a chuckle from him as he sips water. "What about the rest?"

"Some sort of prison, didn't look like anyone was there for long," Odyssey continues and Bell turns her attention to the others, not wanting to keep her attention from them for long. "Then a sort of office… Major nearly got himself killed in a trap there but I stopped him."

"You should have let him," Bell says under her breath, turning her gaze over to the boy from One as he begins stretching.

"Honestly?" Odyssey starts, making Bell look over at him with an eyebrow raised. He lets out a sigh as he shakes his head, "Probably, with the numbers getting this low. I wasn't thinking, I just stopped him from stepping into it."

"You're too nice," Bell tells him, patting him on the shoulder. "I hope it doesn't bite you in the ass."

"So do I," Odyssey says quietly, making Bell concerned right away from the lack of joke from him. He meets her gaze and she tries to give him an encouraging smile. "There's too many of us left… It worries me."

"Me too," Bell answers him and they both look out at their allies. "I think all of us are concerned with the Trial by Combat…"

"We're going to be fine," Odyssey reassures her and Bell glances back at him, hearing the wavering in his voice. He's definitely reassuring himself, which oddly brings comfort to Bell knowing that he's also worried. "Either one of us could take on the others. I trust Kat's training and come on, just look at the history of our District and the Games compared to the others."

"Four got second place last year, above Two," Bell reminds him, watching him wave his hand at this.

"Minor details," Odyssey answers her. "They're not here now, we are."

"Because I got her to volunteer early," Bell says under her breath and quickly smiles to distract Odyssey when he gives a curious look. "Anyways, I know we should be fine… It's just the aftermath that worries me."

"Yeah I understand that-"

Fanfare brings them all to a stop and Bell steps closer to Odyssey, grabbing onto his arm as her nerves reach a peak, giving her an idea for what to do next. She drops her voice so the others can't hear her, "We use this as a distraction and we get the fuck out of here. Okay?"

Odyssey barely nods his head at her, just enough to show he agrees but not enough to let the others on to their plan. But all of them are focused on the impending announcement for the next Trial by Combat.

"Good afternoon, tributes!" Kora greets them cheerfully and Bell takes a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She knows that she can win whatever fight they might put her in. She doesn't need to worry… "It is time for our next Trial by Combat! So, who will be participating in it?"

"Whatever happens, we'll get through it together," Odyssey says to her softly as they wait in the dramatic pause from Kora to hear who the two tributes will be. He glances down and Bell follows his gaze, having not realize she grabbed onto his hand out of a small bit of fear in her.

"The next two participants for today's Trial by Combat are… Oh this is a matchup for the ages!" Kora pauses once more to build up the drama and Bell rolls her eyes, even as her heart starts racing at that. "First up is…Bellona Silvanus."

Bell lets out a sigh as she steps back from Odyssey, part of her having expected this as a possibility. "You got this, Bell," Odyssey tells her right away, giving her a big grin and a thumbs up. "And then your plan."

Bell nods her head, trying to get herself psyched up for the fight ahead of her instead of focusing on how the two of them can get away from the careers.

"And our second participant is…" Kora continues, pausing for an even bigger time to build up the drama. Bell looks around at their allies, studying each one and trying to decide who she would most want to fight. "Odyssey Gunderson!"

"Oh fuck."

Bell immediately snaps her gaze back to Odyssey as she gets frozen in place by the Gamemakers, only able to watch in complete terror as the two of them get brought down into the levels below the arena. "No…" Bell whispers as her eyes begin to water, unable to even try to reach out to Odyssey. "No, no, no."

"It will be fine, Bell," Odyssey tells her in vain as they stop moving and two teams swoop in, pulling them away from each other to separate rooms to get put in their armor. Odyssey struggles against them as he keeps yelling towards her. "We'll figure this out!"

Bell can only shake her head in resignation as the door is shut and the team wastes no time starting to get her prepped. She knows better…there's nothing for them to figure out. Both of them won't be allowed to get out of this fight alive.

