All-Star Survivor: Greece Episode #13 Challenging the Gods

Xanathos Tribe: Stephanie Dill, Peter Harkey, Tanya Vance

DAY 38




Jeff Probst came to Taygete around 5:00 A.M.

"What time is it?" murmured Tanya, as he gently shook her awake.

"It's time to go," he said softly. "The others are already waiting."

Tanya shook her head awake, trying to clear the cobwebs out. She opened her eyes now, and let her eyes adjust to the dim light of morning. The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, and she could see purples and blues, mixed in with the bright yellow of the sun. It was dim, but it still hurt her eyes nonetheless.

Because this was too darn -early- to be up, Survivor or otherwise.

"Wakey wakey!" called Stephanie, exuberantly, which caused Tanya to grimace and pull her pillow over her eyes.

"I'm comin'," she said, not happy about it. "I'm comin'."

Jeff waited for about ten minutes, as Tanya slowly got up and rinsed her face off with water. She looked over to the beach, and saw a boat sitting there, carrying the other two players. Peter sat in the front, wearing black shorts and a white windbreaker. Stephanie sat just behind him, wearing a red T-shirt and black shorts. Both of them appeared to have been up for a while.

"You ready?" asked Jeff. "Big day ahead."

"Yeah," said Tanya, as she ducked behind a tree. She removed her sleeping clothes and threw on a black tank top and a pair of shorts. Now she was ready.

Tanya joined the others on the boat, another typical Greek fishing vessel. It was painted violet, of course, the exact same shade as the Xanathos flag.

"Where are we going?" asked Steph, as Jeff stepped into the boat. He grabbed a paddle, and started to push them away from shore.

"We're going out to sea," he explained. "To a little island called Aeaea. We have some business to take care of."

Jeff wouldn't explain any more, so he just stood at the front of the boat, paddling gently. It wasn't a long ride. The sea was very gentle today, and it would barely take fifteen minutes. But it was important. This was something that had to be done.

The three players sat in the back of the boat, not saying a word. Peter wanted to say something, to let Tanya and Stephanie know he knew their little secret. But he didn't speak. He opened his mouth twice, intending to make some small talk, but found himself unable to do it.

Now was not the time.

So he just relaxed instead, enjoying the sights of the sea around them. It was a beautiful day, with the sun now just peeking out from behind some nearby hills. So he just closed his eyes and took it all in.

Today was going to be perfect. He could just sense it.



^^



Aeaea Island is a small, green island, located smack dab in the middle of the sea. Nothing surrounds it, save for a large reef, and it sits alone, like a small orphan child. It is named after an island in -The Odyssey-, the mythical home of the goddess Circe. The island in the story is fictional, but this island is very much a real place.

And today, it would be the site of their final feast. Their last chance to break bread as a group, and say whatever it is they needed to say. They would not have to leave until they were done. They could stay here for as long as they wanted, much as Odysseus had done on the fictional Aeaea.

They would remain here until they were all ready to go.

The three players arrived on Aeaea just after sunrise, and were greeted by a table full of food. Meats, cheeses, olives, bread, wine, it was all here.

"You guys can sit here and eat," explained Jeff. "And talk about whatever it is you need to say. Feel free to relax here, sleep if you want, do whatever. I don't really care. But take the time to enjoy your experience here. Soak it all in."

He pointed to the south shore of the island, where three boats sat.

"When you are done, those boats will take you to your final immunity challenge. It will be located on the island of Delos, which you may be already familiar with. Peter, I know you and Gabe spent the night there last week."

Peter nodded, happily.

"So this is your time," explained Jeff. He smiled. "Put it to good use."

The players sat around the table and dug in, ravenously devouring the food. And it wasn't long before they began to chat. First, about little things, like the weather, and soon moving on to bigger things, like what they would do with the money if they won.

They reminisced.

They congratulated one another.

And all hard feelings seemed to be put aside. Peter and Tanya were getting along fine, the harsh feelings from last night's Tribal Council already being melted away.

"It's just a tense time," Peter said, as he spread some jelly on a roll. "I hope you didn't take anything personal last night. It was all part of my strategy. I had to somehow break you guys up."

"Oh Peter," smiled Tanya, laughingly, "-Shut- up. You didn't even know we were a team."

"You thought it was her and Mona," laughed Steph, as she munched on a piece of olive bread. "You didn't have a clue."

"Nobody did," said Tanya. "Not a single one."

"Not even Gabe?" asked Peter.

"Nope. When I told him, he was just as stunned as the rest of you. In fact, he thought it was funny."

"Yeah," agreed Peter, nodding. "I can see that."

He paused, to take a sip of orange juice.

"So... how long were you guys a team?" he asked.

"Since day one," admitted Tanya. "Well, before, actually. We planned this out like months ago." Peter nodded his head, impressed, so Tanya added "It was her idea, not mine."

"So if one of you wins immunity today, I'm gone then."

"Pretty much," nodded Tanya. "Sorry Peter, that's just the way it works."

"Oh, I know," he said. "Trust me, I know the game."

He then paused.

"But what if -I- win immunity? What then?"

