Dark Horse: Chapter Five .:Sofie:.

They didn’t allow Sofie to sleep in the same room as Will because he was a boy, which left Sofie in a bad mood to be alone with Kelsey and Ahri in an place she’d never been before. But they were locked in, and Dark Horse was on the other side of the door. Sofie didn’t want to take her chances with Dark Horse.

When she woke up the next morning, Kelsey was taking out her belongings and slipping them into the dresser, while Ahri tried to stay seated in one place without fidgeting or glancing around nervously. Sofie watched Ahri’s eyes light on the collection of hand axes she’d brought with her, and she smiled to herself. Ahri was nervous because of something she’d done. Will would be proud.

Sofie picked up the paperback manual Dark Horse had left in the room and crashed onto the bed, flipping it open. She hated reading, and could barely go on several sentences without getting bored. This was different, Sofie kept plugging through it. The manual explained the first challenge, barely.

The name of the game was simple. The prism was to be collected, and Dark Horse would prefer everyone to return alive, but that wasn’t her priority. It would be a challenge or releasing oneself from a prison, navigating a maze without bumping into another player; which would result in a fight, and then retrieving the prism.

It seemed simple enough, even so Sofie continued to run strategies and senarios over in her head while going through her axes and slipping them into a drawer. “Um… do you always keep those around?” Ahri asked, nervously glancing at the sharp blades. Sofie opened her mouth to offer a friendly response, she’d never had any friends except Will, and he didn’t count since they were related, but she changed her mind. He wouldn’t want me getting close to the competition.

Sofie gave Ahri and Kelsey a hostile look. “Yes. What do you expect? I don’t go anywhere without them.”Ahri shrank back, and Kelsey frowned. Sofie sighed and turned back to her work. After the awkward silence had continued for several moments, a sharp knock sounded at the door. A girl with hair dyed a brilliant shining purple opened the door and slipped inside, her white chiton style dress nearly reaching the floor. Sofie stared at her makeup, perfect dark skin, and ear piercings, wondering why anyone would want to dress themselves up like that. The girl waved, “Hi! I’m- Thalia.” She smiled. “I’ve never met other girls my age that weren’t servants before. I’m not sure how this works, but hi! Esmeralda- I mean Dark Horse is ready for you. Bring whatever you want, for the challegne I mean.”

She seated herself on Kelsey’s dresser, her amythest eyes curiously watching Ahri fiddle with her thumbs, Kelsey removing her earrings and Sofie strapping axes and spare daggers into hiding places. “I- we, don’t usualy have girls. This is the first time we’ve had so many, and so young.” Thalia explained, looking right at home. “But I think you’ll do great in the challenges. Beat the crap out of them and show them what you’re made of.”

Sofie perked up and stopped tying a bootstrap. “What? Will is my teammate, he’s my brother! I’m not going to kill him!”

Thalia just shrugged looking a bit disappointed. “I was hoping he wouldn’t kill you…”

“He wouldn’t kill me!” Sofie glared at her, her hand gripping one of the axes tighter. “He’s my brother. Trust me I know him better than you. He’d rather kill YOU, you little punk!”

Thalia frowned, but didn’t fight back. “Hm, I’m not sure I like you very much. You’re too tense, like Will.”

Sofie slammed the axe edge into the dresser with so much force she left a jagged edge revealing the contents of the first drawer. “Try living my life through.”

Thalia shrugged. “Whatever, whatever. We should get going.”

Sofie narrowed her eyes and ripped the weapon back out of the dresser, begrudgingly following Thalia, Kelsey and Ahri out the door.

“Wonderful,” Dark Horse’s haunting face offered a cruel smile as they entered the room. “You’ve decided to join us.” She nodded in Thalia’s direction. “Thank you Thalia. You may go now.”

Thalia frowned as if the idea of Dark Horse ordering her around was a foreign thought to her. “What nest of vipers did she just crawl out of.” Sofie muttered, marching up next to Will, who shrugged, his gaze remaining on the doors at the right side of the room.

“Well.” Dark Horse slowly made eye contact with each of the Chosen. “I hope you read the manual I left you, if not, good luck. I’ll give you Mortals a head start.”

“With all respect,” Will interrupted coldly. “Give the head start to the weaklings, we don’t need it. Let the Elves go first.”

Clide gave him a annoyed look, glaring in Will’s direction. But Kelsey just looked more nervous.

“Very well then.” Dark Horse nodded. “Apparently I chose the correct Mortals for this season, you have more grit than the others.” She gestured towards the first door. “Clide, and Kelsey. Go.”

Clide looked like he wanted to protest but he muttered something under his breath and followed Kelsey through the first door. “So…” Keefe broke the silence with an easy grin. “Who didn’t read the manual!” He raised his hand, searching around the remaining people in the room. “No? Not the right time maybe? Wow. You all are a tough crowd.”

Dark Horse looked highly annoyed. “Read the manual if you want to live. You go next,” She raised her arm and pointed towards the third door. Keefe rolled his eyes at her and swaggered his way through the door, Ahri cautiously following behind him.

“Mortals.” Dark Horse’s voice cut through the silence once again. “Go.”

Sofie’s amber eyes locked with her brother’s and they shared a nod, silently filing through the middle door.  They were met with a musty smell, and the blazing lights of torches. “We’re just walking through a tunnel?” Sofie wondered aloud. “Dark Horse’s manual thing said it was a ‘maze’. This is lame.”

Will glanced around. “I don’t know… maybe she wants us to think they’re all understatements?”

“Or maybe we’re supposed to bump into people and fight them! Like a tournament or something!” Sofie said eagerly. “You’re ruining it by overthinking it!”

“We just need to be careful.” Will decided. “Anything and everything is your enemy. Got it?”

Sofie rolled her eyes but nodded. This is nothing new, the way they lived everyday of their lives.

“This way Luca!” Kelsey’s voice floated from around the bend. “Clide! I mean Clide! Do you think they're watching us?”

“Here’s an idea,” Sofie drew an axe from a hidden holster. “You go ahead and grab the prism, I’ll catch up after I handle the Elves.”

“That works,” Will shrugged. “Just be careful.”

“You say that all the time!” Sofie groaned, happy to be free of him for once.