sinking in the moonlight (a v. t v. s day five)

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

Artemis managed to find a clearing in the maze before the sun broke over the horizon. 3 more faces painted the lavender sky, two of which surprised her. The first was the girl from Eleven, who was part of the alliance with Lucia and Vera in the Bloodbath. Did Artemis ever learn her name? Was it typical for Bloodbath Wealth winners to fall so soon? The second face that appeared was Lucia's, the feelings of anger towards Jupiter still stoked the fire that roared in her chest. She still hates the way Jupiter had manipulated the situation in his favor. Was it hatred, or jealousy that she felt? Artemis prided herself on being able to manipulate men when she needed to, so why couldn't she transfer that skill into fights? She worried that she may have met her match in Jupiter, and she wasn't sure she could outlast him without any armor. The last face was perhaps the most shocking, Circe Murdock. The girl from Four with whom Artemis shared a tense lunch. Artemis had pegged that girl as a warrior, a fighter who was a contender for the very end, yet she had fallen as well. Only six tributes remained, five more before Artemis could her victory. She felt she needed more practice in group combat, but it would not happen during this inverted sleep cycle. After her conversation with her namesake goddess, Artemis felt more drained than ever, and sleep was calling her name.

By the time that she woke up the moon was already above the horizon, making the steady climb towards the peak. Getting things off her chest helped her more relaxed than ever, and she hoped she would ride that high until she was the last one standing. She decided to stretch out, testing the limits of what she could without reopening her wounds. Soreness clambered through her muscles, but she worked most of it out. She even had most of her clothes still attached to her body. It's almost as if the fabric had somehow stitched itself back together last night. Which is great, because this is the coldest night it's ever been. The wind bit into her skin, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was what tributes must have felt like last year. Only they could be bundled, whereas Artemis was worried about not being covered enough. She knew that if she kept moving, the cold wouldn't seep into her bones.

She made her way west, navigating her way out of the maze with ease, hoping to find any source of water, not only for her impending thirst but also for a fucking bath. She wanted the chance to wash away the grime and dirt off of her. She continued on until she found a ditch in the quickly hardened sand. Artemis slows down her pace, doing her best to not make too much noise on the dirt. She had to admit, that while unsure about what she'd find, she was grateful to have solid footing for once. A prolonged fight in the sand was not something she wished to repeat. The ditch grew bigger as she approached, and the fresh scent drew her in. Surly this wasn't right, fresh water? In a place like this?

Artemis peered over the edge to find a stream flowing lazily through the ravine. She almost yelped in delight when she confirmed that it was real. Joy, for the first time since the Reaping, bloomed in her chest and a smile broke out. That joy was short-lived though as she noticed two figures below her. She could barely make out that it was one boy and who she thought was the girl who when after her in the pull-up challenge. She remembers the false modesty she pulled when talking to Portia about how "she's going to suck at this". She ended up doing more pull-ups than Portia, so what was she hoping to gain from that act, sympathy? It didn't matter anymore though, as Portia was no longer herself, and with only six tributes left, the end was nigh. Artemis decided to use her advantage though, and jumped down on the other two tributes, swinging her glaive down on the boy first before swinging at the other girl. She didn't want another dragged-out production like she had with Jupiter yesterday, so she did her best to ensure that she ended them quickly.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei coats her glaive with Bundle of Poisonous plants

Artemis Shei attacks Tide Evros | Glaive (1/3 Poison)
PMZIDsrLIOglaive
Deep Gash on Stomach -- 9.0 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Seraphina Keoch | Glaive (1/3 Poison)
glaive
Deep Gash on Cheek -- 8.5 damage

glaive·glaive

[Knuckles]

❦

The night is long and relentless. It seems like it's never going to end, yet Tide keeps himself close, his eyes wide, his mind racing. Her face, it's all he can see, but he knows he's nearly there. He's almost home, and hadn't come this far just to back down now, yet it all seems so crazy, so hectic, so chaotic. So problematic. It seems to fall apart before him, but his heart still beats, and it offers motivation, a sense of purpose. A sense of peace. I will make it home.

