How the hell am I going to get a flag like this...?
I looked to my left at the girl, but she was already gone. I assumed she was amongst the chaos surrounding the mast.
I circled around the mast a few times, trying to form a path of attack. I knew I was wasting too much time, but there was nothing I could do without being trampled into a pancake.
"AAAAAAND THAT'S THE FIRST FLAG! NINETEEN LEFT TO CLAIM, FOLKS!"
Damn, I'm running out of time!
The other contestants were slowly but surely scaling the mast. The real challenge was overpowering the other contestants and preventing them from grabbing flags.
I didn't even know how I would climb it, and that was minus the dozens of people competing with me.
The mast was completely covered in grease. I wasn't an avid climber, and there were no footholds.
"SIXTEEN FLAGS LEFT TO CLAIM, IT'S GETTING DANGEROUS NOW!"
Think think think! Can I fly up to the top? I can't risk getting disqualified for using magic. I don't want my identity revealed either...
"TWELVE FLAGS LEFT TO CLAIM!"
Nearly half of the flags had been claimed, and I hadn't moved from my spot in the sand.
Wait, I've got it!
I snuck past all the commotion, trying to get contact with the bottom of the mast. Even if I could touch it for only a moment, that was all I'd need.
What was it again...?
I managed to slip past a group of people brawling and made contact with the mast.
"Ta... damn! Why can't I remember..!?"
Suddenly, a hand grabbed my shirt from behind, throwing me away from the mast.
"Little brat thought he could sneakily grab a flag while everyone was distracted, huh?"
The huge man was running at me. He looked happy to find some easy prey.
Why the hell is he attacking me!? Shouldn't he focus on getting a flag, what's the use in beating me up!?
"Calm down, we can talk about this!"
"Yeah, right! Don't resist or I'll have to make it harder for you!"
He jumped at me. I rolled between his legs and started running for the mast. I felt him grab at my hair, pulling me off the ground.
"No running for you, little boy."
Creep!
I kicked off his face and continued to run for the mast. He chased me, though he wasn't so fast in the sand.
I finally reached the brawl at the base of the mast, though the man wasn't far behind me.
I turned around to face him.
Just a little closer and—
I lunged at his legs, using his momentum to topple him over. His face slammed into the mast, but I knew it wouldn't keep him down for long.
That's it!
"Tân...!" I whispered, facing the man and the mast.
Embers sparkled from my palm, igniting the mast into a fiery pillar. The grease made the fire spread almost instantly, causing all contestants that were actually climbing it to jump in pain.
Everyone was in awe at the spectacle, and the audience was the quietest they'd been the entire game.
I saw the mast start to teeter back and forth, and I ran away from the base.
Yes!
The mast started to fall in the direction I was running.
If I can just grab the black flag right after it falls, victory is mine!
"LOOK AT THAT FOLKS, THE MAST IS COMING DOWN IN FLAMES! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY SUCH A THING HAS HAPPENED... IS THIS ALLOWED!? WHO WAS IT THAT SET IT ON FIRE!?"
The mast cracked as it rushed towards the ground. A few people were pinned beneath the wooden pillar as it fell, and were screaming for help.
I wasn't there to help them, though. I ran to the top of the mast, searching for the black flag.
But it wasn't there.
What...!? How! I'm sure no one climbed all the way to the top, I was watching the entire time!
In the corner of my eye, I saw the masked girl, Miracle. She was far away, long detached from the games.
Did she give up? After all that talk...? No, she didn't!
In her hands was a small black cloth. The black flag.
Damn it!
Taking my loss, I hurriedly grabbed a normal white flag before the mast was swarmed by the rest of the contestants.
"AND THAT'S IT FOLKS! ALL TWENTY FLAGS HAVE BEEN CLAIMED... WHAT AN EVENTFUL MAST CLIMB! WE'LL SEE YOU FOLKS IN TEN MINUTES FOR THE NEXT EVENT!"
The crowd cheered, dispersing to use the restroom and grab snacks. I fell to the sand, sitting and admiring the water.
I did it. I managed to get past the first game.
But that was only the first of many. To be exact, there were eight more games to go. Two more in this section, then a forty minute break before the next section.
"Linnie! Linnie!"
I walked over to the stands. We were separated by a gate, Liora and I.
"Don't call me that while I'm wearing this, you'll blow my cover!"
"Sorry. What's your name now? Whiner?"
"Winner. I'm Winner. What do you want?"
"You did good! I was surprised, you were sitting there in the sand for nearly the entire time! I thought you were screwed when I saw the challenge. But how'd you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Light the mast on fire. That was you, wasn't it?"
"Heh... it was a spell."
"Whaaaat!? You know a fire spell? Teach me!"
I feel like I told this to her before...