She doesn't know who she would most want to fight…but she has her answer for who she least wants to fight…

Seraphim Lukianas, Head Gamemaker

"Hey Seraphim?"

Seraphim cringes a little at Zephyr's tone as his boyfriend approaches him, having anticipated some sort of reaction from him. It's…why he had avoided mentioning this plan to him from the get go. "Yeah?" Seraphim asks meekly, barely glancing over his shoulder and avoiding eye contact with him.

"I'm trying to figure out how to put this politely," Zephyr says as he stops next to Seraphim. He claps his hands together and holds his hands up in front of his mouth, clearly struggling for the right words for a few seconds. "What the fuck?"

"They're the most solid pair of the careers. It's the top half and all of the careers are still alive. Something needs to shake them up," Seraphim cringes as he turns away from Zephyr and back towards the screens, watching the pair get prepared for their fight and looking absolutely crushed already at the prospect of the fight. Bell keeps wiping away at tears flowing freely down her face while Odyssey has his face in his hands as he shakes his head, muttering an apology to Bell over and over.

"Shake them up?" Zephyr asks in disbelief and Seraphim sneaks a quick glance over at him before turning back to the screens and pretending he doesn't see his anger. "Try absolutely destroying them and possibly their drive to win."

All Seraphim can do is give a nervous laugh at this as he turns his attention to the careers sitting out in the stands. Most of them just look relieved that it wasn't them put in the fight, while Major looks all smug, thinking he influenced this fight. If only Seraphim could break it to the little manipulator that he had this idea way before Major mentioned it. "Well no one can say I have a bias towards District Two because of you."

"You're going to have all of Two hating your guts. In fact, I bet the mentors are about to have a damn riot in the mentor room right now," Zephyr scoffs, his tone making Seraphim hesitate for a moment.

He turns to look at him, knowing they have a little bit more time, frowning up at his boyfriend. "Are you genuinely mad at me? If you are…I'm sorry, but this is my job. I…I have to do what keeps the audience interested. Would you have a problem with this pairing if they were from One or Four instead?"

Zephyr is quiet for a few long seconds and Seraphim raises his eyebrows at him expectantly, prompting him to sigh as he sits down next to the Head Gamemaker. "No…and I would be excited about the fight…"

"There you go," Seraphim says as the two are finishing up being put in their chariot armor, much to their dismay.

"They're good kids, Seraphim," Zephyr continues quietly, causing Seraphim to glance over at him from the corner of his eye. "You're forcing two friends to fight to the death."

"Isn't that what they promised each other they would do in the end?" Seraphim asks him, genuinely wanting to get a better idea of the career mentality. "Is this that much different?"

"Well," Zephyr says before pausing for an extended time, eventually sighing. "I supposed not. It just feels…wrong having it in this fight and not at the end. I doubt this is what they expected."

"It's a Quell," Seraphim shakes his head at this. "They're not supposed to expect what is happening."

Zephyr holds up his hands in mocking defense, making Seraphim lightly shove his shoulder. "I was just giving you a response, no need to get sassy with me."

"Hey Seraphim?" Laelia calls over, stopping Seraphim from giving an even sassier response to Zephyr. "They're ready to go."

Seraphim grows serious at this and he nods as he turns his focus back to the screens. "Get them into the launch tubes. Time for District Two to prove themselves."

"I hate this," Zephyr grumbles as Bell and Odyssey are directed to the new launch tubes, both taking a moment to prepare themselves. Bell does her best to wipe away her tears and keep her head held high, trying to hide her growing fear for the fight, but her red eyes give it away. Odyssey, on the other hand, isn't trying to hide his emotions for this fight as he makes a quiet promise to Misha that he's going to do his best to fight.