He closes his eyes for a moment and continues walking. His eyes opened searching, and the chills become more intense. His arms are cold. Everything is cold and uncomfortable. Everything is a struggle, but right now, it's part of the games. They're designed to test, and Tide is ready to ride this wave.

It's uncomfortable, quiet, unbearable, yet he doesn't let it hold him down. The crown is before him, and he's almost there to reach it. Almost there to grab hold of it. His mind is heavy, yet his heart carries him forward as much as it can. It doesn't matter anymore. This is life now, and he will make the best of it.

He moves forward as the sword swings out, Tide smiles and attempts to step away. It's not the best, but it's the only hope he has. It's a chance to really prove himself worthy as an opponent, and as a tribute, but most importantly as a career. He smiles again baring his teeth. Nothing matters. It's live or die, and this is all that's left. His heart races as he springs forward. Fear is only the enemy.

credit to fox

Attacks Artemis
Kgvb3e5U94glaive
Deep Gash on Left Bicep -- 8.0 damage + 1 blades

Attacks Seraphina
glaive
Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage

Lightstep on Artemis' attack
1-10glaive·glaive·1-10

[Cait]

but in spite of how you feel

it's not the end of the world

sera

keoch

When I close my eyes, I’m expecting to see Circe sneering in my face, but she’s uncomfortably absent from my dreams. Rather, it’s Nori’s broken frame that slices into my subconscious, limbs pulled apart and bent at grotesque angles both possible and impossible. She’s gone, now, but not really. Nobody ever really leaves, as long as there’s someone left to keep a memory alive. And maybe my time on that front is limited, too, but for at least one more day, I’m forced to relive her parting words, reflected at me as if they were my own.

“They don’t really need me back home.” That cut too deep, both then and now. I felt the sharpness of her proclamation – how raw it left her just to admit aloud. It’s piteous and embarrassing to grovel like that – a mistake I’d never make. Don’t let them see how lonely you really are. Don’t make them think they have more to fight for than you do. Even if you don’t. Even if you don’t think you want to fight anymore. It’s all a game.

So you better make sure you don’t let them see you break.

“Do it, Sera. Don’t let it be her.”

A request, so simple, like asking to be passed the honey pot at the breakfast table.

“Do it.”

Become a hero; become a killer.

“Do it!”

Carry this guilt with you for your entire life, whether you swing the weapon or not – you’re still an accomplice in the crime.

“Just DO IT!”

I wake up in a cold sweat, disappointment and guilt heavy in the air, an uncomfortable wetness sliding down my right cheek.

---

Flynn’s warning doesn’t help. It’s just as shocking to see Circe’s face in the Anthem even with the prior knowledge of the early morning broadcast. She’s young, but not fickle. Preserved in death, in the sky, as fierce and headstrong as ever. I don’t want to imagine her as any other way; I won’t let myself envision Tide striking her down, landing the killing blow she couldn’t have seen coming. If she’d known betrayal was at the hands of her own District partner, maybe she wouldn’t have spent so long looking back over her shoulder to check I was still at her side.

Maybe I should feel something significant at this loss, but I don’t. I don’t feel sad. Don’t feel vengeful, I don’t think. It’s mostly numbness. Nothing remarkable, really, except for an innate responsibility for her death. If I’d stopped her drinking the wine; if I’d stopped her leaving; if I’d stayed awake and gone after her when I’d said I would. What ifs to plague me in my disorientated state of consciousness, trudging through the night when it finally comes, more alone than I’ve been before. There’s a new danger to the dark – a biting cold that passes over my skin, crueller than it ought to be, amplified only by the stark contrast of the sweltering desert days.

