The Northwest Quarter | Mandate One

Flashes of freedom, swept away by turbulent and unpredictable waves. Some tributes find themselves lost in the water beneath the stadium, trapped in water surges and pinned under rubble in what used to be a maintenance closet. Others of them are left to terrifying, lonely deaths while the more fortunate watch fellow tributes try to save them, reaching out hands to save them from a sealed fate. A stray few find comfort when pieces of white armor begin to join the collection of floating debris. A thigh holster empty of its guns, a helmet with a large hole cracked out of the back, a single white boot. Most of the audience tries not to notice whether or not the foot is still inside. 

Audience members watch Jovis' Peacekeeper force collects in a circle around the place, a barrier of white uniforms standing at the ready in case anyone else has a mind to misbehave. They stare down at the water and ask themselves which of their own friends they have lost to this moment while the crowd in the stands steadies somewhat. It seems the burst of upward momentum is ready to slow as the leaders in black refuse to leave their own posts. He stands, spine chillingly straight, while she curls in on herself further, arms wrapping around her narrow shoulders as if to hide from the sky. She's got one of her hands at her lips now, already ripped nails being bit down to nubs. Neither of them walks away though; neither of them gives up.  

The Games, it seems, must go on.

Floating in the water still though are the telltale signs of the audience's overzealousness: the emptied cartons of popcorn bobbing unsteadily, cans of pop long drained, even a fascinator dressed up with a blue feather floats near the wall. It makes for a strange, collected as they are amongst floating animal corpses and shattered television screens. 

A whisper from the brunette woman in her partners ear: "they're going to have our heads if one of them doesn't make it out of this alive."

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Retro Engine Link: Here

As stated: all tributes will take damage over time, regardless of whether they pass the survival check or not, to be sure that there will eventually be a victor. The roll below will represent how much damage each tribute in this mandate takes. This damage can be interpreted by the tributes as they see fit! The new survival threshold is 40.

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Death crept upwards.

Every time she dared to blink, the water rose around her by at least a foot. Others were slowly drowning, or quickly, depending on how you looked at things. She was sure the other tributes in the various corners of the coliseum were suffering as well. Because it couldn't just be them, right? Imogen forced the panic rising in her throat back down.

She had to survive.

Even if she had no idea how.

Her voice breaks as she watches Aston disappear under the water. Did he decide to give up? Did something drag him under? She dared to call out.

But the words became lost at her lips.

The water continued to grow, slowly taking over the cage she sat atop. It wouldn't be much longer until she was forced back in, or she let Death take her. One option was much easier than the other. Her eyes flashed around in panic, searching for someone, something that would help aid her escape. She was about to give up, but she finally felt herself breathe as Aston resurfaced in the water.

”You need to get out of here!”

"That is just a fantastic idea!" She said with her award winning smile. He meant the best, it was clear, but he was clearly not trained in the question and answer sections like she was.

”If you think you can swim, follow me. You might have to use those knives now.”

"I think I can, but honestly, it's not like I have much of a choice." His had wraps itself around her wrist, and she forces out a smile.

What an untimely friendship, destined to come to an untimely end.

”I have been trying to leave you behind but I really think we should try and help each other at least get somewhere dry."

"I agree. We'll stay together for as long as we can, until we finally have no choice. Sound good?"

And without another word, she grabbed his hand, jumped into the water, and ignored her body as it screamed at her to stop. Death was moving closer.

But Imogen wasn't prepared to say hello to him quite yet.



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