Darrah Arinori, 13, District 7

I stick closely behind Harrison, keeping one hand gripped onto the back of his t-shirt as we move through the claustrophobic dirt tunnel. Whilst we travel away from the only source of light we had, I'm finding it harder and harder to breathe. Are the walls closing in? Are we losing oxygen? Is it getting harder to breathe, or am I simply breathing faster?

Calm down, Darrah. I loosen my grip on his shirt and try to control my breathing. In…out…in…ou-

The ground starts to shake again. I scream as I press my arms into the dirt walls to catch myself, but the loose dirt crumbles at my touch. Particles of the earth fall across my hair, my clothes, and I have to stop my screams to keep them from falling down my throat.

"Come on, come on." Harrison moves further into the darkness, despite the chaos, despite the fact it feels like the walls are closing in, we continue to press on.

I make the mistake of glancing behind me and, through the chaos of it all, I can see our source of light completely disappearing behind the mountain of earth that has collected around us.

"Oh shit-" I don't know if I want to scream, cry, or laugh. I think I end up making a noise that could work for all three.

"I see something!" Harrison stumbles through the tunnel before tripping and collapsing. I'm unable to stop myself before tripping over him. My right foot gets caught under his torso, but I'm still sent flying into the newly open cavern.

"Agh!" Sharp pain immediately radiates up my leg from my ankle. I land on my back, knocking all of the air out of me. Shooting leg pain, troubled breathing, dirt getting caught in my airway, why didn't I listen to my gut and stay behind?

Harrison crawls over to me as the earth stops shaking. "Are you okay?" I don't bother to suppress anything anymore.

"Shit, I'm sorry." He gently helps me sit up, which helps me take in the area. The tunnel we entered from is completely blocked. Now we sit in a larger cavern that descends deeper down.

"It's fine…" It's not fine. Every twitch sends horrible pain shooting up my leg. Great. Great job Darrah.

"Well, I don't think there's any going back now. Can you stand?" Harrison holds out his hand and I take it. Using what little strength I have, combined with his support, I'm able to hop up to one leg.

"Harrison, what are we doing?" I ask, exacerbated at the idea of pushing forward deeper into the mess we've gotten ourselves into.

"I…I wish I had an answer for you. I'm sorry Darrah. I screwed up." His honesty, and his vulnerability, are something I didn't think I would ever hear from him. Words like those should unsettle me, but they don't. At least we're on the same page. Not that it's a particularly enjoyable page we're on.

"Yeah. I guess we both did." I keep a grip on him to stay steady and I can feel him let out a small laugh.

"There's no other direction than forward." He points towards the only opening that has any hint of visibility.

"Yeah. Okay. Then let's go." I keep a light grip on his bag for stability as he continues to lead us down the dark tunnel. We travel slower than we were before, but at least we're moving, I guess. Better than remaining stationary.

The thing is, I can't wrap my head around what the Gamemakers are doing with us. Sure, their cameras can see perfectly in the dark, but it's not like there's a lot of interesting space in front or behind us, right? And the fact that they closed the tunnel behind us, are they trapping us in here to kill us and show that they can? Is there another fight happening on the surface that makes whatever we're doing down here completely irrelevant? My mind can't hold onto a single possibility with so many running around. Frankly, I don't know how much longer I can take.

"Are you seeing anything?" I ask him. The underground cave continues to grow and grow but there's still no clear path or plan.

He doesn't answer me for a few seconds, but there's no way he didn't hear me. "Harri-"

"Shh. Do you hear that?" He whispers to me. I listen closely. At first, I don't hear anything but the sounds of our heavy breathing.

But it doesn't take long before I start to hear it. It's subtle at first, like the quiet buzz of electricity. It quickly gets louder and louder and more menacing. Definitely not electricity.

"Harrison." My voice cracks under the weight of it all.

"Go, go!" He pushes me in front of him and stays behind me, both supporting my bad side and encouraging me to move forward.

The pain gets worse with every step (a feat I didn't think possible) but Harrison continues to push me further and further down the cave. As we move, it becomes immediately clear that the buzzing continues to get louder.

