Swiff desperately tried to wriggle out of Zeke’s grasp, but it was futile. Zeke kept his grip of the bristles between his thumb and forefingers as he stared Kip down. There was an unspoken air of superiority in Zeke’s grin. Like he was finally letting Kip know that he was holding back throughout the years.

  “Tag. You’re it.”

  Zeke let go of the broom. Swiff stayed still. There was no need to run. All three of them looked up at the scoreboard, hovering and holographic in the sky. It reflected a table that showed two sides. One for Team Best Friends and one for Team Beast Friends. The ones who were tagged had their cells lit red. The ones who weren’t it had their cells lit green. Jasssper, Storm, and Swiff’s cells were all red. The round was over. Maeve’s yell carried throughout the majority of the forest.

  “And with that, the Beast Friends are no longer it! They will have a ten second head start while there is a brief, and magical, hold over the team Best Friends.”

  The pit fiend approached, catching up to Zeke. Zeke tapped him on the shoulder and walked past him before escalating to a jog, “Come on! We gotta hide.”

  The pit fiend snickered at Kip before turnign and running away as well. Swiff brought himself next to the floor. Kip stepped off and looked up at the scoreboard. He felt the magic take hold, immobilizing him while Zeke and the pit fiend ran away. He shook his head.

  “I can’t believe they caught us,” said Kip, “How the hell are we going to catch them back? At least they can’t hide very well. I guess he won’t try to hide in any of his old spots. Swiff, we’ll have to regroup with our team, I suppose. Come up with a plan. The timer up there says we still have 45 minutes. This should be our chance to turn it around. Come on, let’s see if we can double back and find the others near the beginning area. From there We’ll make a plan and take action. Sound good?”

  Swiff nodded his handle. The timer went off. The 45 minutes started its countdown and Kip was no longer immobilized. Kip got back on the broom and they skirted off to find Storm and Jasssper. Jasssper and Storm were waiting within the starter area. They waved Kip down and he joined them. Kip looked at the time, they had 33 minutes left. Swiff parked near them and he got off.

  “Hey!” Said Kip, “We got tagged. We’re it.”

  As he approached, he saw the injuries that dotted the too. Storm and Jasssper turned to him, clearly worse for the wear. “Yesss, It ssseems these people are willing to play quite rough to get what they want. Although you seem untouched. Am I to believe you put up a brave fight, Dark Lord?”

  “What happened to you both?”

  “The gargoyle slammed me with his morningstar!” yelled Stormbristle.

  “I was nearly eaten by the direwolf.”

  "What!?” Kip yelled, “How could they?”

  They both explained what happened to them. Jasssper clarified how he had been tagged but the direwolf did not stop trying to hunt him.

  “This can’t be right.” Said Kip, “This is all wrong. Why are they all attacking us?”

  “Power makes people do asssinine thingsss, Sire. This is because Zeke wants the throne.”

  “Zeke wouldn’t do this,” Kip said crossing his arms, “Zeke cares about us. He cares about me.”

  “It’s happening, my boy.” Said Storm, “It seems as though Zeke may not be as honorable as you might think.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Kip shook his head, “Zeke wouldn’t. That’s that. If it’s happening… It's happening without Zeke’s knowledge. But we can continue to operate under the presumption that these two are trying to hurt us.”

  “And the pit fiend?” Jasssper asked.

  “He… was rough with Swiff. Let’s assume he’s with them. Do we know where they are now?”

  “I can tell you exactly where the gargoyle is. He’s up in that tree. Look!” Storm pointed with his front leg. The three others saw the gargoyle perched at the top of an elder tree, staring down at them.

  “We’ll have to sneak up to him,” Kip said, “And the direwolf?”

  “Probably still looking for me.” Jasssper said, “I can show you where he is.”

  “And the pit fiend and Zeke are likely still together. No reason to split up, I imagine.” Kip said.

  “Okay. We know the players. Now the plan.”

  “Zeke chose these people, sans the pit fiend, with us in mind.” Jasssper said.

  “Of course!” Kip said, grinning, “People chosen to perfectly counter a specific one of us. One strategy change and his whole plan crashes down.”

  On the side of an abandoned cabin was a plain wall. Despite the plain wall with one window, a door that should not have been there opened. It was like reality itself bent to create this door and when it was fully opened, a bear slumped out of it. The thud heard as her limp body hit the floor reverberated throughout the forest. She fell to the ground and huffed in pain. Two dainty legs stepped out of the door and around the downed bear.

  The bear could only watch as the two talked as if she wasn’t there.

  “So,” Said one of the pairs of legs, “It seems our assertions were mostly correct. This is some sort of ritual and the outcome will determine the fate of the succession of the throne.”

  “A childish game determines the seat of the most evil empire in humanoid history.”

  “Childish indeed. But now the outcome of the game will determine our history as well”

  “Okay. I guess we have to take this stupid game seriously.”

  The bear dared not breathe. The two agents stood in front of her, too consumed by their own machinations to notice she was not yet dead. They chatted with their backs to her. She pressed her paws against the ground and slowly got up. “Cowards.” She thought, “Catching me by surprise. Catching me while I was collecting berries for my jam.” One moment she was walking around the forest, the next, she was enveloped in darkness. That’s when these two agents of chaos emerged, poking her and prodding her. Interrogating her about the proceedings that day. Asking her questions about the dark charter, “I’m sorry, Kip. I told them what little I knew.” She looked at both of the dainty young women’s necks. If she could only get her teeth around them. Or swipe them with her large paws. One attack and each of them and they’d go down. Dead. She would just have to be silent.

  “What are you thinking, Locke?”

  “The sanctity of our information will only be maintained if we intervene. The discovery of this data is precious. It seems as though our interests align with one of the parties."

  “Have we been seen by anything else?”

  “Not at the moment. One had been handled. The bear, on the other hand, is still a liability. We have a choice to make. What is more likely to cause a stir: a bear that went missing or a bear that is badly bruised and can’t but can say everything?”

  “Bears get lost all the time.”

  They turned. The bear had closed in on them. She towered over the two at ten feet and wide as a red barn door. She growled, sounding exactly like an unenchanted bear. Sounding just like a wild animal.

  “What makes you think I’ll go quietly?”

  Keelie and Locke both took out their swords.

  “Seems the bear made the choice for us, Lockey.”

  “That is not an authorized nickname, Keelie.”

  “Sorry, Locke.”

  “Just one slash of my claws and you’re dead!!” She slammed her claw down at both of them. Locke did not flinch. She stared right at the bear and as soon as they made eye contact, the bear paused.

  “What’s happening?!” The bear thought, “I can’t move my arm. I… can’t move anything. I can’t even move my eyes. I’m…. stuck!”

  “Current losses?” Locke asked.

  “One missing Rook, A dead bear.” Keelie said as she took out her sword and slid it silently into the bear’s hide.

  Locke blinked and the bear dropped to her knees as she bled out. Her whole body rested on the ground, closing her eyes.

  “Keelie. This is too much blood. How are we going to clean this up discretly?”

  “Sorry, Lockey. Things got away from plan. A dead bear in the woods is not uncommon. Lighten up! Now come on, we’ve got to go rig a match.”

  “Say, you two aren’t trying to get in Kippo’s way, are you?” A chipper voice rang out behind them.

  Keelie and Locke both locked eyes, but it was too late. They felt the presence of warm steel against their skin.

  “Keelie,” said Locke.

  “Yes, Locke?” Said Keelie.

  “You have a blade against your neck.”

  “As do you, Lockey.”

  “I did not authorize that nickname.”

  “You ladies just got blademanned.”

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