Forum Thread

15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10
The events of the morning had went by in a blur. The whole time, Tayla had found that she wasn't nervous. In fact, she simply felt numb. She had been in worse situations and have done worst things. This would be a walk in the park for her. All she had to do was survive with her alliance. Grab a long distance weapon and it would be over for her enemies...

Or so she thought...

It took Tayla a few seconds to be able to see clearly against the glare of the sun. But when her eyes adjust to the arena and she realizes that there was a problem.

All the color drains from her face when she notices that there was water everywhere. She recoils away from it, nearly blowing herself up in the process. Fortunately, her feet had been frozen onto the platform. She gulps and shuts her eyes. She tries to take deep breaths, tries to do anything to stop the pathetic pounding of her heart. She was better than this! She was the great Nemesis! She shouldn't let a bit of water spook her. She tenses up when she feels some water hit her ankles. The smallest whimper escaping her throat as she opens her eyes to stare back at the water. It's just water... Everything will be okay. There was worse things to worry about than water she reminds herself. Unsurprisingly, that doesn't help calm her nerves one bit.

9. 8. 7. 6. 5.

Akane and Jeremy nod, they had a plan, and though the arena was different than what they had hoped for, not much of their said plan had changed.

4. 3. 2. 1. . .

The gong sounds. Jeremy and Akane booked it for the golden horn, Jeremy got their first with Akane arriving shortly after him. Jeremy started rooting through the weapons and supplies, grabbing whatever he could carry while Akane did her best to protect him, keeping an eye on any tributes that were coming their way, which was a lot. A tall and intimidating-looking boy (Not Cree) lunged towards her with an ax raised but Akane blasts him a short distance away with a quick fire spell.

"Jere! We need to go, now!" Akane shouted, "Get a boat locked down, I'm going to find Charlie!" Jeremy nodded and bolted for the boats with an armful of assorted backpacks while Akane weaved through the tributes to find the mute child.

Moona had jumped off her plate into the air at the gong, her angel wings carrying her above the throng of fighting tributes. She swooped down and managed to snatch two backpacks before she was forced into the air again.

Charlie had weaved around most of the tributes and managed to snag a small bag when the spear whizzed by her head, missing her by inches. Charlie jumped back and turned to find Tiffani, eyes widened as she locked eye contact with her. Before Tiffani could finish off Charlie Akane sent a tower of fire at her. Charlie climbed up on Akane's back and managed to flag Tayla down. The three bolted over to the boats where Jeremy was at.

Jeremy had managed to get a good-sized boat, not too large and hardy looking with sails. He dropped the backpacks by the helm and waited fo the others. To be honest, he didn't know how to drive a ship, never even set foot on one before now.

---

Tributes of all ages seemed to be moving without a second thought. Some ran to grab supplies, while others jumped in the water. Tayla takes one look at the mass of bodies and realizes that she won't be able to make it to Jeremy's boat. At least, not in this panicked state. She would have to swim if she wanted to reach it.

Tayla was a trained killer, something simple like jumping into water shouldn't be a problem for her. Yet here she was, trembling in place. Come on Tayla. Jump! Tayla shakes her head, tears were streaming down her face as she stared at her reflection. For some reason, her reflection seemed to look younger than her actual self. Your team needs you the internal voice seems to change. It's no longer her own, instead, it's the voice of her grandpa. You don't have time to be afraid, there are lives depending on you!

Tayla takes a deep breath and finally summons the courage to jump into the water. But the moment the cold water hits her chest is when she realizes that she made a mistake. A sudden paralysis seems to hit. Her instincts scream at her to kick her legs and move her arms. But her body won't react. A sense of panic quickly overtakes her and she screams out, which causes her lungs to fill up with water. The feeling was all too familiar.

Tayla opens her eyes and glances around. The sting of the salt water burned her eyes, but for some reason, it disappeared rather quickly. The view around her had changed. She no longer was she in the deep salt waters in the arena, but now she was in the clear fresh waters from her old home. A small form was in the water next to her. The unknown person turns her head slightly to face her. The girl's skin was pale, lips blue and eyes glazed over by frost. Tayla widens her eyes, suddenly realizing that this girl looked familiar. It was a younger version of her. She kicks herself away from the girl, trying to escape the hallucination.

Winter had just arrived. A young Tayla had been playing on the ice. Her parents would yell at her whenever she walked out on the ice, but now they weren't there to scold her. Her father had been away on a business trip and her mother was going grocery shopping. Tayla laughs to herself when she slips on the ice and slides around, unknowingly inching closer to the middle of the lake. She doesn't hear the distinct sounds of ice breaking underneath her over the sounds of her own laughter and the harsh wind around her. Her laughter turns into a panicked scream when the ice suddenly breaks away from underneath her, causing her to fall into the cold waters.

