Allyra gave him her best impression of a reassuring smile, though she wasn’t entirely convinced of her own plan. She was confident that it would give the Gold team the best opportunity of winning, but at the same time she was opening herself up for significant injury – injury that might either originate with the White team or through Jason’s inaction.
Allyra made her way carefully back to Audrey and Sonya. Audrey was keeping watch holding a sharpened stake while Sonya worked on their trap. Despite herself, Allyra was impressed. Eva was playing to her team’s strengths and trying to leverage on arrogance from the opposing team. If Rosalie had her way, the Gold team would’ve walked straight into the trap.
Looking at Audrey’s stake, Allyra wished they’d taken the time to make some weapons too. The Tigers writhed under her iron bracelet, begging for her to use them. But they weren’t an option for her. They had to remain a secret – the Earth High Master had asked her about them, and she’d simply plead ignorance. The Tigers hadn’t been part of Alex’s plan and they hadn’t had time to concoct a story to explain them.
So no weapons – she had to depend on Alex’s training and hope she was good enough. She glanced back quickly and saw Jamie and Jason taking up positions behind her. They were close, but probably not close enough to stop Audrey from driving the stake into her if she got the upper hand.
Death within the Trials, Allyra remembered, was a rare event, but not completely unheard of. How many of the competitors within the Arena would be prepared to kill in order to win?
The element of surprise was paramount.
Allyra moved as close as she could to Audrey and Sonya, making good use of her stealth, remaining hidden within the shadows. Having faced a Revenant, it wasn’t the first time her life had been at stake, but it didn’t stop her heart from thundering in her chest, sending all her blood roaring through her ears – so loudly she thought it might give away her position.
And this was different. She wasn’t facing a monster made of nightmare and shadow. She was facing a human. A person made of real flesh and bone, someone with friends and family. She’d wondered if her fellow competitors would be prepared to kill her, but the reverse question was even more relevant. Was she a killer?
Two months ago, her answer would’ve been a firm no. But now, everything had changed.
She was now fighting for her own survival.
The idea of actually hurting someone left a bitter taste in her mouth, making her feel slightly sick. Fighting for her life made her morals less black and white, becoming something more akin to grey. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, and telling herself that it was necessary didn’t thoroughly calm her conscience.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she made her move – bursting out from behind a tree at Audrey.
Audrey responded with all the swiftness of an Inferno, but what she couldn’t have known was that Allyra was Gifted with just as much speed.
Allyra ducked under Audrey’s raised arm and grabbed her wrist. She buckled her knees and folded her body into a somersault. Her momentum wrenched Audrey’s arm out at an unnatural angle, forcing her to scream in agony as it dislocated.
Given the noise – any trap Eva had devised would probably be sprung. She half expected five Terras to jump out at her, but instead, there was… Nothing.
Audrey tried to get up, her right arm hanging uselessly at her side.
Allyra found herself teetering on the edge of a mental precipice. Her first attack had dealt serious damage to Audrey and it had been so easy, taking no more than a few seconds.
If she continued, her next move would probably take Audrey completely out of the fight.
If she continued, she might kill Audrey.
Allyra froze – suddenly terrified of falling headlong into a dark abyss, into a life she never wanted. She hesitated for a fraction too long – it was enough for Audrey to pick up the stake with her uninjured arm and drive it towards her.
Allyra tried to duck away, knowing that it was just a little too late. She braced herself for the pain, but it never came. Jason had grabbed the stake from Audrey and knocked her out with it. He turned and threw Allyra a strange, appraising look.
“You can thank me later.” He said smoothly.
Wide-eyed, she stared at him, silently cursing her own stupidity. Her hesitation could’ve cost her everything, wasting all the training and effort Alex had put into her.
In the meantime, Jamie was watching them quietly, having efficiently dealt with Sonya. She was knocked out and slung over his shoulder.
It was all over in less than a minute. Allyra grabbed the vines off the ground where Sonya had dropped them and handed one each to Jason and Jamie. Once Audrey and Sonya were properly secured, Jamie and Jason each hefted one over their shoulder before they started trekking back to base.
Once there, they found the rest of the Gold team looking distinctly rattled. Pierre and Cole were looking anxious, Lara was fussing over a wounded Eric, and Rosalie looked furious enough to combust.
Eric was nursing a broken wrist as well as a bloody tear through his thigh, looking distinctly green from pain. He explained how the other scouting team had walked into a trap. Lin had taken a stake through her shoulder, which explained the scream earlier. Eric had mostly dodged another stake which still tore up his thigh, but that was when Andy and Gemma jumped them. Andy quickly bested Ian and Gemma had managed to break Eric’s wrist before he got away.
Jason listened coolly to Eric’s account before turning away, not sparing him
