Fast update! I planned everything out and realized I had three chapters left until the Games were over. Gave me the little boost I needed.
I won't be doing final 8 interviews, when the victor is going around the District, I will give a short thing on how each Warriors family is doing.
Enjoy this chapter!
Evelyn Spires, 17
District Two Female
Evelyn pushed her way through the small opening. She knew Nero would not attack her.
The dark haired boy smiled a weak grin. His eyes drifting over to Venus' twitching body.
Evelyn followed his gaze and sighed. "It's the aim of the game, only one can win."
Nero gave an understanding sigh as he yanked the spear from her head, wiping the blood and brain matter on his red cape.
"I just wish she wasn't involved. She was a good person." The pair fell silent. The crickets once again starting to chatter. "You alone?" Nero asked.
"At the moment, yes. Damon and Shelly are collecting wood. We heard the girl so I came to investigate." Did I just tell him I was alone? It didn't matter. They had grown up together, he would never hurt her. Then again, he had grown up with Venus too.
It was Nero in the end who broke the silence. "Are you here to kill me?"
Evelyn let out a small laugh. "Not for now," she sighed. "Only if we both make it to the final, I don't want to kill you-"
"If anyone was going to kill me, I'd rather it was you." Evelyn felt her body begin to shake as she looked at the broken boy.
"Why?"
"Because you are the strongest here. Truthfully, you are like my sister, I don't want to hurt you but I think you can agree we would both rather be taken out by the other," She knew Nero was right but with the words he spoke, she felt a sharp stabbing pain in her chest.
"Sister?" She mumbled. "Is that honestly how you see me?"
Nero beamed. "Of course, I have known you almost all my life. You are from home, we trained together, we know each other inside out, that can only come from siblings."
Evelyn smiled but inside she felt crushed. All those thoughts about marrying Nero or even being in his arms were dashed. If in the worst of times he only saw her as a sister, she would never change his minds. Yet at the same time, she knew it was for the best. Only one could win after all.
"So, how do we fight, we only have spears." Nero thought for a moment before smiling once more.
"We throw at each other-"
"We could both die-"
"It's the only way, think about it." Evelyn did indeed think and once again Nero was correct.
The pair moved to opposite ends of the clearing and readied their spears, pulling it back. They both counted down to three, their body shaking. On the count of three, they both let their spears fly.
Evelyn closed her eyes once her spear had left her hands, only opening them again when she heard Nero's hit the hedge two feet away from her. Her blue eyes flew across to Nero who slunk to his knees, a spear lodged in his chest. On his lips, a broken but relaxed smile. A smile that said a thousand words.
Evelyn had trained with Nero most of his life, she knew he wouldn't have missed her by such a large margin. But the audience and President didn't. The smile he shared throughout his childhood and with Annabella had vanished at the death of his love and friends. To Nero, there was no reason to win anymore. To return to a family he hadn't seen in ten years, pressured into spending time with other women, living with the guilt of people like Venus. Causing his own death would have punished his innocent family. Making it looked like he died in a fair battle kept everyone safe. He hoped Coutille would fight back. He was always too kind for his own good.
"You fucking idiot," she said through tears. "You are such an idiot." Nero didn't hear, his cannon sounded just as she began to speak. Leaving Evelyn alone.
Grover Lindall, 17
District Seven Male
"There it is, big man!" Gover laughed. Veyron frowned as he looked at the thick, patterned collum, a brass bowl on top and blue flames standing tall. On bowl was a name elegantly carved into the brass.
"Who is Hestia?" Veyron winced, clutching his side.
Grover shrugged. "Some chick by the sounds of it. Doesn't really matter to us."
"Right," Veyron said carefully. "And what is the plan here?"
Grover snapped his fingers, a sly smile on his face. "We push this little baby over, run away, let it make the arena all toastie, taking most of the Tributes with it and pick off the charred survivors."
"That seems a bit sadistic-"
"Veyron, come on. It's the Hunger Games, the very definition is sadistic. Plus it helps us."
"Whatever," Veyron sighed. "But I can't run, not like this." Grover looked at the boy and winced. Other than the shallow cuts, the bore had broken at least one of his ribs. Grover had patched him up the best he could. He was not completely sure why he wasted his first aid kits on the boy. Maybe it was because the boy went along with Grovers foolish ideas. Maybe Grover was growing a soft spot for the guy.
He shook the latter idea away from his headspace. "Okay, you start walking away, I'll catch you up...as long as we are walking away from the fire, we should be fine." Grover felt he could trust Veyron not to betray him or run away. Being injured, he needed Grover more than ever.
Veyron grabbed his pack and staff and started to walk away. When Grover had decided he was at a safe distance, he lifted his right leg and kicked the collum. However, the fire bowl did not budge. With a grumble, Grover kicked the hot bowl, turning the blue flames a dark, deep red.
As he kicked it over and over again. An owl circled above him, sounding out a warning call. The dark-haired boy didn't listen. This time, frustrated by the small amount the bowl had moved. He decided to push it with his hand. A mistake he would later regret.
He used his none fighting hand but still, he could feel the skin burning and peeling as he pushed with all his weight. With a final push and a pained scream, the bowl gave way, clattering to the ground.
Belinda Herd, 16
District Ten Female
Belinda was shaken away by the cries of a ghostly white peacock that walked around her sleeping form. She opened her eyes to see thick, grey smoke covering the sky above, a few hedges in front was a large crackling fire.
Once the Peacock knew she was awake, it ran off down an exit behind Belinda. The dark haired girl grabbed her pack and ran after the bird and away from the spreading flames that engulfed half of the Arena.
8th Place-Nero Anghel, Killed by Evelyn Spires.
I feel cruel killing Nero after you saw him in the last chapter. However, I decided that Nero is someone who wouldn't want to win. He lost the girl he loved, his friends, killed people he liked. A victory would have left him as a prostitute (most likely), guilt-ridden and after being trained all his life to be a killer, with nothing to do. R.I.P Nero, Atlas won't forget you.
Out of the final seven, who do you think will die in the fire, who do you think the victor will be and who do you want to win?
District 2: Evelyn Spires, 17
District 4: Shelly Bereg, 15
District 5: Damon Romulus, 16
District 6: Veyron Maverick, 17
District 7: Grover Lindall, 17
District 8: Coutille Harrow, 15
District 10: Belinda Herd, 16