Tough Game

Reaper groans as she opens her eyes. It's around two in the morning. Reaper never is able to get much sleep; it has always been this way. Reaper slowly sits up and swings her legs off the side of the bed, then pushes herself to her feet. She sighs as she brushes her hair, then pulls on a shirt with no sleeves. She has bandages on her right arm at the top and a scar on her forearm. She then walks out of the tent. Athal is sharing a tent with a few others. Luckily, Reaper managed to get a tent to herself. Even though Athal told her not to train, she still does.

After a few hours of training, Athal walks out of his tent. He walks over to see Reaper training, which is not the brightest thing to do at this moment. Since her wound on her back is still fresh it could reopen. For miles, word of her has spread. Which is getting the attention of challengers, that isn't good. At least not for Reaper. She wishes to stay on the down low, but that can't happen if word reaches the Game Master. She'll get herself killed.

"Reaper, what did I tell you." Athal asks as he walks over to see Reaper battling with Melix, she chuckles as he hits the ground again. But, once she hears Athal she quickly tries to hide her weapon behind her back.

"What do you mean Athal?" He growls, then walks behind her and twists her wrist.

"Seriously?" She chuckles lightly, he then takes the blade out of her hand.

"Come on Athal! I'm feeling fine!" He manages to catch her off guard and flip her on her back, she coughs as the air is knocked out of her. "Ow." Melix chuckles, Athal just stands there and smiles.

"Prove it." Reaper gets back on her feet, then holds up her fists. She runs at him and swings, but many times over and he knocks her to the ground. She growls as she gets back up, this time she takes her time and dodges one of his punches. Not noticing a few villagers gather around to watch. Reaper still has her mask on as well, no one really sees her face that often. Reaper punches at him, which nails him in the stomach. But he recovers fast from it and kicks her in the stomach. Which she stumbles backwards because of, giving him time to sweep her feet out from under her. Reaper lands on her back again. But, when he thinks he won, she uses her feet to knock his feet out from under him. Then take the blade from his hand and stand on her feet. In the end, he is on the ground, Reaper is holding the edge of the blade to his throat as she breathes.

"Enough Proof for you?" He chuckles as she throws the sword aside, then lends him a hand to help him up. A smile plastered on her face. She soon notices the many people watching them, that's not too good.

"Reaper, there is something I wanted to talk to you about." She nods her head as they begin to walk off towards the woods a bit. "Reaper, we need to keep moving. Soon, the Game Master might start to get word about you if we stay here too long." She looks over at the people, then sighs.

"I know Athal, but I just don't want to leave them here to die." Sadness can be heard in her voice, Athal puts his hand on her shoulder.

"I know Reaper, but we have to keep moving." Reaper nods her head, then they walk back towards Melix.

"Hey, everything alright?" He asks, but it seems he already knows something is up.

"Melix, we have to keep moving. We can't stay here." Melix seems sad, but he nods his head.

"Alright, promise this won't be the end?" She smiles then nods her head.

"Promise."

A few hours later, it has become pretty dark out. But, we are leaving in the morning. I hope the next camp is kind like this one was.

The next morning, Athal and Reaper are ready. She has her black hair up in a ponytail, and she is wearing her black leather jacket and her black jeans with the chains. Her mask is also on. Athal is holding a bag over his shoulder, he has a white leather jacket on with grey ripped jeans. He also has black combat boots that are similar to Reapers. He has blonde messy hair and blue eyes.

"Let's go Reaper." He tells Reaper as he begins to walk into the woods, a few miles that way and there is a bigger camp. She sighs as she then begins to walk toward the woods. Ever since Athal abandoned his post as champion of the Game Master they have been looking for him, they have already claimed a new champion but if they found us. Then I would be his replacement. Which would not be good, the champions aren't treated well. You would think they are since they are the champions, but most of them are forced to be his fighters. She would be definitely one of the youngest, since she is only sixteen. There have been very young people to fight in the games, not a lot of them though are chosen. Reaper was never chosen, she volunteered to fight because she liked it. No matter how beat up she got, she always fought back. That's one of the things Athal and Melix loved so much about her. She is tough.