I’ve made death my life; I don’t think I fear it anymore. Think of it as some kind of friend, an apparition of black-haired twins lingering in the shadows as I move. I know what’s coming next. You get to a certain point in the Games, you learn the inner workings of the evil puppet masters who put you here in the first place. We’ll fight until we die. There’s no other option – and I don’t need Flynn around to tell me that.

It’s why I’m not surprised anymore when Artemis and Tide are the shadowy faces replacing the afterimages of Nori and Circe. I’m not even surprised when Artemis lunges for me without warning, without fanfare, strictly business, it’s nothing personal really.

“Ouch.” I don’t know why I’m still surprised, then, that these Career types can brandish a weapon so fucking well, and don’t have a single fucking ounce of remorse for their evil streaks. The familiar bite of venom entering my bloodstream makes me grit my teeth, PTSD kicking in, coming to me as a floating blonde head of a girl I once knew, didn’t know, will never know. I give a half-hearted retaliation, perfectly comfortable in the knowledge that Artemis isn’t the one my fight is with.

“I heard you killed Circe.” Tide Evros is a boy masquerading as a man, and nothing more than a coward in my eyes. Now he’s wearing her armor like some sick, twisted kind of trophy. The firewood on his chest that I helped her gather on that very first day together peels away with Artemis’ first attack. It’s a bittersweet feeling.

“Don’t know how you managed that one.” I turn to Artemis, shrug my shoulders. “Probably a lucky shot, right?” Of course it had to be; Circe was supposed to be untouchable, was gonna win. But now she’s out of the picture, the playing field is open to pretenders like Tide who tell you one thing and turn around and stab you in the back.

Circe and I were never meant to be friends; I shouldn’t care about her.

And yet.

There’s a duty to avenge her, stupid and adolescent as it may be. Following in the footsteps of Flynn, knowing it might be that kind of white-hot emotion that gets me killed, finally. But hey. Had to happen sooner or later, right?

I’d do the same for Izzy. I nod to myself: I’d do the same for her. What’s one more person to carry in the hole in my chest?

“What’s that saying? ‘An eye for an eye’?” But I’ll settle for his heart; it’s all metaphors anyway.

seraphina attacks artemis; neolithic spear

ULGQ1tCINPspear

sc on stomach – 4

seraphina attacks tide; neolithic spear

spear

sc on cheek – 3.5

lightstep attempt on artemis’ attack

1-10

BY CHELSEY

spear·spear·1-10

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

Artemis's attacks had missed, or more accurately, they both managed to dodge her attacks, just like Jupiter. The rage had started to build up in her chest again when the boy, Tide, she thought his name was, swung down his glaive towards her. Artemis did her best to dodge, allowing him to only scratch her arm, and she instinctively raised it to block her face. The other killer mentioned that this boy was the one who killed Circe, and Artemis's eyebrows shot in surprise as she turned to face him. How did a kid like him manage to bring down the other girl Artemis was afraid of. She started to think that she had been planning these Games out all wrong. She shouldn't have been worried about the other girls with strong personalities, but she should have been looking out for the quiet boys. 

"Probably a lucky shot, right?" the other girl quipped before stabbing out with her spear, managing to cut Artemis on her stomach. This fight already felt different from the one yesterday, and she's wondering if she should play into the fact that tension seems to be between these two. If Artemis had only waited, she might have been able to swoop down at the end to get her kill. Or she could have simply waited for both of them to kill each other, then come in at the end. Instead, she thought she could dive-bomb them. 

"You're probably right," Artemis agreed, hoping to get on the girl's good side for now. They can worry about each other later, but if they teamed up, they might be able to take out one of the last remaining boys here.

"Should we show him what girls can do when we work together?" Artemis asked before swinging out her blade, hoping to not hurt the girl as much as she attacked the boy. Even a momentary alliance is better than being tag-teamed. 