"Bring in all the mutts," Seraphim directs to Magnus, knowing they will need all the encouragement possible to make sure the two tributes fight. Magnus is cheery as he does so, leaving Elias and Davy confused as they are left alone by the animals in their rooms. The mutts start circling the fighting pit and Bell and Odyssey are brought back up into the arena for their fight.

The midday sun reflects of the gold armor the pair wears, fit perfectly to them, each holding on to a matching golden spear. Unlike for the chariots, they no longer wear a golden laurel crown but instead a gold helmet, complete with red plume of feathers atop it. No longer is the pair acting in unity in their armor like they were for the chariots, instead preparing for a fight that will tear them apart.

"Damn it, I can see why you did this," Zephyr mutters next to him, shaking his head as they watch. "This is going to be epic. Epic and tragic for District Two."

"See?" Seraphim says, feeling a little thrilled at Zephyr getting on his side with this, before putting all his focus back on the pair from Two.

The gong sounds, signifying the start of the fight, yet the two stay still in contrast to the first Trial by Combat. Instead, they stare across at each other in silence for a minute, neither wanting to move just yet.

"Hold off on the mutts," Seraphim calls to Magnus, wanting to see what the two will do first before using the mutts to motivate them into fighting.

Odyssey is the first one to speak up and break the tense silence. "You know, this isn't what I meant by saying we would get through this together," Odyssey tries to joke, but his voice is strained as he stares across at his friend and District partner. His eyes begin to gleam with tears as he lets out a heavy sigh, "Bell…I'm so sorry…but I have to fight to get back home."

"To Misha, of course," Bell replies, trying to be bitter towards him to make this easier, but clearly failing. She shakes her head at him as she adjusts her grip on her spear, a weapon that Seraphim knows from training that she is quite skilled in compared to Odyssey. Which he clearly knows to as he looks down at the hand holding his own spear, tense but staying still to not provoke her into attacking. "We have to fight," Bell continues, shaking her head and trying to wipe away the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Of fucking course we have to fight each other. Neither of us wants to die but one of us needs to. It's fucked up, making two friends fight to the death."

"I agree, I don't want to fight my friend," Odyssey agrees slowly, carefully choosing his words. "But we have to. I…I really would have stuck by your side until the end, Bell. And I hope you can forgive me for this…"

"I hope you can do the same," Bell answers him before taking a deep breath. "Just like in training?"

"Try not to kick me in the balls again," Odyssey manages to joke and he cracks the smallest smile from her.

"No guarantees," Bell answers him as she braces her feet and Odyssey does the same, both of them hesitating to start the fight. "May the best tribute win."

And with that, one of the most evenly matched fights begins.

Bell makes the first move, running towards Odyssey, who braces himself and tracks her movements before deftly sidestepping her and knocking her spear aside. She keeps trying to make attacks, but he either keeps dodging her or the spear just slides right off of his armor plates. Odyssey is stalling for time as he does his best to just avoid her attacks instead of openly trying to attack her, and it's clear to both Seraphim and Bell whose frustration visibly grows with each passing minute.

"Would you stop being such a damn nice person and just fight me already?" Bell shouts at him, her voice cracking as she uses her arm to harshly brush away more tears before pointing her spear at him. "Come on!"

"Do you really want this, Bell?" Odyssey shouts back at her, his voice wavering as he holds his spear in front of him defensively. "Do you really want me fighting you with everything I got when you know what that is?"

"Of course I don't want that," Bell answers him before making another attempt at swinging her spear towards him and this time he grabs onto the handle of it, pulling her close to him for a moment to look at her with pleading eyes, before she kicks at him, sending him stepping back as she rips her spear away from him. She points her spear at the mutts surrounding them and Odyssey doesn't take his gaze off of her to look, knowing a split second of being unfocused can mean life or death in the Games. "I don't think they would agree. And the more you stall, the more likely they are to interfere. And do you really think that's for the best for Two?"

"She's smart," Zephyr mumbles next to Seraphim, who nods his head in agreement as they watch Odyssey, waiting for him to finally realize that there is no escaping this without fighting her. "Very unhappy, but smart."

