"My king, your brother Jahad has betrayed you," a Raphas informant announced. 

Vaxon felt darkness pulsing through him as his anger increased. He used it to track down his brother using their connection through blood. 

Jahad was commanding his army of soldiers, leading the Magi in rebellion. 

When Vaxon appeared, Jahad looked up in surprise. "Brother." Jahad offered no excuses or lies for what he had done.

"Is my poor excuse for a son with you?"

Jahad clenched his jaw. "He refused to help us, so he has been restrained."

Vaxon bellowed at this. "Your army will fail!"

With that, Vaxon raised his arm, consuming Jahad and the soldiers surrounding him in darkness. 

***

You have just escaped the arena and are in the southern tip of Elloyn (refer to the chapter on Castre Geography for help). You and the Magi are all in camp, specifically with Jahad's army. But he's nowhere to be found. You soon discover of the horrible truth.

He has been captured by Vaxon, who has retreated back to Komesten.

You decide to team up with the other remaining Magi, and go to the Capitol, Komesen, to take down Vaxon. 

YOU DO NOT ACTUALLY GET THERE DURING THIS TASK.

You must write about your journey. Along your way, you must encounter a form of wild creature. This can be a real animal, a mythological one, or one you make up yourself, but you have to encounter at least one. 

You must also talk to Kyren and convince him to help you take down his father. Keep in mind that your family, as well as his, is in danger now that you've escaped. Not only is his darkness threatening to consume him, but just because he's escaped doesn't mean he's willing to help the rebellion. He has also learned of Jahad's capture, so now not only is his wife and two young children in danger but his uncle is as well. If you do this, it means the loved ones that Vaxon has (yours and Kyren's) will probably die the moment you try to siege the gates. It will take a lot of convincing for Kyren.

It will take a convincing argument to turn against his father and risk his wife and child being executed. You don't know the castle and cannot storm it without his help. Plus, Jahad's army has no leader because Jahad has been captured and his second and third were killed in Vaxon's appearance. You need Kyren on your side.

YOU MUST NOT SAY THAT HE AGREES OR DISAGREES WITH YOU. Along with scoring you, I will decide whether you managed to convince him or not. This is where the Games become different from Author's Games. Whether you convince him or not will determine the tasks you write in the future, and what happens and how the story ends up, so take your time with this.

From now on, the choices you make will dictate the ending of YOUR story and how it ends for your character. If you don't convince him, don't worry; it still gives you future tasks to do. 

Also, there will be some of you who are spies for Vaxon and who don't want to turn against him at all and you can choose that. More on that later. 

This task I'm specifically watching for character development. Your character at this point should NOT be the same person who entered the arena. Change. I want to see your character's story arc. And this is where it begins to arc around (figuratively speaking). Naturally, I also want description. Make me feel like I'm on a fantasy journey in a fantasy novel. Because we're getting intense in competition here, my scoring is going to be harsher. I'm going to get very nitpicky, so it's unlikely any of you will get thirteens this round. 

There is NO rushing this. I urge you to take your time and make sure everything is right. Next round is the quarter-finals, so you must do your very best. 

As long as the fight with a creature happens, and the conversation with Kyren is the main focus, write about your journey. You can include whatever you want in this, just make sure is realistic in the terms of fantasy, and you cannot storm the castle or reach the capital or kill Vaxon or rescue your family in this task. You're on the way to Komesten.

Kyren is the only one you can go to in order to know how exactly you can storm the castle and get inside without getting caught at the city gates. Komesten is on high alert and everyone knows you. The army is surrounding it, searching for you. Only he can help you get inside. Without him on your side, you will not storm the castle. 

Word count: This is where I become lenient because I want this to be your best and not feel constrained. It means a lot of reading for me, so make it good or  I will drop scores. 5,500 words. You must have at least over 1,500. I don't like when people are lazy either and that will also drop your score as well. 

