Chapter 11:
Draco stared at the white light shining from above, preparing himself for the final and most important part of the mission. Hopefully, Cato had already received the letter, and, even more hopefully, he was mad to death.
That note may seem childish and utterly useless, but Cato seemed like a more simple-minded person. Considering that he would find out that Draco was Mysthral Hunter, Draco predicted that the man would attack him straight at the beginning of the game, ruining all of Rue’s plans.
Truth be told, Draco was severely outnumbered, and if he couldn’t take out at least one Mysthral at the beginning of the game, he would have little chance of winning. However, if Cato goes off the hook and attacks him straight away, he might get a chance to get rid of one right at the beginning.
“Shall the game begin?” Draco mumbled. All of this preparation and waiting has been just for this day. Now, he would no longer have to play any games and do what he does best – fight. The tube finally rose high enough, enabling Draco to see the area, where the game would be conducted. And, to say it lightly, Draco’s all previous determination vanished as soon as the white snow entered his vision.
Whenever he glanced, Draco saw nothing but snow and a leafless, barren forest. Draco glanced down at his black battle costume, designed mainly for summer. With a sigh, Draco lifted his gaze back up to see all the other tributes standing in the circle around a metallic base.
Draco squinted his eyes, seeing Katniss standing in a tube opposite of him. Rue was a few tributes away from her - not good news. Eventually, Draco's eyes found their way to Cato. He stood unmoving, staring at him with deadly eyes. Draco could almost feel the killing intent emanating from the Mysthral, even from this far away.
Draco lifted his eyes, finally addressing the timer that hung high in the sky, depicting 20 seconds left till the beginning. 19, 18, 17. The clock was ticking. Draco glanced at Katniss and saw her nod his way, Draco nodded back, knowing that she was going to go along with the plan this time.
9, 8, 7.
Draco took a deep breath in and out, steeling his nerves.
6,5,4.
Finally, the time was running out.
3, 2, 1.
And, so, the Game began with a bang. All the participants began either running into the forest or to the center. Draco remained standing for a few seconds, making sure that Katniss went into the forest without any hindrances. Then, Draco's eyes shifted to the right, where he saw Cato running at him like a pitbull seeing a piece of juicy meat.
Draco smirked.
Rue, on the other hand, was slowly moving into the middle, not seeing that Cato was going against her plan due to the huge metallic building in the center blocking her vision. Feeling the cold air enter his lungs, Draco promptly turned around and began running into the forest.
As soon as he was away from his spot, Draco understood how cold it was. The conditions were unlivable. However, the even bigger issue was the abundance of snow, making something as simple as running extremely exhausting.
Draco was wearing black shoes that weren't designed for winter, causing all the snow to make its way through to his skin. His legs became numb immediately, and his face reddened from the cold. He hated winter.
Anyway, Draco continued running, passing dark empty trees. Seeing that Cato was still following him, Draco lessened his speed slightly, letting Cato slowly catch up.
At some point, the flat ground turned into a little hill. Draco glanced down from it, seeing no end to it. Understanding that running down a hill with a bunch of snow on it was not the wisest decision, Draco halted his movements.
'Should be far enough.' Draco thought, only now understanding that they must have been running for at least 5 minutes. Even if someone heard the shouts of their battle, they wouldn't be able to come until it was too late.
Draco took a deep breath, no longer feeling the cold weather, as adrenaline rushed through his body. His heart pumped faster, staring at the approaching Cato. At some point, once he was a few feet away, Cato stopped, anger somewhat subsiding during this run.
Cato and Draco stared at each other for a few seconds, not saying anything, until Cato eventually broke the silence. "I have always heard stories of the Mysthral Hunters, ever since my first mission. I was told they are vicious, calculating, and skilled in combat. To kill a Mysthral Hunter is an honorable act that is rewarded by the highest of merits."
"I have always desired to cross a Mysthral Hunter and murder them viciously," Cato smirked like never before, his dry lips stretching with some pain. "Thankfully, I met a useless dunce like you. Did you think that just because you landed one punch on me, you could defeat me? It's you who is the fool."
"Are you done talking?" Draco interrupted Cato, not even listening to whatever he was saying.
Cato frowned, exploding into motion immediately, no longer being able to contain himself. However, before he was even able to approach Draco, a snowball suddenly landed on his face, blinding him for an instant. Yet, it only took that instance for Draco's first to connect with Cato's face.
Cato stumbled back, brushing his face with the side of his hand, lifting his bloody eyes with even more killing intent. However, Draco didn't even give him a chance to think, connecting another punch with his face.
Blood exploded from Cato's nose, as he lifted his hands, defending himself. Yet, at that moment, Draco punched Cato in the stomach, forcing Cato to grab onto his belly and bend back.
Draco then grabbed Cato's face with his hands, smashing his knee into his head. Cato stumbled back, the snow beneath him turning red. Draco didn't even consider giving his opponent a breath, smashing his other knee into Cato's head again.
