~  ~  ~  ~
"Welcome to the last round! We have our two final teams. This final round you have to find as many flags as you can and hold onto them. The team with the most flags at the end of half an hour wins. You can do whatever you need to do to get them. The only thing you cannot do is hurt an opponent beyond what they can bear."

​I look across to our opponents. I learned after the first round, when they were fastest, that Jezebel and Angel were in fact on the same team. I think they might be step-sisters. I wasn't really surprised that they made it to the finals. Their team was strong.

​"Good luck!" I give a genuine smile and so do my teammates.

​"Good luck to you, too!" Angel says and Jezebel agrees.

​We all line up and get ready to start the match.

​"Ready, set, transform!"

​Then a few seconds later, "Ready, set, begin!"

​"How should we split up?" I ask.

​"Let's each search for flags separately and meet again later," Nolan suggests and we all head off.

​I'm guessing each one will have their own way of getting the flags. Nolan's invisibility will be very useful in this round. I can imagine him sneaking around the best.

One of the flags I find is stuck to the very top of a tree, so I have to climb up to get it. Another is underwater so I have to hold my breath and swim to get it.

After I gather a few of the flags, I run into a jungle like area of the forest. I have a feeling one of the flags is hidden here somewhere. I catch my breath and continue walking around. My heart races at the chance to find another flag. I start looking up, to the side, under, in, and above everything.

Towering trees surround the clearing and block a few spots from the sun. Large vines hang across from each tree. The dirt is almost covered with fallen leaves.

I continue to make my way through the area when I suddenly slip. I start to fall, fall, fall, deep into the endless looking pit.

"Here Emmy, this is a gift for you."
Kaitlin presents me with a beautiful bracelet, one that I know I will treasure. It has a teardrop jewel in the middle.

"Why a teardrop?" I curiously ask, examining the bracelet.

"Because it has a special meaning to me. It's like Teardrop Island. Look, I have a matching one!"

"Oooh! Yay! We match!" I giggle and put the bracelet on.

"Here, let me help you."

"Come and get me!" I shriek and run through the grass we were previously sitting on.

"I'm coming!" Kaitlin gets up and follows me.

I let out a cheerful laugh and run faster, playing a game of chase.

"Kaitie! Over here! Try to catch me!"

I quickly snap back into reality and frantically reach for a few of the vines. I grab onto them and hold onto them for dear life. I dangle over the humongous hole and start to panic. The only thing I can think of is starting to climb, but it's hard with a sword in your hand. I throw my sword above me onto the ground and look around, calming myself down.

"You'll be ok Emily. All you have to do is get out of this, this, this thing. You have the vines on your side." The old habit comes out again as I begin swinging back and forth. "Almost ther--what?" By swinging back and forth, a flag comes into view. It's wedged between a couple of the branches and I wouldn't have been able to see it if I hadn't been there.

"Oh! Yay!" I chirp and wish I could just get up there and grab it. A few moments later, I am swinging at full speed. Using the momentum, I push up into a flip and land on the soft earth.

On my way, I grab the flag. Relieved, I pick up my sword and gather my flags that are scattered across the ground. I stand triumphantly and begin to walk.

I feel relieved, but that doesn't last long when I hear a shrill cry. Lilly!

~ ~ ~ ~
​I immediately run towards the cry. The scene before me is terrible. Lilly has been attacked with many arrows on her arms and legs. I see her grasping several flags while sprawled on the ground.

"Lilly!" I run over to her to assist her. She gives me the flags and I try to help her up.

​"Don't you dare touch her while I get my revenge," an all too familiar voice says, pointing an arrow at me.

​"Why did you do this? She doesn't deserve this!" I cry and raise my hands to surrender. Why haven't Nolan and Hunter gotten here yet?

​I hear the rustling of bushes and look behind me. I sigh in relief as they walk towards us but that doesn't last long as I notice two of the other teammates holding them captive so that they are unable to move. I notice that Nolan isn't invisible. It must be due to the fact that we are surrounded by dirt, making it easy to spot him again.

​"Angel?" Jezebel says as she looks at her step-sister pointing an arrow at the girl. "What are you doing?" she asks more panicked, seeming just as confused as I am. She probably didn't know what her step-sister was scheming.

​"This stupid girl's grandmother ruined my grandmother's dream of winning the competition. Ever since then she has been miserable and now I want to fulfill her dream of winning and getting revenge," Angel cackles evilly and shoots another arrow at Lilly.

​"Aaaahhh!" Lilly cries in pain and passes out, the second time I've seen her lose consciousness.

​"Why?" I whisper quietly. "Why!? We've done nothing to harm you or deserve this! Let her go! I'll do whatever you say!" I cry, louder than before, looking at my unconscious friend on the ground.

​Is this how it's going to end? Is this the moment it all ends?

​"Oh, Emily. Just give me the winning flags, and all will be fine. Look, time's almost up!" she wickedly laughs, pointing another arrow at her. I then realize that I have the most flags out of everyone.

​"Never! I have to keep my promise! I will keep my promise!" I clutch the flags and look around me. I hear the rustling of my teammates, my new friends, standing behind me with grim faces. All of our focus is on saving our fourth member. Still on the ground.
​The next part goes so fast.

​Jezebel leaps out in front of her sister, grabbing her bow and arrow as Angel shoots one more. I see the arrow come towards me and I hear Hunter and Nolan shout. I clasp onto the flags as tightly as I can and close my eyes as everything turns black. The last thing I remember is Angel lunging towards me with her arms extended, trying to take the flags.

The time runs out and the buzzer sounds.

"It appears the winners of the annual Talenters Open are......"

~ ~ ~ ~
​Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. I slowly open my eyes, confused, and observe my surroundings. I am lying on a white bed in a white room. I have a cord attached to me.

​"The doctor said you passed out from fatigue, and you were shot in the arm. Let the IV finish dripping and then you can get up. It's a good thing it wasn't too deep," Nolan says to me explaining my situation. "Lilly on the other hand..."

​"What about Lilly? How is she?" I ask worriedly abruptly sitting up, wincing when I feel a sudden sharp pain on my arm. The last time I saw her she was unconscious.

​"She didn't suffer major injuries and that's good, but she did lose a lot of blood and is still recovering in a different room. Hunter is with her," he says and I sigh with relief, lying back down.

​That's good. I pause. Wait. "Nolan, did we win or lose? What happened to the flags?"

He gets up and walks over to the door. "Let it finish dripping then come to Lilly's room next door."

​I sigh and fiddle with my bracelet.

~ ~ ~ ~
​"Lilly! Are you ok?" I run over to hug her.

​"I'm fine. Just a few bandages and I have to stay here for recovery," she says like it's no big deal.

​"Yeah, she's perfectly fine," Hunter says sarcastically and gets smacked in the arm again.

​"A few? Fine? You were hurt bad Lilly. The wounds were pretty deep. I mean, an arrow is sharp," I say questioning her. "Angel was a crazy maniac hungry for revenge. Even when the person she was mad at wasn't you."

​"That I can agree with," Lilly says crossing her arms. I wonder if it's painful. Hmm.

​"Who would've thought," Nolan states and Hunter nods in agreement.

​"If anything, I would've thought it was her overly cheerful step sister Jezebel," I say.

​"Yep, totally," everyone agrees.

​"Anyway, I came in to ask you guys how we did at the tournament. I remember her diving for the flags, but what happened afterwards?"

​They all look at each other and seem to be having a silent conversation, then look at me.

​Lilly looks at me and smiles. "She didn't get the flags in time. Thank you for keeping your promise."

~ ~ ~ ~

All that's left is the prologue! Thanks to those who stuck with it 'till now!

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