Strike Team Two

Hector, exhausted, stood over the Minator’s body, the roar from the crowd was immense and he let the noise wash over him. He looked up and saw his team tired but celebrating. He looked to his right where Quinn stood and was surprised to see that he was not smiling. ‘We won Quinn’ shouted Hector.

‘No Hec, we have three more rounds at least. This is not enough for us to survive the winter’

Reality descended on Hector. This was fun, but there was a higher purpose to entering this competition and it was not about the high of beating a round. Hector cursed Quinn in his mind, always sensible, practical, fun was not something that factored into his life. It wasn't a surprise to Hector, as Quinn was from the mountain people, they knew little of fun, very serious, but ferocious warriors. Quinn, however much of a killjoy was Hector's right hand man, and he was the one who was going to keep Hector focused to lead this group through. As the roar began to die down, Hector raised his voice ‘Ok team, gather up, we have two minutes to prepare for the FireBird.

The FireBird was a difficult round that few passed, even those teams with the skills and coordination to conquer the Minator would fall at the Fire Bird. The FireBird was a giant bird, spreading eight or nine meters in wingspan. Its beauty was un-rivaled. It had great plumage that burned bright in orange and red. Hector had watched previous teams take on the FireBird earlier. He had watched as it would circle the arena, spitting fire sporadically, setting things alight. Occasionally it would dislocate its shoulders and dive like an arrow at a competitor, pulling up just in time and spreading its wings again. No one would survive this attack.

Hector's team was beginning to gather around him in a circle waiting for the light beams to take them down whilst the arena was magically changed. As he felt the beam of light freeze him, he let his mind consider what they were about to enter. An arena in deepest darkness, the only light coming from the FireBird. This was frustrating as the team would need the light to complete the arena, however they would also not want to attract the harshest enemy towards them. The aim of this round would be to find the tail feathers of the FireBird, which were scattered around the arena. The issue was that if a player found a tail feather this would attract the attention of the FireBird. There were three tail feathers, which would light up the moment they were touched. These feathers were scattered throughout the arena, however the arena was right at this moment transforming into a maze above them. The players would have to get through the maze. The maze would be different for every team, so there was no advantage to watching previous teams. Alongside the FireBird there would be more goblins and also Harpies coming down upon them. If the team could get all three of the tail feathers to the FIreBird, then it would switch allegiance and help the team get through the maze. It was not going to be easy.

A deep voice broke through Hectors thoughts ‘I don't want us to get distracted with those feathers Hec’ Quinn was stripping his armour quickly and donning some light weight leather armour instead. Still breathing heavily from the previous round.

‘Things will be so much easier if we can get that firebird on our side Quinn’

‘I agree with Quinn, Hector’ interjected Chase. Being outnumbered was not where Hector wanted to be.

‘Its not the goal, I agree, but if we can do it, if the opportunity presents itself then we go for it. Otherwise, yes we use them to light the pathway.’ Both Quinn and Chase looked calmed by this ‘Listen up team, get ready we don't have much time. He looked over Hattie was pulling moss off her leg, and Leo was restocking his vials from the store. Others were examining bruises and Chase was strapping a bandage roughly to the top of his left arm. Hector looked up, there was little time left before they were sent back in, he didn't have time to give a rousing speech or re-coordinate tactics. ‘Get ready team!’ he called as the noise from above begun to grow louder again with excitement from the crowd. The team scrambled back to the light beams. ‘We only need three team members through, you remember your sub teams. Don’t get distracted. Here we go’

The beams descended again in the usual circle. The team stepped forward into their own lights. Hector took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he felt his mind soar upwards. When Hector opened his eyes again, he initially couldn't see anything. Cursing quietly under his breath as he didn't realise just how dark the arena would be, but it was as if there were no crowd at all. The arena was silent.

‘Hec?’ came a deep slow voice.

‘Here Quinn’

‘This is darker than I imagined’

‘I cant do this Hec’ came a panicked voice.

‘Let your eyes adjust everyone, just hold still for a moment’

Everyone started talking over each other.

‘Quiet!’ demanded Hector. The team fell into silence. ‘Gather to me, and keep your voices down’ as he finished his sentence, a very low deep ruminating sound began overhead. A slight glow in the distance. Hector could feel his team gather close, looking up the glow became steadily brighter, and a rhythmic beating sound low and slow was approaching. As the light got brighter he could see around him his team staring upwards. Fear gripped him, he knew what this was, but he had not thought about how intimidating the arena would feel, or just how dark and silent it would be. At that moment a giant bird burst over the roof of the arena. It let out a screech that seemed to pierce to his very soul, the screech seemed to go on for eternity as is glided ominously overhead. Hattie let out a scream at the same time and fell to the ground. Astor grabbed her arm and dragged her to the closest wall, drawing his bow he aimed up at the bird, guarding Hattie with his back to her. Thankfully Quinn got there quickly and pushed his bow to the side.

‘You’ll give up our position Astor, get your head straight’ Roughly Quinn grabbed the back of his neck and forced his eyes to look at his. As the bird illuminated Astor's face Hector could see the fear in his eyes. ‘It’s not real Astor.’ Said Quinn firmly, they were nose to nose. Astor breathing heavily with adrenaline.’It’s not real’.

