Ardun POV
I darted toward the Cornucopia. The black grass crunched under my feet and I hadn't made it three steps before I was coughing up the black particles in the air. I could see other Tributes ahead of me grabbing at weapons. One of them turned around and ran back at me.
What? You're going the wrong way, I thought as Dath approached me. Then he stabbed me with a machete.
Oh. Guess I suck at being an ally, too.
Xzavier POV
I noticed one thing right away about the Cornucopia. It was filled to bursting with weapons, and it didn't have much else. I snatched a sword and ran back closer to the platforms, scooping up the useful supplies before other Tributes could get them. Screams filled the air and I heard flesh ripping. Please let it be Mist.
Frankie POV
I stood waiting for the tube to descend.
Do I even want to win?
I asked one of the milling stylists for a coin. Heads, I fight, tails, I help someone who deserves it. Maybe Erwin or Farlon.
I tossed the coin.
When the gong rang, I ran for the bow.
Dahlia POV
Shoot! There goes my ally. Guess I'd have to get my own supplies. I wasn't about to run into the Cornucopia, so I picked up the loaf of bread and plastic tarp lying beside my platform. I pivoted and ran for some tall rocks. Something slammed into my back and I fell to the ground.
What was that? Nobody's around, I thought. I felt behind me and brushed something feathery.
An arrow? Who even uses arrows? It turned out I'd never know.
Emmalie POV
The gong rang, and I ran. I didn't grab anything. I didn't hear the screams or the death rattles. I ran over the grass and I ran through pebbly ground. The ground dipped unexpectedly and I tumbled into a crater. I scrabbled out of it frantically and ran some more. I didn't stop until my throat was so raw I tasted blood. Then I crumpled to the ground and cried.
Beth POV
I'd found my target. That shiny little horse was going to look great on my neck. She was smart, though. She was already running, Lucky thing she was so short. I darted forward Cornucopia and found a pocketknife halfway between the platforms and the Cornucopia. Harmony was already a good way off, but the Gamemakers were kind enough to surround the Cornucopia with a wonderfully open plain. I sprinted after Harmony and tackled her into a crater. She batted at me with her arms and twisted underneath me. I stuck the knife into her chest and pulled it sideways with a twist. Blood spurted all over me as I carved into her wildly. I may have been a little excited, because she stopped moving pretty quickly.
An arrow thudded into the ground right next to me.
Did you just shoot at me? Oh, no you didn't! I took one last look at my work, yanked off the necklace and darted away.
Harmony POV
It didn't hurt very much after the first cut. I guess my brain wasn't ready. I hope there are horses wherever I go.
Ruby POV
Why do I have to be next to Nero? He was already looking at me, and the gong wasn't even off. As soon as it sounded he leapt straight from his platform and pinned me. He wrapped his arms around me and bent me back. Something snapped, and I couldn't move my legs.
"Now the fun can start," he said. I found out I could still move my face when I started to scream. He picked up one of my arms and snapped it backward. Then he broke the other one. I was shrieking so hard my ears rang, and I tried to reach the platform with my shattered arm so I could set off the explosives and be done with it.
Suddenly a weight was lifted off my chest. I opened my eyes and Nero was standing up. Eltara was next to him screaming something. I looked around as much as I could, but I didn't see Aurum. I hoped he was far away.
Eltara pointed at the Cornucopia, and Nero ran toward it. She picked up her sickle and slammed it into my chest. It seems sometimes Careers can be merciful.
Azalea POV
I ran in and grabbed a large backpack. I took out a dagger and decided to stick around and thin the crowd a little. Most of the weaker Tributes were either running away or dead, so I set my sights on Erwin. Really, I was doing him a favor. Now his kids wouldn't have to go through life named Bubblegum, Flitter, and Harpsichord. I saw Erwin picking up the supplies littering the outer border of the platforms and started toward him. Then something sharp slammed into my stomach. I looked down and saw an arrow.
Aw, crap. I turned in a circle and saw Frankie holding a bow. It was already getting hard to walk, so I settled for throwing my knife at him. It landed right on his foot.
