THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES
"Break the Ice"
INTRODUCTION
After his third successful year, Head Gamemaker Garnet Russo seemed on top of the world. With the turn of the century, the Hunger Games took on a completely new role in the Capitol; they were no longer just an annual party, but a deeply ingrained cultural ritual that seemed just as necessary to the healthy progress of society as the rising and falling of the sun. Some even thought that, were the games ended, human civilization would fall backwards into the stone-age state in which it had been during the lethal cosmic event and subsequent thermonuclear conflict that led to the formation of Panem. Garnet was glad to return for his fourth year, eager to wow the crowds once more with whatever he had planned. Like last year, he released a short trailer clip for the newest arena. The clip, which lasted twelve seconds, showed only black at first, along with a howl of icy wind. Then a block of ice was shown, and the crunch of collapsing stone. By the looks of things, a frigid arena was in store. Such a thing was dangerous to even attempt – highly inhospitable arenas rarely made for interesting games – but Garnet was sure he could pull things around and make this year another big win. President Stinn Hawke was originally apprehensive about using a cold arena, but approved after learning of the riots taking place across Panem. A particularly cruel arena was sure to scare them into submission. The host, Ciara Grant, stayed in place. Titanius Lafayette had recovered from his illness but decided to retire from his job as the games host, wanting to spend more time with his children as he reached old age. Ciara was unproven and unknown in the Capitol, so she would have to work hard to establish herself as part of the Hunger Games team. She was willing to do so. Ciara told the Capitol that she had a special twist planned for a games in the near future, and would not elaborate despite the requests of paparazzi and fans alike. She sure did like being mysterious.
There was a standard career pack this year, with six well-trained fighters sure to keep things running smoothly in the arena. District 1 provided two talented beauties as usual. The boy, Chaise, was the son of the academy's head trainer. Many expected him to earn a ten or even an eleven, but he had stage fright during his private session and earned a nine. Still not a bad score for a career: he was a great archer with a sharp eye. The girl, Treasure, was much more popular. She was beautiful in a way that was exotic and statuesque, but not exactly seductive. She was one of the few District 1 tributes who used brute force weapons like maces. District 2 provided the strongest pair. Cicero, the male tribute, was the most popular tribute of the entire bunch. He was a master swordsman, very muscular and attractive and certain to make a splash as the games progressed. The girl, Scoria, was another expert sword-wielder. She was also one of the few dark-skinned career tributes. Finley from District 4 was the weakest career, scoring only an eight. He was an adequate spear-user but unable to use any kind of heavy weapon that required strength. He was also too short to seem as intimidating as he would have liked. The girl, Syren, was more promising; she was over six feet tall and faster than lightning, and she was flirty but not seductive. The audience loved that. Her skill with axes earned her a nine, placing her just behind the tributes from 1 and 2 in the tribute rankings.
Among the outliers, there were only two standouts. Haslet Branch from District 7 snagged an impressive eight in his private session, showing the gamemakers how skilled he was with the axe and sword. He wasn't much of a crowd pleaser, failing to keep his interview going smoothy, but that wouldn't matter as long as he was able to fend powerfully for his life. Alecto Conway from 10 was the other high scorer, earning a seven by navigating the various gauntlets and obstacle courses with impressive skill. The rest of the tributes scored between six and two in their private sessions. There were no volunteers besides the careers. Here are the tributes:
District 1: Chaise Bishop, 16 (9) 7-1 and Treasure Langley, 16 (10) 4-1
District 2: Cicero Cavett, 18 (10) 3-1 and Scoria Wesson, 17 (9) 6-1
District 3: Tech Erdos, 15 (5) 26-1 and Pixelle Cort, 16 (4) 31-1
District 4: Finley Karzen, 17 (8) 8-1 and Syren Magretta, 18 (9) 5-1
District 5: Dex Osborne, 13 (3) 38-1 and Curia Baumann, 16 (4) 32-1
District 6: Kian Zavanella, 17 (5) 24-1 and Astra Tager, 18 (6) 17-1
District 7: Haslet Branch, 18 (8) 12-1 and Lilac Moro, 12 (3) 41-1
District 8: Suede Critchley, 16 (3) 36-1 and Kaliselle Facey, 16 (3) 36-1
District 9: Ralf Graffo, 18 (6) 18-1 and Thalia Krogh, 15 (5) 25-1
District 10: Alecto Conway, 16 (7) 14-1 and Catherine Zobel, 12 (2) 47-1
District 11: Odis Carrington, 17 (3) 35-1 and Arabella Lot, 14 (2) 46-1
District 12: Gino Enis, 15 (2) 48-1 and Cilla Tomich, 16 (2) 47-1
HGBO Bets: 26% on Cicero, 21% on Treasure, 12% on Scoria, 11% on Chaise and Syren, 7% on Finley, 6% on Haslet, 5% on Alecto, 1% or less on Tech, Pixelle, Dex, Curia, Kian, Astra, Lilac, Suede, Kaliselle, Ralf, Thalia, Catherine, Odis, Arabella, Gino, and Cilla.
THE GAMES
When the tributes rose, all they could see was white. Their pedestals were mounted on an enormous sheet of snow-coated ice, with snowflakes filling the air so completely they could only barely see the stone cornucopia towering over them. The circular hunk of ice was one of hundreds, floating atop a freezing cold sea far north of Panem. Twenty-four precarious paths led outward from the ice floe like spindles of a wagon wheel, connecting the horn to the collection of loose ice pieces that constituted the arena. There were no deadly mutts in the sea; there didn't need to be. The water was so cold that any tribute who fell in would be dead in minutes. The larger ice pieces were cluttered around the center of the arena, where the waters were calmer and slightly warmer. Farther out, the floes became smaller and looser. Also, the waters became more violent and much colder. The ice sea was circled by a rocky beach, which gave way to large, craggy hills as one travelled outward. The only manmade features of the arena were the stone sculptures. Every ice piece contained a myriad of them. They were statues of tributes from previous Hunger Games, particularly audience favorites; Garnet thought reminding audience members of their favorite moments from previous years was a good strategy to make them enjoy these games even more. The cornucopia ice floe was the only one that contained statues of the victors. Which of the twenty-four tributes would soon become a victor themselves? Time would tell.
