Chapter 27:
Thetis Oneiroi, District One, Age 18
Victor of the 102nd Hunger Games
They were wrong. All of them were wrong. 'Thetis won't be able to win.' 'Thetis is just volunteering to get herself killed!'
But she wasn't going to lose and die in this arena.
Thetis holds her hands out to the crackling fire in front of her in an attempt to stay warm with the temperature rapidly dropping. She shakes her head at the thoughts from the disbelievers back in One. She loved the District but damn, some of them were idiots. Just because their training academy wasn't organized and still struggling to keep volunteers doesn't mean her skills are nonexistent. It doesn't mean she's going to die in this arena.
She pats the bow on her lap, a confirmation that she has her weapon easily accessible as she stares out into the night. Oh she knows how to use it. And once she's back in One, she's going to use her skills to train the others. Then she'll start bringing home victors and show them all that her training method is what they need to do to get One back to its former glory and not let Two or Four pass them in number of victors.
Thetis almost shakes her head in disappointment at the thought of the two Districts who are her main competitors. Four wasn't really an issue yet but give it a few more years and they will be. But Two… well, they were a different story. Ever since Kat volunteered and won, her tributes have successfully wiped out all of the One tributes. But not this year. There is no way that Kodi is going to beat her.
So maybe it was a bad idea for her to leave Kodi alive for her final opponent. But he was the only real competition that was left now that they're down to five and her and Kodi are the only trained volunteers left. And what better opponent for the finale? If she can beat him – and she most definitely will – no one will doubt her then. And then, she'll make the training academy the way she wants it to be. Is it cocky when it's the truth? She doesn't think so. But she certainly won't be remembered as much for a simple and easy victory. No one remembers those that stayed under the radar, they remember the ones who fought and struggled towards victory. And Thetis is going to be one of the latter.
A rustle in the woods has her drawing an arrow out of her quiver in an instant and notching it in her bow. She keeps her bow on her lap and undrawn as her eyes search through the trees behind her fire, waiting to see what tribute thinks they can actually take her on in a fight. She hopes for a brief moment that it won't be Kodi as they parted on good terms and both aware that fighting each other in the finale will be a great show.
A movement to her left catches her eye and she draws her bow, taking only a second to aim in the direction she saw them. Only a few seconds pass between the movement and her releasing the arrow before a scream sounds and there's a thud as the tribute falls to the ground. Thetis jumps to her feet, casually making her way around the fire without notching another arrow.
Sure enough, a few feet into the woods a small girl lies on the ground, clutching her neck as it gushes blood around the arrow lodged in it. She stares up with wide eyes at Thetis and the older girl leans against one of the trees. What a great shot she made for not even seeing the tribute. This...this is why she thinks her cockiness about winning is justified. She has the skills to back it up. Finally, the girl on the ground makes a gurgling noise before falling still, blood still seeping out of her wound.
Boom.
Thetis nods her head at the sound of the cannon before turning around and walking back to her fire. It's a surprise that the girl even made it this far with how young she is. But it's not like she would have ever won. The title of victor will fall to Thetis.
A smile creeps onto her face at the thought of being victor as she sits back down at her fire. Three more to go and then she'll be victor.
Another week where I nearly forget it's Wednesday. Oops this one is way shorter because I just took it from the Wayward intros but I don't care and I'm not going to add more lol. So there we go with Thetis Oneiroi, future boss of the training academy in One! Only one more of the trio of career ladies leading their training centers to go, but she is still a few chapters away. And yeah, we're going to start having a lot of career victors now because they're back baby and ready to win. And I just love careers, sue me XD
Next up, Kat's first victor of many: a very charismatic and charming man.