Empire

Chapter fifteen

We are in Spain. We're close to Germany again.
I want to go home.
For the party in Spain, Indigo dresses me in a red and black dress that is tight until my knees where it flairs out.
At the party an official gives us all two pieces of paper and tells us to write the names of the people we would want to lead our team.
It's a hard decision but the two names that come to mind right away are Tretan and Simeon. I write them down and then  fold the slips of paper and put them in the small box meant for them.
Throughout the evening everyone one else puts in their votes.
At the end an official announces the captains "It was very close," he says "in third and fourth place is Simeon and Takira. But the winners are Song and Tretan!"
We cheer because it feels like we should.
The official continues "They have till tomorrow at twelve o'clock to choose their teams."
Then it's back to our rooms and to sleep before tomorrow's challenge.

In the morning while Indigo is getting me ready a message comes for me in a white envelope.
I open it, it says: You have been chosen to be part of Song's army. You will be escorted to her base as soon as you are ready.
You are free to betray her at any time.
I can't decide if I'm happy about being chosen by Song or not. I think I am, based on the only time I was on her team. She is a good leader and a better fighter.
Once my hair is fixed I'm given a short break before I get dressed. Flair is watching the tv. They are announcing the captains for this challenge. After they show highlights of each captain's victories. When they show Song in Emor they show a clip of her fighting with someone. I look closer, it's Red. He gets hurt by her worse than I hurt him. I think it's a bit funny that he picked on both of us.
A message comes for Flair soon after. She is on Song's team as well. Indigo dresses us and then we're brought to Song's base which is practically a small castle.
Simeon, Grey, and Song are the only ones there already. Song even has a throne but she's not sitting on it right now. A table in the middle of the throne room is covered with weapons. They are blunted, I take a spear as always.
"So what exactly is the challenge?" I ask Song.
"We pretty much just have to beat Tretan's team. If you get hit by a weapon in one of your vital areas you're "dead" unless a medic can get to you." She says.
"Who are the medics?" Asks Flair.
"I haven't decided yet." she says.
Over the next half hour the rest of our teammates arrive.
Song goes to sit in her throne "Susan," she says gesturing for me to come to her "I would like you to be my second in command."
"I would be honoured" I say.
Takira, Rubén, Aki, Zia, Kimi, Nadia, Noah, Nicolas, and Aline are on our team. The first thing Song does when everyone gets there is call order "The rules of this challenge are simple," She says "get them before they get you. Follow my orders and stay loyal to me and I will fight my hardest for you. Betray me and you'll regret it. I would like Aline and Flair to be our medics. If you get wounded you have to stay on the ground till you are touched by a medic at that time you can get up. If not then you're out. Also medics can be hurt by the other team. Any questions?"
Flair and Aline get white armbands to help identify themselves.
"I need two volunteers to guard the medics." Song says.
Grey's hand practically shoots up and Rubén's comes up a bit later.
Song takes out a map and lays it on the table that is now empty of weapons. We all gather around her "We need to find where the other team is staying" she says "I will take a group of six people and six others will go with Susan. Does anyone have any ideas?"
Everyone looks at the map and starts making plans. Song takes me aside "Who do you want with you?" She asks me.
I think for a bit and then say "I would like to take Simeon, Takira, and Grey with me."
"Okay that's good, I'll pick my six and then you can have the other three. We'll each take a medic with us, because you want Grey, Flair can come with you." She says.
We go back to the table then and they start telling Song their ideas. She listens and then points out the good and bad in each person's plan before making a complete plan that includes parts of everyone's ideas.
"First of all we need to find where the other base is" Song says "I will take half of us to stay with me and the other half will go with Susan. If you find their base come back to our base and we can make a plan."
Flair, Nicolas, and Kimi come with me as well as the three I picked already. We leave the base and I get my first look at the country. It seems huge, I don't know how we're supposed to find Tretan. There are mountains and trees and from where I am I can see a lake and a small river.
I guess the best option is to climb a tree. There aren't a lot of tall trees though.
So the next best thing is to climb the nearest hill. At the top I can see a lot farther, but there's no sign of another camp yet. It's hidden somewhere in the trees.
"Where do you think the base will be?" I ask Nicolas.
"Probably close to the lake" he says. We decide to follow him. This is his country so he knows it best.
He finds a dim trail, most likely used by animals, and we follow it down to the lake. Once we get there I realize we've made a mistake. Close to the lake is barely any shelter. Tretan and his team could be waiting for us anywhere.