"I think I'll be the last jury member," joked Tanya, "If that happens. Don't worry, I know where I stand. You don't have to tell me."

"So you're sittin' pretty good then," said Peter, as he turned towards Stephanie. "No matter what, you're in that final two. Right?"

Steph had pulled her knees up to her chin, as she sat in the sand.

"Pretty much," she said. "Looks like it, anyway. But I don't know if I can beat either of you in a jury vote."

She shrugged. She'd come to that obstacle when she got there.

"Well..." said Peter, "I just want to wish the two of you good luck. We've all made it this fah, and we should all be happy with it. We've all pulled ourselves back from a bad experience the fihst time, and we've all done well. So I tip my cap to the both of you. You pulled off a great scam."

He raised his glass of juice to Tanya, and she returned the favor. Stephanie held up her glass as well, and it was decided. There would be no more bitterness in this game. No more bad feelings. They had gone far enough last night, and it was time to end it right here.

"So," asked Steph, "What was it we were supposed to do again before we leave?"



^^



Off to the side of the table was a small bowl, filled with a clear liquid. Jeff had instructed them on its use before he left.

"This is an ancient healing balm," he had said. "Drawn from a spring at the base of Mount Olympus, this was intended to help warriors in battle. To heal their wounds, and toughen their skin. Take a moment before you leave to coat yourself in it, and prepare yourself for your final battle. Do whatever ritual you need to do to prepare, and then step onto your boat. That's it."

So the players took about ten minutes to coat themselves in the cool liquid. Soon their skin glistened, as the sun reflected off the oily material covering their bodies. Peter had slicked his hair back completely, and its blackness rested against his skull. Tanya was also coated, and Stephanie had decided to go for the intimidation look instead. She had stripped down to her swimsuit, and now the liquid reflected off her tanned and sculpted body. Her muscular arms and legs glistened in the sun... and with her hair pulled back, she looked every bit like a tanned Greek goddess.

The three players wished each other good luck and stepped onto their transport boats. A rower was already in each one, so they would have to do nothing but sit. But they also found an array of items in each of their boats. There were weapons here, and clothing, and helmets, and shields. Everything a Greek warrior would need for battle, here in their boats. They could dress as they pleased.

It would be up to them to pick and choose.

Soon, three boats left Aeaea island, heading out to sea. Powerful rowers handled the oars, so the players could sit and relax. And think. Or meditate. Whatever they preferred. But in any case, they were all quiet.

No one said a word.

Peter sat in his boat, wrapped in a red robe, almost like a tunic. He had fastened it with a golden sun brooch, both being found in the boat. He carried a small silver helmet in his right hand, although he had not yet put it on. He was just holding it, for now.

Stephanie sat in her boat, staring out to sea. She had wrapped two leather straps around her wrists, and was holding a large iron pike in her hands. She was still going for the intimidation look, and was trying to look as fierce as possible, like an Amazon warrior. Her game face was now on for good.

Tanya sat in her boat, staring wistfully at the water, wondering what was in store for them today. She had placed purple flowers in her hair, as well as a small laurel crown. She was also wrapped in a thin robe, like Peter, although hers was white instead of red. A small bronze shield sat at her feet. She just liked the look of it, so she had brought it along.

The three boats sailed out to sea.

And sailed.

And sailed.

And about ninety minutes later, they had arrived.




^^



The island of Delos looked just like Peter remembered it. Of course, things hadn't changed much in the last millenium or two. Since this was one of the oldest places in western history, it probably hadn't changed much at all. There were still marble columns, and ancient steps, and broken walls. It was all here, just like before.

The only thing that stood out this time was a statue.

The three players disembarked onto the beach, very eager to be on dry land. The boat ride had been long, and hot, and boring. Now the fun could begin.

"That statue wasn't here before," said Peter, as he went over to inspect it. "This was all just empty last time."

He walked over and immediately recognized why he hadn't seen it before. Because this statue was brand new.

It was a statue of Linda Spencer.

"What was her name again?" asked Peter. "The lady who got kicked off first? I never got to meet her."

"That's Linda," said Tanya, as she walked over to view it. The statue itself was exquisite, having been hand-crafted out of stone. It looked just like Linda too, as she fixed them all with a motherly expression of concern. She also had one arm extended. It pointed slightly to the west, and Tanya looked in that direction. Sure enough, she saw another statue off in the distance.

"Oh cool," she said. "This is our torch walk!"

One by one, the players walked along the surface of the oldest island in Greece, examining the statues. Each one seemed to be more beautiful than the rest, and Peter marveled at the speed and craftsmanship with which these must have been carved. And each one pointed in the direction of the next one, as the players slowly followed the trail around the island. It was obvious they were meant to follow the statues.

And at the same time, remember those who were no longer here.

Sonja's statue held a small rose, as she looked down at it with a sorrowful expression on her face.

Diane's statue was smiling, laughing even. It helped break the mood a little, as the previous two had been rather mournful and sad. This one looked like it was having fun.

Carl's statue held a palm leaf in its hand, as it looked off in the distance, perhaps looking for something to build. Carl would be forever looking for something to build.