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attacks Tide Evros | Glaive (2/3 Poison)
fmeG7JFhSyglaive

Shallow Cut on Right Bicep -- 3.5 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Seraphina Keoch | Glaive (2/3 Poison)
glaive

Block -- 0.0 damage

Self Defense against Tide Evros Attack | 13075
2-8

Accuracy shading Seraphina Keoch
glaive

Deep Gash on Cheek -- 8.5 damage

glaive·glaive·2-8·glaive

[Knuckles]

❦

"I heard you killed Circe."

The words are heavy, but at this moment, they don't matter. Nothing matters. All it does is give Tide the chance to grow stronger, to push himself as far as he can without a care in the world. Yet his mind races as a cannon sounds. It doesn't matter. Just another death. That's all there is to it. All there will ever be. Life and death. This is a game to see who succeeds and which fails, but Tide isn't a failure. Nobody is, but only one can win. He focuses on the prize knowing it belongs to him, he just has to snatch it.

The moment is here, and snatching the crown is all he desires. All he wants. All that matters. Friendships don't matter here anymore. Nobody is his friend, and they belittle him for thinking that way. I tried to care, but nobody believed me. Nobody ever will. He shakes his head thankful he managed to step out of the way. It's hard to see, hard to focus when the world is the way it is.

"You'll think lucky shot when I kill you."

He moves, holding the glaive in his hand, eyes focusing on both tributes. His heart is steady, his eyes focused. Nothing ever matters. Death calls, and if it brings him down, then that's what happens. His family is at home, and he's so close to seeing them. That's all he desires, all he wants. But maybe, it's impossible. Maybe it'll never matter. He swings one way and swings again.

Nothing matters until the crown sits on his head.

credit to fox

Attacks Artemis
ZTEiIbBC_fglaive
Deep Gash on Right Bicep -- 8.0 damage + blades

Attacks Seraphina
glaive
Shallow Cut on Cheek -- 3.5 damageglaive·glaive

[Cait]

but in spite of how you feel

it's not the end of the world

sera

keoch

In the thick of the fight now, there’s nowhere to hide. Not like I’d want to; there’s no point in it. Still, it does feel like the far superior option to give in to cowardice and find a secluded corner of the arena to count down the remaining days until a mutt mauled me to pieces or the heat suffocated me. Whichever got to me first. Would probably be a lot less effort than all of this.

Oh god. I can hear Circe berating me already. Something about me letting her down, not being the type of ally she thought I was gonna be. And hey, I’ve already let her down once before. Doesn’t seem to be any harm in doing it twice.

But Artemis comes at me again before I can carry out my great plan for retreating – granted, she’s coming at both Tide and I, but I still have the audacity to be personally offended by the shot.

...Nah. I get it. We’re big girls. Just doing what we have to do. Doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it, though.

“Girl. Read the room! I’m not tryna kill you!”

But like, ideally I don’t really wanna kill either of them, even with vengeance starting to trickle into my bloodstream and turn my veins to an uncomfortable ice. That’s not the vibe. I’m the girl you call to deal with the dead bodies after the fact, not before. They’re two separate evils, very different.

But this whole three-way-fighting shtick is getting really confusing. Like, I don’t know who’s mad at who. I don’t know if these two have even met before today, and I don’t know if that makes it better or worse to be in a fight with them now. I don’t even think Tide’s all that mad at me, to be honest. He’s just got the steely indifference of someone trying to run through the motions, get to a new day whilst remembering how to be someone they were yesterday, a week ago, a year ago – but I don’t think those things get to exist in harmony after existing in a place like this.

“You’ll think lucky shot when I kill you.”

Wow, I’m shaking in my boots.

“Ooh. Good one. Very original.” Umm, not. God, at least make it interesting for me or worth my time or something. None of this boring big shot talk. I hope Circe got better last words out of him. It’s a pretty depressing thought to think of her falling to someone so lame.