Once they get to the other camp, they settle down their stuff and get a tent. After that, they each sit in their shared tent. "Why do we have to keep moving?" Reaper asks Athal, even though she has heard this answer so many times.

"Because if we don't, they will find us." Reaper sits on the ground with her head leaning back against Athal's chest. He wraps his arm around her in a protective way, he has always been like a fatherly figure to her.

"Why don't we let them? You're their old champion, surely you can fight them and take out the Game Master right?" He sighs, then looks down at her.

"I wish it were that simple," Reaper looks down at the ground sadly. Deep down, she will always be afraid. Afraid of the Game Master. From what Athal has told her, the Game Master now knows of her existence and has demanded of her presence. She is in danger now, if they find her, they will force her to fight for them. Force her to kill innocent people to survive.

"I don't want to be the champion," Reaper says out of the blue, Athal sighs knowing what she is meaning.

��I know Reaper, but if they catch you, I'm afraid you won't have a choice." Reaper has a good reason to be afraid. Being a Champion for the Game Master is like a death penalty. One wrong move and it could be your end. A few loose tears stream from Reaper's eyes as she bundles her face into Athal's chest, he was always like a father to her. Soon, they both drift into slumber as they try to run from their undeniable fate.

The next morning, Reaper woke up early again and is training with a fellow villager. Athal walks out of the tent to see Reaper wearing her black tank top, a white bandage can be seen on her arm from a recent battle from before they left the other village. Reaper is still wearing her ripped jeans with the chains on them as she fights her opponent. She also has her black fingerless gloves on, they seem a bit torn up from the fights she has gotten into. Reaper has yet to take her mask off either, since she never does it has become natural for her to wear it. The mask covers the entire bottom half of her face, only Athal has really seen her face. She likes to hide who she is from people, just so she doesn't get too attached.

"Reaper," Athal grabs her arm and leads her away from the fight, "We need to keep on the downlow, so no training with the villagers. Got it?" She groans but agrees, it makes sense. Last time they were training it caused half of the village to come watch. They both then walk out of the village area and into an opening in the woods, once there, they begin training. Reaper runs at Athal and ready's to punch him, but he moves to the side and elbows her back causing her to fall to the ground.

"Ow," He chuckles as she gets back up, this time waiting for him to strike first. Which he does eventually, she ducks down under his punch and lifts her knee up to knee him in the stomach. He stumbles backwards as she runs at him with her fist up, he gets knocked to the ground and the air knocked out of him.

"Nice job," He congratulates her as she helps him up, once he is on his feet again they get ready to battle each other. But, it is interrupted when the bell goes off.

"Another Game? Two nights in a row?" Reaper says confused, but Athal sighs.

"They know you're here, soon the Game Master will know, if he doesn't already." Reaper lowers her fist as she is slightly afraid. They then turn towards where the games are.

"Do I play?" He nods his head to Reaper, who sighs in return.

"We have to at least try to keep them alive." Reaper runs to the tent and grabs her leather jacket, then slides it on over her shoulders. Still being weary of her injury on her back and her arm.

Location: Game Master's Palace

The Game Master sits at the front of the room, on his throne. In front of him the champion battles against seven people who were chosen at random in the villages nearby. Each person was killed without mercy at the blade of the Champion. The Game Master sits there seeming bored, but just when his boredom becomes annoying a villager from a far off village is brought into the room and shoved to the ground.

"What is this?" The Gamer Master asks with curiosity, the villager seems to not want to tell him something. "Speak now, or face the Champion." The frightens the villager enough for him to speak.

"The-The former Champion was spotted, but-but he wasn't alone." That gains the Game Master's attention.

"Where?!" He stands from his throne almost instantly, they have been searching for this Champion for years now.

