Another training chapter! I have worked it out, there will be four more training chapters after this and then we will have our victor (for the training).
I was thinking about giving the submitter of the victor sponsor points...what do you think?
Also three important announcements!
First one: I have put a poll on my profile I NEED you to vote on. I am doing a special Halloween interlude featuring the characters at Halloween. It will feature all the characters but it will be centered around the Halloween of one Warrior. I thought of many ways to make this fair but in the end, to make sure that you enjoy it and I can not be accused of being biased, I am allowing you to pick who this character is. Who's Halloween do you want to see? Vote in the poll and let me know!
Second One: I have a new blog up. It is under realisimhg166thDOTweeblyDOTcom/ It is for my new story and I am very proud of it. A vast improvement from the Chosen Warrior one I think. So even if you have no interest in my new SYOT, please check it out and give me feedback.
Third One: My SYOT is still open. I have honestly got some amazing characters and I am already excited to get started. However, I have lots of spots open so be sure to send yours in *finger click*
So enjoy this chapter, let me know what you thought, who you think is going to win and I wiz off and get some overdue reviews out there.
Clarissa Silvia, District 11 Female for The 35th Hunger Games.
From the second she entered the forest, Clarissa had opted for taking a straight path through. The numbness the thorns that caught her leg not slowing her down as she vanished into the thick cover of the woods. People came into view from all around her but every time, they zig, zagged away from the freckled girl, not wanting to pick a fight without their chosen weapon.
In fact, the darkness of the world around her had kept her concealed from any major threat but even she knew that stopping now would never work. The nettles would break down the sensors soon, leaving her a paralyzed mess. However, where the unbeaten path leads her was not much better.
With an irritated groan, she shielded her eyes from the bright lights that spilled through the opening in the trees. Before her was a large, stream, the sound of the fast flowing water echoing through the forest.
Clarissa leaned forward from out of the tree line, looking at the winding stream that seemed to cover the distance of the whole forest. Thankfully, most people had either ran away looking for another way to cross the river or had yet to arrive as there only seemed to be herself there.
The situation was bleak for Clarissa. She either made a move to cross it now, risking someone in hiding having an open shot on her or she waited for more people to arrive. If she had poison, she could have made the stream deadly, cutting off everybody's main water source. Sadly, the girl had nothing at that current time but her bravery and even that was in short supply.
So, with every inch of bravery she possessed, Clarissa slid down the muddy bank, almost losing her footing at the bottom. Once her feet were in the water, she did one last check and started to wade across the knee-deep stream.
The water was ice cold, so cold that even her suit could pick it up, making her legs feel numb. Around her feet, small shrimp and fish darted under and out of rocks that were scattered across the bed. Clarissa cursed her luck. She had been given the perfect chance to pick up some more water, the water moving fast enough to be drinkable yet she had nothing to contain it.
It was a sight though, the early morning sun shimmering on the surface of the water, the birds in the tree's giving it sort of a tranquil feel. All around her, rabbits bounded about, watching her for a few seconds before darting into the bushes. Her ears were full of the sound of the forest, birds, rabbits, the wind in the trees.
Suddenly, like sickness, Clarissa froze, tilting her head up towards the sky the still branches looking back at her. There was no wind and no normal animal could make the amount of disturbance that had been occurring from behind her.
Clarissa turned to run, pushing through the water as fast as she could when an arrow whizzed through the air, missing her by millimeters.
The girl let out a scream as she turned to face her attacker. Berik Mathews looked back, an arrow in his mouth, his helmet at his feet and his blue eyes focused on the Clarissa as he let another arrow fly. It spun through the air too fast for the girl to react, striking her on the right side of her chest, near her collarbone. However, instead of breaking a bone or lodging itself into her skin, it bounced off the suit and fell into the water, being washed downstream.
Berik looked lost for words until the right side of Clarissa's suit shimmered red, an intense pain tearing through her nervous system, every movement hurting like she had been shocked.
She looked back up, begging for mercy with her brown eyes when a rock flew from out the bushes hitting Berik in his thigh. Only then did Clarissa noticed the boy was stood on a rotting log that created a bridge from one bank to the other. A slippery log and a suit with little friction allowed the boy to slip off when his leg gave way, sending him into the deep water.
