CLOSED

[Fortune86]

"Hmm?"

 

It took Eli a moment to realise that someone had spoken to him and a second one to realise that it had been Kanya. He looked up into her worried face, not really seeing it properly. He felt tired and wrung out. Everything seemed hazy, as though he was looking at it through a light fog.

 

Playing her words back in his head Eli looked down at his bloody hands. There was a streak were the melting ice had washed some of it away. It saddened him to know that this probably wouldn't be the last time they were like this.

 

"Not really" he mumbled. "I could have saved him if I had tried harder. I'm just..."

 

Shaking his head Eli pulled himself to his feet. He couldn't let this get to him. It wasn't like Vex was the first person to have died in his arms. He had to get a grip. Hold on. He didn't want to worry father.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya watched Eli closely trying to think of a way to lift his spirit a bit up but in a place like this its kind hard to do so. Once he stood up so did she only to look at him. She avoided his eyes knowing the way she treated him yesterday and how she treated him now was two different things.

 

But she had thought on what he had said yesterday and earlier and she was starting to except it one way or another.

 

Softly she took Eli by the wrist pulling him down the corridor towards the bathroom. As they entered Kanya opened one of the taps with her free hand allowing the water to flow. She pulled Eli closer placing his hand in the sink and watching the blood was away with the water.

[Fortune86]

Eli let Kanya lead him down the corridor and into the bathroom. He stayed silent while she turned on the taps and then pulled him over so she could rinse the blood from his hands. Even though everythign seemed to surreal right now, Eli felt there was something he had to say.

 

"I'm sorry" he said in a half whisper. "About yesterday. I know I should have warned you, but..."

 

He wanted to say it was hard to talk about, especially as he didn't often get the chance to explain his abilities to new people. His father had always kept him safe and away from those who would hurt him. He wanted to explain how hard it was, being him, and being able to do the things he could, but he felt like he would just be making up excuses. It hadn't been a death match, his life hadn't been on the line. He could have warned the others, he just been too scared.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya kept looking down at the sink when she heard Eli’s voice. She didn’t look up. In fact she didn’t even know how to respond to his apology. To her he was so nice but knowing what he can do cause her to be afraid of him but then again the monks had taught her to be afraid of everything.

 

“No...” she started. “I’m sorry as well.” Kanya finally spoke in a whisper as well.

 

“For hitting you in the face. It wasn’t right but... but the monks taught me to fear people with those powers but if I think about it now, when they found out about me they wanted to cleanse me by killing me. I... I’m sorry for that.”

[Fortune86]

With his hands clean Eli slowly drew them away and looked down at them. With the blood washed away they looked more like his hands again, rather than something out of a dream.

 

"It's not your fault" he told her. "I mean, that was what you were raised to believe."

 

Eli remembered being told that to a child, a parent was god. Even if the monks who raised her weren't related by blood, they were still probably the only family she had.

 

"Nobody really likes necromancers anyway. We're not very popular people. The only people who actually want us tend to be crazy or desperate."

 

He looked over at Kanya, meeting her gaze properly.

 

"I'm sorry your family tried to hurt you. That shouldn't have happened."

[Rarek]

Andromeda heard the arena doors open. She shut her eyes and held them squeezed. I refuse to look at how many came back. If I see, I'm just going to get even more angry. The problem with closing your eyes is that you can't close your ears. She heard everything as Vex returned, her heart wrenching and twisting hearing sounds of pain. Finally, she opened her eyes in time to see Eli walk by with Kanya, his hands covered in blood. That did it. She stood up and purposefully marched down the hall. The cells were empty. Evangelina...Isamu...Samael...Ethril. She finally came to Vex's cell.

 

She walked in and saw the broken form of a lifeless Vex. He had been let out, given a chance to live, only to have it snatched away. Andromeda soon found her fists to be clenched, her heart ready to tear itself out from beating so fast. The anger swelled up until it was too much to hold.

