The Games for Gaiathal (Part 3 of 'A Tale of People and Apples Trilogy')

Chapter 14: Raven and Wolf

"Luka..." Tristan stammered as he slowly turned to face him within the bright lights of the shining silver stadium. "It has to be you... I'll... I'll lose on purpose."

Calysa's eyes watered as she watched them both, unable to come to terms with the horrid situation. Her eyes flickering back and forth between them both, her heart full of hurt at the thought of losing one of them, guilt that she hoped it was one over the other.

Even Eeva and Maeve from above, unable to hear what was said by the Programmers, appeared to understand what was happening as Luka saw them hang their heads in dreaded realization.

Luka limped towards Tristan, gripping his abdomen tightly where the chunk of his muscle was missing from Adrian's stab. "No, Tristan. I can't let you do that. You were right before. This is all my fault leading you all here. No one more can die because of me."

"No, Luka. I should never have said that. It was Solan. It's always been Solan. Tell Rosaya... tell her to never forget who the real evil is."

As Calysa began to sprint to both of them, to say goodbye to one, to speak with Luka for the last time she may be able to ever, a blue veil snapped upwards, blocking Solan and Calysa from Tristan and Luka who were in the stadium now alone, like two statues of great gladiators.

The silence within the stadium was deafening as both Luka and Tristan toiled and contemplated with their mortality, with their deaths, with the bravery it would take to sacrifice themselves for the other to move on.

Luka loved Tristan and simply couldn't picture thrusting a blade into him, let alone do the deed. Tristan loved Luka just as fiercely, but couldn't foresee stopping Solan without the Wolf. And he couldn't foresee Rosaya and his people ever being truly safe while Solan breathed.

But with the Programmers, there always seemed to be a catch. A terrible twist in each game which made it worse than it already was, to test the contestants and push them to the absolute limits of sanity.

Somewhere, in the depths of Luka's mind, he knew what it was before the Programmers even stated it.

"Hello Wolf. Please note that we detect you are contemplating losing on purpose. If this is acted upon, if your effort to survive is any less than 100%, both of you shall lose, and only one contestant will be crowned winner."

Tristan's eye widened at the same time Luka's did, no doubt receiving the same words from the Programmer within his own mind.

"They... they can't enforce that. How could they enforce that?"

"I don't know, Tristan, but it's not worth the risk. Both of us can't die. Play to win. Fight as hard as you can, and fight as smart as you can. As Nik trained you to."

"And as you trained me to," Tristan said, his eye in the shadows of the stadium and staring at Luka. "Maybe it is a risk we should take," He said, looking to his feet, kicking the steel floor with his toe. "Killing Adrian, killing you... these Programmers are stripping us of what we are. I... I think I want to die before I see anymore of my friends die. Before I kill anymore of my family."

Luka changed his approach, knowing he had to make Tristan fight somehow, someway.

He tried to make Tristan hate him.

"You were right before, Tristan. I led you all here. Laplan, Adrian, and now you, you could have lived if it weren't for me. Rosaya wouldn't be alone if it weren't for me. Make me pay."