The
24th Hunger Games: Part Seven: Encounter
By
L. N. Price
It
was the boy, who stood still, his face grim as the cannon sounded in the
distance. Lux's hand dropped from Kaede's shoulder as she brought her spear out
in front of her. "Are you ready?" She made a motion in the direction
of the boy, and didn't need to say more as Kaede nodded back at her, both of
them moving quickly.
The
boy had a quick second as he took in their approach, his eyes widening at the
new threat, his knives raising in preparation.
He was younger than the both of them, likely just shy of fourteen or
fifteen, his abilities and strength still novel. Lux was the first one to strike at him, her
spear thrusting inward, its tip aimed at the boy’s throat. With a weak movement, he raised his knife to
meet the weapon, a loud screech echoing off the clash. His defense didn’t deter Lux though as she
swung her spear around, whacking him to the ground in one solid move. Kaede followed with his axe, which surged
straight at the boy’s downed body only to meet dirt as he narrowly rolled out
of the way. There was a moment as he
remained kneeled on the ground, his knives resting against the ground, watching
the two of them, and calculating which would come at him first.
When neither Lux nor
Kaede moved, he stood, raising his knives in front of him again. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted at
them, moving to his left, but not coming closer or retreating. It was Kaede for once, who came forward, his
axe still at his side as he approached.
He didn’t reply, or make a sound as he lifted his axe, bringing his
injured hand to rest on the grip with his other. In one swing, he brought the axe within
inches of the tribute’s face, the other boy stepping back in time to avoid it
slicing into his face. There was no
longer a sound from either boy as they met again, Kaede pulling back as a knife
was thrust near his heart, his axe swinging upward and connecting with skin. The boy let out a shriek as he clutched his
arm, the limb hanging limply from its socket. The knife that had once been
clutched in the hand on that side now fell to the ground, the boy glaring at
Kaede through a haze of pain and fear.
In his other hand, his last knife was clutched tightly, ready for the
next move.
With a cry, he rushed
at Kaede, the knife leaving that hand as it hurtled towards Kaede’s head. Ducking, he swung out his axe, catching the
boy in the abdomen, the blade sticking in that one area between the ribs, not
moving for either of them. In order to
not be dragged down he had to release the axe, the boy sinking to the ground
like a rock in water. Lux came forward
then, bending down and taking the handle before yanking the blade out of the
dying body. She handed Kaede his weapon,
but didn’t look at the dying tribute, her eyes resting on the blood soaked
axe. There was no congratulations given,
neither really relishing in the sounds of pain that came from the boy. The cannon echoed just beyond them as the
last gurgle of breath and blood left the body, both taking a step back in guilt
or regret, they really didn’t know anymore.
“We need to keep
moving,” she whispered, stepping back out of the clearing in the direction of
the bushes they had once hid in. Kaede
glanced once more at the body before following her, kicking the path their
footsteps made.
“How many is that now,
Lux?” She stopped, and turned to look at
him, unsure of what he had meant. “How
many tributes do you think are left?”
There was a shrug, but the expression on her face marked her train of
thoughts.
“Too many. But with all the careers left, give or take a
few other tributes, I’d say somewhere around ten including us.” She took his silence as the subject being dropped,
picking her way through the bushes and other debris that lined the forest
floor. Kaede kept behind her, stepping
in the same spots she did, remaining only a few seconds behind at a time. Only yards away was the clearing that they
wanted to avoid, somehow drawing them in.
The further they tried
to keep away from the larger clearing, the more trees that seemed to block
their path, forcing them closer and closer.
Lux’s spear edged in front of her, ready just in case though her anger was
just as intimidating as it was. Every
step they took closer to the clearing raked on his nerves, his body tensing at
every sound the forest emitted. If a
bunny appeared it most likely would have been impaled on sight, no matter that
it was a defenseless creature, he was so wired with adrenaline. When Lux slowed in front of him, it took him
a moment to keep himself from mowing into her, pulling his body instead to her
right.
It
was too late to stop or hide when they spotted one of the careers standing just
at the edge of the glade. Judging by his
height and stature, it was Chrome, his sword held loosely at his side. His stare was on them the moment they had
appeared, unreadable and emotionless.
That lack of expression changed though when he spotted Lux beside Kaede,
his eyebrows furrowing in frustration or anger.
“What
are you doing here?” he growled, his sword raising a few inches.
Lux
ignored his question, stepping forward.
This action only seemed to make him nervous as he moved back, his gaze
darting to the trees around them. “Where
are the others, Chrome?”
“Where
do you think, Lux? You need to
leave.” He stopped retreating for that
moment, swinging his sword in front of him as a warning. “Leave, Lux.
You pissed Mason off. If he sees
you, you won’t survive the fight.”
She
shook her head, handing Kaede her spear, and showing her empty hands to
Chrome. “Come with us, Chrome.” She took another step toward him, but it
merely agitated him more. “Mason has
probably realized you helped me. Come
with us,” she urged, holding out her hand, even when he just shook his head.
