Author Games Compilation [Cycle 1]

Task 4 - Eyes on Fire (CC & AA)

A/N: Partner task, my partner was Rose (WhovianHorseLover) Very fun to work with!
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Weary.

Amani felt weary.

Her whole body ached horribly, muscles burning and screaming out in protest whenever she moved. She wanted nothing more than to stop and curl into a ball, and welcome blissful sleep. Yet, Amani forced herself to keep going, even though she knew not where, for Corradhin needed her help. He had saved her, and had paid a terrible, terrible price for his act of bravery. Amani refused to look at his swollen, bloodied eyes, once so bright and full of life, instead focusing on leading Corradhin's way through the dense undergrowth of the forest. Her petite hand was entwined in his shaking ones, and she tried her best to choose a path with fewer roots to trip over, an easier path for visionless Corradhin to take. Her heart swelled at the memory of him coming to the Fly Trap for her, dodging the plant's vicious tentacles to pull her out. She had been crying, so afraid, and Corradhin, despite his pain, had comforted her. They had sat, huddled together on the ground, until the rustling of the bushes behind them signaled the approach of enemy tributes.

After that, for a while, Amani knew of only red chaos; a great splurge of shouting in her ears and the ring and clash of weapons. Two groups of tributes had appeared on either side of them, trapping the two exhausted tributes in the midst of the crossfire. Immediately she hugged the ground, stayed out of sight, and urged a panicked Corradhin to do the same. Adonis, with a fierce battle cry, brandished a sword, and metal clashed with metal as Kale's sword met hers. And all of a sudden there was fire, materializing out of nowhere, catching the wind and spreading across the vegetation rapidly. The flames ran at them in bright waves, and the clearing was full of smoke that tore at their lungs, choking and blinding them. Instinctively, Amani jerked Corradhin to his feet and took off at a sprint away from the flames, away from the dying screams of Adonis through the rolling smoke. As the two of them stumbled through the trees, the ragged, burning fire nipped at their heels like a pack of wild dogs, but this only fueled them to run harder, until the inferno stopped pursing them and turned to feast on Adonis's body instead.

Amani urged Corradhin to keep moving even after begging her to pause, to give him a chance to catch his breath, his bearings, his grip on the situation at hand. All he knew was everything was dark, and that simple fact sent waves of terror slamming into his chest. All he heard was his own huffing breaths and the crackle of flame behind them. The world felt like it was spinning, dizziness taking a shot at his brain. He reeled and fell forward, latching onto something. Amani gave a startled gasp as Corradhin crashed into her, sending both of them into the bushes.

Groans broke free of Corradhin as he tried opening his eyes to see where he had fallen, what he landed on. The pain that shot to his skull was immense, and a strangled scream escaped him. Amani managed to throw her hand over his mouth, suppressing his audible agony. Her whispers did nothing to calm him, everything was drowned out by the throbbing in his face. His death would be slow, starting from his eyes and working its way down his body until he was nothing but a bloodied, scarred mess.
Amani reduced to gently shushing him as she methodically worked to lay him on his back. She placed a steady hand against his forehead. His skin burned her fingers, and when she pulled back they were coated in a thick layer of his sweat. "You're coming down with something," she said, concern lacing her tone.

Words mattered little to Corradhin, his mind overflowing with alarm. "It's dark, so dark," he muttered. "Make it stop, please, make it go away."

His words, his utter helplessness, made Amani want to break down and cry. Corradhin...Corradhin had been there for her, he'd always been. And now, seeing the blood that started from his swollen eyes and flowed down his marred cheeks, Amani just couldn't stand it. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she took his trembling hand, entwining her fingers in his.