I whisper to Grey "If we get attacked stay close to Flair and keep her safe." he nods. I move closer to Takira "If we are ambushed run back to Song and tell her what happened." she's the fastest so if anyone can get through she will.
I tell everyone to split up a little bit. We're too close together.
Then I hear a wild yell that I recognize from home. It's the signal to attack. But we're ready for it and disappear behind the trees. Our "ambushers" run into the beach where we were standing only to find nothing there. They all look around wonderingly. I notice Tretan isn't with them, but I'm pretty sure it was him who signalled to attack.
I don't know where the others are but they can take care of themselves. Right now we all have to fend for ourselves.
I back up slowly away from the beach. Song sent us here to find them but she doesn't want us to fight yet. I should probably try to find Grey and Flair. I move off to the river to follow it back to our camp. Hopefully Takira is almost there by now.
Five minutes up the river I see a small building. I quickly hide realizing that I've found their base. Tretan is standing outside. I'm lucky he didn't see me. Audrey comes running up the path "They got away" she says out of breath.
"Try to follow them back to their camp." says Tretan "one of them is bound to leave tracks."
She runs off to follow his orders.
Oh no. I wasn't covering my trail. I shouldn't try to get back to my base right now. If they follow me and find it than we could be done for. But I could score a win for our team...
Tretan starts walking slowly up the river, he's preoccupied and I creep closer slowly. I doubt I can beat him in a full fight but maybe if I can surprise him.
We've only practiced together a few times, he was usually gone with Stefan, but I have beat him before. He's also beaten me.
Soon I'm only ten feet away, I was always better at being quiet. Finally I stand up straight and walk over to him in plain sight. He turns around and sees me "Seriously," he says almost laughing "you did it again." he's probably remembering last time.
I smile and then attack. He's a bit startled but recovers quickly. He's still smiling. I try stabbing but he blocks it with his sword. Then he moves on me and I have to back up. My spear is longer but he can block most of the attacks I make. I hit his arm but it doesn't count for anything. As I pull back he hits me gently, I don't know how that's possible, in the stomach and I have to fall. Now I'm stuck here till Flair or Aline finds me.
"Sorry" he says and he sounds like he means it "I would have picked you next." then he has to go help his team.
I'm not upset at him, but I'm annoyed with myself.
Fifteen or so minutes later I hear voices close by. I'm pretty sure it's Grey and Flair, and if it's someone from the other team they can't do anything to me anyway.
I call out and the voices come nearer. They come of the trees. I was right, it is Grey, Flair, and Simeon is with them as well. Flair touches me and I'm free to get up.
"What has happened so far?" I ask.
"A few of our team went down and so did a few of theirs" says Simeon "Tretan has started taking captives instead of killing us. It's working because his team is growing and ours is shrinking. Oh and Zia, Edwin, and possibly a few others have started their own team"
That's a lot. "What about Song, Where is she?" I ask.
"I don't know, someone said she was planning on freeing the captives. But some of them have betrayed her and joined Tretan," says Flair "we're just trying to help the people who are down."
They leave after that and I go back in the direction of Tretan's base to try to help Song.
I walk in a direction that will bring me above the building so I can watch them and try to spot Song. Once there I crouch down and watch. Tretan isn't there right now but Tayo, Amandi, and a few others are. I see a bit of movement in the trees opposite me. That's probably one or more of my team.
If an attack happens now I'm too far away to help. I slowly move down the hill until I'm behind the building. They should have put guards here. I walk slowly around the building. Now all I have to do is wait. A few minutes later Song and the rest of my team bursts from the trees and rushes at the guards.
I run to help and end up fighting Tayo. Soon all the guards are on the ground with only a few of us down. Song releases the prisoners from inside the building. A few of the others go in to help.
Zia who was was by the door suddenly shuts it and yells. Tretan and what's left of his team come out from the trees.
Some of their guards are on the ground but they still have half their force plus Zia and whoever else has betrayed us.
They surround us intending to take us captive. Anaya, who is with Tretan, is standing too far away from the wall. I take the chance and run by her. By the time they notice I've made it up the hill and am making my way to our base hoping someone else is there.
Half way there though I hear a voice say "Tretan's team has won. Please make your way back to your bases and we will collect you." it's coming from a drone.
I walk the rest of the way and am picked up with Flair and Grey who where there already.