Crowned in Flames: The Rise of the Queen

The Rise and The Fall

*Scarlett's POV*

I only got a brief look at the distance between the ropes and the wall before I was blinded but that won't stop me. I just had to trust myself and guess, my senses were on high alert I could hear every mutter and whisper if I would make it, I could feel my hands gripping that tightly woven rope. The worst part was feeling the eyes around me from the people here, and everyone in the Coliseum watching through the small security cameras in the trees, 'wait I can see it the cliff edge, the people on top, the obstacles, and everything around.' I thought as I concentrated. I swung my body with the rope hearing more and more gasps then I launched myself.

When I landed on the cliff I slid a few feet before stopping and hitting right into John, "Holy moly that takes guts to do, are you okay?" he asked me as I steadied myself and stood up, and finally was able to wipe the dirt and small pieces of rock from my eyes. "There's a medical tent just inside the Arena you can get fixed up there and don't worry it doesn't affect your score." General Ryan said walking over to us and addressing the crowd. When we got back I used the bathroom to clean my eyes, when Jack walked in "You think you're so great because you made it, Well think again if you make it to the final challenge I will make sure you shed blood." his words were harsh and struck fear into me, but it wasn't the same "We will see Jack. I have faced a lot more than you have, you don't know anything about me how I fight. You want to fight so bad because your brothers kick your butt every time you try to stand up to them. But I won't stand for it, Good luck Jack you will need it." I said getting closer and closer to him before exiting.

'He used to complain to the boys at school all the time because his brothers would pick on him. But what he doesn't know is I know his weakness.' I thought walking back into the arena, Jack's words mean nothing to me, Exile has said more terrifying things to me. The first day ended with a Scavenger hunt through town trying to find specific items, to test knowledge of the kingdom, and intelligence. Everyone scrambled to find something except for John, Silas son of General Ryan, Everest the son of General Eugene, and me, we all easily found what we were looking for and didn't compete with each despite this being a competition.

Cadet week lasts Three days this year and on the final day, only five people make it to the final challenge. Caelum's Challenge. Today is the second day of the week and Eugene takes center stage today and leads us to an Archery range course, similar to Ryan's course but this time it was laid flat but had targets that we had to hit to get points. When we started we had to hit a target with a perfect bullseye, but something is off this time 'hmm that's odd, we are not being timed and we have limited arrows until we reach half and the path changes depend on what target you hit. That's it ranged attacks have to navigate while keeping a sharp eye and they are testing it us on it.' When I stepped up to the mark Jack was trying to distract me but failed, as I hit the target first shot.

Instead of running forward immediately like everyone else, I just walked and noticed the numerous targets that were hidden and painted with red. Whereas the ones at the end were painted in blue. 'Hmm in traditional army fashion red on maps or battle strategy tables red symbolizes the enemy and blue means those who are allies.' A harsh shove to the ground breaks my thoughts, it was Jack. Behind him Was John and Silas, they both must have come to the same conclusion as me and also walked up to the start of the woods. Jack hit the blue target and it opened up a path for him, but I know that's the wrong path.

We just stood there until it hit me, 'There are three red targets in a line, you just need to hit the right angle.' lining myself up to hit the targets I see Silas and John are walking up towards the other two red targets, releasing the arrow it flies through all three targets and a path straight down the middle opens. Walking past John and Silas was the hardest part I respect both of them but I have to keep going, Silas and I used to go to Kingswood before the power struggle in the East and he had to leave to back up Caleb, when Caleb's father went missing, Good luck guys.

***

General Eugene waited for us at the end of the path, by the time I got there five had already passed the challenge including Jack, ugh. Many of them were scraped, bruised, and covered in dirt, but I wasn't neither was Silas who was standing next to Everest who was standing proudly in the gaze of his father, from gossip he apparently made it here first with no scratches on him. Behind me John appeared, and Eugene wrote his name down on a roster, those passed either made it here with a good score, with minimal injuries or in my case still had extra arrows. That was also the case for John, Silas, Eilas and a random person from the woods who came screaming in behind John and collapsed to the ground from loss of blood.

Seven people have passed now, which means the others either died or are still lost in the woods, arguing that everyone can hear from a group of triplets who emerge from a non-specified path. Eugene stands there before writing their names and putting an 'X' beside their names, 'The next round those three will be taken out first even before that second last round starts.' My thoughts run logically through my head before we are teleported back to the arena where now on stage is Caleb and him. Caelum. "Eugene, what the heck I said weed out the weak not leave me with exactly ten." He says chuckling, and mocking Eugene.

Caleb the steps forth, "Well with that out of the way let's get to the final challenge, Caelum and I have decided to unite on this. For your final challenge you will have to fight for lives, if your opponent draws blood you fail and never will you be able to enter the Competition ever again, But if you admit defeat where victory is impossible you are welcome back next season. Good luck and pray to your god you do fail." Caleb said before walking down, I continued to watch Caelum putting his hand on Caleb's shoulder, "You're doing great." is what I made out before James ColourKore's Military Officer of the Council, was teleported down to us revealing us who we were fighting, 'Dammit I have to fight Jack in the first round.' I see Jack smirking, Diverting my attention I see Sabrina and Ashley sitting in the crowd of people, she motions to Ash telling me that Sabrina told her.

***

James then announces that the triplets have failed, and won't be welcomed back and they say something that shocks everyone, "Is this him Sir." Two guards dressed in full uniform appear behind me and send chills down my spine. "Wait hang on why am I being thrown out." the guy beside me yells as he is dragged out, "You broke the law of Battle and thought you could hide it by wearing complete black." James before addressing all of us, and announcing the first fight between John and a random guy from village in ColourKore it was a quick match between the two before the John drew first blood off him from one striking, giving John the victory.

Jack vs Me is up next and I know if I don't win it is game over. I can feel Sabrina's scared gaze and Ash's tense feeling knowing that I could lose it all. "Start!" James yells as Jack launches a few daggers at me but I easily am able to dodge his attacks, all the training from Atlas really worked. I could see the anger in his eyes when I dodged and I used that to my advantage, "Tell me Jack, are you in this contest because your father made you or because you know that you have failed." I said hearing my deepened tone of voice, "I ah- I UGGHHH!" he yelled running towards me at full sprint at me and used this by grabbing his wrist swinging him over my shoulder and slamming him to the ground. A sudden gasp hushes the crowd, as Jack loses every breath he had in his lungs, he snaps back to reality he makes a move and switches his place with mine.

But before he can make another attack just like Atlas makes a decision and stick with it! I think sending my foot flying into his stomach, sending him flying just like I did with Exile. I'm different from that last battle I know. I.AM.NOT.WEAK. I yell in my thoughts pulling the wooden sword from my back, and lunging towards him before he can dodge, I hold Jack at blade point watching his eyes turn to fear and terror. I slam him to the ground and pin him there while he protests, he gets through my defences and that's when I do it I launch my attack, and make a sharp cut in his arm tearing deep into the skin causing him to cry out in pain "No. You can't beat me, you can't do this to me." He keeps yelling and the collapse from exhaustion . James then announces from the stage, "Jack has broken the Law of Battle and collapsed from the overwhelming strength of his opponent, I declared Hunter as the winner." He says as the stands roar to life cheering my fake name.

I look to the stands to see Sabrina and Ashley holding each other almost in tears, but more importantly I see Atlas sitting beside them a ghost-like figure