Chapter 24:
Kat Liero, District Two, Age 18
Victor of the 99th Hunger Games
The pair from One wasn't sure if it was the right move to ally, but Kat was confident in the decision. They were scared to bring back the career pack for the first time – albeit, missing half of the normal members – but Kat knew someone had to be the first one to do it. And if she missed out on being the first trained victor, something she'll be kicking herself over forever, then she was determined to be the one to bring back the careers. She understood their concern, but there was no way to know if the Gamemakers approved or not until they stepped foot in the arena.
That time is now. A year's worth of hard work and training finally about to be put to the test. So many people told her she was crazy for wanting to do this, but someone needed to do it for District Two. Kat knows she can be that person. She can bring the District back to its former glory, make the Games an exciting event once more, not something striking fear in the hearts of everyone. She is going to show them exactly why District Two should never have been overlooked.
As the launch tube brings her up into the arena, her heart picks up its pace in anticipation and – even though she hates to admit it – a small healthy dose of fear. She's not completely oblivious to the odds of her making it out of the arena alive. She's not the only tribute in here with some training. And if the Gamemakers decide they don't like her, then it's game over, done for. But it won't be the end for Two. Surely someone will see what she was able to do and pick up where she failed.
Not that failure is an option. But she certainly won't win if she lets her fear consume her.
Kat looks around at the arena surrounding her, a cave filled with sharp but beautiful crystals on the walls that emit light from within, and the countdown starts. She takes a deep breath and rolls her shoulders back, trying to push down the small bit of fear in her that wants to rise up. Why is she afraid? Most of the tributes are sniveling, pathetic kids who nearly piss themselves when Kat just looks at them. The only two that could challenge her in terms of skills are her two allies, and the three of them have been equally space around the cornucopia. No, the Gamemakers don't want the three of them killing each other.
They want blood and a show.
It's time to for the careers to be back.
The countdown reaches zero and as soon as the gong sounds, Kat leaps off of her platform and sprints towards the closest weapons. Many of the other tributes still foolishly go towards the cornucopia for weapons, still thinking that everyone is on equal ground, but they are so very wrong.
The first tribute falls, not at Kat's hands, as she is taking too long to find a weapon she likes. Oh she is not letting One get all the glory of the bloodbath. She'll be damned if she ever lets District One have a greater legacy than Two. She grabs a mace and turns, slamming it into the closest tribute near her with a cry that doesn't cover up the sound of crunching bones as it shatters their skull. The girl drops to the ground and Kat stands there for what is surely only seconds, but feels much longer, as she stares at the dead tribute in front of her. The first person she's ever killed yet there's…nothing in her. No guilt, no regret. She doesn't know why, but she will not protest it. Not when that kill won't be her last.
Kat struggles to yank the mace out of her, before abandoning it to grab something else in the interest of time. The closest thing is a spear that feels clunky in her hands from not focusing on it in training, but she soon gets the hang of it to smack tributes to the ground and end it quickly. Two more fall at her hands before the rest have fled and she blinks a couple times as she stares around, trying to slow her racing heart and need to just fight.
Her two allies are standing to the side, skimming through the supplies and looking otherwise unharmed. But they stuck to their word about being allies and the Gamemakers allowed it. A smile slowly spreads on Kat's face as nine cannons fire, signaling the official end of the bloodbath. She caused a third of those. And from the looks on her allies' faces, she doesn't think they both got three kills each.
"Not a bad start," Kat says casually and the two give quiet agreements as she goes back to the girl she first killed. She studies the fear frozen on her face and the blood pooling around her head, searching for some sort of feeling about her death. Yet it just feels so…separate. Doesn't feel real. She didn't know this girl or the other two tributes she killed. They're just that: tributes. Not people, not kids, just other tributes who won't hesitate to kill her in return to be the one victor.
That thought makes it easy for her to put her foot on the girl's back to give herself leverage as she rips her mace out. She shakes it a couple times, trying to get some of the blood and flesh off of it with a grimace, before turning to her allies. "So how about that? I think we showed them."
"So many of them still ran in and got supplies," Jaiden comments and Aliah nods her head in agreement.
"They're not afraid of us," Aliah adds.
"That's because they still think we're not threats. That will work in our favor," Kat scoffs at their ignorance as she tests the weight of her mace in her hands. They're going to learn very quickly just how big of a mistake it is to underestimate her. "Let's go show them exactly what we're made of."
And show them that the careers really are back.
And we have the well known victor from Two, Kat Liero! Exciting to reach a victor anyone who's read one of my other stories knows about - and to see her at a young age since most stories she's in, she's an actual adult lol. The careers are most certainly back after her win. Well...not quite but just until after the quell for reasons.
One last update for 2020 with this story: the fourth quarter quell. It's gonna be another break from the typical style we've seen in this so far for reasons that will make sense next week. See ya then!