I slow down, much to Harrisons' dismay. He tries to continue pushing me along. But I'm tired. I'm so tired of running. Of being in fear and in pain. I'm tired of playing damn cat and mouse with the Capitol. Of giving them the show they want. Because they certainly don't deserve it.

"We might need to fight." I try to remind him. A thought that I've tried to push away from myself but realize there's no escape. This is probably what the Capitol wanted all along. To lure us somewhere and force us against the others.

"We can't fight that many mutts." Harrison pulls out his weapon and glances behind him just as I slide to a stop. I can't. I can't run. I can't move like this anymore. It's now or never.

My words don't have time to resonate within him before the creature responsible for the noise gets closer and louder. Where are they? What are they?

Finally, I can see it. It's a large flying thing, with mechanical wings and multiple mechanical arms. Like a large, robotic bug. Wow. That's horrifying.

One flies towards Harrison and he knocks it away with the back of his sword. I stab my knife into its base and sparks fly, but it doesn't fall out of the air. It snaps its pincers at me but I'm able to safely stab it again, and again, and one last time before it shuts down completely.

My head whips around to Harrison who's surrounded by two more, with countless more approaching. I limp over to the action, stabbing the mutts in the back while Harrison continues to keep them distracted. One by one, we're able to avoid the sharp pointy metal pieces attached to the monsters and keep our own sharp metal pieces cutting into them.

But like he said, it doesn't take long for us to get overwhelmed. A creature flies into me, and despite my best effort to dodge, it collides directly with my injured leg. I lose all stability and fall to the ground, my head smacking the hard, cold stone. The world spins. Sounds fade in and out.

Where am I?

"Darrah!" A boy throws himself in front of me as flying mechanical devices cut him from all angles. He flails his arms around, metal on metal pierces the air.

Harrison? I try to push myself up but the dizziness overtakes any attempt at movement. The boy, no, Harrison, he continues to stab and slice at the mutts. His shirt is ripped to shreds. Blood pools at his feet. He stumbles, he's getting sloppy.

Stop! Please, leave him alo-

An explosion takes out my hearing, all that's left is ringing. Gunshots, are those gunshots? I cover my ears with my hands, my body engulfed in the ground underneath me. Screams, someone is screaming. Is it Harrison? Is it me?

Vibrations. Blasts of light. Red stained walls. Swollen ankle. It's all too much for me. Someone's grabbing me, pulling me up, but I'm too far gone to know who.

Maybe this is all just a dream. Or maybe it's the sweet release of death. I don't care which.

Is that a cannon?

Marissa Grey, 17, District 4

The feisty girl from Two. If you told me Eleven days ago that she'd be the last career I'd be facing - then I would have been extremely disappointed. But here she is… giving me an easy path to victory. She glares into my heart with her immature but piercing eyes - under the shadow of the stone houses. She is tall (for a fifteen-year-old). In fact, it's only now that I've realised that we're roughly the same height. We both know though, that this fight can only end one way - me bullying her to death.

Her eyes remain unwavering, like the sword in her hands. Her spirit will break before she dies… by my words - then the actual physical fight will be a lot easier. Jade taught me how to do that… Bloodtide taught me how to do that…

Tatiana and Serenity… they seemed to get on with each other before the split. Did Serenity tell her about her brother I wonder?

"I'm gonna make you squirm. Like I did to Serenity," I growl, gritting my teeth.

But she's unmoved still, she paces forward steadily. Her eyes are void of emotion.

Franz. That'll hit closer to home.

"And how's Franz doing, by the way?" I ask casually.

She freezes with a subtle gasp from deep in her lungs. Her lips suddenly press together causing me to chuckle.

"Oh… you bad bad girl," I continue to tease gleefully, tutting and waving my finger.

But she straightens her back and appears suddenly resolute again - staring me down with purpose.

My smile fades soon after.

Did I underestimate her? I never thought she had it in her to kill, she'd been hesitating the entire time I knew her. Yet, she's killed the closest person to her in this place.

"He chose his fate… the same as you," she replies, raising her sword up to lunge at me.

"And if you think you can talk me to death… you've got another thing coming!"

With that, she hurls her body at me like a pouncing tiger! She flies through the air - between the gap in the houses and brings her sword down upon my face!