“I
can’t Lux.”
“Yes
you can.”
“No,
he really can’t.” Mason stepped up
behind Chrome from one of the trees, Titania following a second later. He casually stood next to Chrome, a wide
smile crossing his face as Chrome’s sword fell back to his side, shaking. Patting the district one tribute’s shoulder,
he came between him and Lux, a haughty expression in place.
“I’m
glad you returned, Lux. It makes killing
you much easier.” His eyes moved to
Kaede, a small frown marring the smile for a brief minute. “And you brought a lamb to slaughter,” he
didn’t smile, but his machete gleamed at Kaede wickedly enough.
“Mason,
I-,” he raised his hand, effectively cutting her off.
“Save
it,” he said sharply, his true emotions showing. Lux moved back next to Kaede, taking her
spear. “I still don’t know why I didn’t
kill you from the start. I mean you were
the weakest link.” He threw up his
hands, the one with the machete coming dangerously close to Chrome, who had to
step further back with a grimace. “Why
did I let such a week tribute live so long?”
Lux tensed at that,
raising her spear in front of her. “I
don’t know, Mason. Why did you?” He glared at her, not liking her tone of
reprisal.
“Lux-,” Kaede warned
softly beside her, inching closer to her in expectation.
His whisper somehow had
been heard by Mason who now looked solely at him, cold and calculating. Kaede wasn’t invisible before, but he
certainly must have seemed like a tag along instead of an actual ally. That opinion though was changed with his
butting in, Mason likely including him as a target now that he had spoken. “Who are you?” It wasn’t a question of interest, but
scrutiny, and Kaede was hesitant to answer.
“Why do you care
Mason?” Lux aimed back at him, moving towards him, and subsequently making
Kaede even more nervous.
“I want to know who I
am about to kill, traitor,” he bit back, his machete swinging in his hand. With every arc in the air, it warned of the
pain and agony it would bring its victims.
“Kaede. District Seven.” Mason stopped swinging the weapon, stunned
for a second at the very reply Kaede had given.
“That’s who I am but you won’t be killing me.”
Mason scoffed at him,
pointing the machete at Kaede’s face menacingly. “Really now?
And what? You think you can kill
me?” His laugh echoed in the clearing,
mocking not just the idea, but the tribute who dared have it. At his side both Titania and Chrome tensed,
knowing exactly the direction this was heading in.
“If that’s what it takes.” Mason no longer even glanced at Lux, his
focus on Kaede, who he deemed more worthy of death. “Show me why I should fear you, Mason.” A steely glare was aimed at him, but the
feral grin slipped back onto that face as Mason ran at him, the machete raised
like it had been when he had sliced dummies in practice. Those had been inanimate objects though,
unable to lift a finger against the district two giant. Kaede was armed with his axe, and a brain,
both coming to his aid as he sidestepped Mason within an instant.
The other boy growled
as he halted his momentum and found Kaede behind him unscathed. “Is this how you fight, district seven scum?” Mason spat at the ground, rolling his
shoulders before barreling again at Kaede, who met him this time, axe against
machete, the clash forcing the two back with the force of the blows. The other three who had been standing,
waiting for a clue as to what to do snapped to attention when the two broke
apart, Chrome leaping at Lux, and Titania helping him.
“Chrome, what are you
doing?” Lux stepped back from his blow,
dodging as the sword arced towards her throat, no sign of hesitance in his
attack.
“Exactly what he
should, Lux.” Titania struck out at her,
not even glancing in the direction of Kaede and Mason, who were trading blow
after blow, Kaede keeping pace even with his left hand aching at every
strike. Each time he blocked one of
Mason’s swings the other tribute would get quieter and quieter, his expression
setting into a dark frown. The taunts
were gone, and the swings became shallower, losing the wide angle and sheer
force, Kaede’s axe seeming to bear down on him heavier than before. That was when he heard the loud boom issuing
out in the clearing around them, the fighting stopping as all five of them
looked around their small circle. It
wasn’t the usual cannon signaling the death of a tribute, but an actual boom as
a roaring sound filled the air. Whatever
it was, it hadn’t found them yet, the clearing still only occupied by their
group. Then, right through the northern tree
line came a tall wall of water, heading straight for the showdown. There was not enough time to run, or form any
plan of evasion, the water knocking into them, nearly carrying them with it in
its fury.
As it stormed down on
them, Kaede swung his axe down, holding on to it tightly as the wave kept
coming. Using all of his strength, he
looked towards where he had last seen Lux, moving against the water to
her. Every step felt agonizing as the
wave continuously pushed him back, the water rising quickly. From the area in front of him a hand reached
out, hooking onto his arm with an iron grip, its owners head coming out of the
deep water. When he spotted the blond
hair he sighed in relief, pulling on the hand and bringing her to his
side. “Are you alright?” he yelled over
the still roaring water. Lux stiffly
nodded at him, letting him pull her in the direction of the forest and higher
ground. They needed to get out of the
water before they found out how flooded the area could be.
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