Kel's statue was on one knee, as it stared out to sea. Its face was unreadable, although in Tanya's opinion, he looked rather sad. It was something in Kel's eyes. She didn't much like that statue.

Hunter's statue greeted them at the top of a hill, looking tall and strong. It was probably a good foot taller than the previous few, and his broad smile and broader chest stood out as an imposing sight. The statue reminded Peter of the Colossus of Rhodes, as it straddled a small stream in the process, almost like a giant.

Dirk's statue looked to the heavens, its skinny frame and innocent features being quite a contrast to the Hunter statue. Dirk almost looked like a child, as his face had deliberately been make to look younger. This was Tanya's favorite statue so far.

Debb's statue sat on a rock, the only one not standing up. Her hair fell over her eyes, and she watched them approach with a stern look on her face, not smiling.

John Raymond was the ninth statue they saw, and it made Stephanie laugh. John carried a fishing pole in his right hand, and a floppy hat perched on top of his head. He also had a small dagger at his feet, likely the same dagger that had marked his eviction that fateful night back on Taygete.

"Cute," said Stephanie, the first thing she had said since they arrived on Delos.

Jessie's statue stood with arms folded across her chest, a strong and proud look on her face. She had a slight smile too, althought she was obviously meant to look intimidating.

Ryan's statue loomed next, as it leaned up against a tree. It had its mouth open, in mid speech, and Tanya had to giggle. Even immortalized in stone, Ryan was still chatting away. He was probably trying to hit on her. But Ryan pointed casually to the south, and there was statue number twelve.

Gabriel's statue was the only one with its eyes closed. It held one arm up, as if waving to them, but it looked a little creepy without eyes. Tanya especially didn't want to look at it any longer than necessary, so they scurried away...

And found the last statue.

Ramona's statue was hidden behind some grass, as it peeked out at them, coyly. But when they approached, they saw a sly grin on her face, as if to say "I see you!"

But Ramona was pointing.

To the remains of an old temple.

And that was there they would have to go.




^^



Jeff greeted them as they walked through the doorway of the temple. There was no roof here, and barely any walls. Most of the structure was gone, having been eaten away by time. But it was obvious this had once been an important place. You could just feel it in the air. Something special was going to happen here.

Jeff smiled at them as they took their places.

Peter stood in his red robe, hair slicked back, with his violet buff around his neck. He no longer held his helmet.

Stephanie stood in her swimsuit, hair pulled tight in a ponytail, and carrying a large iron pike. She wore her buff around her left bicep.

And Tanya stood in her black tank top, while wrapped in a white robe. She wore a laurel crown in her hair, which was tied back with her violet buff.

"Welcome," smiled Jeff, "To your final immunity challenge. This is the one for all the marbles. And we call it... Challenging the Gods."

With that, he turned and pointed at five statues behind him. The players had been so in awe of the temple, they had barely noticed the statues. But there they were, five statues, and Jeff introduced them, one at a time.

"This is Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt."

"Over there, we have Athena, Goddess of Wisdom."

"That one is Hermes, Messenger of the Gods."

"That sinister looking fellow is Hades, God of the Underworld."

Jeff paused.

"And last, but not least..."

He pointed to the bearded statue in the middle. The one who was sitting on a throne. He looked very stern, and very, very familiar.

"We have the King of the Gods, the God of the Skies, Zeus."

Jeff smiled.

"Your goal today is to challenge the gods at their own game. You will face off against them, one by one. And the first player to defeat three of the gods..." He paused again. "Will win immunity. And more importantly, will be able to pick your opponent in the final two."

And with that, he went on to explain the rules.

^^

The games were ready to begin.

One by one, the players would call forth a god, and take the associated challenge. And if you defeated the god, you would win a point. The first player to win three points would win immunity.

This was the ultimate immunity challenge. If you couldn't get up for this one, you didn't deserve to be here.

They had already drawn lots, to decide who would choose first, and Stephanie had been given the honor. She stepped forward now, and glanced at the five statues looming in front of them.

Artemis.

Athena.

Zeus.

Hermes.

and Hades.

And truth be told, Stephanie wasn't particularly strong in her knowledge of the gods. She would be the first to admit it. She had no idea who most of these statues were. So she decided to just wing it, and pick the first one on the left-- The tall, slender goddess with a bow in her hand, a tender look on her face, and a small fawn by her side.

"Her," she pointed, directing her finger at Artemis.

"You've challenged Artemis," announced Jeff, "The goddess of the hunt." He turned now to his left, and pointed to a large stone slab, which appeared to be leaning against a wall. A muscular Greek man walked over to the slab, a heavy warhammer in his hands. In one motion, he slammed the hammer against the slab, and it shattered into a hundred pieces.

Behind the slab, easily visible now, was a target. An archery target.

"You each will get two shots," said Jeff. "Using Artemis' favorite weapon... the silver bow. The closest one to the bullseye after two shots will win a point." He smiled. "Nothing fancy, just hit the target. That's it. Stephanie, since it is your challenge, you shoot first."

