Trigger warnings- Homophobia, a brief mention of spiders and swearing.

When Kaiden came out of the dressing room, Finley gasped. He was dressed in a suit which looked like nothing Finley had ever seen. It was black and covered in sequins. He was also wearing a white shirt with a metallic cyan tie. It looked incredible. Finley had to try hard not to kiss him there and then, but he didn't want to make Raven uncomfortable.

"You look amazing," Raven said.

"I look amazing all the time, Bird," Kaiden replied.

"Bird?" Finley repeated, questioningly.

"Bird is the nickname Kaiden gave me when we were kids. He said it once as a joke and it kind of stuck. He only uses it when our dad isn't around though, he hates it."

They said you're next, Bird," Kaiden said, changing the subject.

When Raven had gone, Kaiden sat next to Finley. He thought about asking him about what Raven had said. He was afraid that Kaiden really was taking him for a ride. Maybe he did still think he was a loser.

"Did you tell Raven what happened in the finale?" Kaiden asked.

"No," Finley replied, "but I do want to ask you something."

"You can ask me anything."

Finley told him all about what Raven had said.

When he'd finished, he said, "so, I guess what I'm getting at is, do you really like me, or is this all a lie as well?"

"Castel....Finley, listen, I would never lie about being in love with someone. Yeah, I lied about the firework, because I was scared of what you and Adri would think of me. I've hardly told anyone the truth about that and when I have, people say I'm evil or I have something wrong with me. Even...even my dad said that when he found out. Anyway, I'm not taking you for a ride, Finley, I am in love with you. I hope you don't hate me after finding out I lied, but I get it if you don't want to go on that date."

"No. I mean...I do still want to go. It's just....promise you won't lie to me again?"

"I promise. I wanted the Ceremony to be my chance to show people who I was outside of being Kaiden Lynch. I was in love with Lydia for years, and I thought I'd never find anyone like her. And I was right, I didn't."

Finley's heart shattered a little, before Kaiden continued, "I found you, and you are so much better."

Kaiden kissed him.

"So you two really are in love?" Raven asked from behind them.

Finley blushed a little as he pulled away. Then he looked at Raven's outfit. It was the exact opposite of Kaiden's. A cyan suit, covered in sequins with a black tie. It was bright, but Raven pulled it off perfectly.

"It's your turn, Finley," Raven said.

Finley stood up and walked into the dressing room. He really hoped that Kaiden liked his outfit, even if he didn't.

—-----

When Finley stepped out, Kaiden and Raven gasped. His outfit was nothing like theirs.

Finley's outfit was a pair of black trousers, a white shirt, which was complete with a cyan coloured sash and a fake sword. To complete the outfit, he wore a cyan cloak which was covered in sequins.

"You look...amazing," Kaiden said in awe.

"The prince to your dark knight," Raven teased, which earned him a punch in the arm from Kaiden.

One of the men came out of the dressing room.

"You will now meet up with the girls and prepare for your entrances," the man explained.

The three boys left the room and followed the man to another room.

Kaiden opened the door. The three of them were shocked by what they saw.

They noticed Adrielle's outfit first. A purple, full length gown with a golden sash across her right shoulder. Atop her head, she had a flower crown.

Reina's dress was identical in colour, but her dress was not full length and her sash ran across her left shoulder instead of her right.

Cadence's dress had a black bodice and a cyan flared skirt. She also had on a flower crown.

Cadence stared at Raven for a few moments. "Looking good, Raven," she said.

"Thanks," Raven replied, though it sounded insincere as he was staring at Adrielle.

A woman in a black jumpsuit appeared at the door. She must've been aiding the girls.

"You will now head towards the stadium for the celebration," she explained. "It has been decided that you will enter in pairs. Let us begin. Adrielle?"

Adrielle stepped forward as the woman continued, "you shall be entering with Raven."

Raven stepped forward and offered a hand to Adrielle. She looped her arm through his and the two of them left.

"Reina," the woman said.

Reina moved forward. She looked at Kaiden and smiled at him.

"You shall be entering with Finley," the woman continued.