Bell shakes her head at him before swinging the blunt end of her spear and making both Seraphim and Zephyr cringe as she strikes Odyssey in the junk. Odyssey leans over right away, clearly in pain, but his eyes show a flash of fire in them, enough to finally spark him towards fighting. "Fuck," he mutters as he takes a step back from her. But then he finally lunges forward, no more half assed dodging Bell's attack and getting on the offensive.

"Why would she push him on like that?" Seraphim asks Zephyr as they closely watch the two begin their fight, both making attempts that are blocked easily by the other knowing their fighting style so well.

"Because," Zephyr says slowly, caught up in the fight between the best District Two has to offer this year. And Seraphim is too. He understands now why people have compared fighting to dancing before because this…this is a fight. "She wouldn't be able to live with herself if he didn't fully fight back."

Seraphim nods his head, too absorbed in the fight for any more words. Part of him hadn't been sure if he would get these two to truly fight against each other, not after everything they have gone through and their recent reconciliation. He thought he was right for a bit there, with Odyssey's hesitation. Who knew he just needed a hit to the nuts to go all in to the fight?

Just as one seems to finally get the upperhand in the fight, the other takes it back, making Seraphim really start to have no idea who is actually going to win this fight anymore. He didn't think Bell would have it in her to fight the person she has feelings for, but she's proven him wrong. He had started to think that Odyssey was going to be too good of a person to fight the friend who's heart he broke, but he's proven him wrong too. At this point…it could be either one.

The pattern keeps repeating between the two of them – strike, dodge, returning strike – with neither of them seemingly letting up. More often, Bell seems to get the advantage over Odyssey with them using her weapon of choice, but the lack of touch in her hands will mess up a strike, allowing Odyssey to put her on the defensive.

Seraphim is beginning to think this fight could go on for a very long time, until one of them finally slips up and leaves an opening that the other quickly takes. Next to him, Zephyr takes in a sharp breath as the two tributes become frozen in place, the killing blow made but both of them looking like they are in disbelief that it is done.

"The fight is over. Get a cannon ready."

Odyssey Gunderson, 18, District Two

As soon as the spear has slipped under the armor, Odyssey knows the fight is over. They both freeze for a tense moment, terrified to move as if keeping still will prevent this from really happening. It will prevent the wound from being there. Prevent one of them from dying… But it won't. Odyssey's eyes begin watering immediately, not wanting to accept that this is it. This can't be the end. It just can't be over.

He grabs onto Bell's shoulders as they both slowly glance down between them, at the spear fatally lodged, before she meets his gaze and lets out a sob as tears begin falling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry."

Odyssey holds on to Bell as her knees give out and he lowers her to the ground, trying to hold it together as she lets out a gasp of air. But he can't keep back his tears, not when his friend is bleeding on the ground in front of him, and it's all his fault. He did what he had to do…but God he wishes there had been any other way out of this than with her death. He knew that this was going to happen eventually for him to win, but nothing could have ever prepared him for the scenario where he was the one responsible for her death… "Bell, please, I'm so sorry. You're going to be okay, listen to me. I got you."

Bell scoffs at him as tears well up in her eyes as Odyssey tries to put pressure on the wound. "You're going to be in denial until the end, aren't you?"

"That's me," Odyssey says through tears, trying to smile at her but it comes out as a grimace. "Denial boy."

Bell shakes her head at him as she takes a shaky breath, "Please don't ever change. That's what made me like you so much."

"I won't, I promise. But you're not going anywhere," Odyssey tries to tell her, forcing himself to be in denial that this is happening.

"Look, I don't know how much time I have because I can't feel the wound," Bell starts and Odyssey moves his blood stained hand for a moment to look at the wound before quickly putting pressure back on it when it starts pouring blood right away. "Fuck, from your face it's bad."

