The Price of Feathers

Beginning of the end

As soon as Angelica woke up to the sight of the woman she loved in her bed, she beamed and turned around to kiss her. Angelica ran desperate hands over Raven's body, searching for some flicker of passion to rekindle. But Raven turned away, lost in melancholy thoughts, heart too burdened for physical intimacy. Sensing her distance, Angelica caught her face between both hands, forcing Raven to meet her wounded gaze.

"What's wrong, princess?" Angelica asked her love, cradling her face between her hands.

Raven bit her lip and tried to fight the pain in her heart, "nothing, my love."

Angelica reeled back as though struck. "Uh-uh, it's the tournament, isn't it?" There was no denying the elephant in the room and the pending battle that loomed over all of them.

"It's starting today... in just a few hours," Raven muttered, playing with her fingers. Angelica's grasped her hands and kissed her open palms. She didn't want the woman she loved to feel dread, but she knew she couldn't remove it forthrightly. All the platinum-haired angel knew was she would kill anyone who tried to harm the woman she loved today.

"Don't worry, little dragoness, stick with me and this time tomorrow, we'll be enjoy the fresh air of the outside world together," the angel winked at her but masked her own fear with a bright smile.

The time for the tournament arrived, and the combatants from the Light and Dark sides gathered in the arena with grim uncertainty rather than purpose. Though all knew the stakes - only one team would survive this final brutal contest - how to achieve victory remained clouded.

"Alright, my lovies. All Players step up to the starting line," Artemis voice poured into the arena. He was on a suspended throne hovering over the arena. Raven was tempted to throw a firebolt directly at their sadistic MC but doing that would doom everyone standing beside her.

She turned to examine the face of her friends, allies and so-named enemies. This is something she had been dreading for days and now it was here. By days end, her friends were going to die and all because she was too selfish to give her life for theirs. She wished that it didn't have to be this way, that all of them could walk out of this realm alive and well.

At the thunderous boom signalling the commencement of the opening round, the Light team strode forth as one, weapons glinting in the harsh sunlight. Across the arena, the Dark team hesitated, exchanging conflicted glances. The question of whether to sacrifice Raven still tore at their unity.

Sensing their disadvantage, Amara called for the Dark team to advance. But the others held back, Silver and Dagne unwilling to march Raven to her death, while Aphrodite and Leech appeared ready to turn on their own beloved companion for the promised reward of freedom.

Amara pleaded with her team to stand together as the Light team gained ground, seizing the arena's strategic high ground. But her words fell on deaf ears, the bitter divisions sown by the promise of liberty through betrayal preventing them from acting as one. At last, she turned to Skin and saw him already at her side. She needed to get as far away from the battlefield to save her head, her team's literal trophy and treasure, unless she wanted to cost her team their lives for the sake of her ego. Raven was standing beside her sister, and she caught her eyes for a moment across the battlefield. The lovers shared a sad smile and then both turned away to find safe ground.

Artemis was getting frustrated as both sides staggered instead of fighting. He needed this chaos to survive so peace was not an option for the godlike kitsune.

"Fight for your team or I am going to turn this party into a blood bath myself!" he screamed down at the arena and then disappeared.

Viper slashed viciously at Godric, his blazing fury matching his brute strength. Nearby, Aphrodite toyed cruelly with Vex, seducing him to let down his guard before slaying the trickster mercilessly. She tried to get him to kill himself with his own blade, but Raven managed to shoot a firebolt towards the blade, making it searing hot and causing Vex to drop out of his blade and snap out of the trance that the succubus had him under.

Aphrodite growled at her and charged at Raven as the dragoness pulled Vex away from her. She was going to attach them both, but she showed hesitation and Leech stepped in to pull Aphrodite away from them because between the trickster and the dragoness he knew that they were outmatched.

The fight continued on the other side of the battlefield. She felt like screaming and throwing up in the same moment because on every part of this sandy and damp field were people that she cared for fighting against others she cared for just as much. She realised then more than ever that she had no allegiances to either the Light or Dark and that there was no way for her to walk out of this without losing someone extremely important to her.

Raven witnessed the devastation from her hidden vantage, sorrow and regret overwhelming her. All this destruction could have been avoided, had trust and loyalty prevailed over fear and doubt. But the die was cast, the tournament's cruel machinery now unstoppably in motion.

She only prayed that next time, the bonds of friendship would prove stronger than the temptation to sacrifice those you love for your own salvation.

As chaos raged across the battlefield, Viper pursued Raven through the twisting back corridors of the arena, his steps uncertain. He kept thinking about what Silver and Leech told him. If Raven died, they were all going to be free. Though his teammates seemed ready to sacrifice their dragon friend, doubt kept Viper's hand from delivering a lethal blow.

Rounding a corner, he came face to face with Raven, her eyes wide and pleading. Viper hesitated, snake sword trembling in his grip. A bolt of energy shot through his chest, and his serpent-like eyes rolled up so that only the whites of his were visible.

Viper collapsed to reveal Tinkerbell hovering above him, malice etched on her face.

"Pathetic traitor," she spat at Viper's prone form before turning towards Raven with a smile on her face. She didn't like Raven, but she was on her team, and that meant she was not going to let anyone mess with her team. She still had the hope that if the Light won, she'd get to reunite with Sabre on the other side.

Raven rushed to her fallen friend, burns marring his body. "Why are you doing this?" she sobbed desperately. "Just stop!"

With mocking laughter, Tinkerbell said, "You're defending him. He tried to kill you! I'm really trying not to think of you as an idiot right now for Angelica's sake but you're making it difficult right now. Also, we don't have time for this shit. We need to make sure nobody gets close to Angelica."

Across the arena, the carnage raged on, friend against friend, no cry for peace or mercy rising above the din.

Viper lay unmoving, loyal to the end despite his doubts. How many more would fall today?

Above it all, Artemis watched, immortal eyes devoid of pity. The tournament ground on, impartial and unrelenting. Only sacrifice would see its end.

Raven choked back bitter tears. The day's first blood had washed the arena floor, more yet to spill. She only prayed her own life would suffice to end the senseless slaughter.

It was the sole hope left to cling to amidst the spreading darkness and despair.