Stephanie Dill walked over to Jeff, and he presented her with a heavy bow. Made of silver, perfectly polished, and strung with a thin gold wire, this weapon was going to take some strength to shoot.

But Stephanie was determined to do her best.

She plucked an arrow out of a quiver, raised it up to the bow, and cocked it. She held the bow up in front of her now, aiming it, trying to center it on the red bullseye at the middle of the target. Her arms shook from the exertion, and she gritted her teeth, trying to concentrate.

Then she fired.

Whizzzzz.

The arrow fell short of the target, cracking against the stone floor of the temple. She started to curse, but thought better of it in such a sacred place, and switched words at the last second.

"Crap."

"One more shot," Jeff reminded her.

Stephanie cocked another arrow, and raised the heavy bow up in front of her. Her muscular right arm drew back the string, and she tried to concentrate... as well as she had ever done before. Her back muscles screamed in agony at holding this pose, but finally she was ready. She fired the arrow, grunting with exertion.

Smack!

The arrow buried itself deep into the target, skirting the line between the red and yellow circles. It was a direct hit, and she had just missed a bullseye by inches.

"Nice shot," said Jeff, as he watched a smile cross her face. She pumped her fist, silently, and smiled over at Peter and Tanya.

Beat that, she thought.

Tanya Vance was next, and she looked apprehensive as she approached Jeff. That bow looked huge. It looked heavy. And she wasn't all that strong, not when compared to Peter or Steph.

"Oh my God," she said, as she tried to lift it. She couldn't do it. It just sat there on the ground, like a lead slug. "I can't even pick it up, Jeff."

"Just take a deep breath," he said. "And lift with your legs."

Tanya tried again, and with a little extra effort, she was able to hoist the bow up. Jeff helped her load an arrow, and she aimed it at the target. But it was clear that she didn't have long to aim, as her arm strength started to betray her. So she fired... and missed badly.

"Care to try again?" asked Jeff.

"I might as well," she sighed. "But don't expect much."

Tanya's second shot was no closer, although she did manage to at least hit the floor this time. She just wasn't strong enough to fire that bow properly, it was as simple as that.

"Steph still in the lead," announced Jeff. "Peter, you're up."

Peter Harkey walked over to the host, and then unfastened his robe. He let its red fabric drop to the ground, and smiled.

"I'm ready," he said, as Jeff then handed him the bow. Peter tested its weight in his hands. Sure, it was heavy, but certainly not unmanageable. He was bigger and stronger than Steph, so he had that going for him. And that meant that now, he only had to worry about aim.

"Fire when ready," said Jeff, as he stepped back.

Peter took about twenty seconds to aim, as he stood in the classic archer's position. Legs spread, right arm drawing back the string, he waited. And aimed. And had faith.

And fired.

Smack!

The arrow burrowed into the target, but quite a bit further out than Steph's. It was a hit, but had only nicked the corner of the target. Peter was still behind.

"Nice try," said Jeff, "But you still have one chance."

Stephanie started to nibble at her thumbnail now, as she watched Peter load up another arrow. She didn't even know she was doing it, this was just one of her nervous tics. She watched as Peter drew the string back, and watched him aim.

She closed her eyes now. She didn't want to watch this. It was too important of a shot.

Smack!

She opened her eyes at the sound, and looked at the target, worriedly. But the look on Peter's face was all she needed to see. It was a grimace. A frustrated grimace.

His second arrow was a good shot, but had only landed in the yellow ring.

Stephanie had won the first contest.

"Stephanie," smiled Jeff. "You have defeated Artemis, and can go claim your reward. Go approach the statue, you'll see it."

Steph smiled, and strode to the statue of the goddess, looking quite pleased with herself. And sure enough, in Artemis' hand was a coin. A golden coin. Stephanie took it, and smiled at the goddess. She even thought the statue smiled back, although maybe that was the sleep deprivation talking.

"One down," smiled Jeff. "Who's picking the challenge this time?"



^^



Peter Harkey had drawn the second pick, and so he stepped forward now. He didn't much like the idea of challenging the underworld, and he didn't like the idea of a race. And Zeus, he figured, was probably the nastiest challenge of them all. So he went with the only remaining goddess instead.

"I pick Athena," he said, pointing at her statue. The goddess faced them all, hands clasped in front of her stomach. She appeared to be studying them, a wise look on her face. A small owl sat upon her left shoulder.

"You've challenged Athena," said Jeff, "The goddess of wisdom."

Jeff motioned to another slab, and this one was again shattered with a hammer.

Behind it lay three tables. They stood about waist high, although no one could see what was on them from here.

"Over there," explained Jeff, "Are three logic puzzles. They consist of thirty three tiles, scrambled in a random pattern. Your job is to unscramble the puzzle, and make a picture. The first person to correctly solve their puzzle will win the coin from Athena."

He smiled.

"Let's go."

Steph took the puzzle on the left, Tanya in the middle, and Peter on the right.

And Peter was determined to win this one. He couldn't believe he had lost the archery one. That one should have been his. But lose a mental one? Now? No way.

Not with immunity on the line.