"Yes. But it's too advanced for you, so wait until Alwyn teaches you himself."
Yeah right... I just don't want her lighting things on fire.
"Awww... do you know what the next challenge is?"
"Not a clue. It's worrying, actually..."
"I overheard from someone in the crowd that it'll probably be in the water this time. Something to do with a net, I think?'
I wonder how reliable random, overheard crowd information is... but thanks I guess.
"Alright, thanks for telling me. I've got to go back now, see you later!" I waved her off and ran back to the rest of the contestants.
"THREE MINUTES! GET BACK TO YOUR SEATS OR MISS THE SHOW!"
I observed the masked girl. She was speaking to two, large, professional men in the stands.
Are those her bodyguards or something?
They nodded at whatever she told them and ran off. She then came over to the rest of us, lingering in the back.
"WELCOME BACK, AUDIENCE! FOR THIS SECOND GAME, A FAN FAVORITE FROM LAST YEAR, THE NET OF KNIVES!"
The crowd screamed in excitement.
So loud... for what?
"FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR, THE NET OF KNIVES IS THE FIRST WATER ACTIVITY OF TODAY. CONTESTANTS HAVE TO RACE ACROSS A SWINGING NET SUSPENDED OVER THE SHARP ROCKY RAPIDS ON OUR BEAUTIFUL COAST!"
The crowd cheered.
"Wait... I'm forgetting something, aren't I? THAT'S RIGHT! THE NET IS MADE WITH SPECIALLY CRAFTED ROPE, WOVEN WITH SHARP GLASS AND KNIVES! THAT'S RIGHT, DON'T FALL ONTO THE NET OR YOU'LL BE ALL CUT UP! Ouch..."
We followed the announcer up the suspended platform. Tied between this and another platform was a large, unstable net.
Water crashed on large, jagged rocks beneath. It was clear that, even though this was framed as a race, this was just going to be another brawl.
The contestants were already cracking their knuckles and picking fights.
"Hey, kid, you should probably drop out."
A large woman knelt down to speak with me. It was kind of embarrassing that she had to kneel...
"What? Why?"
"The last one was difficult, but... this one's deadly. I really don't want to see a kid die today."
"Do people usually die in these competitions?" I asked.
"So you're not from here? It's practically a given. At least a quarter of the contestants here right now won't make it out alive."
What!? That's way worse than I originally thought...!
"Why do you care if I die? That's just less competition for you."
"What? I'm an athlete, not a monster. Why would I want to see a cute little kid like you die?"
She looked down at me with a sweet, pitiful look.
"I don't need your concern. I'll be fine."
"Hm. Alright then, I'll believe in you!" she slapped my back, nearly sending me into the water.
"Mm," I nodded.
I looked at the masked girl, who was being given a few items for her retrieval of the black flag.
Her advantage seemed to be a pair of padded leather gloves and shin guards.
How is that supposed to help in a race? She must be pretty disappointed. Serves her right...!
"ON YOUR MARKS. GET SET. GOOOOO!!!!!!!"
Once again I was shoved backwards onto my rear. I was an easy target.
He didn't even tell us how many people can pass to the next round...?
I got up and once again observed the game. People were already fighting on the net, wrestling on the sharp net and trying to throw each other into the water.
Well, now that I see it, this is pretty simple, isn't it? Why don't I just... climb underneath the net?
Yes, the net was sharp. If I climbed under normally, I'd die of blood loss before I ever reached the end. But if I had some protection on my hands...
Oh! That's why they gave her gloves...!
I scanned the net for the masked girl climbing, and as I guessed, she was already halfway to the end, completely undetected.
I slipped off my shirt, and held it in front of me.
Sorry, shirt! I just bought you, but I'm already destroying you...
I ripped the shirt in half and wrapped my hands. Because of the cheap quality, I was worried it wouldn't be thick enough to protect me.
I looked around for anything I could use as extra padding. That's when I was swept off my feet.
Damn it! Not again!
Another person had decided I was easy pickings. He wasn't too large, and looked like a real scummy guy.
"Look what we have here! A little kid trying to play with the grown-ups! Do I need to teach you a lesson, huh?!"
I rolled away from his kicks.
I can take him! My training with Alwyn hasn't been for nothing!
I got up and he took a swing at me, clipping my chin.
Shit... he has a strong punch.
I readied my stance and started to weave between his strikes. I wouldn't win in a physical battle. Not if I fought like him.
So I fought like a beast.
I slid between his legs and jumped onto his back, clawing at his face and neck.
"WHADDAFUCK! GET OFF ME YOU CRAZY BRAT!"
The man grabbed me from his back and slammed me into the ground, sending a shock through my body.
Shit...
He lifted me off the ground again and held me over the water.
"This is for our saint, you prying bastard."