 

"Are you happy now? Has your taste for blood been satisfied, vampire?" She flew into a rage and stormed off down the hall, making a beeline straight for the door August used. She was going to break down that door, one way or another and tear them limb from limb. Her eyes lit up to solid white glowing orbs, the only bit of her power not controlled by the bracelets, giving her a very ominous look. Soon she was near the door and was preparing her body to slam into it, ready to charge...

Edited October 8, 2013 by Rarek

[DragonSpirit009]

“Crazy?” she spoke softly looking at Eli. She never really seen or know what a crazy person would look like but she knew that the monks tend to say stay way from them. Burning inside she felt a bit angry at herself for not knowing much nor never tried to learn more. She felt very stupid in every way.

 

“They weren’t my family.” she whispered to herself breaking eye contact with Eli again.

[Fortune86]

Eli nodded.

 

"Yeah. Some people have strange ideas about what...people like me can do. Maybe they don't understand, or they get confused, but they have some weird theories. My father taught me about them. About people who tried to go to a necromancer for help. They never realise what they are trying to ask for."

 

When Kanya looked away and declared that the monks were not her family. Eli felt even worse about that. Surely everyone should have a family? If someone like him could, then someone as nice as Kanya could too.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya thought what Eli said about the people that tend to go a bit crazy. She couldn’t understand why someone would want to use such power for their own needs. Kanya turned around ready to head out of the bathroom when she stopped.

 

“So is this vampire guy crazy then?” she asked.

[Fortune86]

Eli hesitated before answering and looked down at the bracelet on his wrist. He had better reply carefully.

 

"I would say that some people believe so" he said. "Of course, he has been around for a long time. He probably thinks very differently from humans."

 

((If/when Kanya opens the door we'll have them hear Andromeda yes?))

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya still couldn’t grasp that someone like that could live that long and do such things to people. Especially people who are still basically children. If the ever do get to escape how would her life be then? She couldn’t go back to the monastery, it was destroyed by her. Maybe someone here would help her... that is if they all get to escape.

 

Kanya then continued to walk and opened the door of the bathroom but stepped back when she saw Andromeda rushing past them.

 

“Andromeda?” she asked looking in what direction she was going.

[Fortune86]

"Huh?"

 

When Kanya opened the door Eli saw Andromeda rush past. She looked really upset, more angry than sad. Eli followed Kanya out of the bathroom and watched as the older woman headed straight for the door leading to the solitary room. She wasn't going to try and force her way through it was she?

 

"Andromeda wait!" he cried out. "You'll activate your bracelet!"

[Rarek]

Andromeda turned around, her features twisted in rage. "Five young adults, perhaps even children lost their lives in there. Not two or three of five, all of them. Take a look around, how many of us are left?" She made a grand motion around the room, indicating just how few people there really were. "You do realize just how many have died in there? Just because we can't help ourselves?"

 

She pointed at the door. "That thing is our only connection to the outside world. And don't think I've forgotten about bracelets." Her anger was at its peak now as she held up her arm, sporting her own as well as Cassandra's bracelet. "I haven't forgotten the injustice they've done to that child. For all I know she's dust by now, after Zygard decided to have some fun and break her limbs off piece by piece."

[Fortune86]

"So what are you going to do?" asked Eli. "Bang on the door until it opens? You'll turn to stone before it even cracks. Even if by some miracle you manage to get through without setting off your bracelet you have no idea what waits for you on the other side. Lots of men with guns is only the start of it. Zygard is no fool. He has us all right where he wants us."

[Rarek]

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "Then I think it's about time we start coming up with some way to escape then, shouldn't we? I don't know about you, but I don't want to end up like the others." Her gaze flitted between Kanya and Eli, and she crossed her arms. "First thing's first, I want to know if objects from the arena can be removed from the arena. If they can, that helps us tremendously, especially with the arena being different every time. Try small things first, like a pebble or stone you can hide easily."

 

She stood up straighter. "If you can each do that as well, I'll refrain from busting down this door."

[Fortune86]

"Everything in the arena fades away once the battle is over" pointed out Eli. "None of it is really real. It's all magic. And the arena doors don't open until the magic has faded away."

 

Eli shook his head and looked down at the floor.

