Firecracker: The 99th Games Book One

Arena, Day 11 Part 3

The minutes stretched on. As the smoke billowed higher and higher, the rebels moved away to keep from inhaling it too much, waiting for their other allies or the Careers.

The Careers found them first. Hinata nudged Piero and pointed into the distance, where a trio of tributes stalked across the jungle towards them. Piero stood up from his log, taking his axe off his back as the others stood around him.

"...Faqir, Marco, you two keep Laurel occupied," Piero ordered quietly. "Hinata, you have the bow, so you watch Levi. Leave Adel to me."

Marco and Faqir nodded, drawing their swords. Hinata readied his bow, quiet.

The Careers bypassed the smokey bonfire and stopped a few feet away. Adel rested the tip of her sword on the ground, her eyes glazed over with a cold fury. Laurel gripped a spear in both hands, grinning, and Levi had already drawn his bow, keeping it trained on Hinata.

Adel narrowed her eyes, pupils sweeping over the gathered tributes. "...Which one o' ye killed Evan?" she asked, in an eerie monotone.

Piero flinched. I really should have expected this. ...Okay, Pierre, just stay calm. Maybe you can talk her down. I did try to spare him...!

He noticed Laurel's eyes lock on him. She stared, frowning. Piero held back a shudder as he stepped forwards.

"...I did," he said. "...I wish I hadn't. I...I tried to get him to go back to you."

Adel glared at him, her nostrils flaring. Silent, she looked over at Laurel.

Laurel met her gaze. Narrowing her eyes, she gave a slight nod.

Piero gripped his axe. What was that...? Is she going to just...let us go? There's no way, right?

He had scarcely finished the thought when Adel launched at him, ferociously slashing at his leg with her sword. Noticing just in time, Piero blocked her with his axe, catching her blade between the head and handle of his axe and yanking it aside. Adel spun out of his reach with a single, fluid motion, and used her momentum to go for a second arc. Stepping back, Piero barely managed to block her, gritting his teeth.

Adel had always been skilled, but there was a new viciousness to her attacks. Every movement was calculated, not a single one wasted, and every strike had weight despite her slight form. Between her new fury and her immense speed and agility, Piero knew he was going to have a lot of trouble keeping up with her.

Laurel cackled, not far behind. She, too, went straight for Piero, but was intercepted by Marco and Faqir.

"Ooh, new friends!" Laurel exclaimed. "You guys look like fun!"

"Thanks!" Faqir said cheerfully. "You scare me and that's hot!"

Tucked safely behind a cluster of fallen trees with Touma, Haruka huffed.

"Aw, aren't you sweet?" Laurel cooed, stabbing at Faqir's shoulder. Faqir jumped back as Marco went for her elbow; Levi fired an arrow in warning and it whizzed just past Marco's face.

Marco yelped. "Hina, Levi!"

"Yeah, uh, thing is he's real fast, buddy!" Hinata called, adjusting the aim of his bow. He shot an arrow at Levi in turn, but Levi clearly anticipated this and dodged easily. "Okay, this isn't working! New plan, Pierre?!"

Piero didn't respond; he was too preoccupied with keeping Adel at bay.

Laurel giggled, apparently content to keep slashing and thrusting at the two sword-wielding rebels. "I've noticed you guys aren't really that good at fighting. Did we really already kill all the fun people?"