Author's Note

I do not own The Hunger Games.

Chapter warning: Brief thoughts of self-harm.

Maximillian Marcus Badondé, 18

He had the advantage over the other boy.

His weapons were intended for close combat, while Maximullian's arrows had a far greater range.

And, apparently, those that had symbols carved into them exploded. Or froze everything around them. Or split the ground open with a mighty roar. Which was, admittedly, quite cool. Though Maximillian wondered why the hijacking Gamemakers would give him these. Perhaps they just thought it would make things a little more interesting.

"Back off!" he shouted, nocking another arrow and lining up the shot.

"Don't shoot, we can talk–"

"No talking!" Maximillian shouted.

More dying.

He fired the arrow. It shot strong and straight, catching at the boy's jumpsuit and knocking an armour node from his jumpsuit.

He darted back into the cornucopia, where Maximillian couldn't see him, though he could hear him rummaging about below. Maximillian took another of the exploding arrows from his quiver and fitted it to his bowstring as he waited. The boy had to come out some time, and right now, Maximillian had the high ground.

The boy must have had allies though, because as he waited, two figures appeared from the trees by the canyon bordering the meadow and the burning grasslands. One held a spear in her hands, the other a sword and shield. They looked around the cornucopia glade before beginning to shamble towards the golden horn. Maximillian frowned, squinting against the setting sun and billowing smoke in an attempt to get a better look at them. They seemed to walk strangely, and while their weapons were in their hands, they were being held limply and dragged against the ground. Were they sick?

Maximillian raised his bow and lined up a larget on the girl with the shield. Spear-girl had greater reach, but the shield meant he'd struggle to score a hit once she knew he was here.

"Fly true," he muttered, and fired.

The girl with the shield must have seen the arrow coming at the last moment, because she raised the shield to defend the two. The arrow exploded on impact and flame erupted where the two had once stood.

Were…

Still…

Standing..?

What?

At first, with the smoke and additional fire, Maximillian wasn't certain he was making out their forms, but as some of the smoke was beginning to clear, he could make out their silhouettes, moving steadily towards the cornucopia with staggering, lunging strides.

And now they were both looking at him.

There was a clatter as the other boy emerged from the mouth of the cornucopia, his fan weapon things in hand. Maximillian considered shouting a warning, but if the girl players got him then they might forget about Maximillian himself.

"Oh," said the other boy, looking at the two. "Good evening. Are you looking for another ally?"

Neither girl answered.

Both girls brandished their weapons.

Maximillian swung his quiver from his shoulder and began to search through his arrows. Five ice and three fire ones left, as well as three normal arrows and a handful of the flimsier ones he had made himself. Those would be no use to him here. He took one of the ice arrows and fitted it to the bowstring, lining up a target point somewhere in the centre of the three other players. That should hit them all in the area of affect, right?

Maximillian drew the string back and fired. It flew true, and landed in the centre of the little group.

Ice spewed out from where it landed in a wave. All three players staggered backwards, attempting to ward off the rush of ice with their hands. Idiots. Maximillian strung up one of his remaining normal arrows and took aim first at the girl with the shield. They were in an alliance, so he needed to take out one of those girls first. Then the boy, and then the other girl.

His arrow went wild as the girl ducked and raised her shield above her head. It skimmed over her and lodged in the ground behind her. She looked up at Maximillian, and there was something strange about her expression, her face, her eyes. Dark liquid dripped from her mouth and down her chin.

Were they mutts then, he wondered, and then discarded that thought. They were in player jumpsuits, and he could see the remaining nodes at their shoulders glowing.

The other boy, still clutching his fans, seemed to be trying to flee them, stumbling and tripping across the ground. The girl with the spear was following him, taking wild swipes at him with the weapon.

"Shoot them!" he yelled as he attempted to fend them off. "Shoot them, they're mutts, fucking shoot them!"

"We're not mutts!" screamed the spear girl, raising her weapon above her head.

Maximillian fired the arrow.

This time it flew true, and struck the spear-wielding girl square in the chest.

She still had armour nodes, and all his shot did was bring them down to three, but she did also stumble and drop the weapon.