The same terror and helpless had returned. Tayla tries to swim up, but it felt like she was swimming through jello. The fight isn't over yet her grandpa's voice had returned. Use the adrenaline rush to your advantage. Keep fighting until you no longer can! Your life depends on it! Dark spots had appeared on the corner of her vision. She slowly makes her way up towards the surface, only to sudden hit something. (ice?) About thirty feet away from her was a small opening in the ice, where light was shining through. Tayla tries to swim towards the opening, but realizes that she won't make it in time.

Wait a minute, there's no ice here. Again, Tayla blinks a few times and the hallucination vanishes. Just when it feels like Tayla is about to pass out she finally researches the surface. She sucks in desperate breaths of air and coughs out mouthfuls of water. Her whole body was trembling, which made treading water a bit difficult. But her internal encouragement managed to keep her head above the water.

With her heart still hammering in her chest, Tayla makes her way over to the others. She forces herself to focus on swimming, tries her best to ignore her fear. I swear, when this is all over, I will never go by water ever again!

As the gong sounded, several different things happened. A tragedy mask was flung into the air, landing at the center of the starting area as a sleek white shape slipped soundlessly into the water, vanishing beneath the waves and the glaring sun. Ace quickly sprinted for the center of the zone, the golden horn sparkling in every one of his eyes. A few turned green, their red pupils igniting the power to stop, make a motion at a Tribute with a sword, and say, "Break." A flash of light shot through the Tribute, quickly splitting them in half from top to bottom. Blood flooded the area, Ace stepping calmly over the gruesome remains and looking around, hesitating on what to grab. However, he was quickly disturbed as a single hand grabbed the back of his collar and flung him, Tyler leaping over the split Tribute and charging for a boat, small particles being shed from his arm as the virus replicated quickly off of his mindset. It would not settle here, of course. It was being called elsewhere to build it's protective minefield. Tyler, however, was not being called yet. Leaping onto a boat, he stared another Tribute down for a good four seconds, soon throwing her back onto the dock and preparing his boat to sail. The other Tribute seemed to have scraped her elbows and knees, which was understandable. Though, her cry was still pitiful, the wail of sharp pain ringing through the arena.

Tayla finally reaches the boat. She throws an arm over the edge of the boat and hauls herself up. Her whole body relaxing the moment her arms were out of the water. She was half leaning on the boat and desperately trying to catch her breath. She allows Jeremy to help drag the rest of her body onto the boat. She whispers breathless thank yous to him.

She sits in the corner of the boat. Knees pressed against her chest and with her body trembling. You did it! Great job she praises herself internally. Instead of feeling happy, she feels sick. "I-is everyone here?" She asks, even though she can clearly see that a few people in their alliance had yet to make it to the boat.

Before Jeremy can respond Tayla is nearly tackled over by Charlie, the small but child wrapping her in a hug. Moona was waiting respectfully a short distance away and Akane was just climbing into the boat.

"We're still waiting on Molly and Ibaraki, I couldn't find them in the throng of fighting tributes. Cree's going to follow us in the water, and when I say that I mean he's going to swim. . .I guess," Akane stated as she gave Jeremy a nod in thanks. "We'll have to try to get situated until they arive."

---

The moment the sound went off Molly was off, ignoring the rest of the chaos. With a quick scan of his powers, he picked up the bag with the most cloth that was closest to him before turning tail and running. He was about to dive into the water when a nearby boat of tributes caught his eye. Changing course, he sprinted towards the boat throwing himself into the water to swim over to them. "Is everybody alright? No one injured?" He yelled as soon as he could, splitting his attention between keeping the backpack waterproof and trying to stay afloat.

---

Ibaraki had froze the moment the games started, simply standing there on the platform. But what really caught the child's attention was the tragedy mask thrown into the middle, familiar and prompting the child into action. Sprinting forward, Ibaraki pushed through the fighting tributes and ducking around boxes. Cree's words from the train rang through the child's ears as Ibaraki tried to keep out of sight. That mask was important to Cree, an item used to protect the other's secret, and Ibaraki was going to bring it back to Cree no matter what.

Ducking underneath a pair of fighting tributes, Ibaraki spotted the tragedy mask not too far away and snatched it up. With that secured, Ibaraki fastened the mask to the side of the child's head and began to run towards the water. Fear gripped the child at the sight, unknowing of how exactly to swim. But it was the only out so there really was no choice. Before the child could get anywhere close to the water though someone rammed into Ibaraki, throwing the small child onto the ground. Attempting to get up, Ibaraki was only pinned down to the child's great dismay, only able to watch as the tribute who had marked Ibaraki for the hunt the previous day loomed over Ibaraki like a specter. "No hard feelings, kid." Was the only thing said as a knife was brought down.

