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Night 2 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The night is colder than before.

Callisto receives a hatchet, dropped by drone just before sunset. She turns it over in her hands, surprised.

Callisto and Sadbread take turns keeping watch, but exhaustion catches up to both. For a short while, they fall asleep at the same time.

Glade comes out of hiding, her ankle still sore. She’s lost sight of Lemon. But in the distance, she sees a flicker of firelight. She follows it.
When she reaches the camp, she sees them - Sadbread and Callisto - both asleep. Quietly, she slashes their bags open, scatters the firewood, and pours out the water. Then she disappears back into the night.

Lemon stays deep inside the cave, sharpening her trident against the stone. She doesn’t sleep. Not tonight.

Day 3 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The ground feels hotter today. The sun stings a little more.

Lemon finds Glade near the edge of the ridge and attacks, trident in hand. Glade dodges, barely. She runs, fast despite her ankle. Lemon doesn’t follow.

Sadbread receives clean water from an unknown sponsor. When Callisto returns to the camp, Sadbread snaps - shouting, protective of the supplies. Callisto backs away without a word.

After getting to safety, Glade spends her time gathering scraps. She ties together cords and wood, slowly shaping a slingshot. It’s small, but it’ll work.

Night 3 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The air is still. The sky is black and wide.

Callisto sits alone, her thoughts spiraling. She starts to question if any of this is real. When she spots Glade nearby, she doesn’t hide - she walks straight to her.
Callisto drops to her knees and begs Glade to end it. Glade stands in silence, then shakes her head. She helps Callisto up, and they talk for a while. Glade tries to keep Callisto calm.

Sadbread tries to start a fire, but nothing catches. The night is cold. They wrap their arms around themself and cry until sleep takes over.

Lemon turns back to the cave, staying by the entrance. A drone drops clean water right outside.

Day 4 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The dust moves slower today. The air is heavy.

Callisto stays near the edge of camp, throwing her hatchet at a dead tree. Her aim is improving. As she throws, her thoughts drift to home - faces, names, memories that already feel distant.

Glade trips while climbing a ridge. She lands hard and scrapes her side against the rock. It's not deep, but it bleeds more than expected.

Sadbread searches for a water source, but the ground is dry and cracked. While climbing down from a ledge, they slip and hit their shoulder on the way down. It’s sore, but not broken.

Lemon finally leaves the cave. Her supplies are low, and she knows she can’t stay hidden forever. She heads out into the dust, trident in hand, looking for supplies.

Night 4 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The stars above seem closer tonight. The wind has gone quiet.

Sadbread hums softly to themself. A small tune, barely a whisper. A drone passes overhead and drops a small pouch. Inside they find medical supplies. Sadbread clutches it like a lifeline, then falls asleep.
Later that night, Lemon finds their camp. She doesn’t hesitate. She tears through the supplies, scattering the bandages and dumping what water remains. Then she walks away, silent and unseen.

Glade and Callisto camp, not together, but they aren't far apart. They can see the flicker of each other fire but decides to leave the other alone for tonight.

Day 5 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The sun hangs lower in the sky.

Lemon spends the morning tending to her wounds. She cleans a cut along her arm, wrapping it tightly. It slows her down, but she keeps moving.

Sadbread stumbles across a cave hidden behind a fallen rockslide. It’s narrow, but dry. They step inside and sit for a long time, finally feeling safe - even if it's just for a while.

Glade sharpens a stick against a stone, shaping it into a spear. Her ankle still aches, but the pain is dull now. She’s focused, quiet, thinking about the days ahead.

Callisto walks the outer edge of the arena, staying far from where she saw Glade’s fire the night before. She picks wild roots, unsure if any are safe to eat. Her stomach growls, but she doesn’t stop.

Night 5 of the Drekkal’Zuun
The wind has returned. It whistles through the rocks and sand.

Lemon stays hidden beneath a rock overhang. She unwraps the bandage on her arm, cleans the wound again. A drone passes low overhead and drops a bottle of clean water. She drinks slowly, carefully and use the rest to clean the wound better.

Callisto finds a spot near a cluster of dry trees. She tears a strip from her shirt and rewraps her ankle. Her hands shake from hunger, but she keeps going.

Glade sits with her back against a ridge, spear resting beside her. She hasn’t seen another tribute in over a day, but she stays alert. She watches the stars, thinking through possible plans, waiting for movement.

Sadbread curls up at the back of the cave. They can’t sleep. Every sound outside feels louder in the dark. They grip their sword tightly and try to stay awake.

Drekkal’Kael - The Feast
The horn sounds at dawn. The Kor’Zeluun is replenished - food, weapons, clean water, and something, not so important to survival: letters, photos, tokens from home.

Callisto hears the signal but doesn’t move. She stays hidden, staring at the dust drifting past her boots. Whatever’s waiting there… it’s not worth it.

Sadbread arrives just after the first wave. They grab a bundle of dry clothes, stuff it into a backpack, and run. Fast. No time to look around.

Lemon waits until Glade reaches the center. No words are exchanged. Just swift movements. One rope. Glade struggles, kicking, clawing - but her injuries have slowed her too much. Lemon doesn’t let go. Not until it’s done.