Enigma (Rogue #2)

10

Eniola felt like she should've been doing more to help Zaira, but after their meeting and barely surviving leaving Tokjin, Zaira went silent.

Eniola called those thoughts away as she flew on the hover with her team in the loud and cheerful arena just as it has always been, as they surrounded Eunji on the big hover. Eunji's outfit today was quite an eye-catcher. She corseted tightly her pink dress at her waist and a huge slit split it down the middle, revealing tall black boots that went all the way up her thighs. Shifting flower petals tied around her dress and regularly changed colour and type. This time her bob was a striking blue instead of purple.

The arena was pulsing again as they were waiting for the second official round to start. Yesterday's side challenges were even more challenging than they had ever been, and Eniola, for the first time, felt truly exhausted after playing SCOPE. They played in Atlantis, battling the other teams. Not only was it a new world, but there were also new opponents. They probably only won half of the games they played.

They eliminated 14 countries. Eniola couldn't remember all of them off the top of her head, but she was sure Australia, Kazakhstan, and Liberia were there.

Eniola looked beside her on the floating hovers before spotting Stavros and Artemis not too far away from them. They and their team waved more enthusiastically to them, and Eniola happily waved back. It was nice to know their friends and allies were still here. If they didn't, Rogue would have to do the unthinkable.

Socialize out of their circle.

Now they would enter the newest SCOPE world, not yet revealed. Thrilling adrenaline and nerve-wracking fear ran through her veins. Eniola inhaled, then exhaled.

The lights finally illuminated them and darkened over the audience. The crowd's cheers turned to excited hushes, and the mood that hung over them was tense.

They officially started the second round. Eniola took in a deep breath, then exhaled it into the air.

"Welcome fans and players to the second official round of the 2057 International SCOPE Championships. The newest world is the City of Ruins," Eunji announced as the holo-screens shifted into images of a broken-down city overrun with vines. Those are what cities might've looked like if no one dealt with climate change all those years ago. Eniola was just happy it wasn't here now.

"There is a twist for this round," Eunji began, and Eniola knit her eyebrows. The twists were usually reserved for the last round, but she guessed anything could happen on this global playing field.

"This round will have 2 teams merge to create one team to work together. We will double the points that an individual team would score not only for the joint team but each player adding up to team scores," Eunji explained as expressions of shock went around. "However, the benefit will only come into play if a combined team is part of the top 18 teams to finish the second round."

Shock ran through Eniola, but she didn't show it. These teams were the best in the world and showing any weakness could be a sneaking point for them to dominate. But seriously, this was going to be one intense round. How would playing with a new team even go?

"Ranking will match teams up," Eunji said, as the holo-screens once again shifted into the current scoreboard. Rogue was at 18. "For example, if you are in 5th place or your 5th from the bottom, we will pair you up. 10th place from the top and 10th place from the bottom will be matched. 17th and 18th will go together."

"First off," Eunji began. "Sweden and Panama." And so she went, pairing each high-ranking country with a low-ranking one. Rogue was in 18th place, meaning whoever was in 17th place would be their temporary teammates.