With ten seconds left on the countdown, Catherine from 10 accidentally stepped off her plate. She was utterly blinded by the snowstorm, so distracted trying to sweep the flakes out of her eyes that she didn't even notice herself stepping backwards. Catherine yelped in panic as she stumbled off the little metal circle she wasn't supposed to leave until she heard the gong. There was a deafening blast, and then Catherine's bloody body parts were shot sky-high.
Catherine Zobel, District 10 Female: 24th, Killed by explosives, Pre-Bloodbath
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
When the gong rang, every single tribute ran toward the cornucopia. None of them dared to take their chances with what they could find in the arena; that would have been suicide. Syren was the first career to reach the cornucopia, sweeping up an axe roughly half a minute after leaving her pedestal. An already shivering boy ran into her path, making a break for the portable heater he'd spotted lying in the mouth of the cornucopia. He caught only a glimpse of Syren's lithe frame before the axe came down, severing his head in one fell swoop.
Kian Zavanella, District 6 Male: 23rd, Killed by Syren, Bloodbath
Chaise made the next kill. The screaming girl from 5 ducked his first blow, managing to escape the deadly wrath of his twin spears for several terrifying moments. She just wasn't fast enough to evade him for longer, though, and moments later the cameras showed her dead with both spears through her chest.
Curia Baumann, District 5 Female: 22nd, Killed by Chaise, Bloodbath
Treasure panicked for a moment, thinking the gamemakers hadn't included the mace she'd specifically asked for. When she saw the spiky stone weapon, her eyes lit up like those of a child in a candy shop. Gino from 12 fell screaming as Treasure swung the mace through the air, leaving him unable to move or breathe as he fell beneath a statue of Victor Odius Ruttler. His blood painted Odius' stone feet dark red as Treasure bludgeoned him to death, and then he was as dead as every other District 12 tribute in the last decade.
Gino Enis, District 12 Male: 21st, Killed by Treasure, Bloodbath
Scoria from 2 and Finley from 4 teamed up to kill a pair of outlier girls. Scoria was armed with a sword, while Finley had a belt of knives clipped around his waist. The larger girl, Pixelle from 3, spotted the careers coming early and warned her friend to run. They tried to make a speedy escape but slipped over the ice, falling into a pathetic heap. Scoria took down the 3 girl named Pixelle, skewering her straight through the torso. Meanwhile, Finley went to work on the other girl, Thalia from 9, gashing her deeply with his deadly knives.
Pixelle Kort, District 3 Female: 20th, Killed by Scoria, Bloodbath
Thalia Krogh, District 9 Female: 19th, Killed by Finley, Bloodbath
Cicero, the most popular tribute, zeroed-in on an obscure male tribute trying to escape with a heating pack and a can of yogurt. With the bloodbath in full swing, he didn't even notice Cicero running in his direction until it was too late. He produced a single yelp before he was cut to shreds, and Cicero grinned, having finally taken his first life.
Suede Critchley, District 8 Male: 18th, Killed by Cicero, Bloodbath
Near the mouth of the horn, Syren had been dueling with Haslet from 7 for several minutes. Syren was well-trained, but Haslet was the most powerful outlier in this arena and he wasn't going down without a fight. After nearly three minutes, Syren landed the fatal blow, twisting in an unexpected manner that left Haslet defenseless as she swung her axe into his gut. Haslet tumbled backward, flying into a statue of Enobaria Rigatti and then losing consciousness. A great number of his fans in the Capitol were disappointed that day.
Haslet Branch, District 7 Male: 17th, Killed by Syren, Bloodbath
Chaise and Treasure, the pair from 1, were in for an unexpected surprise. They'd ganged up on Astra Tager, the girl from 6, and knew they were moments from killing her. They'd trapped her against the wall of the cornucopia and were preparing to go in for the kill. What they didn't know was that Astra was one step ahead of them. Her ally, Alecto from 10, closed in on Chaise and Treasure from the other side, creeping toward them as quickly yet quietly as he could with an enormous dagger clutched in both hands. Astra was moments from death when Alecto pounced out of the blizzard, knifing down both Chaise and Treasure in a matter of seconds. Alecto groaned in guilt while Astra sighed with relief, not knowing how to thank the boy who'd saved her life.
Chaise Bishop, District 1 Male: 16th, Killed by Alecto, Bloodbath
Treasure Langley, District 1 Female: 15th, Killed by Alecto, Bloodbath
Moments later, Scoria scored her second kill. Little Cilla from 12 was on her hands and knees in front of the cornucopia, trying to shove supplies into a blue backpack. When she spotted Scoria's shadow on the ice, Cilla swung the backpack into her face, actually managing to knock her out of her senses. She still wasn't fast enough to escape though, and Scoria sent her smearing circles of blood over the ice with a single swing of her new mace.
Cilla Tomich, District 12 Female: 14th, Killed by Scoria, Bloodbath
Cicero pounced next, searching for his next human target. The boy from 9 fell under the point of his sword, flailing like a dying fish on the ice for a few moments before he fell still.
Ralf Graffo, District 9 Male: 13th, Killed by Cicero, Bloodbath
Finley, though the least popular career, was eager to knive and thrive in this arena. His original plan was to make two kills during the bloodbath. He was originally planning on giving up this goal, but as Arabella from 11 came sprinting in his direction the opportunity was too good to pass up. She yelped briefly as Finely pounced, sliding his knife into her throat and dragging it downward into her chest.
Arabella Lot, District 11 Female: 12th, Killed by Finley, Bloodbath
The four remaining careers were surprisingly unfazed by the deaths of the tributes from 1. In an arena that was so harsh and so punishing, it was better for the alliance to have fewer mouths to feed. There was already a shortage of food in the cornucopia and the careers knew they were likely to experience food insecurity as the games progressed. Cicero tasked himself with organizing the weapons; by making himself useful, he thought he could avoid setting the image of a lazy and bossy pack leader like some District 2 boys from years past. His district partner, Scoria, appreciated this; she was worried about tensions forming in the pack early, but with their leader acting so calm and collected this seemed unlikely. She sorted the rations for the next hour or so of the games, discussing hunting plans with Cicero. The pair from 4, Finley and Syren, were much less organized. They were worried sick about the frigid conditions of the arena, and they spent the whole morning hanging blankets and sleeping bags in front of the horn, trapping their body heat inside. About two hours after the bloodbath, a wolf mutt with smooth silver fur attacked the cornucopia. Syren impressed the audience by killing it within minutes, hacking off its maw and then making long gashes in its body until it bled to death. She was rewarded for her triumph with a valuable sponsor gift: a detailed map of the arena. When the pack set out to hunt, Syren was their navigator, with Cicero and Scoria following her lead through the cold network of ice sheets floating on the freezing ocean.
