The forest seemed to pound in lazy circles around Boreal's small fleet, the thick smell of blood flaming his nostrils like a wild horse. The sound of pounding feet and fighting breaths became the rhythm of the fleet's inner heart: all knew what would happen if they stopped, and also what horrors awaited if they kept going.
Boreal felt a cry of painful surprise rip from his hot throat as an arrow grazed his right shoulder. He could not falter, and continued without thought. Suddenly a mist began to fill the forest and a rich tangy smell of fruit out powered the dense leafy forest air. Hazel collapsed to his left, while master followed. Tiredness beyond compare gently closed his eyes as he fell to the spongy forest floor.
Boreal found himself leaning against the wall of game room 2 when he awoke. Hazel was already to the door, her bright eyes ablaze with anger. Master was getting up, her small frame creaking with age. Boreal had known master ever since she picked Hazel and him up at the orphanage on that fateful morning. Hazel was shuffling an old pack of cards while he had just won a fight with his sworn enemy. He was the fighter; Hazel had the brains. They made a great team. Boreal stood up and nodded to the game master before leaving quietly. Of course the dragons won, they won every war game. If only he were a dragon...
"Our world was powerful, but we were greedy. We took what belonged to our proud planet Aegthaire and created a monster, but alas, that is the past and nothing more. We abolished our old ways and created this proud city of the games. The Games are what drive us together as a community. Every game whether it be a card, war, maze or anything else imaginable to the human brain, test you good people and make you worthy of our time. From the ranks of our fighters; the young Worms, the inexperienced shrews, the growing snakes, the silent hawks and the roaring Dragons, we are the children of The Games, hear our cry!"
Rosa felt every word on the wood burned sign with an aching soul. She frowned and stepped away from Game Room 4. Tarrie stood behind her, gazing with eyes of ocean at her own fantasy. "Are we there yet, rosa? The game might start soon!" Rosa glanced at her handicap comrade before sighing and leading through the heavy doors of the game room. "Yah, your right. Come on, we don't want to miss this game; it's a maze."
Game Room 4 was already packed with other worms, shrews and snakes. Most worms huddled together, while the shrews gazed at the treasure box next to the Game Master and snakes sat at the table where dragons would go. Rosa led Tarrie quietly through the crowd and avoided the gaze of higher ups. She was a worm, the lowest ranked gamer. This would be her fourth game ever, and a deep anxiety burned in her heart. She squeezed Tarrie's sweaty palms for assurance, and Tarrie squeezed back.
The announcer was a young red headed woman, and started her speech in usual Game Master style: short and sweet.
"Alright ya'll here's the deal: you have a randomly chosen maze design to complete and you have to finish before anyone else. The prize is closed unless you win! Also-" she was cut off as a band of wild men entered the room. They wore heavy leather armor and each had three weapons of choice. Their long greasy hair was tied or braided and they all whooped with un paralleled passion to kill. The snakes jerked off the table and sunk into the crown as quickly as the strange men entered, and one word rippled through the audience: dragons. Seconds after they settled a figure slipped through the closing door: a young man with calm eyes and a blade sheath slung across his waist: A hawk.
"Well what a surprise! A band of our friends the dragons and a hawk! The newbies will need to shake it up if they want any chance of winning! Well anyways, I should tell the history of this maze. strange things have happened in this realm in the past, it is an old course. Heed the writing on the walls and have fun!" The woman flipped a switch on the wall and mist filled the room, it's deep fruity scent filling rosa with fear and excitement...
"You can't reveal your ace so soon idiot," Hazel snorted to Boreal as she lay her two down passively. "Hmmm... I guess you win again. I really can't beat you Hazel, you're too good I guess!" Boreal grinned awkwardly and shuffled his cards once more before handing them to her. "Ask Shroom to play a game or two." The apartment door rustled as Master entered. Her silver hair was pinned in a bun as it glistened in the soft light as she stepped in with a healthy smile. "Boreal, have you lost again? You know we can't afford vain card playing by known fighter!" Master sat herself at the table and took his cards. "Your sister Shroom is at a survival Game tonight, while Rosa and Tarrie are at some maze Game. Boreal, I need you to train upstairs until you're ready for sleep. We're losing too many games. Shroom won a game a week ago, and we've lost every time since. We're low on grain and gold, which is our primary winnings for every game. The more we lose in the false world of a game, the more you go hungry in real life." Boreal rolled his eyes, "yah, yah... I've heard it a million times. I'll train Master, sorry."
Boreal glanced at Hazel before exiting upstairs. Her smart eyes were solemn and wise beyond her years, her long brown hair braided down her back. Something stirred in his chest before he started up the steps, but it burned out before Boreal realized what it meant. There were many powerful groups in the city, but he was glad to call himself a member of the Thunder Shocks.
The cards. Sometimes the only thing in the world of importance to Hazel were those swirling numbers and names each card had. Boreal and his sister Shroom were the fighters, but her fight lay with the silent wars around a wide table.
"I lost. Those dragons are ruthless!" Shroom walked in the door, her face flushed from running. Hazel glanced up from her cards but continued the game with Master, who lay her set down and stood in greetings. "I'm so sorry, shroom. You're usually very good at those games too. Hazel, let us even this match another time. Dinner must be prepared." Hazel rose and went upstairs. We keep losing, how will we be able to continue a group when all we do is lose? She thought to herself as she opened the hatch. Boreal was reading a book on sword fighting, and looked up in surprise. "Hey!" He greeted. Hazel grunted in reply as she began doing push ups. Boreal was still looking at her... "Got a problem?" "Oh uh... No! I was just thinking about how I should be exercising too! Haha funny how that works!" Hazel frowned and continued, but was getting too hot for comfort and had to go back downstairs.