Clarissa saw her chance and took it. Gritting her teeth through the pain as she grabbed the first of Berik's arrows and clambered up the bank before running at top speed into the bushes once more.
As she ran back into the darkness, the bushes around her started to move, followed by a single pair of footsteps that crash through the fern undergrowth. It continued its pursuit after her until it was only a few feet behind. Determined to not become injured any more than she already had, Clarissa spun around on her heel, ready to jab her arrow into the eyes of her attacker. But, when she saw the silver Six glistening in the low sunlight, she knew she couldn't.
"Clarissa?" A small voice asked. The girl gave a nod, lowering her arrow.
"Was it you who threw the rock?" Clarissa asked, cocking her head to the side. Loretta just shook her head in response.
"I didn't throw any rock...who hurt you?" She asked in response, gesturing over to the arm that Clarissa cradled.
"Berik, he has an arrow-"
"Lucky bastard," Loretta chuntered under her breath. "I only have a small dagger," the girl sighed, tapping the backpack that was slung over one shoulder.
Clarissa smiled to herself, holding her hand out towards the girl. "Does this mean we are allies then?"
"Yeah, we are the only allies we can have and two is better than one," Loretta grinned, taking the girl's hand and shaking it firmly.
Berik Mathews, District 12 Male for The 35th Hunger Games.
Berik scrambled to his feet the second the icy cold water touched the bare skin on his face, even then, he was trying to empty out the water from inside his nostrils. Once he was free from his coughing and spluttering, he looked up to find Clarissa but she was gone.
The silver lining in the situation was that the stone thrower had also vanished and his bow and arrows had not washed downstream. Shivering and grumpy, Berik picked them up, placed his helmet on his head and trudged out of the stream.
When he was out of the water, Berik sat on the bank, just out of view. He attached his arm guard and protective glove once more as he fixed the fletching on the arrow that hit Clarissa. Still agitated at her, it did nothing but add to his stress of that day. The real stress had happened from the very start of the Arena.
When the gong sounded, he tailed Annabella into the woods but when he caught sight of his bag, knelt down to pick it up. When he looked up, Annabella was gone, Shelly racing past him, pretending he was not even there.
Berik searched the woods, even after the first cannon had sounded in the hopes he would find her and protect her. He did not need to ally, he could have done it from afar.
It must have seemed strange to any outsiders that he would go to such lengths for the girl but most outsiders did not know how he felt about her. He had liked her from the second he met when they were children. Sadly, Berik was never a very forward person so never saw the point in rushing things. Well, it was his slow and steady pace that allowed Nero to sweep her off her feet and leave him alone.
It was not something he would ever forgive himself for and deep down he was not sure if he could really forgive Nero. Nero was his friend, his Warrior partner but part of him hated him for having Annabella. However, it would be neither Nero or his fault if Annabella was to be eliminated. The girl was disliked and it was no one but her own fault, even though she did not know how to help herself.
She was a shy girl, riddled with social anxiety that even after ten years, she was close to few Warriors. Not to mention the stress that consumed her from being the weakest in the pack. She had cried in Berik's company many times so he could only imagine how many times Nero had cradled her.
Life was what it was, nothing more, nothing less. That's why Berik cared about his life and the people around him so much because he knew there might not be a tomorrow. Now, Berik did not condemn anyone who believed in some sort of afterlife. In fact, he envied them for having faith in something so tranquil. Berik didn't believe in a hell or heaven, no place to meet lost loved ones, not awakening after death. To him, if he lost the Hunger Games, there would be nothing else, Berik Mathews was no more.
The thought frightened him yet it breathed life into his soul. It is what urged him to become a bounty hunter, to become the man he always wanted to be. The only thing he did not have was a guaranteed long life but then again, you did not have to be a Warrior to be denied that right.
He was just about to stand up when something loud broke the branches off a bush behind him. He slammed himself back into the dirt, pulling himself slowly above the bank to look at which Warrior it was. He hoped it was Annabella or Nero, neither of them would kill each him but when his blue eyes focused on a shape, it turned out to be Janae.
She was pulling out a backpack that had been tangled in the branches, almost like the bush had grown around it, She grunted in frustration as she slowly cut the branches with a throwing knife.