Finley offered Reina a hand. It was only at this point that Kaiden realised who he had been paired up with.

"You are not being serious," he said.

"I'm not going out there with him," Cadence added.

"Your outfits have been designed to match who you would be entering with," the woman explained.

"I'm not entering the biggest event of my life with that gay freak!" Cadence shreeked.

"I don't really want to enter it with an ugly cow like you," Kaiden snapped back, "but we can't all get what we want, princess."

"Don't call me that, Lynch," Cadence hissed.

"It's not a compliment. It's because you're acting like a two year old."

"Can you please get a move on?" The woman asked, "the celebration is about to start. Can you at least pretend to like each other?"

Kaiden scowled, but he did put out his arm. Cadence grabbed it reluctantly.

—-----

"Our first pair of Champions. From the kingdom of Kyrah, Finley Castel, and his partner for this evening, Reina Madriga!"

The two of them descended the steps to the stage, to be met by Jasper Fernandez, who had hosted the celebration for the Champions for the past four Ceremonies. At only forty himself, he looked incredible in a rainbow suit. He shook Finley's hand and gave Reina a kiss on the hand before they both sat on one of the loveseats which had been set up for them.

So," Jasper said after they'd sat down, "Finley Castel, one of the first Champions Kyrah has ever had. How does it feel to have that honour?"

"Well, I'm thrilled that I actually managed to make it this far. I'm really proud of my friends for getting as far as they did, and the fact that I was a part of it is really just amazing."

"Now, we all want to know exactly what you thought of that kiss Adrielle gave you in the game. Will that lead anywhere?"

"I don't really feel that way about her," Finley replied. He didn't think Kaiden wanted to tell the whole country about them just yet.

"Let's go back to the beginning of the Ceremony. Kaiden. He treated you horribly for the first few days, and yet, when the time called for it, you didn't hesitate to offer for Adam to kill you so that Kaiden would survive. What was that?"

"Well, Kaiden isn't really as bad as everyone thinks. He's strong and brave, and he made me feel like I was actually worth something. I actually believed that if I had his help, Kyrah might have a Champion. Without him, I wouldn't be here."

"I'm sure we all want to hear what Adrielle thinks of all this, don't we?" Jasper asked.

The audience cheered and screamed as Jasper went on, "well, here they are! Adrielle Madriga from the kingdom of Astra and her partner for this evening, Raven Lynch!"

As Adrielle and Raven descended the steps, people threw flowers onto the stage. The cheers were incredible. Finley felt proud that Adrielle had made such a good impression.

Like before, Jasper gave Raven a handshake and kissed Adrielle's hand.

After they'd sat down, Jasper spoke, "Adrielle," he said. It was obvious that he was much more fond of Adrielle than he was of Finley. "That kiss you gave Finley, was it a goodbye kiss, or did you hope it would lead to something more?"

"Well, it was actually a little of both," Adri said, which earned a laugh from the audience. "I realised that my feelings for him were just in the heat of the moment though. He's not really my type."

"On day three, you abandoned the two boys from Kyrah. Why did you do that?"

"I was angry at Kaiden for how he was treating Finley," she explained.

The audience booed. Did they hate Kaiden that much? Finley wondered.

"He made up for it though, he's actually really thoughtful," Adri added.

"Really?" Jasper said, suspiciously, "well, let's hear from the man himself." The audience continued to boo as Jasper continued, "our final two Champions, from the kingdom of Kyrah, Kaiden Lynch and his partner for this evening, Cadence Castel!"

As Kaiden and Cadence came down the steps. People started throwing things again. Maybe they didn't hate Kaiden as much as Finley thought. It was only when someone threw a particularly bad shot that Finley realised that they weren't throwing flowers. They were throwing rotten fruits and vegetables.

—-----

"What exactly did you do that got them so riled up?" Cadence asked.

"I don't know," Kaiden replied, though he had a feeling that he did know.

After they sat down, Jasper smiled at them.

"So, Kaiden, your hatred for Finley at the beginning. Was that all real?" He asked.

