lover/fighter - Finnick Odair

Chapter 45 - Over at last

Finnick was right. Just three days after Hector's death, followed by his slight breakdown, the Games ended on the morning of the 13th day.

While Finnick was busy helping Rhea, Olive from District 11, who got injured during the fight over the feast, died from the infection of her wounds. This left only the two Careers from District 2 and Falco from District 10. Ajax and Terra set off together in search of their remaining rival but were about to head in a completely wrong direction.

It could take days for the two parties to cross paths in the vast area, so the Gamemakers felt compelled to intervene to speed things up. They triggered a small earthquake to block their path with a landslide and force them to turn around. It works, but a little too well. The ground is still loose from the last time they played around with the arena and the earthquake causes the ground to come loose in more than just one place.

The easy and safe paths from the mountains to the valley are no longer passable and so Terra and Ajax are now moving in the right direction, but they have no choice but to climb down the mountain. As tributes from District 2, they are used to the surroundings and are experienced climbers, but this is still unfamiliar terrain, and they are on a very dangerous route without any kind of protection.

Their progress is slow, and they have to set up a makeshift camp for the night along the way. The next day, they continue their way down until it becomes clear to everyone how dangerous it really is. Without being able to foresee it, even a single misstep can be fatal. This is what happens to Terra, who is currently climbing ahead. Full of concentration, she keeps looking for a secure hold for her hands and feet before taking the next step or grab.

A spot in the rock that was seemingly solid then loosens, she loses her grip, and no amount of desperate grasping can save her. Ajax reaches out for her but catches nothing but air. Only seconds later, the echo of her last scream fades between the mountains, followed by the thunder of the cannon. Her body remains motionless at the bottom of the rock face, the fall so deep that she is dead in an instant, her eyes open as if she were looking at the sky.

Ajax arrives alone in the valley that evening. Because of the difficult route, he only has a small backpack with a small amount of food. He has also left his shield behind on the mountain because it was simply too big and unwieldy to take with him. He only has a last knife with him and decides to visit the hiding places near the cornucopia where they had left the surplus weapons.

He doesn't sleep but sets off straight away. Despite the darkness, he finds the spot again and realizes that someone has beaten him to it. He rages around briefly and then trudges through the arena with his knife drawn, searching for the one person who still stands between him and victory.

And so it goes until the next day. The sun is just on its way to its highest point when Ajax and Falco meet in the middle of the ruins. Both immediately go on the attack with a fiery gaze, knowing that this will be the end. All or nothing, the final battle.

Falco is armed with a mace, which he immediately swings at Ajax. He dodges skillfully but can't do too much with his knife. He decides to risk a throw with it. He misses, but now has his hands free and can grab Falco's wrist after ducking away again. He pulls the armed arm of his opponent around him and gives the boy from 10 a jab in the face with his free elbow. He lets go of the weapon, which Ajax now uses against him.

Falco still has enough energy left to avoid a fatal hit but is increasingly forced onto the defensive. In an act of desperation, he takes a running start and wrestles Ajax to the ground with powerful leap. The mace is left lying somewhere in the rubble while the two of them roll a few meters down a pile of stones. When they come to a halt, one can hear them both groan, but they immediately try to pick themselves up again.