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Back The Wishing Game
Chapters (66)
  1. PREFACE
  2. Full Page Image
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. One week ago
  6. THREE
  7. Present day
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO

"Of course." I nod, a smile pulling at my lips. His pride would never allow him to admit anything less.

"As I am limited, however, we shall have to avoid a direct confrontation," he continues. "We will also have to avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves, although I suppose killing the foxes did not help," he muses to himself.

"Why would someone so powerful join this competition then? If they are so strong, why would they need a wish from the game?"

"Not all desire a wish," he says, his lips flattening in displeasure.

"What?" I frown.

"There are some that make a sport out of this competition, training in between editions to get greater results."

Realization dawns on me. If they've trained in between editions, they must be hundreds of years old.

"You mean there are some who've participated in the game before? And won?"

"Participated, yes. Won? A few might have. The ones who did not were smart enough to quit at the right time."

"But why? Why would anyone do this?"

"Recognition. Ambition. Pride," he answers glibly. "There is one resolute rule in this competition that has been around for thousands of years. No god or demon can participate. This is all to make the game fair to participants, but that doesn't mean that distant relatives of gods are not competing. And if they are hybrids of another powerful species, that is all it takes for someone to have powers to equal those of a god."

"Oh. Wow. I didn't realize this was more than just a game of wishes." I force a wobbly smile.

"The gods are watching this game closely," he explains in a tight voice. "Those who will make it to the last trial may even gain the favor of one. The opportunities are endless."

"Is that why you're here? To gain recognition? Or is it to gain the approval of a god?" I ask, tilting my head to study him. How is it that until now I haven't even questioned his reasons for participating in the game.

A sardonic smile takes possession of his lips, and he stares at me for a moment.

"I am here to gain...something."

"Something?"

"There is something of interest to me in this competition," he amends, but his vague reply suggests he doesn't want me to probe further.

I nod slowly.

"Well, I hope you'll get what you wish for. I promise I'll try not to die," I joke, since we're all aware I'm the weakest link of our team.

"You will not die," he grits out, his expression icy.