Author's Game Entries

Task 5: Quarter Finals

Boredom is a fickle thing. It doesn't even seem existent until it's suddenly there; when you're all alone and left with nothing to do or no one to talk to. Andie has never known this feeling before. But now that the only person whom she could have considered a friend, namely Plutus, is dead, she found for the first time that boredom is the worst feeling should could ever have the trouble of trying to deal with.

But then the hunger came, proving her wrong. She wasn't even doing much, without the constant prodding of an ally trying to get her to move, or a threat of another tribute, Andie had allowed herself to relax and float around without really doing anything. She'd probably done this for a couple days, but without the sight of any moon or sun in this arena it's impossible to tell.

After more than her fair share of this lazing around, Andie felt her stomach rumble. It'd of course tolerable at first, she could just grab something to eat, until she realised she didn't have anything to eat. This had been slightly stressing, but not too worrying, she just set out to find another tribute to steal their food. But she didn't find anyone.

Then the thirst came, and Andie had been left with a sickening aching in her stomach, with her mouth painfully parched. It doesn't help that she's literally surrounded by the watery galaxy-substance, but she'd already tried drinking that; she'd been left coughing and dry heaving for a full minute as her stomach rejected the substance meant for her lungs.

It's tantalising, seeing everything float around like in water while she's so dehydrated, but she just can't drink it. It's horrifying how she feels like she's dying from the inside out, like her stomach acids are gnawing away at her other organs. It's embarrassing that she's dying from the most stupid thing as not having anything to drink, and it's infuriating to think that Hedroe'd been right.

Just when Andie had started to grow desperate, delirious with thirst even, salvation came in the form of monster. It's looked like a Chinese dragon, with a long scaled body and deer horns spiralling from its furred head. A shining pearl is planted in the middle of its forehead, and it has a wise, majestic look to it with the aged whiskers growing from its chin and its muzzle. Andie couldn't give less of a damn what it looked like though, what it had told her was more intriguing.

At first it hadn't even noticed her, curled up in a groaning ball as she'd been, and it seemed like it'd been about to just pass by until it lets out a sound of surprise as it does see her. Gracefully swimming down to her, it had seemed to sense her ailment immediately, and she'd felt a clawed hand laid gently on her shoulder to get her attention. At first she'd been scared, ready to lash out at it immediately for even daring to approach her while she felt so sick.

It had backed off immediately, it's long body twisting and coiling behind it as it visibly contemplated staying to help her.

"Wait, child." It'd said, catching Andie's attention. "It won't do you any good to strike me, I'm not here to hurt you. It's clear that you are dying, and if you are willing to listen to me I have simple advice that may save you."

Andie had perked up at this instantly, retracting her baton from it with a frown as she looks over it with a calculating gaze. "What is it?" She asks tentatively, in a dry rasping voice.

The dragon noded its approval at her cooperation, before it had shared it's vital information with her. "There is a place I know of where you can get all the food and water you need, but you must hunt for it. There are creatures there that have the food and water you need hidden within them, but they are clever and won't be taken down easily. Clearly you are capable of fighting though, and I have faith you can do it."

After stating this shocking information, it points out a rainbow blur in the distance below and behind Andie, giving her directions how to get there, claiming it to be a forest. When it had been sure she understood, it left her with a "That is all have to say." And without even bidding farewell, it had drifted off to continue its journey to who knows where.