The seven outliers were unable to do anything but run aimlessly from the center of the arena; the snowstorm was far too thick for thoughtful navigation, and many of them were already out of their senses from the extreme cold. Tech from 3 was very well-armed; he'd taken the cornucopia's largest knife, snatching it right under Finley's nose while he was distracted killing the girl from 11. As Tech raced over the network of ice sheets, he clutched the knife like it was a diamond worth a million dollars. A group of sponsors, impressed by the heist, sent him a case of steaming steak and some broccoli. Comfortable for now, he curled up near a statue of Zinfandel Bernard from the 45th games and tried to sleep. Dex from 5 was not nearly as lucky; he'd been mortally wounded by Scoria a few minutes into the bloodbath. As he ran, he left a trail of red droplets on the ice. The only places he felt safe were the stone paths connecting the ice sheets. When night fell, he hunkered down on one of these paths with his hands sore and eyes red from the bitter cold. Astra from 6 was well-stocked with food but not with weapons. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good at rationing her food supply, and she'd eaten half of it by the time Day 1 was finished. Eventually, she reached the outer edge of the arena, where dry land appeared in the form of a muddy, rocky shore covered with bones. Trying to ignore the menacing scenery, she settled down for the night. Lilac from 7 was only twelve years old, but she did not give up hope. She'd seen how Evelyn Greengrass had reached the final three last year despite being a twelve-year-old, which helped Lilac keep her hopes up as her journey progressed. She lay down on an ice sheet with three enormous statues. They bore the images of Lavish, Estelle, and Cognac – the three tributes who'd ambushed Haymitch in the fiftieth games. Not wanting them to fall on her in the night, she slept at the edge of the ice sheet, hoping she wouldn't tumble into the water; she was a light sleeper. Kaliselle from 8 was the most well-stocked of all the outliers. She had a backpack full of food and a pair of knives, hurriedly taken from the bloodbath before most of the careers had even reached the cornucopia. Now free from the densely populated inner region of the arena, she was struggling to navigate the treacherous network of small ice sheets on its outer edge. Unable to coherently maker her way until the snowstorm cleared, she curled up and made an effort to get some rest. Afraid her supplies would be stolen, she stored them inside her clothes to hide them. Alecto from 10 was the one who really had the audience's attention; having killed both of the tributes from 1 during the bloodbath, all eyes were on him. His kills had earned him a small group of fans in the Capitol, who sent him scant sponsor supplies throughout the first day. He was unable to reach the outer edge of the arena on the first day, so he settled down on one of the largest ice sheets in the arena, bearing statues of Ruby Rayfuse's career allies from the fifty-second games, and used his backpack as a pillow for the night. Odis from 11 was in bad shape; he had a small store of food, but it was running low by the end of Day 1 and would surely be depleted the next day. His mentor Vine cryptically warned him of food at the outer edge of the arena. Figuring the note referred to some kind of edible plant life, he made the journey toward the craggy stone perimeter of the arena. The sky turned freezing grey as evening fell, subsiding eventually to the faint violet glow of the Milky Way when night arrived.
The tributes woke on the second morning to the noise of a cannon shot, a noise so loud that it made the ice rattle and the water pulse in terrifying waves. The careers – Cicero, Scoria, and Syren – had camped the previous evening roughly five miles from the cornucopia. In this area, small land forms jutted out of the water. They were muddy and unstable, but it was better than sleeping on the ice. Cicero had made a last-minute decision to take a fold-up tent from the cornucopia. Now, all three of the careers were grateful for that decision. After packing up their tent, they were on the hunt again. The morning sunlight was steely grey through the thick cloud cover, and only Syren spotted the tribute lying low on the ice, catching her rising and falling chest with her keen eyes. Astra from 5 was in the depths of a solid sleep; sleep was the only refuge her mind got from the bitter cold, so she savored it wholly and completely. As the careers stalked closer and closer, Astra tossed and turned, her face contorting in fear as though caught in a vivid nightmare. She was about to wake from one nightmare straight into another.
Scoria was the first to attack, smacking Astra in the chest with a single heavy swing of her mace. She groaned in agony and made a desperate struggle to escape, but she was as good as dead. Her blood spread out over the rocky shore and worked its way down to the water, where the layer of bones grew thicker and thicker with depth. Cicero finished her off with a single deep thrust of his sword. Her body actually started to tumble toward the water, but Syren held it back. No use making it more difficult for the gamemakers to collect her.
Astra Tager, District 6 Female: 11th, Killed by Scoria and Cicero, Day 2
Day 2 featured lots of movement but little action. Unable to sleep after the cannon shot, many outliers relocated on the morning of the second day. Kaliselle was the queen in this regard: she traversed the entire radius of the arena and travelled several miles around its perimeter, a nearly impossible distance. But Kaliselle was determined not to fade into the background, and such a broad scale of movement was necessary to achieve this end. She didn't know it, but the stone statues were actually animate creatures waiting to attack her. When the time came, she would surely be one of the first to face their wrath.
Alecto was also on the move; he'd risen before dawn, before Astra's cannon even sounded, in an effort to reach the outer edge of the arena before the others were out and about. Out there, there were not many paths, and the waters were very treacherous. Even so, it was worth the risk to reach the solid beach. Odis was similarly moving; his suspicions that the rocky beach harbored edible plant life were confirmed by the sour black lichens he encountered that morning. They were far from delicious, but he'd seen enough of the Hunger Games to know that they were probably safe to eat; the gamemakers would never build an arena with no natural food source. Alecto and Odis were very close to each other, with audience members speculating they would most likely meet on Day 3. Would they greet each other with friendship or violence? They would have to wait and see.