"Survivors ready..." announced Jeff, watching as they placed their hands on their first tile.

"Go!"

Peter's hands moved like pistons, as he clicked tiles around on the table, searching for a recognizable pattern. There, he had part of the picture. A castle. He moved the tiles around to isolate the castle, and had it partway done now. He didn't glance at the other players, figuring that would cost him valuable time. He just kept up his work, moving more tiles around, hearing them click against one another as he worked.

He worked.

And worked.

And was just about to put the last five pieces into place, when he heard the words he hadn't expected to hear so soon.

"Tanya!" announced Jeff, "Has it! Tanya defeats Athena!"

Peter opened his mouth wide, in shock, and looked over at Tanya's puzzle. Sure enough, she had it. A picture of a meadow, with a white unicorn drinking from a stream.

"Congratulations," said Jeff, as Tanya grinned from ear to ear. She couldn't help it, she was just good at visual puzzles. This one had been right up her alley. But she walked over to Athena, knelt before it out of respect, and retrieved her coin.

Now, it was one to one.

And Peter was rapidly running out of time.



^^



"I challenge Hermes," said Tanya, surprising nobody. "Give me the runner."

Peter groaned, placing his hands on his hips. He didn't want to face Tanya in a running challenge. The girl was like a gazelle, although he was really no slouch himself. He had run marathons before, he was in good shape.

He could beat her if he had to. He just knew it.

"Hermes, messenger of the gods, accepts your challenge," said Jeff. But this time, he didn't motion to a slab. He only pointed at the statue of Hermes. It appeared to be of a young man, wearing a beard. His arm was extended out, though, and his palm was open, as if expecting something. This is where the challenge would come in.

"Hermes has lost his staff," explained Jeff. "It is gold, about yay tall, and has two serpents coiled around it. It is known as the -caduceus-." He paused. "There are three of these staffs, currently resting in the boats you came in on. So this is a race. The first one of you to race back to your boat, get the staff, and bring it to Hermes wins the contest."

He smiled.

"Simple enough?"

The three players lined up, ready for the race to begin. And this one was going to be a killer. They had walked a long time this morning, being guided from statue to statue. They had no idea -where- their boats were in relation to this temple. So they would have to backtrack, and follow the statues again.

"Survivors ready!" announced Jeff. "Go!"

All three players took off down the hill, racing for all their worth into the mild Greek afternoon. And sure enough, they all headed for the Ramona statue, wanting to retrace their steps.

Tanya was in the lead, having sprinted out to an early start. Stephanie was right on her tail, though, as she appeared to be putting in 110% effort. Peter stayed behind the two females at first, although he was trying to pace himself. He wouldn't let them get too far ahead, but he could see they were going to burn themselves out.

But then, Tanya suddenly veered from the course.

As Stephanie now headed for the Gabriel statue, Tanya took a sharp left, and started running down into a meadow. She wasn't following the statues at all, she was heading off on her own.

Peter had to make a quick, split second decision... follow the statues as planned? Or take off after Tanya, and hope she knew where she was going?

Peter chose the statues, wanting to stick with the safe option. So he followed Stephanie closely, trying to stick behind her for as long as he had to.

Halfway down the meadow, Tanya turned around. She had hoped Peter would be following her. After all, she had no idea where she was going, and hoped to throw him off the trail. But it hadn't worked.

"Darn it!" she said to herself.

But now she was all alone. She didn't have much of a choice, so she just picked a direction and ran that way. She knew it went towards the beach. She just hoped it was the right beach.

Ten minutes later, the first figure emerged onto the sandy beach of Delos.

It was Peter.

He was a minute or so ahead of Stephanie, having passed her around the Carl statue. And he was the first one here, he could see that. He ran over to his boat, and gripped the golden staff in his hand. He had it. Now he just had to get back to the temple.

But as he turned around, he was almost knocked over by Tanya. She had emerged from a small thicket, and was right behind him. She careened nearly out of control as she raced past him and to her boat. But she had done it. She had guessed correctly, and found the correct beach.

She had been lucky.

Peter didn't waste any time now, as he ran back towards the first few statues. Tanya started after him a few seconds later, and they both passed Stephanie along the way.

Now, it was going to be a footrace.

Peter kept to the straight and narrow path, and was amazed to see Tanya dart off again. She veered off up the side of a hill, and the sight made him panic. Did she know a better way back? Should he follow her?

But again, he decided not to.

He kept up his steady pace, running, as he followed the path of the statues. Here was Debb again. Then John. Then Jessie. Then Ryan. Now, he could see the temple, looming ahead of him.

Peter ran, pumping his arms as fast as he could go. He started yelling now, not realizing he was doing it, almost like a last gasp of energy.

"AAAAAAHHHHH" he yelled, as he passed the Gabriel statue.

But that was when Tanya appeared in the picture again. She popped out from a small trail, about a hundred feet in front of him. Once again, she had found a shortcut. And been lucky.

"No!" shouted Peter, but it was all too late.

Tanya entered the temple first, and walked over to the statue of Hermes. Breathing heavily, her tank top sticking to her skin, she placed the caduceus in its open hand, and turned to smile at Jeff.