She's speedy, as a lightning strike, so fast that I'm only just able to block in time!

CLANG

The noise of her blade smashing into mine stings my ears!

Our metal blades continue to clash against each other! Shaking the air! Her fighting style is extremely chaotic and unconventional - but then, when has this girl ever been conventional?

She leaps and spins against the walls before slashing at me repeatedly.

I'm taken off guard at first and pushed into retreat - staggering backward through the narrow alleyway whilst parrying her attacks away.

I seem to be fighting a hurricane, not a person.

No! She's nothing! I've got to find a way to stop her.

But eventually, as she exerts more and more energy, her strikes become tired and telegraphed.

Her storm has passed. A smile creeps onto my face again.

Our blades sting against each other one final time as she attempts to sever me in half but this time, she's slow in sliding away. So, I plant my boot as hard as I can into her gut! Her entire frame shakes and buckles and she lets out a groan of agony, clutching her ribs at my feet.

However, while I'm chuckling at her dismay, she suddenly lunges up and swings her sword at my face! I'm just able to duck back in time but not quick enough to prevent the hilt jamming into my eye!

"Argh!"

And with that, she's on the attack again, forcing me back and back. My left eye is throbbing and burning in pain, her movements are becoming more and more blurred!

Finally, the fight moves out of the alleyway when she shoves me back, pushing her sword against mine.

A cry bursts from her lungs - it took all her might to throw my weight backward.

My feet stumble into the town square, almost slipping on the snow!

However, I swiftly steady myself, locking eyes with her. In unison, we are now panting heavily and our breaths are visible as a thick cloud in the freezing air.

Which one of us will break first? She is more tired, I'm sure…

She furrows her eyebrows and holds her sword out.

"You really thought you were important enough to prevent destiny?" She exclaims.

I don't answer, I merely smirk condescendingly at her from ear to ear. Her eyes shift to an intense glare again and her teeth grit together with hate. That's it. She's losing focus. I did it.

The fiery girl leaps at me again however this time - my feet swirl around in a circle and my sword easily parries hers! Her legs lose their balance and before she knows it, she's sliding across the slippery snow!

CRACK

Her face smashes into the concrete and now blood is dripping down from it, staining the snow!

But her head shoots back up and she's soon up to her feet, ready to attack again!

A strange, whimsical joy runs through my veins at the sight of her bleeding, bruised nose.

"Wouldn't destiny put up more of a fight?" I taunt, my sword now down by my side.

A growl of anger flies from her lungs and all of a sudden - her attacks are relentless! With one final effort, she swings at my head, spinning her blade in a circle!

And I'm ready for it.

My arm cuts down hard on the very bottom of her sword, dislodging it from her grasp!

It clatters down hard on the snow and without a moment to lose, I've already kicked it out of her reach!

Together, we watch it slide, frustratingly for her but gracefully for me, over the snow.

Her eyes are suddenly wide with shock and desperation - whilst I aim my sword at her chest in victory. Game over.

Her pupils dart frantically around the town square - like a scurrying mouse fleeing from a cat.

What's she expecting? A weapon? A distraction? A way out? But even as she does that, I'm backing her up against the wall. I'm not in the mood to make this quick. I need to savor my victory.

So, I pull my fist back and slam it into her jaw! An awful cracking of teeth and bones follows - along with a splattering of her blood. Her hand shoots up to her bloodied face as her tumbling body carries her back into the wall!

I said I was going to bully her to death. That's exactly what follows. Gripping her collar and shoving her into the wall, I begin to pummel the hilt of my sword into her head until it's coated in her blood.

At the end of it all, my arm raises up one last time for the heaviest hit yet, but something holds my hand back. She looks so helpless all of a sudden, a whimpering, scared animal.

What am I doing? She's not my sister. Sure, beating her is satisfying but she doesn't deserve this. Have I let this place define who I am?

My head shakes away any sympathy. No, that's a weakness! What would Jade have done? She would have reveled in her torment. Taliesin even more.

And so, I do, a grin forms on my face.

My smile of victory is only fleeting, however. Suddenly, the pale, cloudy sky is filled with deathly screeches that shatter my eardrums, causing me to duck my head in agony.

