Ruthless 🗡️/ Fourth Wing

Chapter ~43

We got back to Basgaith just as the moon reached its peak, its cold, pale light spilling across the stone courtyard like a warning. The air felt heavy—thick with the weight of what we had just faced, and what was still to come. I could feel the burn of my leg wound flaring with each step I took. The pain was a constant reminder of how close I had come to breaking—but I couldn't let it stop me. Not yet.

The others drifted off, too exhausted to speak, their bodies heavy with fatigue from the battles, the bloodshed, the loss. But I—no, I couldn't sleep. Not now. Not with the war games looming just ahead. The tension in my body was too tight to allow for rest. So, as they all found their beds, I slipped away to my corridor, knowing I had to be alone.

The hallways of Basgaith felt familiar, a strange comfort amid all the chaos. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows along the stone walls, and for a moment, it felt like the night would swallow me whole.

I pushed open the door to my room, heart pounding. The soft sound of Violet breathing in her sleep filled the room. She was curled up in the far corner of the room, peaceful for once. I didn't even want to disturb her.

I could feel the weight of the day on my shoulders—on all of us. The war games were tomorrow. Everyone knew what that meant. I didn't need to be told. I had been in the field long enough to know the stakes. This time wasn't just about proving our strength. It was about survival. It was about whether we were fit to live, or whether we'd be discarded as easily as pawns.

I pushed myself to sit on the edge of my bed, but it didn't feel like resting. More like gathering the strength for what was coming. I closed my eyes, tried to slow my breath, but the heaviness wouldn't leave. The war games would be brutal. They always were. And no one was guaranteed to make it out alive.

A small, bitter smile twisted my lips. I was used to death. I'd seen enough of it to know it didn't always come in the ways you expect. But tomorrow, tomorrow will be different.

I closed my eyes again, but the silence in the room stretched into an eternity, too quiet, too still. I couldn't shake the feeling that something more was coming.

--

The first light of dawn had barely touched the sky when the horn sounded.

My eyes snapped open, heart thundering in my chest. It wasn't the kind of sleep I needed. It wasn't restful. The horn's blast felt like a strike to my bones. The weight of what was to come, of the war games, settled over me like a thick cloak. There was no more time for hesitation. No more time to think.

I dressed quickly, my hands moving with the precision of someone who had done this a thousand times. My body ached, still sore from the battle at Athebyne, but the adrenaline was already coursing through me. Pain meant nothing when the stakes were this high. I needed to be sharp. I needed to be ready.

The common area was already buzzing with activity when I stepped out. The others were already gathering, the air thick with unspoken tension. Their eyes were hard, but there was an edge to them. It wasn't just fear, it was something deeper—something primal. Survival.

I saw Xaden first. He was standing to the side, his eyes scanning the group, his posture rigid. I couldn't stop myself from looking at him. There was something about the way his eyes met mine, a silent understanding between us. I wasn't sure if it was the bond we shared with our dragons or something else entirely, but the moment he saw me, something flickered in his gaze. Something unspoken.

I turned away before he could catch my eye again, focusing on the captain as he barked commands.

"Form up!" His voice sliced through the morning air. Everyone immediately shuffled into place, the rows falling into formation with practiced ease.

I stood tall, my back straight, my mind focused. There was no room for fear. Not now. Not when this was everything we had worked for. Everything we had trained for.

"Welcome to the war games," the captain's voice echoed across the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over us all. "This is your chance to prove you have what it takes. Fail, and you're left behind. There is no room for weakness. Only strength. Only survival. Are you ready?"

A murmur of agreement washed through the ranks, but I could feel the air, thick with anticipation. We were all waiting for something—the games, or maybe the moment the world would shift beneath us.

The horn blared again. The sound rang out in the courtyard, sharp and clear, signaling the beginning. It wasn't just a game anymore.

The captain gave the order. "Move out!"

I didn't hesitate. My feet were already moving before the captain's voice had finished ringing in my ears. I could feel it—my blood was pumping faster, my pulse rising with the heat of the sigil beneath my skin. The flames were there, just beneath the surface, begging to be unleashed. I contained it. Barely.

I moved quickly, my eyes darting across the field, assessing, calculating. The war games weren't just about strength. They were about strategy, timing, and survival. And I wasn't going to be left behind.

Beside me, Violet was already in motion, her dragons snapping his wings open, ready to take flight. I could feel the tension radiating off Violet, the silent fear she was trying to keep hidden. I didn't need her to say anything. I could sense her fear. Just like I could feel the pressure building in the air around us. But none of us had time for fear. This was war.

"Stay close," I called to her, my voice low, my gaze sharp. "We move as one."

We reached the staging area, the arena laid out before us like a labyrinth of challenges—obstacles, traps, enemy scouts. Everything was designed to test us. Push us. Break us.

"Your objective is simple," the captain's voice rang through the loudspeakers. "Infiltrate the enemy stronghold. Retrieve the flag. But be warned—there are traps, scouts, and not everyone here is your ally. Survive, and you move on to the next round."

Survive. That was all it came down to.

The bitter taste of it churned in my mouth. I wanted to snap, to yell at the injustice of it all, but I couldn't afford that now. Not when we had a battle to win.

"Everyone ready?" the captain's voice cut through my thoughts.

I nodded, pushing down my anger. This wasn't about proving anything to anyone but ourselves.

"Then move out," he barked. "Remember—work together, but trust no one completely."

As the command rang out, we were already in motion, my hand tightening on the reins of Arrax, my dragon. His golden eyes gleamed beneath the morning light, his wings stretching wide, ready to take flight.

Xaden was beside me, his dragon already airborne. The bond between us pulsed, that unspoken connection, and for a moment, I let myself believe that maybe we had a shot. Maybe this time, we wouldn't just survive.

But then I heard Garrick behind me, voice thick. "Maybe now's a good time to tell Xaden—"

I snapped. "Shut up, Garrick."

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't push it. Good. Because I didn't have time for distractions. Not today. Not now.

The war games had begun.

***GUYS Please please help. i am so stressed trying to figure out how to write the next few chapters with incorparating elements from the book but also keeping it in theme of this fanfic.If anyone has any advice and or ideas please let me know I will gladly incorporate it im at a loss> I love you all I hope you like the book so far