the ones chosen by Jafari

the night storm

The rest of the day everyone collected the ones who lost and brought them to Kara to recover. She let them all rest on soft grass, in her hut putting gangu and dirt on their wounds.

Jaren was nowhere to be found, so the others just assumed he was hunting.The last eight winners just went to their hut early, trying to gain as much energy for the next day.

Eli on her way to her hut decided to check on her siblings, so she took a segway to the soft grass. When she came she saw that there was a shadowy figure kneeling over one the uncounsious goblin.

She expected it to be Bleux; only he would be here in the dead of night to watch his siblings. So she started hopping to him, her steps light to the ground. But the closer she came the more she realized she was wrong.

The shadow looming over the body was rubbing his finger in the stab wound the goblin had, letting out a giggle everytime, the goblin let out a painful cry.

Her hop turning into a highspeed sprint, tensing up her sore legs again, the high pitched giggle of shadow the pissing her of.

Once close enough she punched the shadow making it slide over the rough grass. While the shadow would turn on his back and gazed to the stars Eli started questioning his sanity.

'What the f*CK is wrong with you! don't you see what you are doing he is hurt.' she said, while checking on the uncounsious goblin, caressing it's face, trying to calm him down.

The shadow rolled to his neck and used it's arms to hop back and his feet. Now standing tall, Cycles face showed. He put his bloody finger in his mouth and with a smooth *POP* flung his finger back out again with his cheek.

'You don't hit as hard or fast as the boss,' he said rubbing his wet finger on his face, his eyes wide open, observing all of Eli 'but this will do'. He began walking towards her, making sure his intentions were known. All the nerves on his body showing, ready to let the blood burst out of his body.

Eli sensed his killing intent and stood back up in a kickboxing pose. She swiped the ground with a clean low kick, not hitting anything. When she looked up she knew he didn't jump, only his feet had shifted height, the rest of his body was were it previously was.

The goblin next them still moaning, now started sweating and rolling on the grass, leaving an imprint.

When she was back on her feet she tried hitting him with a left hook but he ducked under it, past her guard, his face standing inches away from hers.

'keep this for tomorrow people' Bleux said with a stern face, appearing out of thin air, shocking them both. When Eli looked down, she saw that Bleux had caught Cycles hand. Cycle had is palm open with all of his fingers closed, his nails razor sharp, mimicking a blade. He was not fully there yet, but was Bleux a second later, Eli could have been dead.

'sure,' Cycle said ripping his arm from Bleux his grip, a broad smile on both of their faces 'i'm to sleepy to do something anyway, I could've got my ass beat just now' he said, bursting into laughter. Then he walked away, his laugh leaving long after he did.

'that maniac' Eli said

'He is a little bit odd isn't he' Bleux replied, going back to the goblin he petted him on the forehead, instantly calming him. Realizing who she was talking to, she bowed real quick.

'Thank you again for saving my life' she said

'no problem, anyone would've done it' he replied.

'not really, everybody's afraid of me, I mean, only you came'

'I was in the area, you gotta stop believing your not part of our tribe.'

'i know but, I caused myself one bad reputation'

'one you are changing, some goblins who woke up are already telling me of your deeds this morning'

she excitingly asked if that was true, Bleux said it was.

Bleux stayed behind with the wounded, saying he would keep them safe from people with bad intentions.

That night she would sleep good, not even the thunderstorm waking her up.

Pipin couldn't fall asleep that night, the excitement of fighting next to the boss kept him awake. Tossing and turning to find the right position to sleep in, the thunderstorm adding to his problem, he decided to go for a walk through the forest.

There, under a tree sitting on a rock he saw Boksen, with his head leaning on his fist and looking at his wound.

Pipin kept his distance, not knowing if Boksen was in a talking mood.

'I didn't expect to see you here this night, why are you even awake' Pipin asked, happy to see his friend. Boksen looked up, lifting his eyebrow 'it is you who I did not expect to see, I could not fall asleep,' he slapped his stomach 'too hungry.'

'Same here, but I wasn't hungry, just exited'

'exited why? for another deadly situation tomorrow'

'no, well yes. There is a good chance we can be squad leaders at the end of it'

No answer followed after that, the sounds of the water droplets hitting the ground taking over.

Ever since they came from that hill, Boksen was quite pessimistic, his sour face leaving a bad taste in the air. Pipin saw it the most when they were collection the bodies. When Boksen found the first dead body in a pit, he punched a tree, his eyes watery. When they found the second one, Boksen avoided everyone. They didn't have a chance to talk at all most of the day.

'I have made up my mind Pipin,' Boksen said, snapping Pipin back to a wet soggy reality 'when Jaren and Bleux split up, I'm going to join Bleux.'