Desire for food and screen time was not the only force that drove the outliers to move; sheer fear of the career pack kept them on their toes. Cicero, Scoria, and Syren were eager for some kind of raft or boat; some way they could navigate the chilly water without restricting themselves to the small floes of ice. Cicero vaguely recalled seeing a raft-like object at the cornucopia and wanted to retrieve it. The others were apprehensive, but it was time to go back to the horn anyway and Cicero wasn't the only one with his hopes up for a raft. Tech, Dex, and Lilac – the three outliers who weren't moving on Day 2 – all encountered the careers during their return to the cornucopia. Lilac remained completely unseen, quickly slipping away before they could spot her. Dex likewise slipped away as fast as he could. His injury from the bloodbath had healed somewhat, and he could briskly hobble if not exactly run. Tech was the one in real trouble; the careers saw him, and they chased him for nearly half an hour before he made his escape. Tech only survived because of the heavy snowstorm brewing; once the air filled with white flakes, he was sheltered enough to slip toward safety. The careers were frustrated but didn't let Tech's escape get to them. They finished their path toward the cornucopia before long, regrouping with a bored Finley as night fell.
Day 3 was when the statue mutts launched their first attack. Kaliselle, staking her claim to a large ice piece in the immediate vicinity of the rocky beach, settled down for a short nap; she found she could avoid needing to sleep in one long period at night by resting periodically throughout the day. She awoke groggily around noon, just as the nearest statue began to move. It bore the image of Hydrangea, a girl from the ninetieth games, and Kaliselle couldn't believe her eyes as the statue stretched its arms and legs, readying itself to attack. She made a break for her life and only barely escaped, narrowly dodging a heavy swing of its stone fist. The statue was powerful but rather clumsy, yet she escaped only because she'd seen the threat coming so quickly. Two other tributes would not be so lucky.
At the horn, the careers were in for one crazy morning. All four of them were relaxing inside of the horn, which was warm and cozy from the blankets they'd laid over its gaping mouth back on Day 1. They were briefly discussing the weather while eating breakfast, which made for a rather casual and peaceful scene. Scoria rose to check the temperature, on the fence about whether to put on another layer before the daily hunt. She peeked through the blankets and immediately her face turned white. "Attack!" Scoria yelped, and the careers had only seconds to gather their weapons before the statues tore through the blankets, ready to kill.
Scoria's mace was the most effective weapon to take down the statues. She was the hero of the fight, knocking down statue after statue of victors from years past. She had one close call, nearly being swiped off her feet by a statue of Lucy Said. She was helped by her allies, who'd taken up the other maces; it was a good thing Cicero had sorted the supplies so well. Cicero, Scoria, Finley, and Syren put up a fantastic fight, but the statues would not leave until one of them was killed. A statue of Sapphire Waber, the first ever career victor, grabbed Finley by the neck and yanked him into the air, strangling him in its stony first. Syren screamed in panic and whacked the statue so suddenly that it dropped Finley, where he fell into a heap on the ice. In the end, though, Finley's death had only been postponed, not avoided. He was quickly overwhelmed, pummeled by statues of Brutus Cordley and Gloss Linden. Blood flew from his shattered windpipe, with the others drawing back to arm themselves even further as his screaming stopped and the cannon fired.
Finley Karzen, District 4 Male: 10th, Killed by statue mutts, Day 3
Within the hour, another tribute met their doom. All six outliers were attacked by a statue in some form, evading and fighting them off with varying degrees of success. Tech was so shaken after his near-death experience with the careers that he didn't dare fight the statues that targeted him. He was stalked by two of the animate sculptures, a district pair from the twenty-eighth games named Carter and Winter. Dex was pursued by only one statue, perhaps a sign that the gamemakers had some understanding of mercy. His attacker – the form of the dim-witted Anilyne Satta from the games immediately following the third Quell – was meant to terrify him rather than kill him, driving him onward for half a mile before letting him go. The statues eventually left Tech and Dex alone. They had bigger fish to fry.
Alecto, meanwhile, was fighting for his life; the entire career pack from the ninety-sixth games was on his trail, a dastardly number of pursuers for any tribute, let alone an outlier. He almost screamed when another tribute appeared suddenly at his side. It was Odis from 11. He'd seen Alecto out and about the day before and wanted to ask him to ally, but was too nervous; he'd seen Alecto kill the pair from 1 during the bloodbath, and worried he would react violently if he approached. With Odis and Alecto fighting together, the mutts went down much faster. It took them all day, but they won the long battle, sharing a brief and somewhat anticlimactic high-five when the last statue fell.
The last two tributes, Lilac and Kaliselle, also banded together to fight the mutts. They'd been walking together for less than ten minutes when the first row of statues attacked, a trio of forgotten outliers from the seventh games that not even the most dedicated Hunger Games fans knew the names of. The gamemakers ordered the statues to go easy on the two girls; they were weak tributes, and Garnet wanted the fight to look more intense and less already-won on screen. Fifteen minutes later, the girls took down one of the statues, Lilac shoving it into the water and Kaliselle pummeling it to death in a shower of well-aimed stones. However, they were no match for the statue horde. A statue of a tribute girl named Amira Randel grabbed Lilac by the chest and yanked her into the air, holding her so tightly she couldn't breathe. She flailed with panic, begging for Kaliselle to save her. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do. The mutt pulled Lilac tight to its chest, constricting her like a snake in its long, thin arms. So much for not giving up hope.
Lilac Moro, District 7 Female: 9th, Killed by statue mutt, Day 3
That left the final eight: Cicero Cavett and Scoria Wesson from District 2, Tech Erdos from District 3, Syren Magretta from District 4, Dex Osborne from District 5, Kaliselle Facey from District 8, Alecto Conway from District 10, and Odis Carrington from District 11.