"Congratulations," he said, just as Peter entered the temple. "Tanya, you've got two coins."



^^




"Here's where we stand," said Jeff, once all three players were back in the temple. "Tanya has two coins. One more, and she wins immunity."

Tanya smiled, as she bounced on her toes, nervously. She couldn't believe she was so close. So close. One more, that's all she needed! And then, she could probably start counting her money.

"Stephanie," said Jeff. "Your challenge. Take your pick."

Stephanie's eyes darted from one god to the next.

Hades.

Or Zeus.

And quite frankly, she wasn't thrilled about either one of them. Hades had an intensely angry look on his face, as he stared down at them, eyes filled with rage. And Zeus was... well, Zeus. He sat on his throne, looking stern, looking for all the world like the king of the gods.

Stephanie sighed.

"I challenge Hades."

Jeff stared at her. Then he slowly smiled. And the smile got wider and wider, his dimples suddenly looking more sinister than ever.

"Excellent," he said, finally.

Another stone slab was smashed and the players held their breath, hoping that nothing nasty would come out from behind. Because challenging death itself was never a good idea.

Never.

And as the dust settled, the players weren't happy with what they saw.

Three coffins. Pine boxes, painted black.

"Ohhh," moaned Tanya, as her stomach suddenly dropped down to somewhere around her feet.

"Hades is the god of the underworld," said Jeff. "And by challenging him you thereby agree to this contest."

He grinned.

"To be buried alive."

Jeff went on to explain the rules. Each player would be enclosed in a coffin, and lowered into an open grave.

Tanya shuddered.

"Dirt will be piled over you," explained Jeff, "And you will be then left in darkness. You -will- have a breathing tube, with which to get fresh air. That won't be blocked. But other than that, you are on your own down there."

He held up a small bell.

"You will hold a string in your hand, and this is your signal to get out. If you can't take it anymore, if it gets too claustrophobic, all you have to do is yank this string, and your bell will ring. You will be excavated immediately."

He smiled.

"But other than that, this is a battle of willpower. Who can stay down the longest?"

Peter watched with determination as his black coffin was brought over. He knew he could win this one. He just -knew- it. Dark spaces didn't bother him. They never had. And Tanya, meanwhile, looked like she was about to vomit. Her face was green already.

But Stephanie looked stoic. And that worried Peter a little. She was so stubborn sometimes, and so pigheaded, he was worried that she would simply refuse to get out.

You and me, he thought. Just you and me on this one.

The three players all entered their pine boxes, with Stephanie taking a deep breath, and Peter closing his eyes almost immediately.

"Um..." said Tanya, stalling for time. "Uh... I don't think I want to do this one, Jeff." She hated herself for saying it, but she had to. She would die down there. It simply wasn't worth it. "Can I just skip this one?"

"Your choice," he said, shrugging.

With that, the contest was set. Peter and Stephanie had their lids closed, and their coffins were slowly lowered down into a pit. Tanya could barely watch, it made her sick just watching them go down.

"Good luck!" she called, but she got no reply. Steph and Peter were silent.

Within three minutes, the caskets were buried.

The game was on.

Stephanie Dill kept her eyes open the entire time, although it didn't seem to make a difference. There was no light at all down here. None. She wiggled her shoulders now, trying to see how much room she had. And the answer was none.

This wasn't going to be easy. And she already felt the dark cloak of panic closing in around her.

Peter Harkey was trying his best to retreat to another world. His eyes closed, he softly spoke to himself, trying to escape the reality of his situation. He repeated a mantra over and over, trying to calm his nerves.

You're just sleeping, he told himself over and over. Just sleeping. This is just a nap.

Five minutes into the contest, and Tanya was getting worried. This was longer than she expected -anyone- to stay down there. She looked over at Jeff, and he didn't seem to be concerned. In fact, he was looking at his watch. He looked bored.

Seven minutes in, and Peter was starting to feel the air thin around him. No manner of meditation could overcome -that-, and his eyes snapped open. He felt it now. The air was thinning. So he locked his mouth around the breathing tube, and took long, deep breaths. Long, deep, yoga breaths, straight from the diaphragm. That seemed to soothe his nerves, and he relaxed again.

But not for long.

Suddenly, a bell rang. He could hear it above him. And luckily, it wasn't his.

Stephanie Dill had finally succumbed to her panic just before the eight minute mark. She had frantically yanked her string, and had been excavated almost immediately, shaken and gasping for air. In fact, she almost looked to be crying, from Tanya's angle.

But she was eliminated. And Peter had pulled himself right back into the contest.

"Nice job," said Jeff, as Peter was released from his casket. The tall man shook Jeff's hand, and walked over to the statue of Hades.

"Let's hope we don't meet again," said Peter, as he retrieved his coin.

And now, it was going to come down to the final challenge.



^^



"I challenge Zeus," said Peter. And he grinned. It was his nervous grin, the inappropriate one he sometimes let loose when he wasn't feeling comfortable. After all, saying those words out loud was enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine.

