The Dungeon Tree

"Isn't the prize just being able to fight him? Why are there so many people putting this much effort in for a match?" Steven said, trying to catch his breath.

We were located in an alleyway where we could wait for everything to calm down. From what I could see, that wasn't going to happen very soon.

"We need headbands now. I have a couple questions I need to ask Daz. That's really all my motivation at the moment." I said.

I started hearing footsteps behind me which caused me to turn around. I nearly dropped my jaw at what I was seeing. There was a whole stampede of people charging at us. I grabbed Steven by the arm and ran the opposite direction of where the stampede was coming from.

"When you turn the corner hide behind the wall and steal as many headbands as possible. This could backfire though, horribly." I said.

Steven nodded and as we turned the corner we placed ourselves onto the wall, ready to grab the headbands. When the first person turned the corner Steven stole her headband, as well as the next two. I attempted to grab a headband but was hit onto the ground where the stampede dragged me off.

"Steven, use the rooftops to escape!" I yelled. Steven nodded and unsheathed his weapon, stabbing it into the wall. He began to climb to the rooftop but before I could see if he made it to the top I lost sight of him.

After what felt like hours of being dragged around, the stampede finally dispersed and went in different directions leaving me lying of the ground covered in bruises.

I raised myself off the ground and dusted myself off. I turned to face where I last saw Steven and saw him sitting on a roof with more headbands than he did last time I saw him. Steven noticed me on the ground and made his way towards me.

"While you were being dragged I managed to steal some more people's headbands, and from the looks of it you still have yours somehow. Let's try and get some more, we only have five more minutes left." Steven said. I nodded and began looking for people, but before I could find anyone I heard a large horn overhead.

"That's the end of our first challenge. Everyone who has a headband come back to where I explained the rules." Daz's voice echoed through the town.

After a couple minutes of walking we had finally arrived at where Daz was. Daz was standing on the stage once more and was taking one good look at everyone.

"I'm guessing everyone here saw the numbers on their headband correct? Well let me explain what they are, they're points. The more bands you have means the more points you got. Now allow me and my men to see what your score was." Daz said.

'So that's what the numbers were. Should have expected that to begin with.' I thought to myself. As I was thinking to myself, one of Daz's men walked up to me and Steven and looked at our score. He seemed amused at our score.

"Not bad. Right now you're the second highest scorer. Hope you do as well as you did in the second challenge." Said the score keeper.