Day 4 was completely still. These games were moving very quickly; Garnet knew he had to keep things going at a swift pace to keep the audience from getting bored with the harsh natural arena. Even so, the tributes needed time to rest, and Garnet was glad to give them a single day to do so while things settled down. Cicero, Scoria, and Syren relaxed at the cornucopia, trying to repair the damage done to the blanket covering they'd made on Day 1. Hairline cracks began to form in the alliance: Scoria believed they should hunt at the outer edge of the arena, while Cicero insisted more tributes would be hiding in the middle regions, using reverse-psychology by hunkering down somewhere that was not the safest place to be. Syren tried to ignore their bickering. She was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the raft: she and Finley had both asked their mentors to sink all the money they could into it. Late on Day 4, a note arrived from Poseidon promising Syren that the raft would arrive the next day. When that happened it would surely save their alliance. Until then, all she could do was try not to let the others drive her crazy.
Four of the five outliers were in good standing. Tech spent the day gathering all the makeshift weaponry he could find. He wandered the arena in search of the sharpest, best-shaped stones available, piling them into his small bag to be grabbed at a moment's notice. When he settled down for the night, he gathered thin pieces of ice to throw at any possible attackers, hopefully distracting them long enough to get him his bearings. It wasn't much, but Tech wanted to be as prepared as possible in case of an attack. Dex was in darker times; his wound from the bloodbath had healed, but it was horribly infected, and red-hot pain flashed through his body every time he moved. His mentor sent him as much medication as he could afford, but funds were running low and Dex knew his days were being numbered. He contemplated committing suicide just to end his suffering faster, but could not find the courage to harm himself while he was so full and so well-rested. Kaliselle was shaken after seeing Lilac die, but she never really knew her and brushed the shock off rather quickly. She was the first tribute to develop a boat-like device, inflating her supply bag and surrounding it with a net of branches. It wasn't the greatest raft the games had ever seen, but it kept her afloat and it impressed the sponsors enough to send her a pack of cookies. Alecto and Odis stuck together after defeating the statue horde; they got along well, and besides, they were both thirsting for human companionship after three days of isolation and quiet. Alecto wanted to hunt on Day 4, but Odis wasn't up to the challenge quite yet; one of the statues had scraped open his upper thigh, and the injury was still healing. They settled down on the beach and foraged for scant lichens and berries, establishing a somewhat stable yet disgusting food supply by the time the fourth day was over.
On Day 5, the pair went hunting. Odis was far from perfect comfort, but the wound on his thigh would only heal so far without advanced medicine so he would have to live with it for now. What he lacked in ferocity he made up for with resilience. Alecto was much more easily exhausted but hid it well. They hunted around the perimeter of the arena but found no prey; all of the tributes besides Kaliselle were on the ice network, and she was already out for the morning. Alecto's mentor sent him a note informing him of Kaliselle, and telling him to stay in place until she returned. Odis didn't like the prospect of staying still for an entire day, but the note was clear and they both could use a few hours of rest anyway. They climbed a few meters up the rocks and camped out in a small cave with a view of the shore where the note said Kaliselle lived.
The careers, similarly, were on the move. The raft Syren had been so anxiously waiting for finally arrived, carried down by an enormous silver parachute on the morning of the fifth day. Syren herself was chosen to inflate the raft by mouth – and not because she was the most popular – and she had a dreadful headache by the time she was done. Even so, it was worth it to make her allies stop bickering. Scoria stayed at the cornucopia this time, while Cicero and Syren went out on the raft. It was an incredible gift, and they both loved it; the water carried them at immense speeds, giving them a great view of areas of the arena they wouldn't normally be able to see through the flurry. They were too thrilled to be frustrated at the fact that they didn't find any victims on Day 5. However, the Alecto-Odis pair was near, as was Kaliselle, so this might change soon.
Late that night, a cannon sounded. After days of deliberation, Dex finally decided to end his own life. His infection had reached terrible levels, with disgusting green pus oozing from his flesh. Over the night, he'd completely lost the strength to move: he lay down in a puddle of brown pus, blood, and vomit. Shortly after midnight he made the decision to end it all. With his last ounces of strength, he inched toward the edge of the ice floe, eventually plunging into the cold. Hypothermia wiped away his senses like a brush smearing watercolors into brown, and all he felt was a faint groggy haze as death took him in its freezing-cold hands.
Dex Osborne, District 5 Male: 8th, Killed by himself, Day 6
Tech was the only tribute awake before sunrise. Surprisingly, all seven tributes either slept through Dex's cannon shot or went back to sleep shortly thereafter. He faced a bit of a predicament as night turned to morning: did he stay still, next to the pile of weapons he'd gathered so carefully, or move and abandon it completely? His collection of sharp stones was far too heavy to carry with him. He eventually made the decision to leave, dropping most of the stones into the sea where nobody else could use them and then entering the spiderweb of snowy stone paths. Tech covered an immense distance on Day 6, but that didn't cut it with the head gameamaker; he was the blandest tribute in the contest. Garnet would give Tech one more day to stir the pot, and if he failed a mutt attack would be launched.
Cicero and Syren returned to the horn shortly afterward. Their Day 5 hunt was more of a test than anything. Cicero had an unusual suggestion; they should abandon the cornucopia completely and go hunting all at once. Syren wasn't sure how she felt about that – they would have to throw out most of the supplies, including food and clean water, to make that possible – but they would bounce the idea off of Scoria and see how she reacted. It was remarkable how well this year's career pack was getting along, despite very minor tensions. They were very popular with the audience, effectively making up for the disappointment the Capitol felt when both of the tributes from 1 died in the first ten minutes. It was entirely conceivable that this popularity would carry all of them into the final three.
The other tribute navigating the waters, Kaliselle, had more close calls than she would have liked before the sixth day was done. While snoozing lightly, she drifted near the place where Alecto and Odis were eating breakfast. They resisted violently to the trespasser, hurling heavy stones in her direction. Her raft quickly began sinking, and Kaliselle howled with panic as the freezing-cold water rushed up around her. The remnants of the raft only barely carried her to dry land. Kaliselle ran as fast as she could, pursued hotly by Alecto and Odis. She made an escape with moderate difficulty, though, and the pair of boys retreated to their hideout while Kaliselle curled up on the ice, trying to maintain a normal body temperature despite the freezing air and clothes swaddling her in a frigid black nest.