My squinting eyes move up above. Dozens of those gargoyle mutts from the fortress are gliding toward us through the sky!

And when they land closer on top of the stone roofs, I can get a better glimpse of them. Their stony teeth and talons are bared, and their features are frozen but twisted and contorted into various terrifying expressions.

Footsteps crunch the snow around me. Thick boots.

My head twists around to a new figure in the frozen, misty, grey town square. It's the skeleton king! With his ragged armor and decaying bones running all the way up to the golden crown on his head. His bent, boney finger extends out with a creek and suddenly living armor statues are charging out of the tight streets, clasping rusty-old swords, axes, and halberds!

By the time my attention has turned back to Tatiana, she has already slipped away, out of my grasp! No!

My eyes catch sight of a dark, now-ragged jacket, wisping off through one of the narrow alleyways like a gust of wind.

"Why you little!"

I bolt after her! As swift as my feet can carry me! There's no way she can outrun me!

But one of the gargoyles is also on my tail, its screeches are only inches away whilst its claw swooshes through the air behind me - ripping my back off in the process!

I turn a street corner, too narrow for the gargoyle - only to be met with a sword slashing through the air at my face! My head drops, ducking under the swipe - only just.

The statue's sword is embedded in the wall, allowing me to rapidly decapitate it with my own sword!

My body doesn't hesitate. Nor my mind. I'm already springing after her across another wider street.

The cold air is now ripping into my lungs! My breathing is becoming heavier and heavier - pursuing this little brat. Hers 'must be too. She can't outlast me. There's no way because I won't let my family watch that happen. I won't allow them to sit there, slouching and gorging themselves - whilst snickering at my failure to defeat a fifteen-year-old. I'll never allow that. I don't know what she's fighting for but I'm fighting for my pride, and she will never take my pride from me! If I fail, then my family has won! If I fail, then they were right about me!

…

We left the town behind us. For what feels like hours, I trail her, through the white wilderness and icy trees. She's just a dark shadow now - fluttering in the wind against the white.

Our pace has slowed. That's not so bad. I need to gather my energy to finish her off. Something that is easier now that those mutts aren't so hot on my tale.

My legs have begun to feel weary and wobbly. With each step, one of them could collapse. My head is becoming dizzy from days of this endless struggle.

I've started to recognize landmarks and even small details like trees. That's how familiar this place has become. I can't wait to see the back of it.

Even though I haven't let her silhouette leave my sight, I'm still able to track how far she is, using my ambusher map.

The army of mutts seems to be keeping a distance for now, almost like they're herding us rather than chasing us. That is what they're doing. This is the final day. The game makers want us to finish each other off. To end it.

Tatiana fades through a tree line and I mirror her, emerging on the other side to the gigantic, sparkling castle - the one we had to battle through during the banquet. It is glimmering against the grey, cloudy sky - even more now in the reflecting light of the snow.

My footprints begin replacing her own, as I track her over the plain of snow. She seems to be keeping at a curiously steady pace ahead, heading straight for the wooden side door of the castle.

She's willingly trapping herself in an enclosed space with me? What is she thinking? Does she want to die? I will be happy to oblige.

My gaze travels briefly back up the white slope from where we came. The army of mutts now runs along the treeline. They're waiting now. Waiting for us to kill each other. Everybody is. I turn up to the sky one last time, inhaling deep down into my lungs.

"Mom! Dad! Sofia! I hope you're watching! Prepare to be ashamed and embarrassed!" I yell into the cloud with a half chuckle.

My purpose lies ahead of me - through that door. Another deep breath courses through my lungs and before I know it, I'm already inside.

And it's suddenly very dark. Darker than I ever remember it being before. My fingers tighten around the hilt of my sword whilst my footsteps echo throughout the hollow corridor. Dim, dark walls are all that stretch in front of me, on either side.

It's too dark to see where she is on my map. Still, I know she's going to be just as blind as I am.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," I mutter through my teeth.

"No more hiding," I continue.

Suddenly, rapid, scurrying footsteps bounce between the walls! Tatiana! It must be her! I can't tell which direction they're coming from!

That is… until a voice follows.

