Chasing Sparks

Chapter 21.1

Celie woke to find both Edge and Gibson already awake and talking quietly to each other off to the side.

Noticing Celie stir, Gibson signalled for her to join them. “We helped ourselves to some of your fruit,” he said. “You should eat too.”

Celie nodded absentmindedly. She wasn’t hungry but eating was a good idea given what the day held in store. So she fished a little fruit from her bag and joined the other two.

“Good,” said Gibson, “I trust you are ready?”

Celie wasn’t sure what ready felt like. She just felt the same way she had for the last two months. That is to say, nothing much at all, beyond the desire for vengeance. She guessed that meant she was ready.

“This is the way the Tourney will work,” Gibson said, wasting no time getting down to business.

“First, there will be a series of tests. Needless to say, you need to pass each test to continue but this is not their main purpose. The tests are there to show off your talent to the other competitors.”

Gibson checked Celie was listening.

She was.

“The weaker affines, unless they are really stupid or have a death wish, will realise they cannot win and drop out of the contest voluntarily. Ideally, the Tourney would finish there, with the strongest affine awarded the spark with no bloodshed. But that is not usually the way. Anyone who passes the tests, has a right to participate in the final part of the Tourney. The duels. And this, of course, is what everyone has come to see.

“The object of the duel is simple. Kill your opponent before they kill you.” Gibson paused, and looked Celie in the eye, “To win, you will need to kill. Most likely, more than once.”

“You forget, that’s why I’m doing this,” she replied, her voice clear of any emotion. The grief from last night, a distant memory.

Satisfied, Gibson continued, “Normally, I would advise a contestant to be as precise and accurate as possible in the tests with the hope of scaring the rest of the Archers into conceding before the duels.

“However, there are two issues with this approach in your case. First the obvious, you don’t want to be so good that you scare off Y’Kara. But secondly, and more importantly, you are a girl. Men have big egos. They will not want to be seen conceding to a little girl like you. So if you show you are the best, I think everyone will continue into the duels, just to show they are not afraid of you.”

Celie pursed her lips. “Well, that’s their problem. Maybe they will learn from it.”

Gibson sighed. “Death is not usually a good learning experience.”

Celie had to concede Gibson had a point.

“And don’t forget,” Gibson continued, “We want to win and killing everyone else is not the easiest way to do it. Your best chance to win, is to pass the tests but don’t show your hand, just pass. Let the boys show off. Let them scare each other away. You just quietly progress to the final round.”

Edge looked at her. “Don’t go piercing two rings with a single arrow, when one will do.”

Celie smiled for the first time this morning. “Are you suggesting I was showing off last night. I could have just used one arrow and pierced four rings, but I was trying to spare your fragile ego.”

Edge returned the smile. They both knew she was lying but the banter helped relieve the tension a little.

Gibson, however, brought it back with a bang, “So, to be clear, the winner is the last one standing.” And after a pause, added, “So, are you ready?”