Because in mythology, Zeus had a temper.

"Okay," said Jeff, "This is where we stand. Tanya has two coins. If she defeats Zeus, she wins immunity, and advances to the final two." He paused. "Stephanie and Peter, you both have one coin. If either of -you- defeat Zeus, we will end in a 2-2 tie. And that means a head-to-head tiebreaker..."

They thought he was done, but he wasn't.

"...Of my choice."

Peter groaned. He knew Jeff had something nasty saved up for them, just in case.

But for now, it was time to see what the king of the gods had in store for them.

Jeff pointed to the last stone slab, and a large Greek man approached it with a hammer.

Smash!

The slab disintegrated into dust, and the players finally saw. They now knew what they were going to have to do.

Because three thunderbolts rested behind the slab.

"Zeus was known for three things," said Jeff. "Number one, he got around. He slept with just about every female in ancient Greece, both goddess -and- mortal. And I'm sorry Peter, but that isn't the challenge."

Peter laughed out loud, a strange combination of giddiness and nervousness. Steph smiled, and reached over to punch him in the shoulder, playfully.

"Second," explained Jeff. "Zeus had a fierce temper, and would come down hard on -anyone- who dared to disrespect his power. And third..." He walked over to pick up one of the thunderbolts. It appeared to be made out of lightweight metal, and it didn't take much effort for him to hoist up.

"Third, Zeus' weapon was the thunderbolt. He hurled these down from the heavens at his enemies. It was his trademark, his symbol, and his essence. Zeus -was- thunder."

Jeff then passed a thunderbolt out to each player.

"This challenge is simple. Hold this thunderbolt up for as long as you can. It isn't heavy, but it will take some strength to keep your arm above your head for so long. So we'll just stand here until one of you outlasts all the others. Got it?"

Three heads nodded. Three people had complete confidence they would win this one.

"Okay," said Jeff. "On the count of three, hold those arms up high. And if the thunderbolt ever drops below your eye level, you are out."

And with that, they started.

Ten minutes passed quickly. Stephanie stood on the left, her muscular arm raised up, her thunderbolt resting just above her head. Her body, half naked already, was glistening from sweat from the earlier challenges, and she already looked exhausted. This day had already taken a lot out of her.

Peter stood in the middle, his black hair slicked back and t-shirt already clinging to his body due to sweat. His arm was held higher than Steph, as he closed his eyes and practiced his breathing again. That was the only way he was going to win this, through his breathing. Or so he thought.

Tanya stood on the right, her thunderbolt held aloft just a few inches above her head. She felt great, far stronger than she had expected. In fact, She was going to win this one. She had no doubt about it. This was her event.

Time passed.

"It's been thirty minutes," smiled Jeff, as he came over to taunt them. "You guys think you can outlast the others?"

No one said a word. And Peter didn't even appear to have heard, he was still off in his own world somewhere, trying to block out the pain.

"Okay," said Jeff. "I'll be back later."

At forty-one minutes, the game claimed its first victim.

Tanya Vance sighed now, as she had to lower her thunderbolt to the ground. She could have won this, too. She had the strength and determination. But she had simply gotten a shoulder cramp, and had no choice but to quit.

"Darn it all," she said to herself.

Because now, it was going to come down to Stephanie. If Peter won this, Tanya would have to face him in a tiebreaker. And that was something she -definitely- didn't want to do. No thank you, that would be -way- too close for comfort for her liking.

"Let's go, Steph," she said, clapping. "Stay strong, girl."

"So you just root for another player?" asked Jeff. "Just like that?"

"There's no secrets here, Jeff," she said. "Peter knows Steph and I are a team now. There's nothing left to hide anymore."

Sure enough, Peter and Stephanie kept up their battle of wills for some time. An hour passed, and then ninety minutes. And both were going strong. Both were simply too stubborn to give up.

"I can go forever," Steph said. "I lift hoses ten times heavier than this at work. You might as well give up."

"Not likely," smiled Peter, his eyes still closed. "I have to win this or I'm gone. That's a pretty good incentive to stay up."

Jeff came out to taunt them again at two hours. He offered them both a hot fudge sundae to give up. Of course, no one took the bait. But it -was- clear to Jeff that both were starting to struggle a little. Stephanie's arm had dropped now to forehead level, and she was dangerously close to disqualifying herself, although he couldn't warn her.

And Peter's breathing had become heavier now, and less relaxing. It was no longer yoga breathing, although he was doing his best. But his arm killed now. And cramped up. He was having a hard time of it.

"Watch this," said Jeff. as he muttered to Tanya, "Peter's about to quit."

"So is Steph," said Tanya. "Look at her."

Neither player knew the other one was in so much pain, so they tried their best to keep their thunderbolts up. Stephanie grimaced, and did her best just to keep her bolt in the air. Peter started another round of relaxation techniques, with more yoga breathing. They were both giving this maximum effort, Peter simply to stay in the game, and Stephanie simply because she hated to lose.

They were both giving it their all.

And then it happened.