Thunder struck in between the two of them, lighting the dead leaves on fire for a few seconds, before being washed away by the rain. The loud aftermath of the thunder strike roaring like a lion.

'what do you mean by when they split up? I don't understand' Pipin asked, but understand he did all to well

'They are entirely different people, once there will be a breaking point for the two of them, a moment when they won't see eye to eye anymore, that is when I will join Bleux'

'That is only IF there is a breaking point! They are different yes, but they still want the same things'

'don't worry about that part, I just want to know if you wil join me when the time comes?'

Pipin didn't answer for a sec. The rain started to worsen, making that the only thing they saw was the heavy tears of the sky.

'No I don't think I will' Pipin said, His face falling to a sad expression, knowing what could follow. He looked at Boksen and saw his thin lips move, Pipin not understanding because of the heavy rain. Boksen then proceeded to walk past him back to his own hut. And after a while Pipin did the same.

His excitement of the next day disappearing.

The next morning Jaren told the last eight to gather at the west side of the forest by noon. Each of them arriving at various times.

Pipin and Eli where the very first to arrive, Boko following shortly after, and as very last Boksen and Cycle. Kaki and Suga not showing up when they should.

Eli vouched to wait a little longer for them, hoping that they were just late.

'They won't show up,' Cycle sat up in a tree branch eating an apple, lazing in the shadows of the leaves 'they were to weak to attend this event.' when he let out a sinister grin Eli knew that he was involved. Looking up at him while she crunched her teeth, making sparks fly.

When Jaren arrived she told him her suspicious, he looked in Cycles direction, seeing him grin and he responded:' If he were supposedly did something to them, they were to weak to be here anyway.'

A reaction she certainly did not expect, letting out a silent gasp. 'But,' Jaren suddenly added 'do you want to take some kind of revenge for them? To take Cycle on in the next challenge'

'Yes! I would like to have a chance to face him' she excitedly said, clenching both her fist letting out a bright smile. She then looked back at Cycle who was throwing acorns at at small animals 'that little sh*t has had it coming'

After that Jaren led them to a cliff side, standing over it looking at the forest below them he explained what they would do.

'That right forest right there, shall be the arena. Two of you wil go down to the forest and face off to eatchother. Then you are down there, there are only two things you can do.'

He turned back looking at them and and pulled two Shaka fruit from behind a tree, a fruit that did not only looked like there was rainbow paint was all over it, but the sweet smell took over the area. Both of them had a letter on them.

Holding them in his arms infront of him. 'you can either knock your opponent out and show us the sleeping beauty or you can smash the Shaka fruit in, the spreading smell would notify me that there is a winner.'

He looked at Cycle who was still in the tree, than at Eli. 'the two who can start are Eli and Cycle'

within 10 minutes the where standing on opposite sides of the forest. Eli kneeled to the ground, buried her Shaka in the ground and picked up two rocks, immediately moving to the direction of Cycle. Both of them meeting in the middle of the arena.

Cycle was leaning his back head against his two hands, looking at the sky as if he was dreaming. When he saw that Eli was planning to face him he giggled

They stood parallel to eatchother, staring in their eyes, Cycle letting out a smug smile

'What did you do to them?' Eli asked her face muscles not moving -expect her mouth-

'Nothing severe, I just cut their calf's with my hands preventing them fr-'

'why?' she interrupted, now looking down, her brown hair covering her eyes.

'well... did you see how they passed yesterday? well I did. They slowly walked forward at a snails pace with a stick infront of them, luring out the traps. The only reason the didn't finish last was because the rest got injured. I had to see if they could even handle a proper fight, but when they showed their weakness, I just had to, I had to stop them from coming here.'

she slowly looked up the fire burning in her orange eyes. 'You can now take a step back Cycle, because I wil proceed to beat the snot out of you!'

Cycle took 3 steps back, taking his hand from his hands to his hips.

Eli started charging him, releasing on him a hard assault, letting out wide swings. Cycle was easily swerving through them, like a leaf in the wind, he was gone long before Eli's attack came.

Lifting his leg, he stomped her stomach, finishing it roundhouse to her face sending her through the air. When Eli stood back up, she counter charged back to him with a flying kick, Cycle grabbed her foot, take her knee also and guide her body back to the ground, slamming her down.

'If you can't handle fighting me anyway, why would you walk towards me then, instead of smashing my Shaka?' Cycle stood over her, an imposing figure, tall, his body shadowed by the sun behind him.

Eli lifted herself on her elbows and looked back at him 'Because I can't let your injustice stand!'

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The first Day of the tournament after it was done, Eli went back to the forest in the hopes of getting some extra meat. Because she thought she was smart, she traveled to the other side of the river as no one went there yet so there would be fresh meat.

