The third match started after some delays. Many ardent followers and recent-converted believers had tried to storm through the gates to meet Althea. It took the Guardians posted around the arena some time to clear them out. It wasn’t a matter of strength. The perpetrators were just too sneaky and slippery. Watching some of the best warriors chasing them became an entertainment in itself. Despite himself, even a worried Hex smiled at the sight of an elderly woman trying to sneak in by being carried inside a potato sack. Or the boy who streaked naked so his brother could slip through the distracted guards. When the outstanding ones were being dragged away, they received cheers similar to the two winning teams so far. Heck, even when the participants of the third match gathered on the field, many people were still buzzing about Althea’s fans. "We won too," Dollaire exclaimed, before pouting. "No one is running up to us." Well, it was true. Hex realized it too. They won but didn’t win hearts like Althea had done. Nor were they seen as dominating as Sven’s team. His name and background was known to all. Many people had come to see him in action. And they weren’t disappointed. The third match between Sven’s Eye of the Sky vs the Forest Spawns was a one-sided massacre. The Forest Spawns were a bunch of men and women clad in leaves and woven feathers. Their ability to control nature was exemplary. The vines didn’t even move when they raced through the middle. With trees and bushes spawning all over the field, they had hoped to sneak toward the tower without being detected. In a way they succeeded. They disappeared from everyone’s other senses, despite being in sight. It was surreal. Even Hex’s enhanced senses only managed to sense them by putting in some serious efforts. Seeing their skill, Hex seriously believed they could have won if Only few, Hex and the more stronger spectators, picked up on the other team’s ability. Sven’s wives employed the surroundings to detect and attack in such a swift way, many remained stumped. One entered the earth, the other in the air. The third one fused with the space, leaving Svetlana to shield her tower. Sven didn’t move at all. He sat on the steps in front of the tower, yawning without any care. Hex didn’t know the names of Sven’s wives, aside from Svetlana but there was no need to inquire. The match ended before Sterling could fill him in on the details. The one submerged into the earth was the first to take action. She targeted two opponents at once. A man and a woman hidden inside a bush, waiting to ambush anyone near them. They remained vigilant of their surroundings, watching the area around and above them. Alas, not below them. The ground collapsed without any warning. It was so sudden, they froze for a second before the man tried to counter. That second became too costly. A pair of arms made of clay grabbed both of them and yanked them into the hole. From far it looked like the massive clay arms took the man and woman in its embrace. After a few tremors, the pit filled with mud became calm. Hex sensed three heart beats, out of which two weakened over time until they disappeared. They had been buried alive. The arena turned silent. They came expecting death. And they had seen it previously. But when it happened so suddenly, without any chance to fight for survival, they felt dread. Although the other members of the Forest Spawns weren’t able to see their friends dying, the silence of the arena filled them with a sense of unease. The elderly man hidden in the highest tree didn’t like how things were going. They had reached deep into enemy territory without any sight of the enemy. Plus the silence of the crowd. As the oldest in the team he felt responsible for them. Maybe he ought to regroup. He opened his mouth to emit the signal. Making bird-like calls was his speciality and hobby. He had won many applause at late night parties with his tricks and sometimes even the interest of some ladies. Yet, the champ of whistling failed to make the slightest of sounds. Something was very wrong. He couldn’t control the air in his lungs. It didn’t flow out as he wished it to do. Wait. His eyes widened when he realized it didn’t flow inward either. He grabbed his throat and thumped his chest. Nothing worked. There was no air. No. That wasn’t right either. There was air. It was too heavy to flow. He heard gasps and whispers. The arena was coming to life. Yet, his life was slipping away. His vision turned blurry. Still, he saw the air distort and shape into a woman’s face. A beautiful face with eyes that looked at him with a deathly silence. He remembered seeing her among his opponents. He tried to grab but like the air it slipped right through his fingers. The throw of his hand had slightly put him out of balance. Not an issue, usually. This time, however, he failed to regain his balance. Weakness had spread all over his body. He fell out of the tree. The thick air had thinned, unable to cushion his fall. Without the air, his brain didn’t even register the pain of broken bones. The last thing going through his mind, as his eyes were closing, was a wish to whistle one last time. Sadly, not all wishes were granted. ’What is going on?’ Panic filled Varenia. She tried to peek from behind the bed of flowers. The petals fell from the stem, a sight that would make her sad at home. Here she had no time to prevent it. She was frozen in fear. How she hoped to hear the whistle of the elder annoying uncle or the bickering of her elder siblings. She wouldn’t complain. She could use it. She could use anything aside from the silence filled with buzzing. ’What am I supposed to do? Please. Give the signal. Any signal. Even the one to surrender.’ She prayed in her heart. Just as she strained her ears hoping to hear her people, a massive explosion occurred. She groaned in pain as blood trickled from her ear. The ground trembled below her, almost as much as she was doing. Her mind froze. She wasn’t alone in shock. The screams and cries from the arena assured her that much. Not that it was assuring, truth be told. Wait. Amidst the shock, pain and fear, she saw the mushroom-like dust. Wasn’t there the tower her elder sister was in? Seriously. What happened? What should she be doing? Aside from crying and trembling. She knew she should be doing something. But her quick-witted brain seemed to have deserted her. "Where are you guys?" She cried. Please come. But then she heard the referee. "Due to the elimination of the tower and the Forest Spawn’s leader, the Eye of the Sky wins this match. Dryads, please help the sole survivor of the Spawns." Varenia stopped crying and trembling. She stopped doing everything. What was the point? She lost herself as she had lost everyone else.