"It's not," Odyssey lies to her as a sob slips out, but he can tell she sees right through him. "Fuck!" Odyssey yells as frustration builds up in him at being forced to fight her in the first place and now…now having to watch her die right in front of him and knowing it's all his fault…

"Odyssey, listen," Bell says urgently, reaching out for his hand and clutching it tightly to the point of crushing his feelings. Odyssey nods his head, unsure if he can really speak right now as his lips tremble from trying to hold back sobs. "Don't – don't trust him."

"Wh-who?"

"Major," Bell answers before starting to cough, making Odyssey start putting more pressure on her wound desperately to keep her alive. But at this, he stares down at her in confusion, his sorrow temporarily held back. "He-" Bell coughs some more and Odyssey starts searching around for something he can use to stop the bleeding.

When he sees their allies just standing there in the stands watching them and making no effort to step in, he screams at them, "Help me, damn it!" But they all stay put, and of course they do. Why would any of them intervene when Bell's death gets them one step closer to victory? All they care about is themselves, not Odyssey slowly breaking inside as he watches his friend die in front of him from his attack.

"Odyssey, focus here!" Bell musters up as much volume as she can, even smacking him on the cheek with a bloody hand to get him to focus back on her and not their allies. He has to blink a few times to bring his attention back on her, anger blinding him for a moment. "Major he – he was the one that made me see you and Misha."

"He – what?" Odyssey asks, complete confusion temporarily stopping his tears. He turns back to look over at Major, confused as to what would make him do such a thing. "I don't understand why he would do that."

"Because he's a fucking snake," Bell says with a laugh that quickly turns into a cough, only making Odyssey grow even more concerned that she doesn't have much time left. "Just ask Anastacia."

"Or I'll ask you," Odyssey responds to her, trying to wipe away some of the tears falling down her cheeks. "You're not going anywhere."

Bell tries to smile at him as she blinks back tears, "Odyssey…" She lets out a heavy sigh as she glances up at the sky for a moment before turning back to him. "We both know that's not true… And I…I'm scared."

"Me too," Odyssey whispers to her before taking a deep breath, trying to keep a brave face for her. Who cares if he is scared right now? It means nothing compared to what she is feeling as she is dying. "I'm not going anywhere."

Bell nods her head, blinking back tears as she grabs onto his hand again, pulling it closer to her. "I-I don't blame you."

"You should," Odyssey tells her, a pit of guilt already forming in his stomach as he watches her face continue to pale from the blood loss. "It's my fault."

Bell gives him a sad smile as she puts her free hand over the other, clutching onto him as much as she can in her weakening state. "One of us had to go," Bell whispers, momentarily letting go of his hand to wipe at her tears, her hand shaking so much before falling onto her chest. "I don't…I don't think I would have gone on without you. But you… You need to win."

Odyssey really doesn't think he can put himself back together enough at this point after this, yet he still nods his head in agreement, willing to say anything to her right now to make her last moments count. "I will…" Odyssey whispers to her before letting out a sob at the way that comment barely pulls up the corner of her lips. "For both of us."

"Good," Bell says, barely above a whisper and Odyssey has to lean forward to hear the rest of what she says. "Odyssey Gunderson…victor of the…"

Boom.

Odyssey freezes at the sound of the cannon and shuts his eyes, trying to pretend that it's not true. She can't be gone… The first sob escapes as he leans down his head, resting against her shoulder and holding onto her, unable to hold it back any longer. "Bell, no…"

He pulls her closer to him, cradling her as he rocks as he cries, knowing it's all his fault. It doesn't matter if she didn't blame him… He did this to her. His friend… He had promised her that they would fight together until the end…

Why did that end have to be so soon?

"I-I'm s-sorry," Odyssey cries out, but nothing is going to change what he did…

What a terrible friend he is…Bell deserved someone better than him in this arena with her. Someone who wouldn't have broken her heart. Someone who wouldn't have killed her… Maybe he doesn't deserve to be the one that survived that fight… He doesn't know why it should have been him over her. She should have beat him with her being so much better at using spears than he is… But the thought of her being unable to fully fight him because of her feelings just makes it so much worse.