"The village of Takal, although they were spotted moving towards the village of Kaloa." The Game Master hums to himself in thought.

"Who is the other person?" This next part catches the Game Master's sight.

"A-A young girl, she seems to be around the age of sixteen. It seems as if the Champion has trained her, every Game she is in she has won. Most, she was the only survivor." A smirk appears on the Game Master's face.

"Any who bring me this girl, will be set free from the Games." That alone would be the best offer anyone could ask for, to be set free. Therefore, they wouldn't have to fight in the Games, and they would never be chosen to fight. They could live a free life, they would never have to fight for the survival of themself ever again. The villager holds up a piece of paper, which the Game Master rips from his hands. Then he holds it up for everyone to see, a picture of a girl with her hood up and her black hair covering most of her face, but her bright blue eyes light up from the picture. She has a black leather jacket on and ripped black jeans with silver chains on the sides, also a pair of black torn up fingerless gloves and black combat boots. Under her jacket is a slightly ripped up black tank top and she has a full black mask covering the bottom of her face. "Find her, she will be my new Champion." The current Champion is grabbed by their arms and taken away, most likely to be executed since they are no longer needed.

Location: Village of Kaloa,

Word got around fast of the search for Reaper, which isn't good since they are about to play in the Games. "Reaper, keep your hood down." Reaper looks over at him curiously.

"Why? I always have my hood up," He rips a wanted alive poster off of a wooden post, then shows it to Reaper.

"Not anymore," Reaper groans as Athal pulls her hood down, revealing her long black hair. There is no way Athal could make Reaper remove her mask, even if he tried to force it. "Just keep your head down, try not to be too visible." Reaper nods her head, then walks over to the Games arena that had been set up. Man is this gonna be tough. Having to fight to survive and not get your cover blown.

"Get ready, set, FIGHT!" The bell goes off signaling the fight to begin, in all the villages in the area they are having a Game because they know Reaper will be at one of them. Reaper tries to stay back and help her team, one of her members gets knocked to the ground so she runs over and kicks the person back while helping her teammate up. But, the unexpected happened.

"Yo-Your the Reaper girl! The Game Master-" She covers his mouth before he can say anything more, he is obviously going to try and turn her in so she knocks him out. She turned towards the person then kicked them and took their knife and stabbed them in the stomach. They tumble over and soon pass, she notices that another member is in danger so she runs over and grabs the person's wrist which stops them from hurting her teammate. She then knees them in the gut and elbows them in the back. Although when she turns around, a blade cuts her already injured arm again. She tries not to show the pain of it and punches the attacker in the face which knocks them out. The bell goes off as the Games are over. She looks down at the new cut in her leather jacket, and the fresh blood that trickles down her sleeve.

"The village of Kaloa is victorious!" The Ruler shouts as everyone goes to get help for their wounds, Reaper however doesn't need any. But, the guy she knocked out starts to wake up.

"The Reaper is here!!" He shouts getting everyone's attention, soon they all are looking at Reaper. Athal runs over and grabs her arm, he then pulls her hood over her head.

"I thought you said-" He cuts Reaper off as he begins to run.

"They already know! Just run!" They both ran through the woods, not knowing they were running back towards Takal. But once they enter the village they look around.

"Oh no." The village was on fire, people screaming as they tried to escape but most are trapped and cannot. Melix runs over.

"Reaper! You need to get out of here! The Game Master's pons are here! They're looking for you!" Reaper looks over at Athal, fear in her eyes.

"Melix, take Reaper as far from here as possible." Realization hits Reaper's face.

"No!" Melix grabs her arm as he nods, "NO! Athal! Please!" He looks at Reaper sadly.

"I'm sorry Reaper." He says as he turns away, Reaper continues to try and fight but Melix pulls her along with him. The Guards of the Games run towards them with their weapons ready. Athal holds them off long enough for Melix and Reaper to escape, however he was taken by them to the Game Master.