She is going to blunt that. Berik thought to himself as she struggled. Being a weapons expert had given him a slight bond with the deadly objects. It hurt him to see a weapon used so carelessly but he was willing to be that Janae knew the problem too but it was all she had.
She was one of the youngest Warriors but she was also still a threat. And as no one was dying, Berik felt no guilt when he loaded up his arrow at the girl, trying his best to aim for the thick tree line.
He became still, his tongue sticking out in concentration as he aimed for the neck. Unfortunately for Berik, the moment he let go of the arrow, Janae stood up. It was less than a second but that second was long enough for it to hit her right knee instead of her face.
Janae jumped, her leg flashing red as it gave way from under her. Berik placed an arrow in his mouth, the other in the bow when something clattered against the bag of his suit. Before he could turn around, his suit flashed red and a cannon echoed through the Arena.
The blonde boy let out a defeated sigh as he fell backward into the water. Evelyn frowned as she jumped down from the opposite end of the back and towards Berik, holding a throwing knife.
I should have known Janae was not alone, she had a weapon but not her pack yet. Berik thought as Eve laid him against the muddy bank and out of the stream.
Romilda Vasilios, District 4 Male for The 35th Hunger Games.
"I don't like it under here," Romilda muttered when Belinda came back, an arm full of firewood.
"Don't be a baby, it's only the underside of a bridge." Romilda pulled a face as he watched a small spider building a web just above his head. He ducked down and moved out of the way, trying not to splash the water.
Belinda smiled at the skittish man and patted the stone step. Romilda once again pulled a face, bending down to make sure there were no spider webs before he took his seat.
Him and Belinda did the smart thing, they met up after the gong had sounded and ran off into the woods together. It meant that Romilda had missed out on his pack but they were both together and each had allies. Neither of them wanted to face the situation alone.
"I was thinking," Belinda said, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "In the real Games, would you like to ally? I mean, we have worked together for seven years...It's only me, Grover and Ares so far-"
"Can Veyron and Loretta join too?" Romilda asked, not skipping a beat. He was not too bothered about Veyron being there but he knew Loretta would not join without her childhood friend, a thing he accepted.
"Sure? I guess Grover will let them, he likes them...I don't think he will let Pallas in, though." Belinda said apologetically but Romilda just scoffed.
"He is not going anywhere near her in the arena, he will kill her."
The pair fell silent after that, looking at the water that swelled around their feet, fish darting in between them. Belinda glanced over to Romilda and smiled. "You really do love Loretta, don't you?" she asked Romilda, the boy glancing up to her with his blue eyes.
He quickly looked away, sighing as he did so. "Yeah, more than anyone could understand until they felt it themselves...it's best things stay as they are-"
"Why? She clearly likes you too-"
"I. Just..can't," Romilda said in a deflated manner, bending down and dipping his fingers in the cold water. Belinda gave a knowing smile. They were Warriors, everyone knew what it was like to be forced into something.
"Well, The Capitol dance is coming up, you could ask her to that-"
"You think Pallas is just going to hand his girl over? No man in their right mind would-"
"Maybe if you frame it like you want to go as friends-" Belinda was cut off by the highest scream she had ever heard. She turned back to Romilda who sprang from his perch, swatting his back like a madman.
It all became clear what the problem was when a large, black spider fell into the water. Belinda leaped in after it, scooping it up in her hands and placing it back on the stone. She looked back up at her partner but he had a look of fear in his eyes, his suit flashing red.
"Run!" he shouted as he fell forward, face first into the water. Behind him was Ares, pulling another arrow from his pack and reloading his weapon.
Belinda turned to run but Maurice was blocking her path. He raised his knife but Belinda just raised her knee, striking him in his crotch. There was a slight delay as the boy's suit flash white and he fell to the floor crippled in pain. By the time Ares had got his bow ready, Belinda had already vanished back into the tree line.
He glanced over to Maurice who was crouched in the water trying not to cry. He picked up the Arrow that had struck Romilda in the head, just as the cannon sounded.
"Sorry about that," Ares laughed, picking up Romilda's arms and dragging him towards the river bank.
"None taken, how are you?" Romilda sighed, flashing an unseen smile.
Ares shrugged. "Frankly, I want to be home...I miss my sweets."
23rd Place-Berik Mathews, District 12
22nd Place-Romilda Vasilios, District 4
21 To Go.