Tech was adventuring shortly after noon when he saw Kaliselle panting softly on the ice. Over the course of an hour or so, she'd raised her body temperature very slightly, and a sponsor had sent her a thin blanket, helping her to warm up somewhat. But if Tech made the decision to kill, she would be completely helpless. Tech knew Kaliselle was far from strong enough to fight back; this was his opportunity to score a kill to his name! Despite his moral values urging him otherwise, Tech lofted a heavy chunk of ice in the air, preparing to hurl it at Kaliselle's head…
A few minutes earlier, the careers had seen him. Cicero, Scoria, and Syren spent lunchtime utterly trashing the cornucopia: tossing weapons into the water, stowing food in their packs and stomachs, and burning the store of blankets that wouldn't sink in the water. Now free to move wherever they chose whenever they chose, all three of them were hunting together. Syren, the expert navigator, raised a finger and called for silence; she'd noticed suspicious signs of movement from a nearby ice floe. As Tech climbed the slanted piece of ice, loose chunks of ice were sent tumbling down into the water. The careers heard the noise and scrambled onto the ice floe, Scoria hanging back for a moment to tie the raft to the ice so it wouldn't float away.
Tech was just about to deal Kaliselle's fatal blow when the careers appeared out of nowhere, swiping him off his feet so suddenly he didn't even have time to breathe. Tech screamed once and lost his footing on the ice, dragging a jagged red line of blood down the slope. The careers pursued quickly, following in their spiked shoes that did not slip on the ice, and he was effectively already dead. Cicero and Scoria whacked him to pieces with their deadly maces before Syren could land a single blow. The booming cannon immediately fired, announcing his death.
Tech Erdos, District 3 Male: 7th, Killed by Cicero and Scoria, Day 6
Right after Tech's cannon shot, a second cannon fired. Cicero and Scoria looked up in confusion, wondering which tribute had died. Their query was quickly answered. While they'd been busy bludgeoning Tech with their deadly weapons, Syren had carefully scaled the ice to the place where Kaliselle lay near death at the peak of the hill-like ice structure. A single swipe of the hatchet was enough to register Syren as Kaliselle's official killer, though she was near death from hypothermia anyway and she barely felt it.
Kaliselle Facey, District 8 Female: 6th, Killed by Syren, Day 6
To Garnet, it was clear what the plan of action should be. He would let the tributes rest for a few days, then end the games with one enormous clash, with the final four deaths occurring in rapid succession. It was his great plot to end these already-short games in an action-packed way, making the perfect conclusion. Cicero, Scoria, and Syren didn't need encouragement from Garnet to stay together; they vowed to remain loyal friends until the very end, and they all meant it. There were no signs of violence as Day 6 turned into Day 7. They did have a few friendly fights, polishing off the combat skills they'd need to fight on the ice once the finale arrived. Cicero was torn, wondering whether they should stay on the ice sea or go to the rocky shore. As a District 2 tribute, he was anxious to end the games in the perfect place. Scoria and Syren urged him not to worry about it; in fact, they were expecting some kind of notice from the head gamemaker in the next few days about where to go. Until then there was no use letting it kill them.
Alecto and Odis were both thrilled and terrified. They'd made it into the final five, farther than tributes from 10 and 11 ever could have dared hope for. However, they were up against one of the most stable career packs the games had seen in a long time; even fighting with all their strength, it was a terrifying truth that they were probably going to die. To make things more equal, Garnet sent them an entire stock of weapons: a belt of knives for each of them and a bundle of spears. Despite being less experienced, Odis was the faster learner; he picked up the spears very quickly, while Alecto took more time.
Days 7 and 8 proceeded similarly. Garnet rose the temperature of the arena, from fifty to sixty to seventy degrees. By the end of Day 7, it was as warm as summer, and it grew even hotter the next day. The ice floes halved in size within hours. This was a clear hint that Garnet wanted everyone on the rocky beach, away from the center of the arena. It was almost unnerving to watch as the chunks of ice shrunk in size. First, the corners rounded off, the slopes and peaks becoming less defined as the ice melted. Then, they split into multiple huge pieces, eventually turning entirely to liquid.
Cicero was so insistent they reach the rocks as soon as possible that he decided to take drastic action. He intentionally tore a small hole in the raft. It was difficult to do this sneakily, and even more difficult not to give himself away once the others realized they were sinking, but he was not a bad actor and the others never suspected he'd torn the hole intentionally. They made a change of plans and paddled straight for dry land, coming to a stop on the rock beach shortly before the raft was out of air. When they stepped onto the beach, they immediately knew that something was wrong. Syren clapped a hand over the back of her neck, stifling a shiver; they were being watched.
The audience loved this year's pack, but it wouldn't be much fun if the final three were all careers; Garnet was taking matters into his own hands, killing one career. He didn't have one picked specifically; they were all equally loved in the Capitol. Whoever happened to fall at the hands of the mutts was simply a matter of who was the least lucky.
The first statue tore out of the shadows, and Scoria yelped, swinging her mace just in time to keep from being pulverized. There were dozens of the mutts: far too many for even the most skilled career pack to take down. There was no way the pack would escape this fight without a casualty, and it was unrealistic to even try. It was only a matter of protecting oneself and showing off for the cameras as much as possible.
Syren screamed as the statues attacked her from both sides. She only barely slipped out before they jointly crushed her between their broad fists. She yelled for Cicero to take the mutts out, holding her hands over the back of her neck to shelter it as he dealt the deadly swing. Syren returned the favor moments later by knocking down a pair of statues attacking Cicero, pummeling one of them so hard it exploded into dust mid-air.
They never realized it, but these were statues of the tributes from the first ever Hunger Games. There was Hix, the tribute who famously killed his victims with a long metal rod. He'd allied with the victor Cordin, along with Prince from 1, whose face was also represented in the statue horde. Scoria let out a girlish scream, a statue of Carson Flecker from 6 lunging more suddenly than seemed possible. The others jumped to her aid, but they weren't fast enough; the mutt had already pummeled her in the chest, sending her careening backward through the cloud of dust and debris. They punched and slapped and tore, ripping away her clothes and then tearing her skin into an ugly red patchwork of blood and muscle. Cicero stood transfixed in horror for a moment, unable to move or think at the sight of his district partner so humiliated and defeated. Syren tugged him away, urging him to flee with her as the statues of the tributes from the first games closed in on the girl from District 2.