"You really thought you had me beat?"

A slightly sadistic laugh then echoes. It's coming from my right. She's on my right.

"You thought you were ever in control? Our fight was always gonna end her. You're powerless," she continues.

I follow the sound of her voice and pivot another corridor in its direction. I'm sniffing her out of hiding.

Her voice continues to reverberate, louder and louder. "You think I hadn't been watching your arrogant ways from the day I met you?"

"Why don't ya come say that to my face? See how well that goes for yer?" I shoot back.

Silence. She doesn't respond to that. Is she scared? If she is, then why is there an icy shiver crawling down my spine? My head shakes it away. No. enough talk. I'm ending this now.

But then she pipes up again. "But we are in the shadows. That's how we do things, how we've always done things. Something you'll never understand."

We? What is she talking about?

"Am I supposed to be scared?" I yell through the corridor.

"You can't hide forever!" I shout, swiveling back around behind me to check that she's not about to stab me in the back.

Nothing. Just more darkness.

"Why not?" she asks.

Her voice is behind me this time, so I shoot back around!

"I've been hiding in plain sight all along… we all have," she says.

"Who?"

"We are an idea, and you can't kill an idea. We've been watching you the entire time."

My heart is suddenly pounding in my chest! Loud enough to hear! What? What is she talking about?

Then, all of a sudden… it hits me. She was there that night. In the club… before I was attacked by those assassins.

Out of my control, I'm cast back to that moment under the bright, dancing party lights. Crashing into her, spilling my drink in the process.

"Marissa, sorry about that," she laughed.

"No worries! Funny seeing you here," was my reply.

She chuckled a little but seemed to brush off the question.

"Well, see you around!"

I'm back in the darkness of this dingy corridor again! A shadowy, hooded figure steps calmly in front of me - her face drenched in her blood from my beating. Tatiana. She now has an old, rustic sword that she must have got from the castle.

"It was you! You were behind that attack!"

She says nothing but gives me a nod with a subtle smirk on her bruised jaw.

"For the record, we weren't after you, but we saw no harm in thinning out my competition," she explains.

I let out a cackle.

"You idiot! Do you not realize… now all I have to do is open my big mouth and you're finished," I boast.

But…surprisingly, all she does is return the laugh.

"You really are two steps behind, aren't you? We've already won, who do you think is controlling those mutts? Yell as loud as you like - there's nothing you can do," she smiles.

I suddenly swipe my sword up to her face! She narrowly blocks it and stumbles back with a gasp.

"I can still kill you!" I exclaim.

She turns, zooming back into the shadows. My feet take off after her, suddenly stumbling upon a spiral staircase and almost tripping in the process.

But I don't stop. I can't. The end is in sight, I only have to follow her up and run my blade through her body!

SLAM

My face suddenly hits the stone stairs, possibly knocking a few teeth out! I slipped! There was something slippery that caught my feet! My head pivots up to the sight of Tatiana above me pouring more of the oily liquid over me! What is she playing at?

I'm coughing and gurgling out the grotesque substance, but I manage to slide back up to my feet!

However, the next thing that hits me is her boot in my jaw! And without warning, I've found myself flying through the darkness, crashing down and down to the bottom of the stairs!

"Argh!"

My head slams against the stone floor, almost knocking me unconscious!

Everything's dizzy and blurry now! The new throbbing on the back of my head has replaced the one on my jaw!

There's no time to think! The hooded girl is zooming down the stairs, sword in hand, her blue eyes ablaze! And suddenly I'm the one on the run.

Tatiana Emery, 15, District 2

"Argh!"

The bandage wriggles tight around the gaping wound in my arm. All the bruises and cuts on my face are burning into my skin. My hand slips off my bleeding, throbbing face, oozing with my blood.

But she's fleeing now, a frightened rat, soon to be skewered. My idea was foolproof. They always are. This was all my idea. When I win this and get a seat on the inner-table and there's nobody left to contest my ideas, the world will be a better place. Mark my words. Very soon it will be.

Sometimes violence is necessary for the greater good. The means justify the ends. I doused her with the flammable substance given to me when I received my arsonist role. She's doomed. She may not know it yet but it's only a matter of time.

