The Lycan King’s Tribute

No escape

All my life, I’ve been a runt, a virgin with no wings to fly. I’ve always wondered what it’s like, giving myself to someone.” - Enoma Pearl

...

“What if we wish to withdraw?” some other girl asked.

“If you wish to withdraw, 75% of you have to vote. Any vote less than that will not be recognized.” Lady Peach said, adding. “This pertains to the entire Games,”

“Good thing, can we vote now?” another girl said. But everyone stared at her in confusion.

“C’mon now, they are putting our lives at risk, aren’t we supposed to opt out?” she added.

“I didn’t come all the way here to quit,” Destiny suddenly said, with some dark expression that made me hesitate. It made me wonder who I paired up with. The silenced girl shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

“I like that spirit.” Lady Peach said, with a smile. “For those wondering, after you withdraw, you’ll be rescued and directed to level 2. However, your points will be deducted to the barest minimum,”

Just as she said those words, the girls murmured in frustration and Lady Peach gestured to her assistants. They came forward, with their chins directed to the microphone.

“You can commence to choose your hints,” the assistants said together. And, turn by turn, the girls picked their hints.

I hesitated a bit, wondering if this was worth it. Risking my life, when I had people at home who would suffer if I died. But I’d lose points if I tried getting out.

Moreover, I made a deal with the King. I just had to play well. This made me rub my hands amongst the paper searching for the one to take.

I closed my eyes selecting a random paper, opening it, and settling the written words in. THE CAVE YOU FEAR TO ENTER HOLDS THE TREASURE YOU SEEK.

I sighed, scanning my eyes through the words again. This was going to be more complicated than I thought.

…

The spectators were arranged, staring at us in their different attire. The Purples and the rest of the color ranks. While I observed this, Marina and Angela gestured to pick their hints.

“Underages? Not allowed,” Lady Peach’s first assistant said.

“If you want to help your houses, score points, there are other ways you can.” the second said kindly pointing, “Look there, go meet the Greens, you can assist in snooping for news,”

Marina stared at me and I motioned that it was okay. Agreeing with me, she walked towards the Greens paired with Angela.

“Hello you two, you are so adorable,” one of the Greens said pulling them in a hug. I let out a sigh, smiling.

They were in safe hands now. Destiny’s hands connected with mine, “Now we have only each other,” she said.

“Yeah,” I let out, dismissing the nervousness I felt in thought of the look on her face earlier. I know darkness when I see it. Or was I just imagining things?

Just that instant, a Blue came forward with a pistol and timer. He directed it up shooting to the sky which I knew signified that we began. The girls commenced running, and so did Destiny and I.

…

I’ve always been good at distances. Thus, I seized the first chance I had to run away from Destiny. The minute I did she thought it was a mistake.

Yelling my name so loud, I could swear everyone had their eyes on me. But I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was survive. Something told me I had to stay away from her to do so.

At some point, someone else joined her to shout my name. But, I ignored them sprinting till I was out of breath.

“I… I can’t.” I said, putting my arrow set in place and rechecking my pistol parts. I couldn’t bring myself to betray my instincts.

Crestwood taught me so much. How you should trust no one. Destiny was up to something. I didn’t know what but till I did, I had to attempt the game myself.

My guts rarely failed me. She played a game. I wasn’t sure what it was but I had to be really careful—

Some dried branches held my leg, keeping me stuck and just as I tried to remove it, I fell into somewhere.

“Dammit,” I let out, realizing it was a pit.

I had just entered a trap. I hoped it was part of the Games. If it wasn’t, I hope it wasn’t some creature.

I’d be lucky if it were a person. We’d have a fair fight, at least.

The fall was high, it made me bleed, my arm had little cuts and thorns on them. Dust were all over. I had to do something, so they didn’t get infected.

“I just hope something here helps,” I hoped, removing the backpack. Dropping my arrow set, I checked for anything that could help.

The first thing saw was cotton wool, next, a bottle of water with the last being an ointment.

Patting the cotton wool across my wound, I re-checked the backpack trying not to miss anything this time. Luckily, I sighted a plaster making me sigh.

“Something that prevents the infection, at least,” I uttered, rubbing the ointment on the cuts.

I hissed at the sting, bringing me to reality. I couldn’t stay here.

I had to find a way to leave, to get out. The other girls were on our first task, staying here meant I lost points.

With these thoughts, I got up slowly. I didn’t break any bone, good. I hung my arrow set as fast as I could, doing the same with the backpack.

The pit was soft, made of clay and soft stones which fell in bits. This made me fall down each time I tried to get out.

“Help!” I exclaimed. But it was all in my head. I couldn’t take the risk, not after the elimination rules.

If we were allowed to eliminate ourselves, I had to be careful. To stay alive, I needed to get out. But what if the wrong person came on surface?

“You better be right, Samantha,” Madeline’s voice suddenly echoed from above.

“She went this way, I saw her. She should be somewhere around,” Samantha replied her.

Who they looking for? With these thoughts, I reached for my pistol putting the parts together silently. A swarm of birds rushed through serving as a distraction making me click the gun in place.