Chasing Sparks

Chapter 22.1

It was well over an hour later when the lock turned again and the same guard appeared and said, “Follow me, please.” Other than coughing, these were apparently the only three words he knew.

As she walked down the various corridors and hallways, she noticed more numbers on the doors on either side. She could also hear the noise of the crowd growing steadily. They stopped by a large arch and waited, the crowd noise very noticeable now.

Then suddenly all went quiet, followed by a large booming voice, “Next.”

She had never heard a sound affine before but she was in no doubt from that single word, that this was the voice of a sound affine. It somehow demanded you listen.

“Number eleven. Celie of the Mabel Forest.”

A big roar went up from the crowd and the guard nodded at her. She walked through the arch and nearly collapsed at the sight. The stadium was huge and it was packed. If the announcer's voice was impressive, the noise in the stadium was something else entirely. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she felt a tingle go through her entire body.

She managed to calm herself a little and take a look at the announcer. He was gesturing towards station eleven. Celie took a deep breath and walked towards her stand. Ten competitors already stood at their stations, all staring at her. She immediately noticed they were all boys. She was the first girl.

As she arrived at the station, the announcer said in his magically enhanced voice, “Next, number twelve, Mill of House Wendolyn.”

The roar from the crowd was huge, dwarfing what she had just heard. The roar was followed by chants of, “Mill, Mill, Mill.”

In direct contrast to Celie, Mill appeared completely at home with all the attention on him. He even turned and waved to each part of the stadium, acknowledging their applause.

As Celie stood there, still in a daze at the whole spectacle, a further six people came out representing various Houses or groups. She did however, notice that one of them was another woman. A Barbarian woman, who dwarfed most of the other competitors, especially her.

That left only one station remaining empty. Number nineteen. The anticipation was incredible. Everyone in the stadium was waiting for the announcement and seemed to know who was coming next.

“And finally,” the announcer boomed. “Number nineteen, Lerrick of House Y’Kara.”

A huge roar erupted from the crowd, as the handsome blond figure of Lerrick emerged from the tunnel. Like Mill, he looked completely at home in the intimidating surroundings and walked calmly, almost regally, to his station.

But halfway there, he stopped and brought his finger to his mouth, asking the crowd to hush.

The whole stadium quietened.

When Lerrick could hear a pin drop, he said in his most commanding voice, “Know this,” pointing at the other eighteen contestants. “The spark is mine. You cannot beat me. It is your choice whether you die finding out.”

As he finished, the crowd erupted anew, loving the brash show of bravado.

Celie knew it was more than that. Lerrick had just sown the first few seeds of doubt in his competitors’ minds. Very clever, she thought, but nothing changed in her mind. Nothing at all. The image of Lerrick talking to the Skree was the same. The picture of him handing over the gems was the same. And the vision of the Skree clubbing her sister was the same.

If she wasn’t representing Mabel Forest, she thought she might have just shot him there and then. But she controlled herself and brought her attention back to the stadium and the Master of Ceremonies.