Screw you too, I thought as my bleeding slowed.
Eltara POV
I picked up my sickle and prioritized my targets. Really, the biggest threat was Frankie, but he seemed to be focused on other Tributes. He had a long-range weapon, so I looked elsewhere. I saw the girl from Eight running toward some scorched trees. It was easy enough to overtake her.
Taylor POV
Someone was chasing me. They were gaining fast. I stopped and turned to face my killer. I was relieved to see it was Eltara. She wasn't Mist or Beth. She brought up her sickle.
"Please," I pleaded. "I just want to go home."
"We all do," she said. She brought it down.
Erwin POV
I tried not to hear the sounds as I gathered supplies. Each one was someone I wasn't helping. I wondered if I would ever be able to look my children in the eye if I got back. When my arms were full, I ran toward a clump of rocks. I scrambled over them and saw they led to a series of cliffs. I made my way down and kept going until the top was far in the distance. I found a flat rock and spread my supplies out. I had a half-full water bottle, a small bag that held three pocketknives, some matches, and a pair of socks. My first priority would be shelter then. I hunted around until I found a small cave. I squeezed in and checked to make sure I hadn't scuffed the rocks.
The cannons started booming. I couldn't keep track of how many went by.
You killed them. You're a killer just for being here, came a voice from my head. I hung my head.
No. I didn't kill anyone. I am not a killer. I am a survivor.
I really pulled no punches :/ I decided that since this is the first Quarter Quell and we have so many killers, there wasn't room for mercy. I killed everyone I thought would really never win and I killed them now. Only Dante and Nairobi escaped my sword, and that was because I already had different things planned for them.
Obituaries:
24th: Ardun Majami
Ardun was a Bloodbath, so I went for it and gave him no development. Can't imagine anyone will really miss him. Poor sap. I forgot to write down who submitted him, so thanks, sir or madam. Bloodbaths make everything so much easier.
23rd: Dahlia Rowan
Dahlia's submitter asked for her to ally with someone she wrapped around her finger. I don't disappoint- she got Ardun. Then I killed them both right away. I am a cruel mistress. Someone that entitled was going to die anyway. Thanks stellaslomp for sending in a Tribute that was easy to kill.
22nd: Harmony Calesque
I really didn't want to kill Harmony, but I was resolved to make this a realistic Bloodbath. I did the best I could and made her death pretty painless as far as getting killed by Beth. I hope Heaven's an absolute zoo, seeing as it already has to have otters. Thanks thepencilunleashed for a Tribute that really shouldn't have been here and didn't deserve this. Ten's never going to live this down.
21st: Ruby D'Arcy
Sucks being a rich guy's kid. Aurum's going to be crushed. Ruby was too nice for this. She never would have killed someone, so someone killed her. If you didn't guess, Nero snapped her back. Lucky Eltara was there to tell him to stop messing around and get supplies. You know you're screwed when Eltara is good news. Thanks stellaslomp for a Tribute that really hit the loser lottery.
20th: Azalea Meadows
Azalea's submitter said she stayed in the Bloodbath to kill Tributes. Since the Bloodbath also had Torchy, Eltara, Dath, and Frankie, what happened was inevitable. Azalea said she'd give her killer a remembrance, and she did. Frankie now has a very sore foot. Thanks TheGeekyTributeLLP for perfectly illustrating what I said when I asked for "the one idiot from Eleven or something that runs into the Bloodbath and gets himself killed."
19th: Taylor Nettle
Sorry, guys. I know you wanted her to be an underdog Victor, but I was determined not to play favorites or let any of the weaklings escape. Underdogs don't win the Games (except Toby, I guess). Big mean Careers win Games. That's why they're so depressing. I forgot to write down Taylor's submitter, so thanks sir or madam for that one normal Tribute I asked for. What the heck, Eight?
Well, I killed like twice what I killed last Bloodbath. The Arena's a war-torn wasteland, pretty much like much of Europe after WWII. The Gamemakers filled the air with pollution so people couldn't run as much. They want fights. Now that I think of it, this Arena matches with the 50th Games' perfect Arena.