Peter's arm finally gave up on him. He dropped his arm to his side, and his thunderbolt clattered to the ground. It was over, and he knew he was done now. His body had simply given out on him, and not even yoga had been able to help.

"Stephanie," said Jeff, "Go get your coin."

Stephanie dropped her thunderbolt, happily retrieved her coin from Zeus, and patted the sky god on his knee.

"We have a 2-2 tie now," explained Jeff. "Tanya and Stephanie, you two will face a tiebreaker if you choose."

Peter could only watch now, sadly, as his fate played out right before his eyes. There was simply nothing else he could do. His options had run out for good.

"what's the tiebreaker?" asked Steph.

"Ares," smiled Jeff. "The god of war. And the cruelest one of them all. You will have to challenge Ares."

"Um... that's perfectly fine, Jeff," laughed Tanya. "Can we cut a deal or something?"

"Sure."

"You're gonna take me to the final two, right?" confirmed Tanya. But she knew it was true. Stephanie Dill was incapable of lying. And besides, Steph didn't want to face Peter in the finals. Peter was too well respected, and at least Tanya had some enemies.

"Yeah. I'd take you over Peter."

"Well then I quit the challenge now," said Tanya. "Can I give up so she gets immunity?"

"Sure," shrugged Jeff. "It's your call."

"I quit then."

With that, Stephanie smiled. Her first immunity. Her first win of any sort, and she had pulled it off when it counted the most. Jeff placed the immunity necklace around her neck, and congratulated her.

"Stephanie, you're going to the final two. Well done. And I'll see you all at Tribal Council, in about an hour."



^^



In the history of Survivor, there have been very few Tribal Councils as anticlimactic as this one. -Everybody- knew that Peter was going. Even the jurors did, and they watched the proceedings with mock interest as Steph and Tanya tried to explain their fake alliance to the jurors.

"This was going on since day one," fessed up Tanya. "And we didn't do it to be malicious, but simply because we thought it would be funny. And you'd probably admit it was, too, if you were in on it."

Steph had confirmed pretty much everything that Tanya said, adding details from time to time like "It was only difficult when you guys stuck up for Tanya, and said I was mean to hear." She laughed. "You almost started to make me feel sad after a while."

And finally, it was Peter's turn.

He didn't have much to say, as he had already pretty much checked himself out of the game. And he had -intended- to try to save himself tonight. He had intended to give a big long speech about how Steph should take him to the final two, and not Tanya. About how Tanya could not be beaten.

He had wanted to, but Peter simply didn't have the heart for it. Or the energy. He was tired. And besides, it wouldn't make a difference. This was how it was supposed to be... Stephanie and Tanya. Who was he to step in and try to change the destined final two? No, he decided, it was better to go out with some class and one's head held high. That was the ultimate victory, to escape with your dignity and morals intact.

And Peter Harkey fully intended to do so.

"I just want to say," he added, "That it has been a pleasure playing with these two ladies. They both played extremely well, and either one would make a deserving winner. I got outplayed, that's all I have to say, Jeff. We can vote if you want, I'm done."

And with that, Jeff bade Stephanie to go cast the lone vote. She did so, and returned to her seat. And gave a small smile to Peter as she sat down.

Jeff went to retrieve the ballot, and came back with the box moments later.

He opened it.

Read the ballot.

And turned it around.

And there would be no surprise in tonight's Tribal Council.


"Peter."


Peter smiled, and then reached over to hug Stephanie. He hugged Tanya as well, and then went to go retrieve his torch. He brought it before Jeff and watched, smiling, as it was snuffed out for good.

"Peter, the tribe has spoken."

With that, Peter was out. The jury was now set, and the game was about to enter its final phase. Peter said his goodbyes, walked away from the set, down the dirt path, and onto the ferry. He smiled at the ferryman, but got no response.

And then he was gone.

"So here we are," smiled Jeff, as he turned to face the final two.

Tanya and Stephanie.

Both of them looked thrilled, and were quite pleased with themselves. Tanya was understandably excited, because she thought she now had it in the bag. That money was all but hers. And sure, she had planned for this since day one, so she was ecstatic.

But Stephanie was also happy, not having even -realized- she could possibly win until just a few days ago. It was just starting to hit her now, because she could feel it. She knew. She knew that Tanya had some enemies on that jury.

Tanya was not invincible. Not at all.

"The game is now out of your hands," reminded Jeff. "As it has now shifted over to them." He pointed at the jury, where John Raymond sat in front, nodding his head.

"We will have one final Tribal Council tomorrow," said Jeff. "I'm sure both of you know the drill. You will give your arguments, the jury will ask their questions, and they will then decide who to crown the winner of All-Star Survivor: Greece." He paused. "So you guys have a lot to think about tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Steph and Tanya stood up.

They had done it. They had made it here together. And now, they had nobody left to vote off. The game would belong to one of them.

They exited the Tribal Council set, both of them already practicing their jury speeches over and over in their head. Because tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow was the day that the game would end. Tomorrow was the day that they would be leaving Greece, and going home.

And only one of them would be going home with a big, fat million-dollar paycheck.

Read Peter's Final Words!

Continue to Day 39