She went past the skulls and skeletons of the dead animals, scaling over the split trees, even when she saw the huge paw of an creature. The forest cried with the animals long gone, yet she still ignored, in the hopes of maybe scavenging a yet not fully eaten animal or maybe even she could handle this beast and earn the respect of the bosses.

Eventually she stood over a cliff looking down at two animals fighting. One was a spikey, the other a huge beast the size of a boulder, it was standing on four paws, it claws as large as her arm, it's fur dark brown. The spikey rolled at it, tearing apart the gras it was going over.

With one swipe, the creature cleaved the spikey in two, the lower half of the spikey flew past Eli. When the creature sought the other piece and noticed Eli standing above him.

It growled at her making her legs tremble, quacking the earth that's when she decided she wasn't ready for whatever that was. She turned back to walk away when a piece of the cliff collapsed under her, she quickly grabbing the side. That was also cracked, bits and pieces of rock falling past her.

She knew that wouldn't last so she called out for someone to help, her voice cracking from he screams she let out. But she then realized that no one was coming, she had no partner, those she had driven away because the held her back she thought.

She then looked back under her to see the the spikey who was not one body anymore, than at the creature looking at her with open with an open mouth, the many sharp fangs glistening in the sunlight. If it was going to kill her, it was going to do it fast, the best she could hope for.

Teary eyed, she let go, trying to land face. suddenly she felt an hand grab hers and pulled her up again. Bleux put her on his shoulder and began running back towards the camp.

'Why did you even let go?' he asked

Eli who was now staring at his butt in shock, the tears falling from her cheeks responded:' because I thought no one was coming for me'

at the camp he told her that he saw her fight.

'No one is going to trust you if you clobber on someone who was no match for you' he said

'I thought it would impress you both'

'maybe Jaren, he likes hot blood, but if you keep being scary, others will be hesitant to help you'

'but they are weak, they can't help'

'that is why you screamed for help'

Eli's face turned yellow -because green+ red is yellow-

'all of these people are still your siblings, treat them with love and care, they wil return it.'

Eli looked around the camp, the others where gobbling on the raw meat, laughing and burping.

'okay' she responded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eli somersaulted back on her feet, making space between the two of them. She threw her right hand rock at Cycle which he easily dodged, than starting her onset, rushing at him preparing her her other hand for for a swing.

When right infront of him a rock fell out of the sky, taking Cycle by surprise, which she swept out of the air and struck at his face, than she swung her other hand at his jaw. He stumbled back, than fell on his ass, looking dazed he held his head.

Eli still on the attack jumped at Cycle, he took his feet catching Eli midair and threw her past him. He then looked behind him 'From the tree it bounced to the air back to you. I thought I had you weak, but you caught me.' he started laughing, the sounds bouncing in Eli's head.

He then rose to his feet again, holding the first spot he was hit on that was now leaking red, dripping from his chin.

'Do you know why I still hunt alone,' Cycle asked, Eli now standing up collecting rocks 'Because the others are completely useless. I tried hunting with one, but he only dragged me down, I couldn't help beating the sh*t out of him. I noticed whenever I hunt, I can do it myself, adding one of those bags of air would be a pain'

'than why do you want to be a squad leader' Eli asked perplexed by Cycle.

'two reasons only, to stand by the boss and what would happen if one of those suckers get on top, I can't let that happen.'

All the nerves went to his hands, his nails resembling a blade. 'I can't decide if you can go to the top yet.'

He stepped towards Eli, his pupils shrinking to be barely visible. She knew that if he was close enough she would surely die, Eli started throwing all the rocks at Cycle, raining them down on him. Cycle bolted past them accelerating the closer he came.

When suddenly a rock came from the side of his face end struck him, another hit his back suddenly he got hit from everywhere. He rolled up in a ball protecting his neck, smiling through it.

When the raining stopped, he looked around again, but Eli was not at her previous spot. She disappeared in thin air, when two arms wrapped around his neck. 'i cannot take him on face to face but this will do' she thought. They both fell down to the scattered rocks below them.

Cycle struggled, cutting the arms around his neck, his sharp nails cutting deep in her arms, to no avail. She screamed in pain, the others hearing her cries, to help she picked up a rock and bashed his head. In a minute, his face turned yellow, began drooling he and passed out.

When she knew he was gone she considered killing him, but everyone would know what she did and she didn't want to be scary anymore.

She dragged his body to the boss and he started the next fight. He looked at Eli 'I saw your fight, even though I couldn't hear what you both were talking about, that probably was intense, I like your fighting. But now you need to go to the healer. Your arms look bad'

she now was standing in a puddle of blood.

'you can come out now Gooba' Jaren said, a small figure coming from behind a tree, gooba who was still bald and most definitely the shortest of the whole camp, was the next fighter.