 

"There is no escaping this place. Clinging to false hope won't get us anywhere."

[Rarek]

Andromeda simply stared at Eli for a moment, as though coming to terms with what he said. Finally she straightened, her face turning to a neutral expression. "If that's truly the case, and we all are stuck here helplessly, then that means the remainder of our lives will be spent here until we're either killed or die naturally." She leaned forward ominously. "Which means that should I ever find you in the arena, I will do all it takes to survive. One way or another, I will keep the memory and story of what happened here alive so that one day, people will know what has transpired."

 

Andromeda turned and began to walk away, speaking over her shoulder. "And if that means you're one more hurdle I must overcome to do it, then so be it." She marched coldly away, slamming her cell door behind her.

[Fortune86]

Eli stared after Andromeda until she vanished into her cell. Everything she had just said was precisely what he had been trying to say. At least she understood now. The only way to survive here was to fight. Even if that meant killing someone else.

 

He turned to Kanya and gave a small helpless shrug. What now?

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya looked at Andromeda with a worried expression but luckily Eli talked her out of her actions. Thou she wasn’t to please by the fact that they had to kill in order to survive. There was only a few days ago so many of them here and now almost none. Will this man that have them captive cause them to go into another death match or will there bit only “normal” matches further on. She could do normal matches then everyone would live at least. It could be a start.

 

“So what are we going to do now?”

[Fortune86]

Eli gave a little sigh and reached up with his right hand to rub the back of his head.

 

"Not a lot I guess. There isn't really much we can do. We can only wait and see if they give us any listings for a fight this afternoon."

 

With another sigh he plopped down in a nearby chair and put his face in his hands. Even though he had done very little so far this day, he felt exhausted. And with so many people being killed that morning chances were he would be in another soon. At least it wouldn't be a Death Match.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya watched as Eli took in his seat. He seemed just as exhausted as she is. All the stress and worries had quite an impact on everyone here. She wasn’t even sure how long her own mentality would last, she didn’t do all to well in staying in small places for to long.

 

Eventually Kanya went and took a seat opposite Eli. She looked at the ground wondering if there was a way out for them but everything she thought didn’t really came up with a solution.

[Fortune86]

Eli sat in silence with Kanya for what felt like forever. Eventually he grew aware that he was starting to feel a little hungry again. Had enough time passed for midday to arrive already? Used to having regular meals Eli was quite good at telling the time of day by his stomach.

 

Standing up Eli walked over to the hatch in the wall to see if anythign would appear. Sure enough, as he drew closer a plate of meat and bread appeared along with a bottle of water and a piece of paper. Eli stared at the paper for a moment before picking it up. It was written in green ink, signalling a challenge. Eli turned around and read the names out aloud.

 

"Maria, Eli, Kanya, Neut."

[Rarek]

Andromeda sat in her cell for a while, simply reflecting over what had just happened. She knew she couldn't afford to be lax in the arena, but at the same time, she didn't have to blow up at the pair of them like that. It wasn't their faults that this had happened to them. Still, Andromeda had to come to terms with their situation. It just wouldn't do if she was unprepared after so much time had gone by.

 

Her cell was bringing too many memories to the forefront, so she decided to simply leave it and find a corner of the common room. She entered the room just in time to hear names being read. She snorted and found a seat away from the others, watching carefully. She wanted to know what the match was going to be this time.

[DragonSpirit009]

Kanya was lost in her own mind when she heard Eli speak. Her name was on the list once again. Her heart sank slightly knowing that they all had to go into battle again. None the less she got up and went to the hatch where she received her own food. Kanya then went back to her seat and started eating.

 

“Eli, in what color is it?” She asked after taking a sip of water.

[Fortune86]

"Green" replied Eli. "He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but at least it meant they wouldn't be fighting each other. He placed the list back down on the hatch shelf and picked up his own plate and bottle of water. He carried them to a chair and sat down to eat. Wha would they be facing?

 

He glaced over at Andromeda who had re-entered the room in silence. She had arrived in time to hear the list of names, so she knew she wasn't fighting.