Rayek: Well, all I can say if I can't quite believe I'm really here. I know a lot of you expected me to die within the first few days. And I can only say that the reason I'm here is... because I know how to play the game. This isn't a pleasant game - it's vicious, backstabbing, and repugnant. But let's face it - I'm great at those sort of things. I know a lot of you wish Cutter had killed me back in Book Eight, but I'm here, I'm in the final two, and I can only say that if you really want to give the million dollars to the most deserving contestant, then you should give it to me.

 
Ember: I am Blood of Chiefs. I am Cutter's heir. And I've shown that I can play the game as well as anyone. I know Moonshade said that I'm an untried leader. But face it, I'm here. And the lessons I've learned here will only help me become a better chief in the future. This game went against the Way completely. And I've shown I can excel at something so antithetical to our existence. I think that I played a good game, a little viciously, perhaps, but I got here. And I think that if you want to award the prize of sole Survivor to the most deserving elf, then I think it should be me.

Dewshine steps up. "Hi, Ember, hello, Rayek," she smiles tightly. "Wow, so here we are. I gotta say, when Rayek first came over to the Wild Hunt, I never imagined I'd see you two sitting here at the final council. Both of you have done some truly awful things to get here, and frankly I don't know who to vote for. So my question to you is: if you two were the jury, and the seven of us were the final contestants, which one of us would you pick to get the million dollars. Ember?"

Ember: Ohh... gee. Well, that would have to be Skywise. If I had to pick of you, I'd pick him. He's been a great friend and he's played the game perfectly, flying under the wire as my silent partner, then standing by me right up to the Final Four. If I had to give out the million dollars I would so give it to Skywise -

Dewshine: But you'd rather get it for yourself.

Ember: Well... aren't we all playing for keeps? Yes, I admit it. I want the million myself. But if I couldn't have it, I'd give it to Skywise.

Dewshine: Rayek?

Rayek: I... I don't really know. I must say, Skywise has played the game very well. He's kept his mouth shut when he needed to, and he's made all the right alliances to get to the Final Four, and then the final three. But... I would really like to give the prize of my daughter Venka. She's made me very proud these last 51 days. She's... ah, she's backstabbed and lied and cheated and wormed her way right to the top. I mean, I never imagined I'd have such a wonderful daughter. But if I want to be honest, I would have to give the money to whoever played the game the best. And I can't objectively decide who played a better game. So I would have to say I can't decide. Either Venka or Skywise.

Dewshine: Thank you, Rayek. I just have one more question for both of you - do you have any regrets?

Ember: Regrets...?

Dewshine: If you could play the game right from the beginning, all over again - would you do anything differently?

Ember: Um... no... no, I can't say I do. I played to win - I never denied that. And everything I did, I did to play the game. No, I don't have any regrets.

Dewshine: Rayek?

Rayek: Not at all. If anything, I might have played a little more ruthlessly, but hey, I'm in the final two - so I can't complain.

Rayek: (chuckles) Well, she... basically emasculated you in front of 48 million viewers. (Ember giggles at that.)

Cutter: Mm, yes, well. Ember?

Ember: Seven little words. Eight... eights... times... eight... without your *sob* FAMILY!

Ember: (laughs) Damn... I don't know. Ohh, I think I'd go with... Leetah. But just barely!

Cutter: (pissed off) Hey, hey, out of bounds! Out of bounds! Teir! Call a penalty, or... or something!

Teir: It's a fair question.

Pike: Okay, Rayek, your question. Would you rather kill Cutter - and completely get away with it, I mean no one would ever know, or if they did, they'd never hold it against you - or would you rather heal Winnowill and marry her?

Rayek: Pike! Oh... oh that's vicious. You know how much I want to kill Cutter. But I really want to heal Winnowill, so I'd have to say, Winnowill.

Cutter: (livid with rage) Unfair! Out of bounds! Teir - do something! I demand satisfaction!

Teir: What are you complaining about? Both said they'd rather do something else rather than kill or maim you. You're more loved than you thought.

Ember: Well... my first priority is our race. So I would invest the money towards recovering the shards from Grohmul Djun. Once the Palace is restored, nothing else matters.

Rayek: Damn, that's a good answer. I can't really beat that, can I?

Venka: Father? Have you a different plan?

Rayek: Well, I had the same goal, but slightly different. Basically I would hire a crack team of mercenaries to kidnap Winnowill, and drag her back kicking and screaming for a healing. Now I know everyone hates Winnowill, but let's be honest - if she is completely healed she would rival Timmain in power. So, my plan is once she is healed, she would help us recover the shards, tear them right out of the citadel if need be. Otherwise - what, we recover the shards and Winnowill is still on the loose? Now, I may have just tanked my chances at winning, but I charge you all to consider the wisdom of my words before you decide not to choose me just because I mentioned Winnowill.

Ember: Well, you shouldn't have made that deal with Rayek, for one. The fact is, you're not a leader, Scouter. You don't have a leader's heart. Rayek knew he could outmanuever you.

Scouter: Rayek, is that true?

Rayek: Frankly, Scouter - you tried to be an evil genius. But let's face it - you're not the new me. You're not even the new Strongbow. You're ... just a constipated malcontent.