"Fuck!" Odyssey slams his fist on the ground next to him. Why him? Why did they have to put him in the Trial by Combat? And why her?! He would have fought any of the other careers with no problem…but his District partner, his friend? Why do the other careers get to go unharmed while he has to suffer from this guilt?

Odyssey slowly picks up his head, white hot rage and guilt clashing in him as his brain tries to wrap around the fact that Bell is dead and he's her killer. He looks over at the other careers, all of them still staring back at him and his hands begin to shake in anger. It should have been any of them in this fight. Let them destroy each other like they've been wanting to do. But not him and Bell…

"They're not winning after this, Bell," Odyssey says quietly, his voice wavering in anger as he stares at his allies. "No fucking way are they winning after forcing me to kill you."

If they think that District Two is out because of this…they have no idea what they are about to face.

Odyssey takes one last look at Bell, seeing the blood on her face and the hint of a smile etched on her lips. Her last breath was telling him he would be victor…how can he do anything other than that now? "Let's go get them," Odyssey whispers to her before leaning down to kiss her forehead, lingering as tears fall down his cheeks and onto her, as he begs her one last time to forgive him. "I really hope you forgive me. I promise you, Bell, I never wanted this…"

Odyssey takes a deep breath before sitting up and taking one shaky step at a time, comes back to his feet. He picks up his bloodied spear and stares at it for a moment, hating the weapon with everything in him, but keeping it as a bitter reminded that this is his fault and now…now he has to live with the consequences.

The tears keep falling down his cheeks as he starts walking back over to the others, but he makes no attempt at wiping them away. Let them see how much he cared about Bell. He wants them to know how much he has been destroyed by this. That way they will know when he wins, it's for both of them.

As he gets closer to them, a mixed bag of emotions on their faces, one of them decides to call out to him. "So sorry for your loss," Major says, not sounding too remorseful to Odyssey, barely able to see through the tears pouring down his cheeks.

He hiccups from a sob as he comes to a stop, staring at Major in the distance and Bell's words echoing in his head. Don't trust him…

Odyssey uses his arm to brush away tears in his eyes and stares back at Major, studying the sweet smile he's giving in the face of Bell's death, the sharp focus in his eyes… The others at least show a little bit of pity on their faces for Odyssey having to just fight his District partner, but not Major. No, Major is sitting there looking all smug.

Damn it, he's been fucking blind this whole time.

All the problems with Bell, him feeling so distraught and full of regret over hurting her… All can be blamed back on someone who he thought was on his side. What if he had never talked things over with Bell? What if he had to live with even more guilt than already plagues him from being the one to kill her? It's all Major's fault for trying to break them apart and having her find out he didn't return feelings in the worst way. If he did that…what else has he done to them?

"You fucking bastard," Odyssey says in a low voice as he grips the spear in his hand tighter, staring Major down and watching as his smug look starts to drop as Odyssey throws the spear towards him.

Eulogies:

Bellona Silvanus [2], Ranked 11th, Killed by Odyssey [2]:

Oh Bell...This was probably the first death to truly hit me hard in this story (and I know it's going to get worse) and yeah, it was really mean of me to put these two together in the Trial by Combat. I procrastinated this chapter a bit because I wasn't ready to stop having the wonderful dynamic in the career pack and knew this would change everything. It was time for a career death and I knew the first one was going to be one that would hit hard. Bell has been so much fun to write and while her time in the arena may be over, her impact certainly isn't. Thank you so much for sending her Misty! RIP Bell.

Yeah...I went there. Welcome to Angstville. I'm your mayor, Lauren, please enjoy your stay here. Tissues are to the left and comfort cookies to your right.

That's about all I have to say so I will see you soon to address this cliffhanger. Sorry for the angst XD (but not really, this angst has been planned for a very long time lol).