Page 103 of A Simple Truth

“It’s all fucking him. He was not supposed to play to begin with. But that flag placement…it’s him fucking finding these stupid loopholes,” she hissed, motioning to the island not too far from us where yesterday, we played the second game, awfully losing it again.

“We’ve never lost two games in a row like this…” Motra said through her teeth, wiping away the sweat rolling down her neck.

Not only did Orest’s league defeat us, but they also placed the flag far below the island cliff, on a large rock in the middle of the ocean waters not too far from shore.

“It’s in accordance with the rules,”Zora sarcastically copied Gideon’s voice, “`the rules state you have to have reasonableability to get the flag, we easily climbed and walked to it during low tide, something you should try…’Eat fucking bricks.” She pushed her shovel in.

“What do they feed these creatures!?” Tori dramatically gagged as I nodded, agreeing with her. The first two games were over, and tomorrow would be the last. And yet, based on some twisted traditions, instead of training, the losing team had to spend the day cleaning up the dragonfly shit, with no fire or any help other than these worn-out shovels.

“The question is what are we going to do? Because I'm sick of this shit. Quite literally,” Cori commented.

“We’d have to kill them all first and then repel down that cliff and swim across. We’d also have to time it right to do it during low tide unless we are willing to fight the ocean currents,” Motra suggested as we all continued shoveling shit after a short break.

“Good luck with that. Even if we get all of the commanders, then we are stuck with Gideon,” Ioanna murmured.

“If we all stay in the game plus Finn, we can hold him long enough for one of us to make it down there,” Ashe considered.

“Yeah, none of us getting tapped out while doing offense, and then holding Gideon with hopes that he can’t incinerate half the ocean?”

“About that…how sure are we that he can’t steam those waves?” I asked.

“He probably can and will, as we try to swim up to the flag,” Ashe replied.

“He doesn’t even do anything! He just chills there, watching the flag, sending occasional shields and flares when needed,” Cass grumped.

“He is Orest’s wild card, insurance to make sure they win this year. He doesn’t do anything until there is a chance of us winning, then he ruins it.” The Ten spewed a million ideas, but Ijust eyed the large dragonflies peacefully feeding in the heaps of clover.

“Do they keep them saddled at all times?” I nudged Gia next to me.

“The patrol ones are, but they rotate them too, so all animals get a good break in between.” She smiled at me.

“Oh, good,” I replied, returning a soft smile too. My chest was filled with a dull ache, aware of the true reason I was asking. As much as the acid smell burned my eyes, shoveling shit turned out to be a convenient endeavor for me as I eyed the guards.

“Maybe we can find a loophole in the whole no-Basalt-Glass rule. Then, Finn could just stab him with her dagger and then we’d win,” Yanush considered. At the mention of my name, I returned my attention to the conversation, my eyes still lingering on the creatures.

“Believe me, as much as I wish for it to happen, nobody is stabbing anyone with Basalt Glass.” Zora sighed. “We need more ideas. There must be something we can do. Perhaps some creative approach they won’t see coming.”

‘Well, short of us diving off the cliff and killing ourselves in pursuit of the flag, we are limited in our options.”

“We could push them off the cliff,”Lulu signed.

“That’s an idea.” Ashe considered.

“Doesn’t help us with the flag, but would definitely feel good.” Ioanna tilted her head.

“Look at us, figuring things out,” Gia cheered on.

“Is there a way to disqualify a player before the game?” I inquired.

“Like stab or kill them before the game so they can’t participate?” Yanush curiously raised her brow up at me.

“I was thinking more so on some rule or technicality, but that could work too,” I replied.

“It has been done before, but if you get caught then you are the one getting disqualified.”

“I could try it,” I suggested. “I shot him before with the Basalt Glass and I have a few more arrows that I made with the broken shards.”

“Unless we kidnap him too, they’d take it out before the games leaving him sore, but we would risk getting you disqualified and considering you took out five of them last game and you’re still our best shot against Gideon, we definitely need you there if we’re to stand a chance,” Motra reasoned.

---