The Last of the Firedrakes...Or so We Thought

Chapter 28: The Barrel Games

I'm strapped in leathers - fighting leathers - when Noctis knocks on my door. I open it and he is leaning against the door frame. He looks me up and down, rather shamelessly, and the corner of his lips tug up. He hands me a dark leather knife holster. I look up at him before taking it.

I slip my legs through the straps and buckle it around my waist. I walk towards the bed and push the corner of the mattress up, starting to load my personal knives in the holster.

Noctis grabs my pearl handle throwing knife and rotates it in his hand.

I snatch it back and slip it into my boot.

"You know it's funny." Noctis smiled from where he leans against the canopy post. "How these knives bring you into better spirits."

I shrug, "I always feel better with my blades at my side."

He laughs, a deep happy sound. I almost smile. Almost.

"Where are we going?"

He holds out his gloved hands. "You will see."

I hesitate before taking it.

. . .

Our feet touch down on the cold, slippery ice. We both land rather gracefully.

"You brought me to a wasteland?" I whirl on him, anger bubbling in my throat.

Nothing but cold, colorless ice and snow surround us. It's all I can see for miles.

"Well, yes." He starts walking, leaving me behind.

I throw my hands up. I have two options, I can stand here in the cold or follow him to his mysterious destination. I follow grumbling to myself.

"This better be good!" I yell from behind him.

"It is!"

"I should be at home sleeping!"

He stops then, turns to me, "Home?"

I trudge past him mumbling, "Don't get any ideas."

I can almost feel him smiling behind me.

"What the hell is this?" We had come to the top of a hill, looking down on, well, I'm not sure what this is.

"This, Danica darling, is the playground for all things cruel. Welcome to the Barrel Games."

It was truly beautiful. A large circle was cleared in the ice, it was obvious work of mages. It was as if this area was immune to the weather.

The wind burns my cheeks.

Men, all I see is men. They crowd outside the dome, the gates appearing to be closed.

Inside the dome is what is impressive. Everything someone like me could imagine is set up. Targets, climbing walls, tables of food and wine, racks of weapons, every weapon you can imagine.

"You might wants to close your mouth or you will start catching flies." Noctis quips.

I clamp my jaw shut, "This-this is good. This is very, very good."

A laugh. "You don't even know what it is."

Shaking my head, I say, "Whatever it is, I want in."

"It is a competition for the most elite con artists, thieves, assassins, poison masters, you name it they are here. They compete in mini-competitions to determine who the best of the best are. The final few face off in the end."

I'm bouncing on the balls on my feet. "Can we go now?"

We walk down together, there a men in brown vests guarding the gates. Mages. They must keep the criminals from killing each other when they go on a furious rampage after losing an event.