As it turned out, every team was directed out of the arena and into a series of transit vehicles. The elites all flew together, the craft hovering just above the ground rather than properly flying, while the rest piled into the remaining three vessels.
Ziana was a bit concerned now. This was new. Different. And different could be bad, at least in her experience on this world so far.
“What’s this?”
“We are being transported to one of a few possible locations.”
“Obviously. But why? I thought the games were always in or around the arena.”
“Typically. But there are exceptions. Regardless, we will be observed, have no doubt.Nothingstops the gamblers.”
They traveled for only ten minutes or so, the craft flying low and slow, the clear walls allowing the cheering gawkers a good look at the competitors as they headed off to whatever the challenge du jour was going to be. And as they approached the base of a series of low hills surrounding a rocky mountain, Dorrin seemed to realize what it was.
“Ah, this one.”
Ziana stared, waiting for more. “And? What is it?”
“A terrain challenge. While they try not to reuse the exact same courses, some naturally occurring ones remain more or less the same over the years. It is the obstacles and hazards that change.”
“Hazards?”
“Traps. Pitfalls. You never know what they’ve cooked up for the games. It’s partly what keeps the betting so intense. The observers get to watch players blunder into things or not, betting on the probable outcomes.”
“So, it’s fixed.”
“This one? No, actually. Even the elites will have to run the course like the rest of us. They may knowwhatan obstacle mightbe, but as they are set in place only just before the event, they will not knowwhere.”
“Interesting,” Ziana mused as their ride slowed to a full stop.
It was a small clearing with bleachers set up with luxury boxes. All were sporting directly linked gaming terminals as well as viewing screens for the wealthier gamblers who could afford to be this close to the action. The rest would be gaming back at the arena, watching entirely remotely.
“Competitors!” a very tall man with vibrant turquoise skin and a bright red costume called out to the assembled players. “Welcome to today’s challenge. This is to be a timed terrain challenge. There is a general course to follow, and each team must physically touch the checkpoints along the way. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but the checkpoints are entirely free of booby traps or other hazards. However, that cannot be said for the rest of the course. Whichever route you decide to follow is your choice, and the consequences of such a decision is yours as well. There are water stations at each checkpoint. It is highly recommended you hydrate thoroughly when you can. It will be alongday. A general course map is available at each checkpoint. I advise you study them well.”
The teams muttered amongst themselves, glancing at the map screen that activated at the starting line, then turning and scanning the tree line and visible hills for any overt sign of whatever obstacles they might face. Naturally, nothing was visible.
“Prepare yourselves. You begin when the gong sounds.”
Ziana felt the pre-race adrenaline flood her body making her legs feel a little wobbly.Stop it, Zee. It’s just a race. Sure, one with traps and obstacles, but still a pretty straightforward race, so calm down.
Dorrin, on the other hand, seemed quite calm. He was going to run the race and finish before the cutoff, even if he hadto carry the troublesome human woman over his shoulder the whole damn way.
The elites lined up at the front of the pack. Preferential treatment, as was typical for them, but not likely to make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. From what they’d been told, this was going to be a very long day, and a mere few seconds head start was just a drop in the enormous bucket of the entire event’s duration.
The gong sounded a few minutes later, and the teams rushed out of the staging area into the trees. Dorrin pushed the pace, urging Ziana to hurry up so they could get clear of the main pack and focus on the terrain without distractions.
“We should go slower. He said there were obstacles,” she objected.
“Never this close to the starting area. They want us to thin out first. Otherwise, teams would just follow one another and capitalize on someone else’s misfortune.”
“But the gamblers?—”
“Are always watching. And they study the traps with extra focus given all the variables they bet on. When money is on the line, they take no chances.”
Dorrin’s wrist yanked hard as Ziana abruptly stopped.
“What the hell are you doing?” he hissed.
“You said this is all about the gamblers, right?”