‘Split into your teams.’ said Hector, quiet enough to not attract the attention of the bird, but his team could hear every word. ‘The bird will provide us with enough light’. The giant bird was circling round, and let out a second screech that distracted his teams attention. The noise was like nothing Hector could describe, it seemed to vibrate his very soul. This time however there was another sound, scurrying, scratching and a faster paced wing beat.

‘Harpies!’ called Tilly, Hector could hear the panic in her voice.

‘On your feet Hat!’ said Hector addressing Hattie, who was cowering on the floor behind Astor. ‘We split, three sub teams, chose a path, protect each other. Come on let's go’

Hector had sent Chase and Quinn to head up two of the teams, he would take the third. Hector walked past chase patting him hard on the back on his way past to show his confidence in him, then Hauled Hattie to her feet. The bird circled overhead again and he could see the panic in her. ‘With Quinn Hattie’ he said ‘Your sword is strong, reach from that ferocious heart you have.’ She nodded and located Quinn and headed over to him. ‘Astor, keep your head, wheres Leo?’

‘Right here Hec, I've got my daggers’

‘That's great Leo’ Hector searched in the half light, the great stone walls of the maze towered high above them, casting long shadows when the bird flew over and adding to the intimacy of the maze. He saw Chase take Tilly and Marlon and head towards a path on the left. Quinn raised his short sword to Hector and then lead Archer and Hattie to the path straight ahead. ‘I guess we are going right then’ said Hector. ‘Come on Astor, let's get moving’. Plunging head first down the path to the right, he could hear Astor and Leo’s footsteps behind him. Trying not to think about the screech that the firebird was making. He concentrated his mind on the maze. The darkness made it so hard to see, every now and then when the bird was close he would get a good glimpse at the path ahead, and it wasn't long until his sprint had turned into a walk. Soon a fork in the path came up, Hector stopped.

‘We should go left’ suggested Leo

‘There’s no guarantee that that path will actually head towards the exit’

‘I know that, but we have a choice, right or left, we don’t know which direction either will take us, but we know that the exit is left. I say we should go left’

Without a better suggestion Hector agreed. For a good five minutes the three of them walked, making a choice every now and then as to go right or left, but nothing happened. The deeper the went, the more lost Hector felt, the walls all looked identical and they could be going in circles for all he knew. Not only that but they had not met any enemy yet. No Harpie had descended and no creature had snuck up on them. Hector turned to Astor and Leo to re-evaluate what they were doing, and just as he was about to speak he heard a faint scream that could only be Tilly. High pitched and terrible.

‘Tilly!’ Whispered Astor.

‘We can't help her Astor, we have to keep our heads.’ The faint clashing of swords was coming from the same direction and the three of them stood still feeling helpless. As the noise died down Astor spoke.

‘We need to keep going, we need three people through the maze right Hec?’

‘Yes’

‘Then let’s make it us, and let’s make it fast’

Hector thought about the feathers, it seemed stupid now to think that he would send his team to search for them in this environment. They had no hope of finding three and getting them to the bird. ‘Agreed Astor, we are making choices randomly at the moment. I have no idea if we are headed towards the exit or not’

‘If we could get above the walls we could see which way to go’ said Leo.

‘And how are we going to do that? Have you see the size of these walls?’ asked Astor mockingly.

‘I have Astor, but I've also brought a grapple hook with me.’ Leo detached a thick rope with a grapple on the end. Hector smiled Leo was a good climber too.

‘Ok lets try it’ said Hector. Astor and Hector watched as Leo swung his grapple a few times before it connected and felt strong enough to hold his weight. He began to climb the rope, quickly at first but slowed after his footing slipped sending him sprawling into the wall. As they watched a scratching noise brought their attention back to ground level. Hector barely had time to lift his sword before the goblins were round the corner and on him. An arrow came whistling past his ear and landed squarely between the eyes of the first one. He drove his sword hard into the second and within a split second he was in the middle of the affray. Astor lost his bow to the ground, pounding with a short sword into the fight. Above them Leo called down. When he had second Hector called ‘Keep climbing Leo’. the fight was over quickly, and in the silence Hectors fear came back. This noise will have attracted attention, and he hoped to not come face to face with a Harpie too quickly. As Astor felt around for his Bow, the low orange glow of the bird illuminated Leo who was now sat astride the top of the wall. Leo was guiding his own sight with his arm, memorising a route. A few minutes later he abseiled down again.

‘I might have to go back up a bit later, but I've seen the location of what I think is a feather. I also know which way to go for now’

‘Does the feather come in the same path we need to take’

‘It can do’

‘Leo, we need to not get distracted, I cant believe there is more than one path through this maze.’

‘I couldn't follow it through to the exit, its so dark, even up there Hec’ Hector cursed. Hope had filled him when he realised that Leo could get them an advantage of sight.

‘Ok, then lets get that feather. You ready Astor.’ Hector looked around. The outline of Astor was sat with his back to the wall. Hector swiftly moved to him and crouched down.

‘I’m fine, its just a scratch’ his voice was full of pain. Hector removed Astor's hand from his leg, and felt warm, sticky blood covering his thigh. Leo knelt down too and unscrewed a vial, he poured some green liquid into the wound.

‘I don’t have many vials on me Hector, I could only carry three with my daggers. That's the only heal I have, and these vials won’t offer complete healing.’’

‘That's great Leo, we will only need one’ Hector looked up at Leo. ‘Just show us which route to take. Can you walk Astor?’

‘I can walk Hec’

Hector fought the despair he felt, this maze was impossible. He only hoped that Quinn or Chase were making more headway.