Scoria Wesson, District 2 Female: 5th, Killed by statue mutts, Day 8
With four tributes left, excitement was rising in the Capitol. There was Cicero Cavett, the sword-wielding warrior who'd fought with incredible strength against the mutts and outliers of this year's arena. Syren Magretta, the expert navigator who was always the first to notice when there was something wrong. Alecto Conway, the boy who made the riskiest decision of his life by attacking both of the tributes from 1 during the initial scuffle, establishing himself as the most memorable outlier before the bloodbath was even over. And Odis Carrington, the calm and level-headed boy who was unremarkable but a popular underdog. All four of the remaining tributes were well-liked; certainly, this year's victor would be one to remember.
Day 9 was a flurry of preparation. Cicero and Syren continued to have friendly practice battles, though this was much more unnerving now that there were no other allies to make sure things didn't get dirty. They also took the opportunity to establish a better-looking camp. They picked an area of the beach and cleared it completely of bones, removing some of the larger piles of rocks to make for a better walking surface and sleeping area. Cicero and Syren disagreed on what to do next; Cicero wanted to stay at the camp all day and prepare for the finale, while Syren wanted to actively hunt for the outliers. Their debate was settled with a note from Syren's mentor, bearing this message:
Stay in place for now. You'll know when it's time.
While the two careers remained still, Odis and Alecto moved as much as possible. They were scoping out the rock beach for any kind of natural feature that would give them an advantage. They stumbled on a high, lofty rock formation that gave them both high ground and a variety of objects to throw down at anyone pursuing. The feature was difficult to scale, but there was a sheltered area on top to sleep and rest and they liked it very much. Odis and Alecto were both nervous about the finale – Odis somewhat more so – but they were far from defenseless. It was far from impossible that one of them would take home the victor's crown.
On Day 10, the water level began to rise. Cicero and Syren were each so worried about the other betraying them that they slept in different hidden spots. They'd agreed on a spot to meet up in the morning. The place Syren had chosen to sleep was near the water, a low-lying area of beach sheltered by vegetation and bones. She woke up soaked to the bone in water; the rising waters had covered the beach, human remains floating on the surface like disgusting flotsam. She hauled herself to her feet and sprinted toward the agreed meeting place, where Cicero was already waiting.
The water continued rising as the day progressed. With the land being consumed faster and faster, it was only a matter of time before the duos saw one another and made the decision to attack. Odis and Alecto actually had the early advantage; they got to attack the careers from behind. Their ambush didn't work as well as they'd hoped, but they caught Syren off-guard and inflicted more than just a little damage. Odis swiped his knife over her shoulder blade, and Syren roared in pain, lunging into battle with Cicero at her side. The sun froze in the sky and the waters stopped rising. This was the finale.
It was a long and difficult fight. Ultimately, Cicero and Syren prioritized killing Alecto; he was clearly the more dangerous tribute, important to get out of the way first before they dealt with Odis. Alecto was a strong fighter, but with two careers out for his blood there was only so much he could do to protect himself. Alecto screamed, winded, from a heavy swing of Cicero's mace, flying several feet backward and crashing into the rocks a few feet away. Odis charged, overcome with fury, and Cicero was so surprised by this sudden burst of energy he didn't have time to sidestep or retaliate. His knife sank into Cicero's chest with immense force, and Cicero stumbled downward into the water, dying moments before Syren finished off Alecto with a swing of her trusty axe.
Cicero Cavett, District 2 Male: 4th, Killed by Odis, Day 10
Alecto Conway, District 10 Male: 3rd, Killed by Syren, Day 10
Odis was so shocked he had to carefully regulate his breathing to keep from passing out. He had made it to the final two. But where was Syren? He looked around hurriedly, his uneasiness rising to a panic. She'd disappeared from the scene without a trace. Odis made a run for it, racing carefully down the face of the rock feature down toward the water; if Syren was hiding somewhere, he wanted to get as far away as possible so he had more time to retaliate.
But Syren was down there waiting for him. After breaking away from the scuffle to finish off Alecto, Syren fled down to the water. Down there, it was more open and spacious; she knew this was where Odis would flee when he realized she was hiding somewhere. Odis appeared right on schedule, and Syren pounced out from behind the boulder she'd hunkered down behind moments earlier. Syren raised the axe, gave it a single swing, and prayed to the Hunger Games gods that the Capitol would remember her forever as the blade connected with Odis' flesh.
It was one of the most perfect shots in Hunger Games history. The axe sank perfectly into the tender part of his neck, slicing through the tissue so cleanly and quickly you'd think it was made of butter. Odis' head sat on his neck for a moment, hanging on by a few wiry cords, then tumbled to the ground, rolling around like a rotten pumpkin. The rest of his body soon followed, crumbling like a headless cloth doll on the rocks. The plan had worked.
Odis Carrington, District 11 Male: 2nd, Killed by Syren, Day 10
"Syren Magretta from District 4, you are the victor of the one-hundred fourth annual Hunger Games!"
Syren raised her weapon high, smugly celebrating her victory.
Syren Magretta, District 4 Female: Victor of the One Hundred Fourth Annual Hunger Games, Day 10
AFTERMATH
Syren dove into the victor life like a fish into water. It had been a long time since District 4 had gotten a traditional career victor – their last victor was the son of two victors himself, and the victor before him was so absorbed in her various body modifications she hardly even acknowledged the fact she was a victor at all. But Syren had nothing to overshadow her status as a victor; she loved the Capitol, she was a strong fighter, she was smart and she was fast. This made her very popular among a Capitol who loved tradition. She set up a residence at the academy of District 4 for several years, eventually retiring to a quiet life in the Victor's Village of the seaside district she loved. Syren's mystique made her very popular, as did her absolutely perfect final kill, but the popularity wasn't her favorite part of the victor life. All she looked forward to when she left the games was getting to know all the other victors, the men and women she'd looked up to for so long.
The payouts on her victory were small, as 11% bet on her.
Her victory tour was somewhat awkward, as she wasn't a very good public speaker. District 11 was the only district that vocally greeted her with disapproval. Peacekeepers had to quiet the crowd with a few gunshots.
Syren would live to age eighty, dying from heart disease the year of the 166th Hunger Games. She would never marry or have children.
NEWS
Mags Flanagan adopts her twelfth and final child, a boy named Aqua.