Then I can move on to my true mission. Conrad. I have to be the one to end him - to finish what we started. That is; if he can't be turned. They gave me the name, but I had no idea how important he was until I saw his face up close.

He's near. In fact, he's in this fortress. They said the mutts would herd us all here for me to finish the job.

Marissa glances back frantically again to me - calmly following her with my sword by my side. It's very dark but I can still make out the fear in her eyes and hear the panic in her breaths. She crashes through another door at the very end of the corridor! Light spews in, striking my vision!

Her body is crumpled outside in a kind of snowy courtyard… a graveyard. It's dim and hazy all around the cemetery in a kind of frozen mist and what is beyond that is barely visible…

She thought I'd be a walk in the park, didn't she? Like she could afford to make my death slow and painful. She should have killed me when she had the chance...

Her eyes travel down to her right at the open grave and then back up at me. The irony is as clear as the snow. Yep, she's right where she needs to be.

"You know, I have to hand it to you… normally when people say they've dug their own grave - it's just a figure of speech," I say, calmly following her out, with my sword down by my side.

Freezing air rips against my wounded face once more.

Her eyebrows furrow with irritation as she pushes herself back to her feet.

She lets out a cry of anger, swinging at me, again and again, frantically!

But now my vision is as clear as day. I simply parry, block, and duck out of the way of her attacks until she's panting heavily, exhausted. The air is draining out of her lungs in front of my very eyes.

"Do you wanna know why you can't beat me?" I ask, raising my sword to her eye level.

"Do you even know what you're fighting for? I know exactly what I'm fighting for… a better tomorrow. Tell me, what are you fighting for, huh?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at her.

She's unable to answer, loosening her grip a little. It's only momentarily, however. Then her teeth grit together again in their usual hateful grind. She wants to rip my head off, I can see that.

She has conviction, I'll give her that. Just not as much as me.

Just as she's about to charge at me again, my hand retrieves a lighter, and my thumb flips it open before her eyes, and they freeze dead. Cold as the snow beneath our feet.

Her solemn gaze darts between the lighter and my eyes rapidly. For the first time they are begging, pleading but this time I don't hesitate. Franz is gone. He didn't die for nothing. I have to finish what we started.

Nonchalantly, my hand releases the lighter onto her clothes and she bursts into a red and orange flame! Her screams are relentless as the fire consumes her! The heat from the flame bounces off my skin where I'm standing.

Whilst the burning fire sears her flush, her arm stretches out, begging me to put her out of her misery but I do not oblige.

I can't help it. A smile creeps across my face. Earlier, she was going to savor my death. Make it slow… she told me she was gonna make me squirm. I'm simply returning the favor.

"What's the matter? Did your parents never teach you not to play with fire?" I taunt.

Then, footsteps in the snow! Hard, heavy footsteps. A tall boy emerges from the mist, clutching a large, two-handed cleaver, and before I can even flinch, he swiftly brings it down upon Marissa's neck!

Her, still scorching body, sinks down to the ground, motionless but still lighting up the pale snow and crackling.

BOOM

My eyes travel up to her killer, blood now stains his axe and skin. He's very tall, over six-foot. He has blond, dirty, messy hair but most noticeable are the slashes on his face - across his eye and cheek. He didn't have those the last time I saw him…the boy from Six… Conrad. The one we searched for all those years. The one destined to die, yet here he is. Still alive at the very end.

At first, I thought he finished Marissa as a kind of mercy kill but now that I look at him - it seems to be more out of confusion… maybe both. However, he didn't hesitate for a second. He looks completely disorientated, his eyes are flickering about all over the place - half open and half closed. He's stumbling forwards and backward, coughing and swaying… like he could tumble over at any moment. But still… he lives.

I was sent to kill him or to turn him. So why am I hesitating again? He's not Franz, not Marissa. I've never even spoken to him.

I raise my sword up to his chest, sternly.

But my hand is shaking.

Maybe it's because I strangely admire him. He looks like he's been through hell but he's as stubborn as me, unwavering, unbroken, and unbound. Still, I need to do the deed. They're expecting me to… she's expecting me to.

Another cannon fires in the distance, returning me to reality!