"Nightfall," Teir calls, and Nightfall gets to her feet. "Hi, Ember, Rayek. I have to say, I'm with my chief - I didn't think I'd be choosing one of you to win the million dollars. Now, Ember, my first question in about loyalties. It seems you had a plan going with Rayek and Skywise to get rid of Scouter and Cutter. Why didn't you let me in on it? You promised me we'd go into the Final Four together, and then you let me be voted out so you could form a new alliance with Rayek, Venka and Skywise. Why?"

Ember: Truth? I didn't think I could trust you. I managed to get you to vote off Redlance, but I didn't know if you'd vote off Cutter. Sure, Redlance is your lifemate, but... but then you really like Cutter, I mean you REALLY like him. And aside from that really creeping me out, I just didn't think I could trust you to stay on my side. I was afraid that Cutter would tempt you with a Final Four spot and you'd turn on me.

Nightfall: If that's the way you felt, why didn't you come to me? We could have talked about this.

Ember: We did! You waffled around and pursed your lips a lot and gave the camera "inner monologue" shots. And you went to Cutter, acted conflicted, waffled around, pursed your lips, and gave the camera even more "inner monologue" shots!

Nightfall: Hmm, touché. All right, Rayek. There is a one-in-five-million shot that I might actually vote for you. You destroyed our lives as Wolfriders. You forced our chief to live like a human for endless turns of the seasons. You deprived us of our precious cubs, our future! You all but destroyed the Way! Why should I vote for you? Why should I even give you a class of water if I found you lying half-dead in the Burning Waste?

Rayek: I gave you five hundred years of uninterrupted sex with Cutter, with no interference from Leetah.

Nightfall: Damn. Good answer. (Wavers, then recovers) But... but you are a horrible creature. You have a heart as black and dead as charred wood. And... and.... and cost me five hundred years of occasionally-interrupted sex with Leetah, to say nothing of our Thursday Night Ménage a Quatre!

Rayek: Hmm, touché.

Ember: Well, yeah, I did.

Skywise: And you don't think it's a little suspicious that the chick who's shacked up with the host is sitting in the Winner's Circle?

Ember: What, you think Teir rigged the game? Come on, Skywise, you know Teir just reads the lines the producers give him.

Teir: (muttering) Mm, yes, symbolically castrate me a little more, Firehair.

Skywise: Right. Rayek: did you or did you not try to kill Cutter through assorted "accidents" a record 17 times during this game?

Rayek: (angry) Now that's hitting below the belt, Skywise! The last five times were more aimed at permanently maiming him.

Skywise: Fair enough. Ember: can you give me any nice-sounding excuse for voting me out yesterday?

Ember: No, I can't. It was a vicious, underhanded ploy designed to get me closer to the million dollars. To say otherwise would only insult your intelligence.

Skywise: Heh. Rayek: if you had won at that last challenge - would you have taken me or Ember with you to the final two?

Rayek: Ohh... well.... that's a tough one. Because I respect the hell out of you.... but I do want to win, and Ember's such a pissy little squirt that anyone who goes against her has at least a fighting chance. But... I must confess... a certain weakness... for your particular brand of wry sarcasm. So... honestly, I couldn't say for certain unless I was faced with that decision. But just at this moment, I would have to say that... ohh... damn, no, at this moment, I'd have to vote you off and take my chances against Ember - but - but! - but I'd feel really bad about it!

Skywise: Uh-huh. How bad?

Rayek: Um... a complimentary muffin basket of some kind? (Skywise does not look impressed) A complimentary basket of oranges...? (Skywise does not look impressed) A complimentary basket of porn? Hey, come on, porn! Ember only gave you your intelligence!

Skywise: You're a little bastard, you know that?

Rayek: (smug) Thanks.

"Time to vote," everyone says in a bored monotone.

Teir smiles tightly. "That's right. Now, remember, this time you're voting for the person you want to win, not the one you want to go home. I don't want any recounts or re-dos, all right? Okay, Skywise, you're up first."

Skywise gets up and disappears into the voting booth. He returns, and Nightfall takes her turn. Scouter follows, then Cutter, then Dewshine, Pike, and finally Venka. Venka returns, sits down in her seat and folds her hands in her lap. Teir smiles. "I'll go tally the votes." Ember and Rayek exchange nervous glances. Teir seems to take forever, then finally returns with the barrel of votes. "Once the votes are read, the decision is final. You need at least four votes to win. For the runner-up, one hundred thousand Djunian dollars. For the winner, a new BMV convertible, one million Djunian dollars, and the title of Sole Survivor! I'll read the votes."

Ember and Rayek hold hands. Dewshine starts to bite her nails.

"First vote:....Rayek. Second vote:... Rayek. That two votes for Rayek to win. Third vote: Ember. Fourth vote: Ember. Two for Ember, two for Rayek. Fifth vote: Rayek. Three votes for Rayek, two for Ember. Sixth vote: Ember. We're tied. Three for Ember, and three for Rayek. I'll read the final vote."

The nine elves lean forward as Teir unfolds the final vote and reads it.

"And the winner... of Survivor: ElfQuest is..."