Episode 7: King of the Hill

[Delilah Rehm]

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.

She trotted to the shelter and dropped something dangling from her mouth. Eadric stepped into the storm, becoming instantly soaked, and retrieved the rope with a bottle tied to one end. Under the leaky shelter, he opened the message. "It’s a map." Eadric led the way in the rain beside Amber with Haimes coming last, cringing each time the thunder quaked.

They found Zip the Saurian waiting in front of seven mounds of earth laid out in a circle. "The name of the game is King of the Hill," Zip said. "But first, you’ll each come to me, one by one and cast your vote to place one of two fellow tribesmen on the altar."

Lina voted for Lorimer.

Lorimer voted for Lina.

Haimes voted for Eadric.

Gorm voted for Amber.

Amber voted for Lorimer.

Eadric voted for Haimes.

Kailen voted for Lina.

"Wow, I can’t believe this." Zig dragged out the moment, basking in the flash from a lightning bolt. "Lina and Lorimer, you have been nominated." The pronouncement was met with another burst of thunder.

DIARY CONFESSION – LORMIMER THE SORCERER

"I wasn’t surprised when I was nominated. Lina has had it out for me since day one. Yeah, she pretended to be my friend on the volcano, but soon after she became horrid. She likes to tease everyone, but mostly me. I don’t know what she thinks she’s going to accomplish. Obviously, she’s getting on more people’s nerves than mine.

"I’m not worried about the nomination. What has she done to entertain the viewers? Nothing. I have brought magic to every episode, and will continue to do so as long as I’m around."

BACK TO THE SHOW

"Me and not Amber?" Lina asked, frowning.

"Yep." Zip smiled. "As for the competition, you each have to stand on one of those hills. The last one standing wins. Contestants, pick a hill."

The players shivered on their separate hills, watching each other. After twenty minutes, Haimes fell in the mud.

"Haimes, you’re out," Zip called. "You too Kailen. Flying doesn’t count as standing."

The wind picked up and Lina’s lips edged with blue.

"You might as well give up now, Lina." Lorimer’s cape was wrapped tight around his thin, trembling body.

"No chance, Lori. Besides, you’ll never beat Eadric."

Gorm stood with his back to the wind. Thunder struck a tree nearby, sending up smoke with the crack of the trunk. "Is this even safe?" he called down to Zip.

"No," the saurian replied as a loose branch flew and hit the back of Gorm’s head, sending him toppling down the hill.

"Son of a lobstrosity!" Gorm rubbed the knot of his skull and joined Zip, Haimes and Kailen waiting to see who’d be next out of the game.

Will you look at that?" Kailen whispered, watching Lorimer’s lips moving. "Spell?"

Lava snakes appeared before Lina, Eadric and Amber. Eadric stomped on several before catching on to what Lina’s laughter meant. Amber reared back, eyes wide. She fell sideways and tumbled down the hill.

"Amber’s out," Zip said as the unicorn stood and tested her balance. She nearly fell when she put weight on her front left hoof.

"Is it broken?" Kailen asked.

Bright light flashed around Amber and the others covered their eyes from the intensity. The glow faded, and Amber sat in the mud feeling her arm. "I think it’s okay," she said. "Are the snakes gone?"

"There never were any snakes," Gorm said.

Amber’s brow furrowed. "But I saw…"

"Lorimer," Haimes said.

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BACK TO THE SHOW

The wind died down to a light breeze. Clouds broke apart as rain turned to drizzle and dried up completely. Blue sky shined down on the last three contestants.

"Why do you bother, Eadric?" Lina asked. "You aren’t nominated."

"The only way to be sure is to win." Eadric paused and then added, "Besides, you really think I wouldn’t try to win, no matter what?"

Lina nodded once. "Good point. You have my word that I won’t vote for you if I win this game."

"Yes, no one voted for Haimes and Amber like we planned," Eadric said. "This show isn’t made for trust."

DIARY CONFESSION – EADRIC THE WARRIOR

"I have no alliances and no prospects for one. I would like to trust Lina, but she’s a thief! Yeah, she can fight. I’ll give her that, but her word means nothing. Gorm seems like a steady fellow but he’s a mage. Give him a drink and he’ll become a loud-mouthed lush in an instant.

"Maybe I should try Kailen. No one would ever suspect that. Honestly though, I just don’t trust strangers very easily. It’d be easier if my life were on the line, but this is much more serious. It’s a competition! I’ll do whatever it takes to win."

BACK TO THE SHOW

Lorimer removed his cape. Twisting the thick material, he wrung water out and down between the hills.

What’s that?" Eadric asked, staring in the center of the ring.

"Just water," Lorimer said.

"Or another one of pretty Lori’s tricks," Lina added.

Eadric picked up a clump of mud and threw it where the water pooled. The ground trembled and giant ant lion pinchers rose from beneath the earth.

"Told you it was a trick," Lina shouted, but she ducked under a flailing limb just the same.

"It’s not me!" Lorimer screamed. Dirt slid under his feet, pulling him toward an open maw. He gripped the sides of the hill, mud churning under his efforts.

Eadric jumped to the mouth, prying it open with his legs. The pinchers waved uselessly, unable to grasp him so close to the body. The ant lion began to retreat, and Eadric grabbed a limb. He pulled, preventing the ant lion from disappearing as Lorimer slid down the opposite side still screaming. Something cracked and Eadric, limb and all, fell in a mud puddle as the ant lion escaped.

"Lina you have won this competition," Zip called. "Do you wish to invoke the Immunity Power and save someone from the altar?"

"Yes. I take myself off the altar."

"We will now vote again," Zip said.

Lina voted for Amber.

Lorimer voted for Gorm.

Haimes voted for Eadric.

Gorm voted for Amber.

Amber voted for Gorm.

Eadric voted for Haimes.

Kailen voted for Amber.

"Lina, you have been removed from the altar," Zip said. "In your place," he paused then said, "Amber, you have been nominated."

Tribe Kivi headed back for their camp, Eadric smiling widely as he toted his massive prize, the ant lion pincher.

"Did you notice Amber didn’t complain?" Gorm asked Haimes.

The scree shrugged. "She didn’t even look surprised."

***

Vote for who will leave the island. Choose Contestant 1 for Lorimer or Contestant 2 for Amber. Tune in Friday to find out who stays and who goes!