My throat swallows back.

"I-it's Conrad, isn't it?"

He doesn't answer, his eyes appear to be looking past me into the abyss… if anything. Why am I even talking to him?

Because I know something that he doesn't.

"Do you want to know the truth? The truth behind this? Behind everything?" I ask, raising my arms out to the world around me.

As usual, they told me nothing. Just that I had to kill him or turn him. But for most of the games, I couldn't even bring myself to harm a fly. I hesitated to kill anyone until Franz. I… I was sure I could just leave killing Conrad to somebody else. Taliesin, Jade, a mutt… anything. It was only when I saw Conrad's face up close that I knew why they wanted him dead. He looks almost identical to his parents. He's not here by accident… just like me.

And here he is. Stood before me. There is a touch of fate and destiny about this that is causing me to hesitate my strike.

I never wanted to kill him. Truth be told. I wanted to turn him. It's only after Franz and Marissa that I realized - killing is so much easier.

They are in control now. They could order the mutts to pounce on him right now if they wanted. But no, I was given the task. And when you're given a mission, you have to follow through with it. They are expecting me to. That's the job.

His face is so numb and wretched in pain and dread. He looks like he's had his soul sucked out of him. Without knowing it, he's on the opposite side of a war to me. But… he's still a human being and he's been through so much. Surely, he deserves the truth about his parents before we resume our war…

Before I put him down…

"Conrad… my my what has the world done to you?" I say, shaking my head with pity.

However, he gives no answer at all. I don't even think he can hear me. So, my foot slides forward across the snow, both my hands are now clasping the sword, and my eyes narrow in for the kill.

Conrad appears as half-dead as ever, barely even changing his expression. I don't exactly know what happened to him, but my guess is Taliesin. And he is here, and Taliesin is not. What does that say?

But before I can sting my sword into his heart, my attention is caught on what's behind him. The gargoyles, statues, and even the skeleton king, that surround us in the cemetery, seem to have gone… droopy. Almost like they've been switched off from the outside.

Everything is suddenly silent - as a void. The snow has stopped, and the wind is nonexistent. But Conrad's eyes are suddenly furious, a wild animals. He's still out of it but he appears to be acting on instinct. It's the only thing that seems to be keeping him going, a survivor.

He throws his huge stone cleaver above his head, preparing to swing down at my neck…

CRACK

The earth splits open the cemetery! A zigzag in the ground worms its way under my feet and toward Conrad! His eyes light up in shock.

Then the entire surface shakes and crumbles violently - forcing me to leap back inside the castle door! The air shudders around my ears! My body crashes to the concrete floor with a thud but, by the time I've raised my head back up to Conrad - he has disappeared beneath the ground, tumbling down and down with a pile of rubble after him.

I push myself back up to my feet, zooming straight to the edge of the gaping hole in the cemetery. My hands clench together firmly, my breaths become rapid. This was all part of the plan, right? Did they take care of him for me? Did they not believe I could do it? I was hesitating too much.

But as the time ticks on and I await his cannon - I get no such reward. Something's wrong. The arena is dead. The mutts, the echoes, the wind, and the snow. Even the frozen, biting air against my skin is warming again. That would be a relief, if not for the aching feeling in my heart!

Nothing. It's like everyone in the control room has suddenly fainted.

The fire in my heart transforms to boiling under my skin whilst I'm peering down at the newly formed vertical, sliding tunnel - inches from my feet.

I can't help it. A primal, guttural cry of anger erupts from my chest! I jam my sword down forcefully into the ground. I did it again! I let him slip out of my grasp! The boy I was supposed to kill. He was right there in front of my eyes, my sword was about to impale him through the heart! Yet, somebody, somewhere is looking out for him again. He slipped away for not a second but third time. There's something poetic about that, I admit but it doesn't stop my teeth from grating together in fury.

The words, that I know are true, slip stilly from my lips with venom - "This isn't over."

"No… we're just gettin' started."

Perhaps me and Conrad are destined to be locked in this struggle for some time. Bring it on.

Time has mostly become null. But a good portion of an hour must have passed before the red mist scatters from my eyes. Clearness vibrates through my body. Marissa's dead, Conrad's gone but there's still one more unaccounted for.

