Most of Tribe Kivi sat under a leaky shelter while rain pounded the tropical forest and wind swept across the beach driving swirls of dancing sand across an angry surf. The bottle Lorimer (sorcerer) kept from the initial competition and four carved out coconuts had been left out to capture drinking water.

Kailen (fairy) huddled under a broad leaf. "Do you think they’ll delay the Immunity Challenge until it stops raining?"

"Not a chance," Gorm (mage) said.

"Remember," Lina (rogue) chided, "the island is dangerous. We might all catch our deaths to a vicious cold, or even the flu."

"You think you’re so funny," Lorimer said.

"By the Gods, please don’t start." Eadric (warrior) glared at Lorimer and then Lina. "Save your games until the challenge begins."

"Gorm, can’t you keep the water from leaking in?" Lorimer asked.

"Yes." Gorm didn’t move and drips continued to fall on Lorimer’s shoulder.

"Well?" Lorimer asked.

"Not going to," Gorm said. Before Lorimer could argue he added, "I’m saving my powers. I can’t do as much without my staff and I don’t want to wear myself out. Nice try though, getting your competition out of the way early."

"That isn’t what I was trying to do."

"I hear hooves." Haimes (scree) squatted under a fat tree branch though it offered little protection.

"How can you hear anything in this?" Lorimer asked as Amber in her glistening unicorn form sprinted from the beach, wind whipping around ribbons of a champagne-colored mane.

Interviewer: How does it feel to be the first contestant sacrificed on the altar and leaving the island?

William: It isn’t too bad, really. If I wasn’t going to win, it’s better to get out early. I’ll be sitting at home drinking champagne and listening to Mozart while the rest of them are running around that island half starved.

Interviewer: Sounds nice. What about Nessa? Did you two have an alliance and do you think you’ll remain friends after the show?

William: I never thought I’d like an elf but Nessa was different. We didn’t have an official alliance, really. We just enjoyed each other's company.

Interviewer: That might explain why you sneaked into the dungeon before the others even found the entrance. I really thought it was a betrayal of Nessa. Did you guys secretly plan it that way?

William: No, she didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t think of it as a betrayal at all. I mean, she wasn’t the one on the altar.

Interviewer: Do you think if you’d had more time on the island that you and Nessa would’ve become a romantic item?

William: Since I became a werewolf I’ve always been a bachelor. I live a solitary life and don’t want to jeopardize others when that time of the month rolls around.

Interviewer: What did you think when Christina found the Immunity ring?

William: I’m not sure that’s appropriate material for the viewing audience. It was almost luck, really. She went one way and I went another. I am pleased with my bonus though. The producers let me keep all the rings I hauled up from the hidden treasure trove.

Both teams met at the base of a towering cliff face. Nearby an open pen contained two large hogs and two coils of synthetic rope.

Christina (vampire) sat on a low tree limb with Paige (zombie) leaning against the trunk beneath.

Haimes (scree) peered around Eadric (warrior). "Are you sure you ate today, Paige?"

She nodded. "Yes. Los of fishh."

"I’m starving," Lorimer (sorcerer) complained. "Do you think we’ll get to keep the pigs?

"Those aren’t pigs," Lina (rogue) said. "They’re hogs. And you wouldn’t be hungry, Lori, if you would’ve eaten the snails I brought back from the rocks in the surf."

"My name isn’t Lori."

"Get her with your bee attack illusion." Kailen (fairy) laughed.

"I need to save my energy for the competition," Lorimer replied. "Besides, she’s not worth it."

"Here comes the Eagle." Ranzkin (gnome) pointed at the bird in the sky. It released the stone from its claw. The rock fell through tree limbs, snapping off branches.

Jewel (cyclops) caught it before it struck the ground. "I can’t get the massage off."

"Give it here." Gorm (mage) grabbed the rock and untied the twine around the paper. He read the note aloud. "Today’s competition is called Pig Haul."

"Wait," Nessa (elf) interrupted. "Did you just say ‘Big Haul’?

Before sunrise, Tribe Depths and Tribe Kivi met at the communal beach waiting for the Luxury Event to Begin, followed by the Sacrifice of either Paige (zombie) or William (werewolf).

"Eye we sart so earry?" Paige asked.

Lina (rogue) yawned. "What’d she say?"

"’Why’d we start so early,’" Nessa (elf) filled in.

"Ooh undersand me?" Paige asked.

"It’s getting easier," Nessa said.

"Not for me," Lina replied.

DIARY CONFESSIONS – PAIGE THE ZOMBIE

"I was so happy when my team started understanding what I was saying. It’s not my fault I’m missing a lip. Or that I’m dead for that matter. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself. No one wants to be close to someone like me, and it isn’t just because I’m infectious. I can’t help the way I look and smell. But it still hurts when people reject me.

"Christina is the only one not trying to avoid me. I wonder if there’s some camaraderie there because we’re both of the living dead variety. Maybe.

"I don’t blame the others for voting me onto the altar. They can’t help it I guess. I expect to be nominated a lot. If I win this game, it’ll be because of the awesome viewers who choose to keep me on the show."

"Me too," Amber (unicorn) said. "What are the chances that the first two challenges include swimming?"

"Our challenge on Wednesday didn’t," Ranzkin (gnome) said. "It was underground."

"I might have liked that challenge," Haimes (scree) said.

"I hope it is water based." Gorm (mage) smiled. "Why else would there be boats?"

"Maybe we’ll ride in them," Eadric (warrior) said.

Paige stood still ankle deep in the surf with her back to the others when a giant eagle circled overhead and dropped a rock.

Christina (vampire) pushed passed Eadric to pick up the rock. "You read it last time. It’s my turn." She untied the message. "Today’s Luxury Challenge is called Live Ocean Discus. The winning tribe will receive the survival gear chosen by the viewers.