Organdy Karat has her first daughter, Sequin.
Pluto Talbot marries his girlfriend of nearly ten years, Ferra Romie.
Dandelion Linwood weds a Capitol woman named Romula Crane.
LIST OF VICTORS
1HG: Cordin Frey (#1, District 3)
2HG: Sapphire Waber (#1, District 1)
3HG: Molly Toliday (#1, District 4)
4HG: Amelia Spangler (#1, District 2)
5HG: Misty Sablone (#1, District 12)
6HG: Olivia Seager (#2, District 2)
7HG: Flux Stafford (#2, District 3)
8HG: Brandi Coyne (#2, District 1)
9HG: Isaac Crandall (#1, District 5)
10HG: Velvet Farrow (#3, District 1)
11HG: Mags Flanagan (#2, District 4)
12HG: Slate Ogston (#3, District 2)
13HG: Woof Dozier (#1, District 8)
14HG: Blaze Skalnik (#4, District 2)
15HG: Dina Wilmarth (#2, District 5)
16HG: Beatrice Toland (#1, District 6)
17HG: Amelia Bankston (#5, District 2)
18HG: Markus Gardd (#2, District 6)
19HG: Odius Ruttler (#6, District 2)
20HG: Seeder Kaiser (#1, District 11)
21HG: Freya Digard (#7, District 2)
22HG: Gold Carson (#4, District 1)
23HG: Ashlyn Breston (#3, District 6)
24HG: Dayta Albrand (#3, District 3)
25HG: Diamond Griego (#5, District 1)
26HG: Thor Rosner (#8, District 2)
27HG: Magnet Lisagor (#4, District 3)
28HG: Maria Dutra (#3, District 4)
29HG: Discordia Komine (#9, District 2)
30HG: Barley Chisolm (#1, District 9)
31HG: Marlin Coppi (#4, District 4)
32HG: Wyatt Kerdler (#5, District 3)
33HG: Molly Soltan (#5, District 4)
34HG: Grover Handa (#1, District 7)
35HG: Troy Stiles (#6, District 4)
36HG: Lana Voltaire (#10, District 2)
37HG: Lucy Said (#7, District 4)
38HG: Porter Tripp (#3, District 5)
39HG: Penelope Turek (#8, District 4)
40HG: Beetee Latier (#6, District 3)
41HG: Radiance Clinton (#6, District 1)
42HG: Technik Hartline (#7, District 3)
43HG: Dylan Levitt (#9, District 4)
44HG: Rye Boyum (#2, District 9)
45HG: Chaff Korsmun (#2, District 11)
46HG: Nolan Wrack (#11, District 2)
47HG: Klink Byrae (#4, District 5)
48HG: Brutus Cordley (#12, District 2)
49HG: Wiress Freid (#8, District 3)
50HG: Haymitch Abernathy (#2, District 12)
51HG: Lyme Mabbett (#13, District 2)
52HG: Ruby Rayfuse (#7, District 1)
53HG: Lily Eckel (#3, District 11)
54HG: Blight Holzer (#2, District 7)
55HG: Emily Pollick (#5, District 5)
56HG: Sally Vasilia (#6, District 5)
57HG: Mason Kittridge (#14, District 2)
58HG: Margaret Cartmill (#1, District 10)
59HG: Tiger Sterne (#8, District 1)
60HG: Cecelia Rieffel (#2, District 8)
61HG: Valerie Easton (#15, District 2)
62HG: Enobaria Rigatti (#16, District 2)
63HG: Gloss Linden (#9, District 1)
64HG: Cashmere Linden (#10, District 1)
65HG: Finnick Odair (#10, District 4)
66HG: Victor Xhang (#17, District 2)
67HG: Augustus Braun (#11, District 1)
68HG: Iuna Mosier (#12, District 1)
69HG: Alexander Westlake (#2, District 10)
70HG: Annie Cresta (#11, District 4)
71HG: Johanna Mason (#3, District 7)
72HG: Remus Daley (#18, District 2)
73HG: Apollo Reinold (#4, District 6)
74HG: Meredith Powell (#4, District 7)
75HG: Struve Lockman (#19, District 2)
76HG: Porcelain Wing (#13, District 1)
77HG: Router Lowell (#9, District 3)
78HG: Surge Upsdell (#7, District 5)
79HG: Kasey Slosser (#5, District 6)
80HG: Tarquinius Orfe (#20, District 2)
81HG: Talisa Plummer (#12, District 4)
82HG: Poplin Amsden (#3, District 8)
83HG: Pixel Watt (#10, District 3)
84HG: Dock Elizabeth (#13, District 4)
85HG: Sycamora Bromley (#5, District 7)
86HG: Bobbin Chern (#4, District 8)
87HG: Organdy Karat (#14, District 1)
88HG: Sickle Salgato (#3, District 9)
89HG: Admired Thompson (#15, District 1)
90HG: Chipson Harris (#11, District 3)
91HG: Mars Talbot (#21, District 2)
92HG: Arnold Scruggs (#3, District 12), Wystella Knapp (#22, District 2), and Robina Caite (#3, District 10)
93HG: Taj King (#16, District 1)
94HG: Steer Drudgers (#4, District 10)
95HG: Diode Cooper (#8, District 5)
96HG: Pluto Talbot (#23, District 2)
97HG: Vine Lilard (#4, District 11)
98HG: Larke Jean (#5, District 10)
99HG: Poseidon Odair (#14, District 4)
100HG: Rimno Kiely (#12, District 3)
101HG: Aspen Sprout (#6, District 7)
102HG: Dandelion Linwood (#5, District 11)
103HG: Cherry Perlman (#7, District 7)
104HG: Syren Magretta (#15, District 4)
A/N: I know I said I was done after 100 chapters, but I've found it fun to still write new chapters whenever inspiration strikes. This story brings me so much nostalgia; I wrote it during such a weird point in my life and it's wonderful to look back on the ideas I had back then, the good and the bad. If you are a person who read and/or reviewed 23 Cannons back in 2018-2019 – or even just now – I would love to talk to you! Send me a PM any time.
There's no longer any release schedule for this story, but I can assure you that more chapters are coming! Keep an eye out.
Thanks for reading (: Stay gold.
