Salvador raises his hands and yells, "Go!" as all the teams race past him to get to the first obstacle.

The Wall.

Salvador followed along in a golf cart and talked through our efforts.

"Obstacle One— The Wall", he says, his voice projecting off microphones that sounded like they were everywhere at once, "Is a straightforward task. All you need to do is get to the top and then down again, which is easier said than done when said wall is moving like it's on fire. One teammate who falls down the Wall results in the whole team starting from the beginning— despite whatever obstacle other teammates may be on. Completion of this task is three points per contestant."

I see Danial in the lead, running ahead of us and all the other teams. He reaches the Wall and quickly drops to all fours screaming, "Step on me and get yourself on the wall!"

Hana doesn't hesitate, she keeps running and jumps onto his back and then the Wall, her hand grabbing hold. She gives out a triumph squeal but loses balance as the Wall moves, bringing her feet back onto Danial.

He lets out a grunt but makes no more indication to get her to hurry up. I reach them and watch Hana try again, feeling somewhat relieved to see that the other teams are struggling just as we are. The Wall was divided into markers, and it looked like no one made it past the first one yet.

"Olivia!"

I turn back to see Hana, who made it to the marker— which was just a dent in the Wall to allow for sitting. She gestures for me to go.

Stepping onto Danials back, I look up to see where I can place my hands or feet.

Seeing it from this angle, I can understand why Danial gave us a boost. I don't think I can make it from here, let alone if I had to try from the ground.

My hand latches onto a small indent on the rocky surface, and I hoist myself up with my non-existing core strength when I'm suddenly flush against the hard brick. The Wall moves perpendicular to the floor, both me and Hana screaming as we try to keep our grip. After some time, it rearranges itself and I flail my feet until they land on Danials back again. Hana has to pull herself up since just seconds ago she was dangling.

She leans down to hold out her hand to me, her face twisted in concentration as her hair kept slapping her face. Grabbing her hand, she pulls me up.

She smiles at me as appreciation, and I wordlessly hand her an extra ponytail I have with me. Hair can be a jerk, there no doubt about it.

We both turn around to signal Cedrick to come. Just by looking at him, you could tell that his initial fear had multiplied. "I can't," he says. "I can't"

He shakes his hands restlessly as he looks over to the other teams. I also turn to see them and notice with slight annoyance that we are relatively neck and neck. A few people were even ahead of us, though they were without their teams.

"Get up man!" Danial screams, craning his neck to see.

Cedrick seems to be hyperventilating as he watches the teams pass us.

We're only at the first marker, I thought solemnly as I watch yet another person pass us. We still need to get to the top and make it to the other side.

"Oh for goodness sake" Danial mutters as he gets up and with perfect precision and timing, jumps up to mine and Hanas level. All in one move.

He turns to Hana and says, "Pass as many as possible. Just keep going". She nods, and both of them turn and continue up the Wall at a faster pace now that they relieved themselves of me and Cedrick.

"What do I do?" I yell at them.

"Don't fall", comes my reply. I roll my eyes. Had that been out of kindness, I would have appreciated it, but it's because they don't want to start at the beginning.

Salvador's voice breaks through saying, "A race between Alasus and Griffin, who will finish first? Oh, and would you look at that— two Phonix players appear and are making a mad dash to the next Obstacle. And would you look at that turn of events, the Phonix finished first! That's six points for Phoenix and Alasus and three for Griffin and Siren. Team Blak has a whopping nine points! But it does makes you wonder, where are the rest of their teams?"

I feel a sigh escaping my lips as I see many of the missing teammates in places like mine. Dents. Hideaways. Covers.

Just wherever they were disposed of.

I hear the buzzing of the cameras, and without looking up, I know that it's us that showing on the big screen.

We were all trying not to fall as the Wall continued to move dangerously. No one wanted to be the reason their team had to start again.

During the first games, I thought that the trials helped bridge the differences between the two types. Now I can only see it widening the gap.

Determination creeping up my bones, I look down to face Cedrick as I say, "Come on, get up here. Let's at least try to finish the Wall".

Cedrick shakes his head no, but upon seeing my face, he gets up rather reluctantly and takes hesitant steps.

He doesn't need Danials back for the boost, seeing how tall he is, but the weird movement of the wall makes it so that he could not latch his foot onto anything easily.

Once securing his foot, he hoists himself up and tightens his hold as he places his hand on a narrow gap, holding on for dear life as the wall tilts from side to side.

"Come on Cedrick", I say, reaching below to grab his hands. "You can do this."

His hands struggle to find mine, but eventually, they meet, and I clasp both of my hands on his and pull him up— or at least try to anyway.

Heaving him up, my hands clamp up and I let go as I hear him scream. "Sorry", I say. "My bad."

He tries to glare at me but the fear on his face makes it seem not as scary as he was going for. We try again, this time faster in the hopes of getting him up here before the Wall moves again.

We lie on the floor panting heavily as we burst into laughter.

"I just climbed a deathtrap", he said, wiping tears from his eyes.

I laughed along, feeling giddy with relief and success.

Cedrick gets up and holds out his hand, helping me up.

"Well..." I say.

"Well," he replies.

"You did it!" I say, bouncing on my feet.

He scratches his neck, but his smile shows off his proudness. He points up and says, "Since we're on a roll, you wanna try going higher?"

A huge smile breaks out across my face.

"Hell yeah!"

And we begin to fly.

☆☆☆

We ignore Salvador's comments on how far people have gotten as we reach the final marker on this one side.

"I never thought", Cedrick heaves. "I would ever do something like this".

"Me" pant, "either", I say.

We rest on this marker for a while before attempting the journey down, dangling our legs as we sit and enjoy the view of success.

It had been a slow and tiring process, but we were halfway there. All that's left is too down, and that seems like light work compared to what we just did. Biking up a hill is always more difficult than biking down.

Cedrick stands and in an instant is flying down the Wall as the tilt forces him to fall. I scream as the movement causes me to stumble as well.

Before I have the chance to follow him down, I grip onto the rock and keep a tight hold of it until I can pull myself up. I stay dangling for what felt like hours but was likely minutes as I wait for the Wall to move back. Slowly, it started to tilt until it was perpendicular to the floor, and I let out a relieved breathe as I swing my legs up and allow my arms to rest.

Once I'm in a safe position again, I crane my head to see where Cedrick is. We were a high way up, and a fall from this height could be fatal.

A huge sigh of relief escapes me as I see him wave up at me. He was on the ground, which was covered in pillows— I guess they were prepared for this possibility. A coordinator sat beside Cedrick helping him. After sending him off the field, he spoke into his walky-talky. Minutes later, Salvador's voice is rippling through the yard.

"That is time for today. No team got to the end. Black won, as they got the furthest with the most points, then Allusus, followed by Griffin and Siren with Phonix coming as last". The crowd 'boos' and screams, saying that he's wrong.

He shushes them and says, "One Phonix member fell from the Wall. That would have resulted in having to begin from the start, but since we have no time, they have lost".

From my distance, I could see the teams returning.

I could see Hana and Danial.

They were covered in sweat, mud, and seaweed.

Their clothes were ripped and blooded.

They looked like they were limping.

And they were walking with murder on their faces.