Page 84 of Infala: The Bonding Games
Interestingly, Flagro and Galla did not show up for breakfast. Apparently, they decided to dine at home on this last day of the games. Thereallast day, that is.
“Well, I guess this is it,” she said as they finally made their way to the arena.
“Don’t worry. Whatever the event is, you know I have faith in you.”
His words warmed her heart, but Ziana couldn’t help but still be nervous. There was no telling what they might face, and they’d have zero prep time before launching into whatever was in store for them.
The arena was cordoned off into three large competition spaces, each blocked from view from field level but easy to see from the stands and video projections for the fans. One for each of the possibilities on the wheel that could take place inside the arena’s walls. The other two options would require travel outside, and a pair of fast ships were standing by to shuttle them to those locations if that happened to be the case.
“Dear guests,” the announcer’s voice rang out, the corpulent man waving to the crowd, all five elite families seated behind him in their seats of honor for such a rare event. “Welcome to the final day of the Husken Games!”
The crowd cheered, as expected, while Dorrin and Ziana were ushered to the platform where Flagro and Galla were already waiting. The wheel was a very boring device. Wood, not metal, so there could be no claims of magnetism or other trickery. And each of the events had been scrawled onto the equally sized spaces. Dorrin read them all in a flash. Ziana took longer, not knowing what they all meant.
“I don’t get it.”
“I’ll explain once they spin,” Dorrin replied in a hush. “But it seems someone tried to stack the deck against us.”
“Shit.”
“No, it’s good.Verygood. They’ve played right into our hands.”
“How?”
“Shh. I’ll tell you in a minute.”
The announcer’s voice cut through the air once more. “As you know, today we see something the likes of which hasn’t occurred in over a hundred years. A tiebreaker!” The crowd cheered on cue. “And to spin the wheel of fate, none other than our master of ceremonies and patron of the games, Chancellor Vinchi!”
The elder Vinchi rose, waving to the crowd, his children applauding fiercely as their father strode to the wheel. “Today we witness history,” he said in a loud, steady voice. “Today we witness two great teams, formidable in their own ways, competing to prove who truly is superior.”
Everyone knew he favored his kids, but no one could say the man didn’t know how to put on a show.
“And now what you have been waiting for.” He placed one hand in the air, turning it this way and that to show it was empty.
No trickery on his part, not here, not now. Dorrin knew better, though. They shenanigans had taken place long before the wheel ever made its way to the podium.
The chancellor grasped the wheel and gave it a mighty spin, the disc whirling around and around. The crowd held its collective breath as it slowed and finally stopped.
“Corsus Maximus!” the man shouted, drawing a huge cheer from the crowd.
Ziana didn’t like the look on Galla’s face. “What’s that? They look really happy with it.”
Dorrin leaned close to her ear, covering his mouth with his hand. “An obstacle course, but one specially tailored to test speed and strength. It’s a fast, showy course, designed to showcase what power runes can do.”
“Is that what you noticed when you saw the wheel?”
“Yes, but not only that. All five of them were similar type events. The selection wheel itself was unrigged, but the choosing of the events was clearly not. All are intended to give the elites the advantage because of their runes, and Flagro and Galla have particularly strong ones.”
Ziana realized what he was getting at. “Runes they still think I don’t have. At least, not completed, anyway.”
“Precisely,” he replied with a tiny grin. “And oh how they are going to be surprised.”
She fought hard to suppress the laugh that threatened to burst from her lips. They had no idea that Heydar, the Nimenni general, had gifted her and Dorrin both with very potent pigments when he finalized her runes. And now that they were firing on all cylinders, this supposed handicap wasn’t one at all. In fact, as good as she felt, she wondered if it might have even givenherthe advantage.
Don’t get cocky, Zee, she reminded herself.First win,thenyou can gloat.
They rounded a corner, and the course abruptly came into view. It wasbig, and she could readily see how speed and strength would be crucial. Obstacles were tall, requiring a lotof effort to surmount, but there were long gaps between them, allowing the faster runner to make up lost time. There were ropes, swinging bridges, and heavy logs that had to be lifted and dropped across a gap to create passage. Again, strength and speed blending across the challenge.
“Okay, so what do we?—”
