Chapter 69: Break the Ice

Strolling back into camp, Ember expects their group to be the last one to return. So, to say she is a little taken aback when she sees only one person has returned before them would be an understatement. But before she can bury this individual with questions or even say their name, they already have their arms wrapped around her. It isn't one of those hugs you do when you greet people or meet up with an old friend or loved one after not seeing them for a long time. Ember can sense that this hug is overflowing with anguish.

“Sky? Everything okay?” hesitantly asks Ember as she gently wraps her hands around Sky’s back, unsure how to reciprocate or embrace the flood of emotions rushing out of her.

Ember then feels Sky’s nose rub back and forth a few times on her chest, and Sky’s grip becomes firmer. Glancing at Faith for advice, Faith uselessly shakes her head and shrugs. Ember’s eyes narrow disapprovingly at Faith as she contemplates whether Delta would have been more help. Meanwhile, Ember awkwardly rubs her hand on Sky’s back, trying to comfort her so the embrace doesn’t feel one-sided.

Unsure of how much time has passed with them just standing there hugging, Ember spots Faith sitting beside the campfire that Sky must’ve started before they returned. And when Ember glimpses beside her to where Delta was standing earlier, Delta has also disappeared.

Must’ve gone to her tent to lie down… don’t blame her.

Abruptly pulling herself away, Sky staggers, her face an emotional mess, “Sorry. That was selfish, I shouldn’t have done that…”

Ember mentally notes that this is the first time she’s seen Sky like this.

Doing something she’s not unaccustomed to, Ember gives Sky a gentle smile, “It’s okay. Sometimes you just need a hug. No more tears, though, promise?”

Sky nods and wipes at her eyes, “Promise.”

Although Ember is curious about why Sky is at camp alone, she holds off interrogating her with a barrage of questions. Instead, she walks over to the food basket, the soreness in her legs making her movements lethargic. Grabbing her designated ration for dinner, which consists of half a loaf of bread and a random fruit, Ember asks Faith and Sky, who are now next to the campfire, if they would like theirs. They both accept and thank Ember as she brings their food over to them.

The three sit around the fire pit for a while, chowing down and not saying a word to one another. Ember takes the peace and quiet as everyone relishing their food's taste after a long, exhausting day. At least, that’s how she feels as she reluctantly finishes off her final orange slice.

As they finish their meals, the girls' attention silently transfers from the food to the campfire crackling in a strangely relaxing rhythm. With the sun now setting, the solitary presence of the fire grows louder, as did the silence surrounding it.

Should I break the ice? Something clearly happened to her squad, so was Sky the one to set off the signal fire? But wait, we saw two lines of smoke, not one. Which means… if Sky’s group was one of the groups to light a signal, they weren’t the only ones in danger. Either way, the clear-cut question still holds. Where are Hazel and Violet?

“Sky, what happened today?” asks Ember, feeling slightly guilty about doing so.

Sky continues looking at the fire like she hadn’t heard. But after a few seconds, she adjusts herself, resting her back against the cut-down tree trunk she was just sitting on. Bringing one leg up and keeping the other stretched out in front of her, she bites down on her lower lip and dips her head for a moment before locking eyes with Ember.

“We ran into Crow.”

Those four trembling words are already enough; Ember doesn't need any more details. The fact she is here and the others aren’t… already answers Ember’s next question. Recalling Ace’s trial, when Ace mentioned that Crow had forced Blue and him to fight to the death, there’s the assumption that Sky, Hazel, and Violet might’ve been put into a similar situation.

Gathering context clues from the fact that Sky is here alone and the heartfelt hug between them, Ember is led to believe that Hazel and Violet are probably dead. Whether Sky killed them or not is still up in the air, but Ember doesn't want to push the subject further. Unfortunately, she and Faith aren't mentally on the same page.

“Tell us then, how are you here? How are you alive?” asks Faith, her questions making Sky shudder in discomfort. But after glancing at Faith, who nods sincerely to her, Sky voices in response.

“Crow… wasn’t the only one that showed up. Ace was with him,” says Sky.

“What was Ace doing with Crow?” queries Ember, wondering why Crow didn’t kill him beforehand.

Sky replies, “I honestly have no idea. But after attacking the three of us alone, Crow called for Ace. Ace then appeared and was informed that he now had a choice and that whatever outcome he chose would bear significant repercussions. When I asked why he was with Crow, he didn't even bat an eye as he told me that people change. That was all. He then turned toward Crow, and the exact words he said next were, “Sky lives”. When asked why, Ace said I should live because I’m stronger. I don’t know what that meant, but it must’ve provoked Crow because he attacked Ace afterward.”

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Faith cuts in as she brings a hand to her face, “He attacked Ace? I don’t understand… their interaction doesn’t make any sense.”

