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I felt a pang of sympathy.
She was younger than most of us, her bright blue skin shimmering with an ethereal glow, her eyes wide with fear.
One by one, the Champion moved from platform to platform, studying each female with a cold detachment.
Every so often, he’d pause, letting the tension build, before moving on to the next.
The room was suffocating, the weight of dread heavy in the air.
Holding my head high, I looked straight into his multitude of eyes.
There was a moment, a brief second, when I thought he might Claim me.
But then, as if disinterested, he moved on.
The Champion continued his evaluation, lingering longer at some platforms, discarding others with a mere glance.
Two days, and not once had I been Claimed.
Most females in the Prize Pool would have considered this a blessing.
But with each passing day, my uncertainty grew.
Was there something wrong with me?
Would I ever be chosen?
Was I destined to remain here, forever overlooked, never Claimed?
The fate of an Unclaimed Prize was even worse than that of one that had been chosen.
I had always believed that there was a reason for everything.
But now, trapped in this alien world, surrounded by the lost and the despairing, my faith was shaken.
I clung to the memories of my past, the laughter, the adventures, the sunsets, and reminded myself of what I was here to do.
* * *
It was the soft murmurings of the other Prizes that tipped me off.
Every morning, as a new set of fighters were announced, some of the females would subtly alter their appearance for whichever warrior they thought would win.
It wasn’t just about putting on a brave face or standing tall, it was about literally shifting their forms to appeal to the tastes of the incoming Champions.
That’s when it hit me:
Adaptation is the key!
Of course it was!
It was the key in just about every other field of life, so why not here?
I’d always been proud of my natural appearance, never feeling the need to change for anyone.
But these were desperate times.
The game was different here.
