"What happens to the people who survive but don't win?" I ask Cobalt.
"I don't know," he admits. "I wish I did."
"Maybe it's better that you don't," I counter. "That way we'll try our best to make sure we get on the win list." Though hopefully we can do it without hurting anyone.
He nods.
"How far away are we from the facility?"
"Far enough that we're going to have to leave now."
"Great," I mutter.
"It wouldn't make a difference if we were closer," he points out. "I'm not the only player from the White Towers. The rest of them will be prowling around the area closest to the facility in an attempt to pick off other survivors."
"Even though they know about the points system?"
"The point threshold still affects us. Some people will have more than others, even among those of us who came from the Towers. No one is guaranteed anything. They don't know it yet, but you've taken one of the spots that they assume will go to them."
"Oh." While I want to win, the idea of someone else losing so I can doesn't sit well with me. I know that's always been the case, but it's more obvious now than it has been before, and I'm not sure how to deal with it.
"Leave everything we don't need," he instructs, breaking through my thoughts. "We'll take the food and water. There's no point taking anything else with us."
"Should we scatter it, or leave it here for the next person?" The question leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I hate the idea of another two-hundred-and-fifty people coming through the arena in three months time. It's been going on my entire life, but somehow it feels different now I've been part of the broken system.
"Leave it. We could save someone's life by doing that."
I nod, liking that idea more than spreading it around.
We set off, neither of us saying a word as we make our way through the arena, keeping to tree groves or clusters of boulders, anything that'll hide us from anyone looking for those to pick off their competition. I hate that this is the way to play the game, but recognise there's very little I can do about it right now other than try my best to get through this. And Cobalt too.
"Are we nearly there?" I ask after what feels like hours. I don't recognise any of the places we've walked past, which makes it much harder to judge. I suppose I didn't pay much attention when I was running from phantom men and raging fire.
Cobalt nods. "Once we're past that patch of trees, we should be able to see the building."
"Should we have a break so we don't turn up exhausted?" I ask.
He considers for a moment, no doubt feeling the same as me. We had five hours when we set off, but have no idea how long we have left now. No doubt the lack of timer is to make it more exciting for anyone watching. Or to make it more tense for us. That's not a good thing at all.
"I don't know," he admits. "Both options are a risk."
"We could try getting closer and seeing if there's anywhere we can get a good view from. Will they give us a timer when it's closer to the end?" I ask, hoping the answer is going to be yes.
"That's a good idea. But I don't know about the timer. I have to assume they will."
We find a small hill with an outcrop of boulders on the top of it. There's nothing special about it, but it should give us a view of what's going on beneath. I'm panting by the time we reach the top of it. We've done okay for food and water over the past ten days, and even managed to sleep fairly regularly, but it's clear it's taken a toll on both of us.
I pull Moonslinger off my back so I can crouch down next to Cobalt.
Just as he said we would, we can see the building we have to be in front of when the Dragon Duels comes to an end. When they let me out into the arena, I never turned back to look at it, but now I am, I'm surprised by how normal it looks. Ivy climbs up the outside and over a balcony that I doubt is used any more. There's no one in it now, which is enough of an indication for me.
But that isn't what holds my attention. Down at ground level there are at least three dozen contestants. I can spy a few of them hiding in covered places, but most are engaged in some kind of fight. I don't recognise any of them, but that doesn't mean anything. I didn't look closely at anyone's faces while we were inside the facility, and ten days of living like this can make anyone unrecognisable.
What I can distinguish, is the black uniform style clothes of the White Tower recruits who came with Cobalt.
"How many people came with you?" I ask him.
"Twenty-four."
I do a quick count. "I can see twelve down there. Is that about right?"
He shakes his head. "There should be at least three more around at this stage in the game."
"Including you?"
"No."
Hmm. So that means more people from the city or the prisons have survived. Or maybe they always do and then they...well, something happens to them. I'm going to choose to believe they have to go and work somewhere undesirable as a result of losing, rather than the alternative.
Why would anyone choose to come here?
I turn to Cobalt to ask what we should do next, but a flashing timer appears projected onto the building before I can.
"There are ten minutes left in the Dragon Duels. To be considered as a winner, you must be present in front of the holding facility when the timer ends," the same voice as earlier announces.
"We need to go down there," I whisper, already hating that we have to endanger ourselves like that.
