Chapter 5: All for One?

After passing the last test by a narrow margin, Athor and Kirimi are told that the next trial will be collective.

They are separated in two teams, right after Athor started to find in Kirimi the affection he was desperately missing.

Therefore, only one of them would make it to the next level.

The stadium was ignited. There were only 10 participants left.

Five on one side, five on the other.

Before this group event, they had been linked together by a rope.

Although Ecleray, Kirimi had been appointed by her team to lead the group.

Athor had been placed in last position.

In front of them, a huge circular curtain fell from the ceiling and hid one of the last trials of the Vanguard Challenge.

Namarus' sense of showmanship was unquestionable.

And, whether in the arena or in the stands, everyone was excited.

But their wait would not be long.

The sound of a mechanism was heard, and the curtain began to rise slowly.

The excitement was at its peak. Namarus was not letting go of his audience, and he put on a show.

The curtain finally rose.

And…

Nothing. Nothing but shadows.

A feeling of disappointment ran through the audience.

Then the hundreds of spotlights came on to reveal the course of the next event.

A ditch at least 30 meters wide with an unfathomable bottom appeared.

Two rope paths connected its ends.

The crowd cheered.

10 participants above the void, almost falling with every step.

Namarus explained the rules with perfect diction.

“The goal of the game is simple. Your team must reach the other side of the ditch in its entirety to qualify.

“But be careful! Arriving first does not eliminate the other team.

On the other hand, well, this is the Vanguard Challenge.

Everyone’s here to win. So I recommend you to be quick enough until the other team let you drop into the void,” he laughed sadistically.

The audience was already imagining what a spectacle these rules would bring.

Most were jubilant.

The two teams took their places.

Coloured headbands were brought to them. Red for Kirimi's team, blue for Athor's.

"Remember, you must be allies now, but keep your objective in mind. The main goal is to be the last one standing throughout the Vanguard Challenge."

Athor turned his head towards Kirimi.

She seemed focused. He was a little more vague.

But he had to refocus quickly because the cannon sounded in the arena.

The two teams rushed to the rope path.

But they soon realized that technique and coordination would have to take precedence over speed.

Kirimi began to try to coordinate her allies. But the movements of each one were affecting the stability of the team.

It would be harder than she thought.

Athor's team was doing a little better. But he couldn't help but brood.

He who was so agile was forced to deal with Midasis, who were much less comfortable than him.

"Be careful, each false step can put your team in great danger!" commented Namarus.

It was a different show the spectators were witnessing. Slower, less explosive, but with much more tension.

A Midasi from Athor's team almost fell, but one of his comrades caught him in extremis.

A fall could mean the end of the event for them.

The teams were moving slowly, Kirimi's team was taking the lead.

"Move the fuck on!" he shouted at his allies.

The Midasis from the blue team were exhausted. Their coordination was awful, and the red team took a significant lead.

Athor was sick with needing other people to win.

Seeing how close the other team was, chills began to run through him.

He was going to lose.

He had already come so close to elimination in the maze.

But now, Kirimi would not go to save him.

Nobody would save him.

Namarus broke his train of thought.

"Attention participants, we have an announcement to make!

The stadium fell silent.

"To qualify, you no longer need to come to the other side with your entire team," Namarus explained.

"From now on, you can qualify alone!"

The announcement had an immediate effect on the crowd, but also on the participants.

Kirimi was only a few feet away from qualifying, she was held back.

In the excitement, one of the Midasis had just fallen, holding back his entire team.

Kirimi ordered her teammates to help her.

As they worked, she took the lighter out of her pocket and burned the link that held her to her team.

She rushed to the ledge and was the first to reach it.

Athor looked at her, he was happy for her.

"Maybe I'll need her again..." he thought with a smile.

But what he saw terrified him.

Kirimi was burning the rope bridge that the rest of the red team was on.

Then it gave way.

4 cries in unison spread out in the arena.

Kirimi's face had changed.

Athor immediately understood what was going to happen.

He lowered his pants a little below the hip.

He slipped his hand in it to take out a dagger made of bark.

He cut the tie he had with his team and started to jump from rope to rope to rush to the other side.

Kirimi ran to the blue team's deck and began to burn the ties.

Athor was getting closer.

Behind him, the Midasis were still entangled.

The uncertain movement of the ropes prevented him from moving as fast as he would have liked.

A first link gave way. Athor almost fell, but he kept going.

He was very close.

Kirimi looked at him with a smile. But this one was different.

There was nothing friendly about it anymore.

There was only a pole that held the rope bridge. Athor balanced on it.

The first Midasi fell, taking the others with him.

It was just him and her.

Kirimi crouched down and brought her flame close to the second post.

Athor had no more time to think.

"I have to jump."

He took his impulse.

The second pole gave way, the rope bridge with it.

Time seemed to stand still.

Athor was above the void, his arms stretched towards the ledge.

Kirimi was watching him.

Everyone had their eyes on him.

Namarus was shouting and could not stand still.

The farthest spectators had their eyes riveted on the giant screen.

Their faces showed the passion they felt.

Then the stadium exploded!

"Athor comes to crash directly on Kirimi! They are both qualified!!!"

Athor remained leaning over Kirimi. He held her arms to the ground.

"Why did you do that?" he said on the verge of tears.

"Because I have to go inside the VYDER, too many people count on me. I must be the last one. I must become a Vanguard" she replied dryly.

"The last one? But why did you risk winning to help all those people? To help me?"

"I knew that one of the last tests would be collective. I had to earn the trust of the others to make sure I passed it. But it took Namarus to ruin it with his pathetic game."

Staff members came over and separated them and relieved them.

In the commentator's booth, an assistant came to Namarus' ear.

"Athor used an outside object, we should disqualify him."

"Listen to me carefully," Namarus replied after turning off his microphone.

"Right now, we may have one of the greatest moments in the history of this tournament being written. So there's no way we're going to get a win by disqualification. We're going to give these people a grand final!”

Then he turned his microphone back on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I feel like we only have two contestants left.

But there can only be one left. They want to become Vanguards? Then let's prepare them for what happens in the VYDER."

The staff members approached the two finalists and gave them a pommel.

"Athor, Kirimi. You have proven your worth, but there is still a step to take.

"And since you seem to be excellent candidates, we'll adapt the rules a bit.

"Are you willing to die for your values? That's what we'll see."

He then addressed the crowd.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a very special final for a very special crowd.

“You will have to choose the rules and the set of the arena.

“Here are your choices:

• The winner will be the one who manages to make his opponent give up.

• The winner will be the one who succeeds in making his opponent bleed.

• The one who succeeds in killing his opponent will be declared the winner.

“It’s up to you, you all have 30 seconds to vote with the pads located under your seat."

The sadistic and voyeuristic pleasure of the public manifested itself.

Athor and Kirimi were not disturbed by the result, they expected it.

They had understood it well.

Only one of them would survive the Vanguard Challenge.