I just hope I don’t follow in her footsteps. That’d be, like, doubly depressing.

seraphina attacks artemis; neolithic spear

jj5whn05vRspear

sc on chest – 4

seraphina attacks tide; neolithic spear

spear

dg on left calf – 8 + 1

BY CHELSEY

spear·spear·3-8

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

Both of Artemis’s attack had been equally shallow. Nothing compared to the strength she had on her first strikes. Be better, be stronger, you can't let your rage consume you Artemis. She took a few deep breaths, trying to center herself when the boy lunged out for her. She raised her arm, but couldn't jump back fast enough, his blade bit into her arm. She let a scream, a momentary lapse in judgment as she jumped back. The other girl, Seraphina, for her part, held back her attack against Artemis compared to her attack on Tide.

“That was a good strike,” Artemis commented the other girl. If she wanted to show that she wasn't a threat to her, she needed to play to Serpahina. Butter her up so that she wouldn't come for Artemis until she had no choice.

“Now I just need to match your strike” she stated as she took a step back and analyzed the situation. The other two had issues with each other, but the boy was focusing his strong attacks on Artemis. He was the bigger threat, so Artemis decided to focus her strong attacks on him.

Artemis swung out, finding and pulling out the strength from her previous days, from her first strike, and went down on the boy first, maybe he got lucky with killing Circe, but she refused to be next on his list of lives claimed. This is not how she would go out. After her blade met skin, she turned back to Seraphina lazily swinging her blade toward the other girl.

“He seems focused on me, why don't I distract him while you get your kill.” Artemis knew when to back off, and she thought of herself as sturdy. If she could focus on surviving this fight, Seraphina could focus on getting her revenge. It was clear she was close to Circe, or at least as close as two people sentenced to death could be. Why not let her get her revenge? If Artemis survived, she would focus on regaining her strength for the final fights to come.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attacks Tide Evros | Glaive (3/3 Poison)
A98MoLpHHKglaive
Miss -- 0.0 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Seraphina Keoch | Glaive (3/3 Poison)
glaive
Deep Gash on Left Bicep -- 8.0 damage

Accuracy Day 5 on Tide Evros
glaive
Severed Left Foot at Ankle -- 9.0 damage

glaive·glaive·glaive

[Knuckles]

❦

His entire body aches, but it doesn't matter. Nothing matters. Everything crumbles just the way everything stands and falls. One moment things might make sense, but here nothing makes sense. Nothing matters. Nothing ever will. Tide shakes his head doing everything in his power just to keep going. Everyone hates him. Everyone wants him dead, but he refuses to die, to go down without a fight. He refuses to do that. It's a bloody battle, and everything is falling apart, crashing down, yet he's still standing.

The pain doesn't even bother him anymore. Everyone has to die, but Tide, he's going to fight. Going to live. Going to do whatever he can to make it possible. Not that it matters, and not that anyone cares. But for him, this is everything. All his heart desires, all that anyone cares about, is the crown. This prize. Winning it all, and maybe that's too much to ask for. Maybe it's out of his grasp. Maybe he dies right here. Not that any of it matters.

His heart races, his eyes taking everything in. Nothing matters. It's just a moment in a broken clock. Thick and thin. Everything stumbles. Everything crashes and burns. His heart aches, but this, this is what keeps him going. They want him to die, they want him to suffer the worst possible fate, and maybe, just maybe this is what's needed to keep him alive. He looks at the glaive. He swings one way and then swings the other. Death might be lingering by, but right now Tide refuses to answer. He refuses to acknowledge that things are here to destroy him forever.

credit to fox

Attacks Artemis
MYAIyAQ|pjglaive

Attacks Seraphina
glaive


Self defense on Artemis' 13136
3-8glaive·glaive·3-8

[Cait]

but in spite of how you feel

it's not the end of the world

sera

keoch

Listen, I’m all for being a girls’ girl. Happy to be alone but equally chill in teaming up with other people for the greater good. Tends to be a trend I’m following for making unlikely acquaintances out of terrifying, fierce, headstrong girls. Artemis is no different to Circe or Portia, really. Even has an air of Izzy about her, if I squint hard enough.

