"So where do you think the ring is, Ryu?" mused Mikasa dryly to her traveling companion. They had been walking for hours, with absolutely no sign of any opponents, or the inanimate objective.

The martial artist shrugged. "Perhaps on the other side of this forest. We may get there by nightfall," he said, patting his duffel bag. "Or we may have to camp out."

"We wouldn't have to camp out if you didn't insist that I walk with you," the scout grunted.

"A group is always stronger than the individual. And you might run into enemies."

"I'm aware. I would kill them all," she replied, drawing one of her anti-Titan swords.

Ryu shook his head. "Such overconfidence can only lead to defeat. The slow path leads to self-improvement."

"I don't have time for your philosophy lessons. We'll lose at this rate." Mikasa drew her other sword, pulling its trigger. The pitons of her 3D Maneuver Gear sunk into a nearby tree.

"I'm out of here." With a flick of another trigger, the cables retracted, tossing her deep into the woods.

She'll be back, thought Ryu.

Not a moment past cue, Mikasa swung back into view, seemingly fumbling in midair and combat rolling to the ground. She dusted herself off and stood up, a look of fear and confusion on her face.

"There's something weird going on in there," she said, and almost instantly the light seemed to drain out of the forest. In the span of a minute, it had become night.

"That's just too bizarre. That doesn't just happen, right?" She turned to Ryu, whose eyes were closed. He seemed to be in deep concentration.

"This darkness… it's being produced by some evil ki. Darker than anything I have ever sensed before."

"What kind of forest has evil ki?"

"Not the forest," whispered Ryu. "Something in it."

Heavy footfalls sounded on their left. The foliage rustled, and something leapt out.

"I DON'T HAVE IT!" called the girl with the bow and arrow as she sprinted away.

Startled and confused, Ryu lost his focus.

"Who in the world was that?"

"An absolute idiot," replied Mikasa, who drew her swords.

***

Katniss knew the other warriors were likely to follow her. She didn't care. If I just keep running… I don't know. I'll fall off the edge? Then I can't hurt them anymore. Was it night before?

She heard them shouting out after her, but she wouldn't stop. She leapt over shrubs and gullies, tearing through the forest with utmost determination. Something that sounded like a giant zipper being done shrieked overhead. Katniss looked up, catching a glimpse of the girl with the swords.

"Hold up!" shouted the airborne girl. "You don't want to go any further!"

"Yes, I do!"

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Another zipper shrieked, and Katniss felt something catch her leg. She tripped forward, sliding forward on her face for much longer than she would have preferred. The sword girl descended behind her, winding up the cable she had used to trip Katniss into the bulky device built into her belt.

"No, you don't. Did you even notice how it just became night?"

"Yes, of course. The Gamema- I mean, the Master of Games can change the time of day as he pleases. Nothing too out of the ordinary."

"No. There's something in the forest making it dark."

"Evil ki!" gasped Ryu, stumbling through the brush and struggling to catch his breath.

Katniss punched a tree in frustration.

"God, more of you? I don't have time for this. I have to get away."

"From what?" questioned Mikasa.

"The ring! I have to keep away from it!"

Ryu was puzzled. "Isn't the point of the competition to hold it?"

Katniss cradled her head in her palms.

"It's evil! And it made me try to kill my own team!" She took a moment to catch her breath. "And I would appreciate it if you left me alone!"

Mikasa sheathed her swords. "Fine. Have it your way. Come on, Ryu. Let's avoid that evil ki."

The two turned and stumbled back through the dark forest. Katniss set off again, at a light jog this time. The moon, or something that looked just like it, shone brightly overhead, but only tiny pinpricks of its light reached the ground. The trees loomed over her like pillars of onyx, vast and omnipresent. Only the sound of her footfalls kept Katniss company. And then, they didn't.

Katniss paused for a moment, even stomping her feet on the ground.

No noise at all. Weird. That's just too quiet.

For a moment, her ears sensed nothing but silence. Then, a quiet ringing, as if from far away. Katniss walked a few more steps, hoping that it would go away. It didn't. She searched to the left and right for the source of the sound, but there was simply nothing in the dark forest. The ringing was getting louder, closer. She broke into a jog again, and then a full-out sprint, but she could not escape the sound. Her foot caught an exposed root, and she tripped.

Damn, how many times today is that?

She scrambled to her feet, preparing to try and escape the sound again, when she noticed the ground. The moon's light was scattered everywhere along the forest's floor… except in front of her.

"That's too big to be… my… shadow," Katniss said, gripping her knife and clenching her jaw against the ringing noise. She turned, and for the first time in a long while, she consciously screamed in fear.