Ibaraki's familiar voice reached those on the boat, undeniably full off terror and pain but what the others didn't see was one demonic hand punching right through Ibaraki's attacker's chest, the child wide eyed and terrified underneath the victim. The child's right arm was mangled, an ugly display of twisted flesh and broken bones, a parting gift from the fallen tribute. But it didn't matter now, not when survival was more important. Throwing the now lifeless body far far away, Ibaraki averted golden eyes from a scene that was all too familiar. Shoving away those memories, Ibaraki focused to standing up to make an escape. But perhaps escape was impossible for the young tribute as the sea would surely swallow the child before anything could be done. There was a familiar pressure building up behind stinging eyelids but the tears never came as Ibaraki stumbled towards the ocean.

---

The group shook their head. "No, we're all good," Akane stated. Her eyes scanned the area for any sign of the other small child, she finally spotted him. She pointed his location out to Moona who kicked her feet off the ground and flew in his direction.

"Ibaraki!" Moona flew down to the child and upon seeing two bigger females and a single male heading towards them, Moona put herself between the child and the incoming threat. Spreading her wings out wide to block Ibaraki's sight Moona recited a short chant:

Gods of Sun and Light I beg of you,
heed my words and make my path bright! Flatlux!

Light flashed from her palms and the assailants were blinded for the moment. Moona then ushered Ibaraki towards the boat the rest of them were at. "Akane said Cree would be following us by the ocean. I think it means he's going to swim near our boat?"

---

Faith decided she had a new plan. She transfigured into a dolphin, and carried Natalia over to the boat. Natali immediately took a place beside Moona, and handed Faith the gillyweed. Faith changed back, padding in the shallows. “Where’d you want to go? I can help you. You don’t need wind if I help.” She smiles at Charlie and Tayla. “Glad that you could come along, m’dear.” She says, addressing Tayla

---

"We're waiting for Moona to come back with Ibaraki, Cree's going to be following us in the ocean," Akane admitted. "After that, we at least need to put some difference between us and the other tributes."

(I'll be back on later tonight)

---

“I can help with that. Dolphins can swim up to 60km/h. My stamina and magic is quite strong, so I should be able to put quite some distance between us.” She says. If Cree is willing, he could help to push the boat?” Faith waved her wand, and mumbled something, causing those peculiar bluebell flames to pop up again. “Take this” She says, holding out the flame. It won’t burn you, but you still should be careful. You can hold it, it’s waterproof”

---

The suddenness of the hug catches Tayla by surprise, but she relaxes when she realizes that it just Charlie. Charlie! That's when she remembers why she decided to stay. She lifts an arm up to pull the younger girl in, there was a large smile on her face.

It was all worth it so far. "You're alright right?" Tayla asks Charlie while standing up. She had to hold onto the edge of the boat for support and she forces herself to look away from the deep waters. Instead she focuses on the horrifying fights by the Cornucopia. Faith's voice grabs her attention. She turns to look at her, no longer caring that she somehow knew her secret. "I couldn't bring myself to do it. I just have to hope that this was the right decision."

She turns back around to face the Cornucopia and desperately scans the area for Moona and Ibaraki. Only to see them safely heading towards the boat. She quickly notices Ibaraki's obvious break. She turns to Molly with wide eyes. "Will you be able to fix that?" She asks. "Or will you need better supplies?"

The thought of leaving the boat and being on the docks was terrifying to her. Not because of the possibility of being attacked, rather the possibility of being pushed in. But if doing that meant helping Ibaraki, then she would absolutely take the risk.

“There’s no need for that. Brackium Emendo.” She chanted, pointing a wand at Ibaraki. “Are you better now?” She asks, floating in the water, still paddling. She hands Natalia her wand. She wouldn’t be able to hold it in dolphin form. She smiles at Tayla. “I do hope so too”

---

The screech that Ibaraki made was something straight out of a horror movie, haunting and enraged. The child stumbled away from Moona with a snarl, free hand clutching onto the mangled mess of what was once an arm. The child was doing everything to break away but blood loss and terror were keeping the attempts from being successful. In a sense, Ibaraki was like a wild animal and boy did the child act like it, lashing out at anyone who got too close. One claw lightly nicked Moona on the arm, drawing light lines of blood but the next person who was hit wasn't so lucky. The tribute that attempted to attack them had a clawed hand smashed into her face sending her sprawling as Ibaraki hissed.

The struggle was maintained up until the pair reached the boat and Cree's name was uttered. At the mention of the child's only friend, Ibaraki let out a wail, hand moving to clutch at the retrieved Tragedy mask. The child seemed unconsolable and though no tears were shed Ibaraki was still mostly running on adrenaline. The warm glow of the spell seemed to calm Ibaraki down somewhat but nothing about the arm seemed to change. The arm was simply mangled beyond repair. Even Molly could admit that, recoiling at the repulsive wound. The best course of action would be to amputate the would before anything worse happened.