However, Cato suddenly latched his hands on Draco's wrists. Draco's hands trembled, as he felt himself being overwhelmed in the contest of pure strength. It seemed like Cato's strength stat was even higher than anticipated.
Cato raised his eyes, defiance and anger clear within them. Blood was basically dripping from both his nose and mouth. Knowing that Cato was about to act, Draco jumped from the spot, his hands still held by Cato. Then, Draco drop-kicked Cato in the face, forcing him to release Draco.
Landing on the soft snow beneath him, Draco immediately rose to his feet, barely feeling the snow inside his suit. Surprisingly, Cato was no different. He was standing in front of him, slightly shaking and bleeding, yet clearly far from being done.
"You fucker..." Cato mumbled slightly, once again rushing forward. This time, Draco knew that Cato wouldn't be as careless. Draco took a deep breath in, calming his nerves. He had fought so much back on Earth that it was all engraved in his instincts. He didn't even have to think while fighting.
Cato sent a left hook at Draco's face, but Draco ducked easily, seeing a kick approaching from below. Instead of dodging this time, Draco lifted his knee, forcing Cato's shin to collide with it. Cato stumbled, definitely feeling hellish pain.
Draco grabbed Cato's hand, twisting it until he was behind his back. Without even showing a hint of hesitation, Draco snapped Cato's hand, forcing a shriek out of the Mysthral. Draco was about to continue abusing the arrogant Mysthral when Draco suddenly felt a push from behind.
Wanting to get away from Draco, Cato pushed Draco as far as possible, forcing Draco to roll on the ground. Barely a moment later, Draco stood up, brushing away the snow from his hair. "Well, that's not very gentlemanish?"
Cato frowned, the anger long gone from his face. He had finally understood that it was not Draco who was being arrogant, but him. Cato looked around, seemingly hoping that Rue would be somewhere not far away, yet Cato had run off by himself without listening to anything.
Draco stared at Cato's bloody figure and his now useless hand. Tilting his head slightly forward, Draco prepared to finish the fight. Yet, Cato had something different in mind. Suddenly, Cato roared, exploding with speed that should have been impossible with so many injuries.
Cato was running like a bull, his head aligned with his waist. Draco cursed under his breath, understanding that it was impossible to dodge. Before he even understood it, Cato was hugging his waist tightly, and they were rolling down the hill.
The scenery was moving at a prompt speed and dizziness overwhelmed him. Cato was hugging him tightly, trying to strangle the breath out of him and break his ribs. Draco grunted, latching his hands on Cato's face. Halting his breath, Draco began twisting Cato's head, trying to snap his neck, yet it remained in one place.
They continued to roll, Draco's attempt to push Cato away, yet he was constantly being interrupted by the collisions against the ground. Suddenly, Draco felt his back colliding against something, as he drew in a sharp breath. Due to the sudden halt, Cato was forced to release Draco, flying even further down the hill.
"Fuck." Draco cursed, taking a few seconds to regain composure. His body hurt like hell, especially his ribs and back. He looked back, seeing a huge black tree looming over him. Draco slowly rose from the ground, searching for that bastard everywhere.
After the tree that Draco hit, the ground turned flat again, deeming it an end to this annoying hill. Draco walked forth, seeing Cato supporting himself on one knee a few feet away. Draco glanced at the ground, feeling that the surface was different for some reason.
It took him a few moments to realize that he was standing on top of a frozen lake. It was solid. Wouldn't break even if a rock fell on top of it, anyway. There was no reason to hesitate. Fortunately, due to the snow on top, it wasn't slippery at all.
"I admit. You are just like in the stories." Cato brushed away the blood from his face, spitting some of it from his mouth. Draco didn't let the Mysthral Hunter finish up with his speech, rushing at him with his back slightly bent.
Cato raised his hands, trying to defend himself, but his actions were sluggish now. Even slower than they used to be. On the other hand, Draco felt stronger and faster than usual. At the last moment, once Cato was already sure that a punch was flying in his face, Draco ducked, kicking Cato's jaw from below.
Cato stumbled, dizzy. Draco continued his advance, following up with a combo of three punches. Cato was barely resisting anymore, reacting to an attack only a few moments after it was delivered. Draco kicked Cato in the leg, forcing him to stumble onto the ground.
Like a cobra, Draco sneaked up from behind him, taking him into a chokehold. Cato resisted, but his enormous strength was barely anything at this point. Sliding his legs around Cato's waist, Draco pinned Cato's hands, not letting him escape in any way.
Draco felt the life draining from the man. Yet, suddenly, the ice on which Draco was lying trembled. 'What the fuck is happening?' Draco cursed, glancing down at the ice as it trembled again. What he saw there, hidden beneath the ice, forced him to giggle in bewilderment.
A huge white shark was trying to break through the ice, hitting it with the front of its face. Draco glanced down at Cato, realizing that the man had died some time ago. Promptly, Draco put his hand inside Cato's mouth, pinching a white worm that was desperately trying to crawl out.
He saw a few notifications pop up inside his mission, but Draco pushed them away, feeling the ground tremble again. Cracks began to spread all around the ground, as Draco was up and running towards safety.