The boy turned and fled back towards the cornucopia. This time, instead of darting inside, he darted around the side and attempted to scramble up the side the way Maximillian had.

"Don't think about it!" Maximillian snapped, turning his bow on the other boy.

"They're mutts!" he spluttered, his boots clanging against the side of the metal horn.

"Then you'll make a good distraction." Maximillian drew his arrow back.

The boy dropped down from the side of the horn and darted around it, ducking inside. Perfect. The girls would tear him apart and, hopefully, forget all about Maximillian.

Iridescence Sterling, 17

"Nothing's been done to me!" screeched the new girl, but even as she did, black spittle flew from her mouth and dark indigo tears pooled in her eyes.

"Support," Ares muttered, swinging his axe into an offensive position. Something twisted inside Iridescence. She'd seen him do that so many times. Usually before he was right about to split her skull open. Now though, he was doing it in defence of her, and it still felt weird.

She dropped back several steps, though couldn't get too far given the fog would cut off her ability to see to shoot, and nocked an arrow to her bowstring. Zephyr was backing Celeste away, though the younger girl was still clutching her doll and looked almost entirely disinterested with the entire situation.

What could she possibly want with Iridescence's younger sister? Did she know her? They looked about the same age. Or did she truly believe Phoenix could save them all? Iridescence wasn't sure she did believe that part – but she could also think of no other options beyond following Celeste that might potentially get her back to Phoenix.

"If nothing's been done to you, then–" Luminita raised her hands, and Iridescence could see them trembling. Or was that her? She rubbed her head, and–

Definitely her.

This was the worst possible time for another seizure.

"Then you won't mind leaving them alone and coming away with me," Luminita said, sheathing her knife.

"With you?" Sorcha laughed, sharp and shrill.

"Poisonous berries addle some birds' minds," said Celeste, very unhelpfully.

"I would never go anywhere with you!" Sorcha spat, and Iridescence saw Luminita flinch. Of course not all siblings had the bond she had with her brothers, but these two seemed to despise each other.

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this situation!" Sorcha shrieked.

Luminita looked surprised by that, fumbling to draw her knife again. "Me?"

Footsteps crunched through the dead grass somewhere behind them, and Iridescence turned, taking aim with her bow. They'd not have yet another player sneak up on them. She'd had enough of that.

It only took a moment, two–

And a familiar figure appeared from the fog.

The relief was so much that Iridescence released her grip on the arrow. It flew, wildly, and lodged itself in the ground.

"Luminescence," she whispered.

He smiled, and it was the best thing she'd ever seen. "Iridescence." Then his expression grew angry and he shifted his spear in his hands. "What is he doing with you?"

Phoenix Sterling, 13

Up ahead, the white fog was turning black. Nighttime? It had to be soon. And yet this looked different somehow. Thicker, as though it was seeping into the fog rather than causing it to dissipate as it had done before.

"Something's not right," Emeria muttered. She was the only veteran player they had left now, which meant they ought to pay attention.

"Like what?" Phoenix asked.

"The way that blackness is moving. It doesn't look like shadows. It looks more like…"

Vivaldi coughed and covered his mouth and nose with his hand. "Smoke!"

"A campfire?" Etheria asked.

"A camp– no! There's too much smoke for that. Look!" He waved his hand ahead of them, and Phoenix had to agree. Nothing another player could be burning would spit up enough smoke to challenge the fog as the far area was doing.

"Oh."

"We have to turn back!" Emeria shouted

Phoenix should agree. Keep going and they'd simply be headed straight into the flames and smoke. If they didn't burn, they'd suffocate, and if they didn't suffocate, they'd burn.

"But where's the fire coming from?" Phoenix asked, squinting through the fog.

Vivaldi caught her collar. "Does it matter?"

"It matters to me!" She pulled away from him and stumbled forward, towards where the smoke was spilling into the fog. Vivaldi hurried after her.

The further they went, the more the fog cleared, until there was nothing but smoke and they could see nothing but smoke, pouring across the ground before them. The flames, however, were on the other side of the train tracks, trapped beyond a sunken barrier.

