The tournament

500: Agnes

Cuthbert was the first to fall over the moss-covered ground of the ancient forest before me. Granted there's a dull moonlit glinting through the broad trees and immense branches assorted with collective foliage; enough to let us discern the surrounding.

There's a dreading silence at first, all I could hear is the sound of our pulsating hearts as we lay on our backs on the floor of the tropical forest and stare at the luminous stars like pinpricks flashing sliver above us through the leaf canopy that's shrouding the sky from us.

"What the hell was that?" I breathed.

"I could've say earthquake but that hellish tragedy is worst, it's not natural. Someone must be following us for the wristband."

I still haven't composure myself when I sat up, completely unfamiliar with what he's implying.

"I don't get it, explain in a language I would understand, what wristband?"

"You don't know?" Cuthbert sat up, his brows pinched together.

If I know I wouldn't be asking.

"I've only trained for two days, Cuthbert, enlighten me." I urge. After what I had to survive a while ago just after getting on the ground of earth, I need as much information as possible, to make it to my mother.

"There are wristbands, each participant has underneath their sleeves, the winner has to provide at least three wristbands for a ticket to cross the bridge to the ultimate planet." He explains.

I swallowed and exhale at the fearsome destiny of mine. "Okay, that explains the killing. But not the hell we just left behind."

"I may have eavesdropped on the professors." Cuthbert sighs and looked away. "Some of the participants aren't what you were told they are."

He keeps talking in riddles.

"What does that mean?"

"It isn't a fair game, Daphne."

"How so? Though look around nothing seems fair, even earth itself." I fly my hands around our surrounding.

If anything has ever been fair, we won't be here, there wouldn't be Archiefield nor its silly court members; there would be earth and its continents and countries colonize with great humans and proper leaders along with equitable treatment of all inhabitants.

"There are sorcerers among us." He said, bringing my heart to an abrupt stop for a moment.

"What?" I blurted. "You are kidding, right? Because that's just a story told for three years old so they could stay indoor." At least that's what my father had told me. And even for the stories, they are those I wish not to hear again.

"Whoever was behind us must be someone powerful."

"You want to convince me in this moment of crisis and the decennium that sorcerers exist? Come on." I scoff, hoping whatever Cuthbert believes in doesn't truly lives.

I believe my father and so even back in Archiefield, you'd ever find me wasting time on such superstitious assumptions.

"You think I am lying? Why do you think we are all sent here? To die DAPHNE." He emphasis on my name, sending chills of dread to my bones. No matter how I tell myself his statements aren't authentic, I still contemplate inside.

"What you are saying is there's probably some thaumaturge in possess of a wristband in my body I have no idea of?"

"Yes, Daphne. And he can't get to it until we're exposed, and you know what happens when we get exposed." He asserts and breathes before he adds, this time in a soft tone. "I know it sounds crazy but you have to believe me."

"Oh give me a break." My eyes roll. I lay back and let myself enjoy the beauty of the universe for the first time in my life.

"What do you think then? That we are here to live happily ever after? Let's say we are, it's all going to end as soon as we run out of air, so wake up. If the elders could send kids out here, including you an underage, then nothing should be surprising."

I heave a sigh and lazily avert my eyes to Cuthbert.

"Look whatever happened back there, must be some natural reaction of earth we aren't used to, given we both have never been out here, what should we know about it?" I challenged.

Besides in one of two classes I had with Balla, she had told me about natural disasters and ground reactions. I am sure he is familiar with that too, he must have attended school, he should know.

"You really are naive, what are you? Fourteen?" He irritatingly throws at me.

"I'm sixteen." I rebelliously corrected him.

"You shouldn't be here." He huffs, angrily.

It's none of his business, yes I know I shouldn't, but after listening to that audio of my mother, I am sure one way or the other I still would have been here even if I wasn't qualified for the tournament.

"I will rest, I have an excessive heartbeat," I mumbled and close my eyes, dismissing the conversation.

"We should be on the move, is not safe here." Cuthbert objects.

Well, I have no intention of leaving here without gaining some rest for my weary body.

"That involves moving around. Cuthbert, you need to learn to loosen up, not everything has an aftermath."

"Everything does when you look down on your timer.” He retorted but I then added. “We will take thirty minutes."

"One hour." I protest. "We can both rest for thirty minutes and have one looking out?" I suggested.

"Daphne?"