“I agree, everything happened so fast, but their strange relationship is one of the elements I remember the most. Even so, as Crow randomly preoccupied himself with Ace, I hoped to catch Crow off guard and land a surprise attack, but he saw me coming. Holding me at knifepoint, he told me to pass along a message for him.”

“What was the message?” asks Ember.

“That the trial phase was over… whatever that means. And from this day forward, the real game will begin.”

The trial phase… does that refer to a segmented amount of time? Perhaps it began when we first woke up, or maybe when the entire group found the riddle inside the only crate that would open. If I remember right, within that riddle, there’s a phrase like… ‘the game begins’. That may reference Crow's second comment, where he told Sky that the real game will begin now that the trial phase is supposedly over.

Lost in her thoughts, Ember doesn’t notice Sky reach into her backpack beside her and take out a crumpled-up piece of paper.

Opening the wad of paper, Sky says, “Earlier today, we found a pattern of markings on one of the trees.”

Ember’s ears perk up.

That’s why they might’ve been attacked earlier! But if that’s the case, would that mean a different group found different markings, too? That would also raise the question of how exactly Crow could be in two places simultaneously if another group saw other markings within a similar time frame.

“Crow told me that the encrypted information found on this paper will be necessary if we want to survive through what’s to come,” concludes Sky, passing the wrinkled paper over to Ember.

Studying the paper, Ember can only discern what she’s already seeing with her own two eyes. A random sequence of dots and dashes aligned in three distinct rows.

“Was there any indication of what this may mean on the tree?” asks Ember, puzzled about how they are supposed to understand what this code could mean.

She passes the paper back to Sky, who hands it to Faith.

Sky shakes her head, "No, I double-checked that I wrote down everything there.”

Faith says as she zips open her backpack, “Maybe this has to do with what we found earlier.”

Looking at Ember for approval, Ember bobs her head. Sky, knitting her brows and exchanging glances between Faith and Ember, asks, “What do you mean?”

Taking out the wooden plank and their own balled-up piece of notebook paper, Faith hands the paper to Sky and explains, “On our way back, we were able to finally put this plank to use. By aligning the open gaps to different environmental structures around us, that riddle you’re reading on the paper appeared on the plank.”

Reading the riddle aloud, Sky’s face displays more confusion.

"The crates hold the key, if you want to be free.

As when joined each piece, a map there will be.

The route to safety will appear, as it's meant to be shown.

The choice to believe is on you, as a group or alone.

For those who choose to go, the maze is the way.

But as a warning and a threat, don't be led astray.

This means the end is nearing, for our little game.

And it'll soon be determined, which ones only played."

After a brief pause, Sky flicks the paper, “There it is again, this same talk about a game, but this riddle refers to how the game might be reaching its’ end. This contradicts what Crow told me, as he said that the real game is only about to start. And what’s this about a maze?”

Reentering the conversation, Ember informs Sky, “About that. We found a maze on the other side of the mountains earlier.”

Sky’s eyes widen, “Beyond the mountains… you all walked that far today?”

“We did, but it came at the cost of Delta’s ceaseless complaining.”

Letting out a quiet giggle, Sky smiles for the first time since Ember’s group returned. While her seemingly constant optimism came off as annoying earlier, Ember can’t help but feel relieved to see a speck of joy expressed by Sky once again, even if it is just for a moment.

“But what’s important about this riddle, to me at least, is the reference to the crates that we haven’t been able to open,” says Ember. “It’s said that they are the key for us to be free, and based on the following line, I assume we’ll be able to create a map with what’s inside. Nonetheless, the obvious problem remains: we have no way to open them.”

Letting out a weary yawn, Sky rubs her face, “True, we’ll have to figure that out. I bet my riddle will help with that, but as you mentioned, we can’t solve it. At least... not yet.”

Recognizing that Sky is getting tired, Ember decides they should turn in for the night. The sun set a while ago, and they have no reason to continue their conversation. Getting to her feet, she tells the others they should call it a night, and as if they were thankful somebody said something, Sky and Faith agreed.

But just as Ember enters her tent, she overhears Faith ask Sky a question.

“Sky, do you have any memories from before you woke up here?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering. It was a long shot, but I thought it might be able to help us solve your riddle, as you were the one who found it.”

Sky yawns again before sleepily replying, “Oh, okay. Sorry. If you have any other ideas, let me know. I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.”

“Of course, thanks a lot, Sky. Hopefully, more people will return tomorrow and know things we don’t. Anyway, I’m going to bed. Good night.”

“You too, Faith, see you tomorrow,” says Sky, her voice drowning out toward the end.

Nothing else is said, and Ember allows herself to move again after eavesdropping on their brief conversation. Tossing her backpack off to the side, she flops onto her sleeping bag, wondering why Faith would ask such a question.

But before she can think any potential answers, Ember falls asleep.