"They're… burning the arena?" she whispered.

"They must have decided to speed things up a bit!" Emeria shouted, catching her other arm.

"What does that mean?"

"Probably that we're running out of time! Come on!"

This time Phoenix turned and let herself be dragged away from the flames, through she still felt their heat at her back.

There was something else here, somewhere.

As they ran, the sound of shouting and fighting rang through the air. Phoenix's heart thumped in her chest. She reached for her knife and drew it, turning it over in her hand.

Pain, and maybe she could…

"Don't," said Vivaldi, looking at her.

"You don't know what I inten–"

"I can guess. And you shouldn't. Please. It's not worth it."

Phoenix nodded, adjusting her grip on the knife. "I won't. I promise."

But it was still tempting. If she could; if it worked–

Maybe she could save them all.

Luminescence Sterling, 17

Iridescence looked unwell.

And Ares Gilmore was stood right behind her, axe in hand.

(luminescence remembered speaking to artemis as she flung herself at him; watching the life drain from her green eyes. was she dead already in her pod or could they save her if they got out and saved her quickly enough)

Luminescence raised his spear, rushing to put himself between the two.

(he saw artemis as she died)

Iridescence flung her arms out, throwing herself in front of the younger boy even as he raised his axe. "No no no! He's my friend!"

"He's a Gilmore!"

"He saved my life!" Iridescence stumbled back to Gilmore's side and wrapped her arms around him. "I wouldn't be here without him. I'd have given up a long time ago."

Gilmore grinned, cocky. "You're welcome."

"You–"

"Please don't fight," Iridescence said, holding her hand out to Luminescence.

(he held his hand out to artemis. he watched her die)

He lowered his spear. "Thanks, Gilmore."

He'd failed to save Artemis. But maybe her brother could live, and Luminescence could find some comfort in that.

"Your sister–" he started, before a furious screech from behind the two cut him off.

Luminescence jumped and raised his spear again. Gilmore spun round, swinging his axe. Iridescence seemed slower, sloppier, than usual as she turned and raised her bow.

A girl, tall, yellow haired, athletic looking, had launched herself at another, waving her sword. Black liquid splattered the ground at her feet.

Luminescence's heart fell to his stomach. He rushed forward, directing his spear at the yellow haired aggressor. "Get away from her!"

"Luminescence–" Iridescence protested, but her bow stopped her grabbing for him.

"She's infected!" he shouted, separating the two fighting girls with his spear.

The yellow one screeched. "I am not infected!"

"Infected with what?" asked the green one, warily.

"I don't know. But I've just seen it in– another player. She wasn't in control of herself."

The green girl's eyes widened. "But… she's my sister."

"Then I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you're listening to him!" screeched the yellow one.

(apollo's face had convulsed in the sky, luminescence looked at artemis as she died)

"Iridescence, Ares, get out of here!" he shouted.

"But–" Iridescence protested.

"Go!" he snapped.

The green haired girl darted around him to get to them, holding her arms out to usher them ahead. "You heard him, let's go!"

"Luminescence–!" Iridescence called.

"Luminita!" screeched the yellow one, spitting that same black liquid that had killed Artemis. "I am your sister! I'll get you for this! Kill the freaks and we can survive!"

Freaks. Enough people had called Luminescence and his siblings that as they grew. The Sterling triplets, freakshow. He braced himself, fixing his attention on the girl.

"Stay away from them."

"And who are you to boss me around?" she demanded.

"I'm her brother."

And he'd failed Radiance, watched him die. He wouldn't fail Iridescence and Phoenix too.

(he watched artemis die, saw the life drain from her green eyes)

Luminescence drew in a deep breath and charged the girl.

For a moment he thought she would stand and fight him, but then she turned and fled, her yellow hair disappearing into the fog. Luminescence glanced in the direction Iridescence and Gil– Ares – had run. He could follow–

But that thing would still be a threat to their alliance.

She had to die.

And Luminescence had made his decision when he stayed behind to fight Artemis.

(artemis had died, the life fading from her eyes. he'd see her face in the sky tonight)

He shifted his grip on his spear and set off after the yellow haired girl.