Due date: February 22, 6pm central. One week. You should start writing now, that way you have ALL week to make this the best it can be. No rushing this. 

Deaths:

Because two tributes will leave us this round, you have two deaths. You have to actually write them out and be included in the entry if you want the deaths at all, or they won't count.

Ballots:

Next round is the quarter-finals, so use this to hurt anyone you see as a threat. Five. 

Penalties:

1-2 Because you are the most balloted, and others fear you, you must know what it is like to feel fear. The creature you encounter must be a creature associated with feeling fear, and it must terrify you. 

3-4 Because you are in the middle, you worked well with others in escaping the arena. You used too much magical energy in your escape, so you're weak during this entire entry. You overdid it, and now your body is paying the price. 

5 Because you are the least balloted, you have one Magi who is gunning for you, for whatever reasons you want. Because of this, in this entry, you don't know who it is, but they're causing you trouble. 

Sponsorships:

Sigel, Vaxon has appeared before you. His task is very simple. You are now a spy working for him. He wants you to find out what the Magi are planning and tell him everything. He wants information on Kyren as well. Is he really a prisoner or is he cooperating? Vaxon trusts you to know what would happen to Telex if you choose to disobey him. 

Eiridan, Kyren's gift is not really a gift. He has darkness inside him, his uncle has now been captured and is in danger with the rest of his family. For once, he's harsh with you and disagrees with you. He's stubborn and wants to find out what it will take from his father to get him to free his family. Even though it hurts him to realize this, he will kill the Magi if he has to. Because of this, he's now really become your prisoner. It's no longer pretend. 

Jaeyria and Chiara, you escaped. Jae, you may have left your friends behind, but here you are, with them once again. Vassti warns you to tread carefully. "When you reach Komesten, you will surrender." She wants you to be a spy, and tell of the Magi's movements, so that when they come to siege the gates, the Magi attempts to siege it will fail. On top of this, you must make sure Kyren doesn't help them. If he does, then you have to tell Vassti everything the Magi are planning so they can be prepared for when the Magi come. Do this, and Eiridan will live. Chiara, it can be whatever loved one you choose. 

Telex, Jaxon, Kalix and Mordzar, Nassia reminds you that Vaxon still has your families, and not only that, but you have loved ones in the camp that Vaxon can reach. She tells you to give up the location of the Magi's camp, and you and your loved ones will be spared. 

Eriswen, Leovaratten, Aelia and Evian, Jahad has been captured by Vaxon. Instead of receiving help or a gift from Jahad, as you expect, Vaxon comes in his place, telling of his brother's capture. Eris, he reminds you of Ionean's family, Leo he points out that he knows about your crush on Lydora. Aelia he holds something over your head, such as a family member or maybe someone you're close to on camp (this can be up to you). Evian, he tells you that he knows of your sister, even if you do not. (It's also up to you whether he points out who it is, or if you want to keep it secret and Vaxon makes you think he has your sister or something). He reminds all of you of the family he has captured as well. What he wants from all of you is simple. Surrender. The Magi's surrender. You have to help aid in that. He will kill your loved ones if you deny him. 

All of you sponsored tributes can choose whether you resist or deny him. Remember that your choices determine what tasks you do, and how your story ends, so be very wise. Do you want to serve Vaxon? Or not? Choose wisely. Remember there will be consequences next task if you deny him. 

Back on track. 

Awards I will hand out this task:

Greatest Fear – The tribute who receives this award will make the creature they encounter tie in with their greatest fear somehow.

Kyren—This award will go to the tribute who best interprets Kyren's character correctly when trying to convince him to side with you. This will include details from his last task, as well as what's going on with him right now. Anyone who gets this will have it pretty close to how I would write his entry. 

Melodramaniac—Yes I know this isn't a word, well I'm making it one. The tribute who receives this award will seriously pile on drama on top of drama. Feels on top of feels. This is a journey-task, full of lots of room for it, so go for it!

It's a lot to take in, so feel free to ask questions!