"Thirty minutes won't be sufficient, we need to look out for each other, someone might even come here for our oxygen tanks or food. Besides to succeed, rest is demanded." I clarify, it brought a smile to my face but then an ache in my heart. "That's something my father used to say." I quietly uttered.

"I'm sorry about your father."

I flash him a smile and say: "It's okay, I'm getting over it." I wish I am. There isn't a day I didn't remember his laughs and words. He was a great father even though we only had little time together, he gave me the best days of life, and for that I am grateful.

I swallow and bring my eyes to Cuthbert when I ask: "How do you know?"

"Everyone knows what happens around Archiefield." H honestly answered, the brightness of his eyes piercing through the glass of his radiation face protector.

"That is true." I nod and lowered my eyes to some aged tree.

"Look, you can rest first, I will cover-up." Cuthbert offers.

"Thank you." I smile at him. "For everything," I added.

Honestly, I have to admit without him I wouldn't make it this far.

"You're welcome. Now have some rest and calm your heartbeat." He smiles back.

Cuthbert gently pat my shoulders and woke me up just when I am in the middle of a paranormal dream. Regardless I am sure I slept more than intended.

"You okay?" He worriedly asks and I nod when I sat up.

"You should rest," I told him.

"Wake me up exactly thirty minutes."

"I will," I promised and take my lookout turn while Cuthbert rest.

But every human makes mistakes and so I did. I fell for the quiet of the dark forest and succumb to the sleepy sensation.

I should've known the expanded ground below the endless height towering over us, amid with unbreathable substance isn't some comfort zone.

"DAPHNE?" "DAPHNE?" "WAKE UP."

The voice was loud for my head that it sends a sudden alarm to my system and instantly my eyes sweep open.

There are noises hard to indicate, a violent windstorm making it hard to see through the sudden foggy surrounding.

And then I am reminded of the evil of the forest. The myth about the atrocious and decent trees, and its threat of malignant fate.

The towering branches are snapping against the creaking trees, peeling off its foliage. The forest seems indignant, it's something the legend had said.

I tilt my head around the thick fog swallowing me, I couldn't locate Cuthbert and so I scream his name with trembling voice.

There is nothing.

I use my palms to crawl backward, the leaves underneath me rustling. I groped for uncertain protection.

And then there's a thick moist beneath me, conforming to watery clay for ceramics from Archiefield market but much sticky, it's everywhere.

My heart stopped and every fear I ever had for the forest came to life.

"Cuthbert." I cried again.

The moist floor was pulling me deeper along with tiny branches burying my body into the soil.

I struggling with breathing for the pipe to my oxygen tank had disconnected and I am restrained by the woods that I've totally become useless.

I've never felt alone, powerless, and helpless like this moment. I struggle for air, but I am granted none.

What I only possess is the golden stone I have left with my parents' memories and so I hold it tight in my hand.

If today I shall die, I die battling to reach you mother. And so I let the trees decide for me.

But fate seems to be on my side and I am granted an angel pulling me out of the hole I thought would be my grave.

Cuthbert uses his sword slashing the branches stifling me until I'm freed from the ground.

He quickly lowered to the foggy ground, I have no idea what he was looking for before I have oxygen again.

"Come." He says, holding my forearm. I draw in deep breath through my windpipe for a moment.

But the urge to shrug off his hold and pull him into my arms was too strong and so I did.

He saved me, he came back for me.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Come let's go." He replies instead.

He has the one last food backpack and his oxygen tank across his shoulder, he draws me along.

We run not caring where we are heading nor where we are stepping until Cuthbert missed a step and stumbles, pulling me along until we hit the ground.

He let out a severe groan.

"What's wrong." I held him, trying to help him up, the windstorm is getting terrible, is difficult to see through. "Cuthbert, you okay?" I breathed. Scared as hell of the circumstance.

"My leg." He cries.

I look around the blurry forest, turning into a tornado. There's no way we can escape this. There's no help. Is just me and what I'm not doing is leaving Cuthbert. He saved my life, I should do the same or at least try to.

"Run, save yourself, Daphne." He ordered.

"I am not leaving you."

"Don't be stupid, go now." He yells angrily.

"You really don't know me then." I defiantly protest just when something extraordinary happens.

A grand tree split open, igniting thousands of terror in me.

"Go now." Cuthbert pleaded but I guess I am taken aback by the wonder that I became unresponsive.

Nothing was tales. My father really was right. The forest is evil.

"Come in."

I blink rapidly, trying to breathe and comprehend the reason Harper is hiding inside a tree.