"Yes," Kaiden replied, to which the audience booed loudly. "At the beginning it was. Then I realised Finley wasn't anything like I'd believed. He's so much more than I ever thought he was, and I will forever regret the way I treated him."

"Let's have a look at some highlights from the game, shall we?" Jasper asked.

The screen behind them lit up, and a video started to play. They must've made one for each of them. This one was Adrielle's.

It showed him and Finley jumping out of the tree. Their alliance. The three of them killing the Laveans and Corey. Adrielle abandoning them. Adri on her own, completing her own trial, which turned out to be spiders. Then her rescuing Finley from Adam. Finley and Adrielle's Kiss. Adam and Kaiden's final exchange as Adam strangled Kaiden. Her saying goodbye to Kaiden, and finally the moment Adam dropped dead.

The next video was Finley's. Him running into Kaiden at the start as well as Kaiden's response. The two of them teaming up with Adri. Finley constantly carrying Kaiden's bag. His panic after Kaiden pushed him into the lake. Then his smile while Kaiden pushed him across the lake in the boat. Kaiden saw Finley making the agreement to let Adam kill him. Then his attempt at killing Finley, only to be stopped by Adri. Finley at the lake, killing one of the Ronerans. His return to the cave, only to find it empty. His reunion with Kaiden. Finley confronting Adam, and Adam's death.

Kaiden took a breath as he knew his video was next. He knew that he'd have to sit through the first few days of the Ceremony where he'd been horrible to Finley. But, he knew that he had no choice.

The first scene began to play.

"Oh, it's you Kaiden. I was scared that I was about to be the first to fall." Finley said.

"You will be if you do that again Castel," Kaiden snapped.

"Sorry, I thought I heard someone following me."

"You probably imagined it, idiot." Kaiden replied.

The scene changed to one from a little later on the first day,

"I don't know how to climb," Finley whispered.

"Oh for fucks sake, Castel, just try!" Kaiden snapped.

As the scenes continued, Kaiden realised that they were showing all of the insults he'd given to Adrielle and Finley.

Kaiden looked at Raven. His brother looked disgusted, which only made him feel worse. Unfortunately, the scenes continued.

"Wow, you're such a nerd, Castel," Adri complained.

Kaiden smirked, "huh, isn't that the truth."

"So, you two aren't friends then?"

"Ha! No, I wouldn't be friends with a loser like him!" Kaiden replied.

"Then why make an alliance?" Adri asked.

"'Cause without him I'd be dead in an hour," Finley explained.

"You really think you'd even last an hour?" Kaiden questioned.

–

"We can't keep going forever, K," Finley said.

Kaiden turned around and shoved him, hard. "Don't call me that, Castel!"

–

"Will you two stop telling me what to do, I'm seventeen not fucking seven!"

—

"Unlike you, I'm not as much of a loser as everyone thinks. I asked for an alliance so that I can win. You have no fucking chance of winning, Castel." Kaiden snapped.

–

At last, the final few scenes played. Kaiden pushing Finley into the lake, and lastly, the suggestion to hold their weapons against their throats at the end.

The video ended and the crowd went wild. There were shouts from people all over the stadium. He couldn't hear every word, but Kaiden could make out the word, "execution," being used a lot.

"Raven, you seem agitated," Jasper said, "why not share your thoughts?"

"I'm thinking about how horrible my brother can be," Raven replied. "I'd like to apologise to Finley and Adrielle on his behalf."

"Kaiden," Jasper continued, "anything to add?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry for how I acted. I offered to make myself suffer during the last trial 'cause I wanted to start making it up to them. I know they'll probably never forgive me completely, but I want to try. I also lied to Rave and told him that the idea for the finale was Adrielle's idea, and not mine. I realise now that it was wrong and we should've just fought it out like everyone probably wanted. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, sorry."

"What if the people or the dictator don't want to forgive you?

"Then, I guess Raven was right, and they'll just have to execute me instead."

Well, it seems Kaiden is not popular with the audience. How do you guys think this will turn out? Do you like Kaiden or not?