Let the Games Begin | Dream Smp

Chapter 22

"Can you swing your arm in a circle? Slowly and as big as you can manage."

Kayla nodded and held her hand in a fist as she made a circle with her right arm, clenching her teeth at the bolts of pain that flashed through her shoulder. Phil hummed as he took note of her pained expression, tapping his foot against the ground.

"It's better than yesterday," Kayla assured him.

"If you say so," The winged man responded, "The wound's closed already, so the pain should go away soon. Try not to use too much energy with that shoulder."

"Got it," Kayla nodded, "Is your arm better?"

"Back to normal." Phil smiled, holding up his arm to flex his fingers with ease. "I was going to do a bit of sparring with Techno later to get some practice after not being able to hold a sword for so long."

"That's good. I'd be glad to do some sparring as well."

"You're welcome to join us," Phil offered.

"I might. Where is Techno, by the way?" Kayla asked, walking with Phil through the camp, "I haven't seen him all morning."

"Left on one of his little trips 'round the arena," Phil replied, "He told me last night that he's afraid of what happens now that there's only the seven of us left. Says that there's a chance that something drastic might happen any day now."

"Huh. Well that's definitely not worrying," Kayla sighed.

"I can understand his concerns, though," he added, "The rest of us aren't going to willingly kill one another. Techno fears that the people who control the Games are going to do something about it."

"Are going to do something about what?" Someone asked. Kayla looked towards the source of the voice and found Ranboo standing by his tent, looking at them with a curious expression.

"Do something about us," Kayla clarified, "Only one of us can win the Games. But none of us want to kill each other."

"So you think they're going to do something?" Ranboo questioned hesitantly, "To change that?"

"Well, we're not sure. That's just Techno's guess," Phil told him. Ranboo nodded, a blank expression on his face.

"Either of you want to come with me to the lake?" Kayla asked, changing to subject, "None of us have been out of camp in awhile and the change of scenery would be nice. Maybe we could do a bit of sparring, too."

"Not right now," Phil said, "Maybe later, though. I was going to check on Will."

"Ranboo?"

"Okay, I guess," the boy conceded. Kayla smiled and dragged him by the arm through the camp. They grabbed their swords and began walking to the lake.

"You've been a lot quieter lately, you know," Kayla commented. Ranboo looked up from the ground and blinked in surprise. They were walking along the bank of the stream towards the lake.

"I...have?"

"More distant," she added, "Is there something on your mind?" The boy hesitated, weaving around a thicket of cattails and kicking a few small pebbles into the running water.

"The fight," he finally answered, "I keep seeing what happened over and over again in my head. Except, instead of seeing the person I killed, they're just a blank silhouette. With these glossy white eyes that stare at me even after I've stabbed the sword through them."

"The nightmares didn't stay away for long," Kayla replied with a sad smile.

"Nope," Ranboo sighed, "It's worse than before, though." They stopped when they reached the lake shore, walking along the sand for a short while.