---

A sudden series of cries called for attention, a bit of laughter joining in. Another boat was sailing away with a great amount of haste, Tyler visible at the top of the mast. That was the laughing. Tyler found something amusing, humorous, or entertaining. The source of the cries seemed to be what that something was: a single Tribute, clawing at his skin as if he'd had some sort of acid poured on it. Slowly, spots of purple flesh started to spread across the body of the poor man. For a few moments, the cries ceased. Then, in a burst of what appeared to be electricity, the Tribute killed himself, seemingly knowing that his mind had been close to being lost. Tyler swung around the mast, his view settling on the party on the other boat. He gave a wave, then blew a kiss, his ship picking up speed as he leapt down to the deck once more.

---

Ace was alive, as alive as a mimic could be. Only the eyes above the water were open, seeing as the water hurt worse than the knife cutting into his palm at the training center. He floated quite easily, though the tide kept pushing him away from the center of the arena, waves lapping against his body and bullying his motionless form further out to sea.

---

A series of odd sounds came from beneath the boat, a pale, thin limb soon reaching out of the water, grabbing on to the side of the boat and pulling the rest of whatever mass was below it up. A misshapen Cree hoisted himself up onto the side of the boat, one large hand covering his face as he listening to the conversation. The entire boat had tipped ever so slightly as the beast hoisted himself onto the side, just a call to his true weight.

Catching sight of the familiar terror, Ibaraki seemed to regain some sense of mind scrambling over towards him. "C-cree do you need your mask? I have it here! Are you okay?" Ibaraki sniffled, holding out the mask for Cree to take if he wished. Now that most of the adrenaline was evbing away, Ibaraki noticed that most of the monsterous traits that had been hidden so well we're now exposed again. Larger than normal clawed hands held the mask and black sclera blinked up at Cree, scaled legs shaking slightly as Ibaraki tried to balance on the rocking boat. Perhaps more than anything though, Ibaraki's horns had grown to resemble firey red branches rather than it's normal nubs.

---

Cree waved off the mask as best he could, his breathing slowing a little at the sight of the mask. The cries from Tyler's ship hardly drew his attention, though he did focus more on keeping his odd form against the side of the ship than on speaking. As he took each breath, the gills on each side of his neck flared, glimpses of the creature's face flashing through the webbing on his fingers. Huge, round, purely black eyes... A jaw filled with sharp teeth... Nothing could really be confirmed, though, about the center of his face. His large palm covered that. Evidently, that was what he wanted hidden the most.

As the last of their team got on the boat The rope holding it to the dock was untied quickly by Charlie and Faith now changing into a dophin started to pull the boat away from the golden horn. Charlie quickly ran back to the helm of the ship and started to steer it, even though she hadn't done this before, it felt oddly natural.

With that, the boat set off for a diffrent locaion, and Jeremy immediately found himself at the railing.

~~~~~~
. . .
~~~~~~

No more than an hour had passed in the very least. Akane and Tayla were rooting through their bags trying to organize as best as they can. Moona and Molly were looking over Ibaraki's arm with worry and Charlie was still steering the ship.

Then there was Jeremy.

“. . .Uhhhnn. . . .this . . .sucks. . .” Jeremy grimaced as another wave of nausea overtook him.  Crumpled against the side railing of the deck, he placed a hand over his churning stomach and tried to keep his gaze fixed on the horizon. Fresh air and watching the sea line was supposed to help with seasickness, but obviously not in this case.

The hand that had been holding his stomach flew to his mouth as his muscles tensed.  He gripped the railing tightly with his other hand, leaning over it and fighting to keep down what his body was so desperate to reject. He struggled as he continued to keep from retching.  Several minutes passed before the nausea finally subsided, leaving Jeremy gasping for air.  He slowly lowered his forehead against the rail, indulging as the cool metal provided some relief. 

---

Natalia tosses Jeremy a bottle. “Drink this. And plug your nose while you’re at it.” The substance in the bottle looked suspicious. It was yellow, and smelled strongly of urine. Natalia smiles as several gag at the smell. “Don’t look at me like that. Kelpie urine is the best way to cure seasickness. And you haven’t told us— where to go” She gestures to Faith and Charlie, who were getting them away from land

---

"Anywhere with land would be preferable!" Tayla pipes up while glancing up at Natalie. She had been doing whatever she could to keep herself busy during the past few hours. Anything to distract her from the fact that they were surrounded by water that was getting deeper and deeper by the second.

Tayla pales at this thought and returns her focus to sorting through the bags. This was the eighth time she sorted through them. She has yet to change the already organized assortment, but she she welcomed the distraction. "Is there even land?" She asks quietly.