“That was a good strike.”

And for a moment, all I can do is stop and stare at Artemis, because those words cut too close for comfort. They’re a memory of Circe from that first day of fighting side by side. Days later and it’s the echo of the surprise and admiration in her voice when she realised I was worthy of her companionship.

It’s enough to lull me into a false sense of security, that Artemis might be something of a friend. But then I’m brought back to reality with the memory of Circe standing behind me, letting me take the heat from Jupiter and Carmen’s strikes, because she was playing the game long before I caught on to the truth. There’s no friends in here. Just slightly less than enemies, for a brief while. This fight is no different.

“He seems focused on me. Why don’t I distract him while you get your kill?”

But how do you tell a Career you reallyyyy don’t want to actually kill anyone – even in the name of revenge? Nah, that’s okay, you can have the glory on this one? I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines? That’d probably be enough to lose all of Artemis’ respect entirely.

I shake the fog out of my head, out of my hair. Clear my throat as I try to sidestep the attacks coming at me hard and fast and purposeful now. “You know, this is nothing like any of my other previous friendships. Feels kinda transactional. Which, for the record, I’m not opposed to. But I might need you to lead the way on this one.”

Tide doesn’t say anything this time. Just swings his weapon, trying to land another killing blow, swaying slightly on his feet with the combination of exertion and blood loss. We’re all in similar states of disarray. Something’s gonna give eventually; I wait to see who it will be.

seraphina attacks artemis; neolithic spear

0sD8ANbVquspear

miss – 0

seraphina attacks tide; neolithic spear

spear

dg stomach – 9 + 1

self-defense on artemis' attack #447

3-8

BY CHELSEY

spear·spear·3-8

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

Both of Artemis’ attacks were shallow, but with the way Tide was looking, Artemis figured that it didn't matter. Seraphina’s spear dug deep into the boy’s stomach, but he managed to hold on, just like Lucia had. Artemis hasn't been at death’s door, waiting for a reaper to come to claim her soul. She had been close and was approaching that stage, but she found her spirit still burning inside. Was that Licia and Tide felt, the last fires of their lives burning for one last chance? She was about to strike out before Seraphina’s voice called out to her.

“You know, this is nothing like any of my other previous friendships. Feels kinda transactional. Which, for the record, I’m not opposed to. But I might need you to lead the way on this one.” Artemis looked over at her, not fully sure how to respond. He stayed quiet though as his blade scratched the girls’ skin. With the amount of shallow cuts she’s endured, Artemis didn't even flinch. She was still trying to process how to respond because Seraphina pointed out a truth that Artemis hadn't confronted about herself.

Artemis had used people, people she called friends. But once their purpose was completed, she simply moved on as if their time together was meaningless, not even bothering to try and repair the damage she may have caused. She had only thought about what she could gain from those around her and never thought about what she could give in return. But being a death game can be funny. It seemed to have brought out what Artemis had tried to bury. She thought that she was better off alone, distancing herself away from those who could take advantage of her the same way she did to others. Yet in this fight, she learned that genuinely working with someone, even for a fleeting moment, worked in her favor.

“To be honest, I'm not sure I would even know how to form a genuine relationship in a place like this” Artemis conceded, chuckling at herself. “If we met under different circumstances, maybe I could learn to be vulnerable.” She had been alone so far in the Arena, even yesterday she had only fought for herself. Maybe that connection is what she had missed. She didn't let herself think too deeply about that at this moment though, there was still a fight to be won.

"I'll take the lead if you want, Six" Artemis said as she swung down her glaive against the other two. She felt guilty for having to swing at the other girl, but she started the fight that way, it only seemed fair to finish it as such.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attacks Tide Evros | Glaive
fjU3q|4LQeglaive
Stabbed in Stomach -- 9.5 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Seraphina Keoch | Glaive
glaive
Shallow Cut on Neck -- 4.0

glaive·glaive