Harrison or the girl from Seven. Whoever it is, I'll soon put an end to them.

But then, everything seems to start up again. The gargoyles and statues raise their heads up to meet my gaze. The wind is blowing snow through my hair once more.

With my fingers clasping aggressively around the hilt of my sword, I yank it firmly out of the ground.

Though, it looks like I won't get to use it again. The sound of a hovercraft rattles the wind above me! My eyes turn upwards.

Lo and behold, a shadow casts its way overhead, growing and growing as the hovercraft descends closer. Did I do it? Did I win? What's going on? No… no this isn't right. This isn't what I imagined. I never thought victory would taste so sour and unsatisfying. I killed Marissa, yes. But Conrad escaped from my grasp. I failed my task. I let them down… I let them all down.

Even so, whilst I'm being dragged away, the adrenaline filters out of my bones, leaving me with all the cuts, bruises, and aches from the last Eleven days rupturing through my body. My stomach grumbles for food and my throat begs for liquid. But none of it can compare to the sour taste in my mouth.

This isn't over.

Nautics: So, we've come to the end of this story. What an unexpected (or maybe not since I said there would be survivors last chapter) ending. We could have gone many ways with this story but at some point, I just thought. I could better serve a lot of these character stories by making them a two parter! So that's what I'm going to do! Well hopefully. I'm not sure what Team-Shadow is planning to do with these characters but I'm planning to continue Conrad, Tatianas and Darrah's stories into the subplot of my next syot. So, watch out for that hopefully this week. The epilogue arc is the next phase which will be split into three parts and will conclude everything and explain more about what Grey did and how they escaped ect ect Thank you again to everyone who submitted and participated in this story, it's been a long journey we couldn't have done it without you! The most important thing is I hope you had a fun time! Much Love!

Team-Shadow: I can't believe Nautics and I started this story almost two years ago. Over those two years, we've had an amazing time writing all 24 of these kids, bonding with each other as best friends and you all on Verses! We couldn't have done this story without your support, and although at times things may have been unconventional, we hope you enjoyed the journey! We will be wrapping up with a few epilogues, and we will each be continuing the stories of these characters in our next respective stories. We're both very active on the Verses Discord if you want to see what craziness we're up to, feel free to PM me for an invite! Thank you again for everything, much love!

3rd: Marissa Grey (D4F) Killed by Tatiana Emery and Conrad Martell - Set on fire and axed in the neck. Marissa was one of the most fun we've had writing a conflicted villain. She had a complex relationship with each of the Careers, something we had a lot of fun exploring. She experienced betrayal, heartbreak, and at her core, overconfidence. She was a force to be reckoned with, even in her last moments. Thank you so much for submitting her wiifan2002, we hope you enjoyed her arc!

2nd: Harrison Jones (D11M) Killed by Buzzers - Harrison has always been a complex character. Underneath his smart and sincere demeanor was a kid simply in over his head. He wanted change, and he wanted to be that change. He found himself second-guessing a lot of choices he made, and he came to realize that it wasn't as simple as black and white. He went through a lot, with the Careers and after he left, and we both had a lot of fun testing his limits and seeing just how far he would go. In the end, his regrets led him to give his life for his last ally. Thank you so much for trusting us with Harrison, Para, we hope you enjoyed his story! Darrah will always remember what he did for her.

1st: Tatiana Emery (D2F) Victor! Well here we have our victor for Town of Shade! Congrats evilpencilbox. I hope you liked Tatiana's arc throughout this story, and I will be continuing it into the next. She's a girl with a purpose and she won't stop until her vision comes true! Her villain arc in this story will go on to the epilogues and the next story! We had a great time writing her energetic, extroverted personality and how the games and the Storm have changed her. Her backstory was always super unique and we had a great time exploring it! Thanks so much for submitting Tatiana and congrats again!

Survivors:

Darrah Arinori (In custody)

Fate Unknown:

Conrad Martell

Darrah's and Conrad's "eulogies" will be in the next chapter! See you then friends!

Povs written by nautics: Tatiana, Marissa

Povs written by Team-Shadow: Darrah