Yet, it was short-lived. The ice beneath him Draco broke, sending him plunging into ice-cold water. The shock brought to his body by a sudden change in temperature caused him to be paralyzed for a few seconds.
Then, intense pain followed in his leg. It was dark here, beneath the water, but Draco understood that the shark had bitten him on the leg and now it was forcing him deeper into the lake.
Draco cursed, feeling his thighs beginning to burn. Gritting his teeth, Draco twisted his body in the water, bending his back as he latched his hands onto the shark. His hands traveled through its smooth skin, until finding its eyes. Without hesitation, Draco plunged his finger into its eyes, forcing it to release his leg.
The shark was clearly struggling, though Draco couldn't see that in the dark. As fast as he could, Draco unstrapped his costume and all the clothes beneath, leaving only his underwear. Draco threw them away immediately, hoping that the shark would mistake his bloody clothes for him.
Then, Draco was swimming up as fast as he could, his left leg not moving at all. He lost all control of it, but Draco continued to swim up. Eventually, the water lost its darkness and Draco's head was out of the water. He forced himself out of the water and onto the ice, not yet feeling the coldness.
His left leg was ravished and bloody, but Draco forced his mind to work. With one leg sliding behind him, Draco began to jump away from the ice, leaving a trail of blood behind. He could feel the sharpk approaching, could feel its breath upon him like that of a grim reaper.
Draco took a leap of hope, colliding with the ground and sliding through the ice. Barely a moment later, the ice where he previously stood shattered, as a huge white shark flew into the air.
Draco crawled away from the ice, finally getting to the huge black tree he had previously hit. Then, he turned around, pressing his back against the tree. He saw the shark flying and then colliding with the solid ice, not breaking it this time.
The huge white shark, its eyes empty and Draco's blood covering its mouth, struggled to get back into the water, but it was all futile. Draco stared as the shark suffocated in front of him, releasing its last lively breath.
Draco stared at it for a few instances, then put a hand on his forehead, leaning back and giggling. Seneca. That guy was definitely not playing with this game, he wanted him and Katniss dead. A fucking shark in a lake?
Draco entertained the ridiculousness of it all until it was no longer funny. The plan went to shit. He had to promptly kill Cato and then meet with Katniss south of the center before midnight. Yet, now, he was sitting on the ground with no clothes, wet, and with a bleeding leg.
There was no way that he could climb this hill and find Katniss before midnight. No, before that, Draco would die of fever if he didn't find something to put on. His last hope was to find something in the shop.
"First...I need to get somewhere warmer." Draco mumbled to himself. Now, that the adrenaline vanished from his system, Draco began to feel numb. It was so fucking cold. He felt like he would pass out from the coldness alone. Slowly, Draco lifted his eyes, staring at the shark for a good minute.
Grunting, Draco limped towards it. Uttering all of his strength, Draco opened its clasped mouth, seeing a row of bloody teeth there. Disgusted, Draco made sure not to step on them, as he climbed inside of it and closed it.
It was dark as hell inside and it reeked of fish, along with a hint of metal from blood. Draco opened the system screen, brightening the place at least a bit. A myriad of notifications popped out.
-
[You have killed an Ordinary Mysthral(Level 2)]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have received 53 Coins!]
-
Name: Draco Ashvale
Age: 18
Title: Unhinged Lunatic, Cal's Employee Number 903.
Level: 4 (3%)
Strength: 6
Agility: 7
Perception: 5
Stamina: 6
Intelligence: 4
Willpower: 189
Luck: 25(Unchangeable)
Stat Points: 4
*Skills: None
*Summons: None
*Equipment: Poison Extracting Tube
Coins: 53
-
Draco stared at his stats, glad that he had leveled up twice. Immediately, he opened the shop for equipment and summons. Yet, Draco frowned, everything related to healing in any way was extremely overpriced. The starting price was around 100 coins. He couldn't afford it.
Cursing under his breath, Draco decided to invest two of his points into stamina. A pain like never before attacked him, but the numbness from the cold somewhat eased it. Draco resisted the urge to scream, eventually getting through it.
He felt somewhat less cold now, but the pain was much more clear. He began to regain his senses over his left leg and his head became a bit more clear. Uttering all his strength, Draco opened the shark's mouth again, letting the coldness and light permeate.
Draco looked around and smirked. There were three flying balls descending from the sky, and Draco recognized them to be from sponsors. With whatever willpower he had, Draco collected all of them.
He got fresh new clothes, along with a black balaclava to keep his head warm. Then, he was also given some strange powder, which was placed in a box. Reading the note, Draco understood that it was to keep him awake. Finally, Draco got some of that cream that Katniss used to treat Peeta's injuries, alongside some bandages.
Draco limped back to the shark, taking a good look at his injury. The shark had basically ravished his thigh. Cursing Seneca once again, Draco hopped inside the shark's mouth, beginning to treat his injuries. It was at least a bit warmer there.
It wasn't the best beginning of the 74th Hunger Games.