Upon meeting their alters for the second time in the tournament, not everyone’s encounters went the same. Some people agreed to switch places, so the imprisoned one might catch some fresh air. Others fought each other to the death resulting in neither alter making it to the second round.

Rachel’s opponent spent the past year training from dusk till dawn, so she barely managed to overpower her. Unfortunately, Finn’s situation was significantly worse.

Like in Alric’s case, the boy’s counterpart looked malnourished and depressed. He refused to speak or even move until the circle’s line caught up to him.

In that moment, a switch turned inside the 11 year old’s head. He charged into Finn and slammed him into the wall. The boy was taken off-guard and couldn’t plant his feet properly. Having left the circle, he should have lost.

However, when he lifted his trembling eyes towards his alter, the skinny boy was holding something in his hand. It was the knife Rachel gave him, the one that should have kept him safe.

“You’re going to be fine,” said Finn. “There’s a girl, Rachel, on the other side. She’ll take care of you.” Encouraging his clone helped the boy calm down his nerves. Finn didn’t know how he’d pass a year inside the prison, but maybe if he just kept talking, it would be ok.

Sadly, none of his words seemed to reach the alter. It just stood there, motionless, while Finn talked and the circle got smaller and smaller. Then, he lifted his head. The skinny Finn smiled like a ghost from the underworld before plunging the knife into his heart.

It wasn’t a story Finn could easily retell, so Rachel filled in the blanks when necessary. When it was over, Nym hugged him as if he were his own.

From behind one of the giant grey leaves, two pixies revealed themselves. A moment later, Alric showed up as well. It wasn’t clear how much they had heard, but from their expressions, it seemed like a lot.

“Where have you been?” asked Rachel.

Going back to when Timofey left with Veronika, they hadn't gone particularly far; just far enough so nobody could hear.

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Veronika. “My idea is we bargain with the demons, ask to be put in the same team, and then take out the others in their sleep.”

“...What? No,” said Timofey while flapping his wings back. “If we do that, then what was the point in teaming up with them? This was your idea.”

“And, it was a bad one,” Veronika scoffed trying to hide her embarrassment. “The elves aren’t any better at survival than we are. They just got lucky to have a peaceful world.”

“Peaceful?” Timofey raised an eyebrow before looking up. Above them, perhaps a few hundred feet into the canopy, death incarnate was waiting for a reason to descend.

“Not all of it is like this. Where Nym lived, it was bliss. Elf villages covered the land and there were rarely any monsters to worry about." Veronika crossed her arms. "They were something in the past. But now, those a-holes are so in tune with nature, they barely know how to fight anymore.”

“Really? Cause in the previous round, I could have sworn they were throwing people around like ragdolls. And your little priest buddy, I haven’t seen someone fight like that since the Oracle was young.”

“I didn’t say they lack talent,” Veronika shrugged. “Some of the old ways are still practice as sports. Religious loonies like Nym go a step further.” She then shook her head.

“But, not even him could tell me anything useful. All of their technology is based on communing with nature. We can’t use any of it, since our plants are different.”

As apprentices of their tribe’s Oracle, Veronika and Timofey were keepers of knowledge. Their duty was not to fight, but to live and guide their people on the path of survival.

It was during their lessons that they both noticed a message imprinted on their eyes. They told the Great Oracle, and she advised them to enter the tournament. Whatever secrets they could learn from it, they would bring them back and share with the next generation.

This was why Veronika proposed they should study the other species. It was why they both decided to team up with a foreigner.

Unfortunately, the woman was disappointed in her choice. The elves looked strong, but perhaps because of it, they focused more on culture than technology.

“It’s useless I tell you,” she shook her head while her wings fell flat. “My guy is a tree hugging guru, and yours couldn’t fight a shadowpaw’s pinky.”

“That may be so,” Timofey smiled while grabbing her shoulders. “But, his weapons can.”