Warmatch

13

We were thrown back into the arena with almost no break after the forest stomper task. I barely sat down during the slight pause, the image of Toya's fallen corpse seared into the backs of my eyelids and fire still coursing through my veins.

However, when I reinterred the nightmarish stadium along with the other remaining contestants, I found that the final task of the warmatch wasn't a task at all. It was a cruel display of the public's love of the games.

"After tallying everyone's point totals, I am proud to declare Team Arystenn the champions of the 2901 Warmatch Interplanetale!" Lasydra Kay yelled, lifting her blue microphone victoriously into the air.

The crowd went wild as golden warmatch medals appeared around the necks of the Ganni twins, Katim, and Elaine.

"Cascadia Ervine and Shade Alestra shall be eliminated shortly," Lasydra said tersely.

My eyes widened as I exchanged a scared look with Raliyel. She showed immense restraint as she looked down at me, her hands clenched into fists.

Wasting no time, every onlooker raised his or her fists in protest, rising into a frenzied, rhythmic chant of "Mercy for Shade!"

"Ticket request is accepted and royally endorsed," the Queen smiled.

No! They were going to give Shade a Mercy Ticket! Tickets rarely happened once in a match, let alone twice!

Goodbye Mom, goodbye Raliyel, goodbye world...I love you.

"We will now vote on this Mercy Ticket," the Queen pronounced. "All those in favor, please say-"

"AYE!" The Council members roared before she could even finish her sentence.

"Ticket granted!" Queen Saralee flashed Shade a thumbs up, and a glowing, blue Aural ticket appeared in front of her.

"Hello Eskee University!!!" Shade squealed with delight, grabbing the ticket between her teeth as she cartwheeled into the stands, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd, loud whistles, and shouts of "We love you, Shade!!"

"And a Mercy Ticket has been unanimously granted to this year's crowd favorite, Miss Shade Alestra! Now, luck is certainly not in Cascadia Ervine's favor. I'm afraid she has to go..." Lasydra sighed.

I sank to my knees, all strength leaving my body, as I locked eyes with Raliyel one last time. However, she had turned her head away from the cameras, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Wait!" The Queen put her hand up, and the arena fell silent. "Mercy Ticket for Cascadia Ervine...royally proposed?" She said softly, as if ashamed of the words.

My heartbeat grew faster and faster as Selaeyah Valior rose from her seat, her eyes laced with fury.

"As Chief of the Scientist Clan, I nullify your proposal!"

"As Queen of Lessaenes, I veto your nullification!" Queen Saralee practically yelled, Aura darting between her eyes.

"As President of the Board of Warmatches, I override your veto!" Selaeyah screamed.

"The approval of every other Chief and the secondary monarch is required to override a royal veto," Saralee rolled her eyes. "Or has your hatred of Raliyel caused you to forget everything you know?"

The audience gasped in alarm- the Queen and the Scientist Chief never even had a fight! Much less a showdown of power like this!

"Alright, then, let's take a vote," Selaeyah crossed her arms confidently.

"I stand with Selaeyah," Armetorius Kandain immediately replied.

"And I as well," Derwel Yulah nodded.

"Count me in," Dolores Soren smiled.

As each member of the Council of Icehearts voted for my death, my heart sunk deeper and deeper while Shade's smirk grew wider.

Finally, all had voted but one. King Fenorel raised his head, looking out into the audience. "I vote in favor of my wife."

"The combined power of the Monarchs is irreversible! The Mercy Ticket stands! For the first time in warmatch history, two tickets have been granted! Cascadia Ervine lives!" Lasydra pronounced jubilantly from her seat on the side of the stands.

The sudden, shocking news was too much for my brain to handle. I grabbed the ticket in front of me, and immediately passed out.

THE END