The announcement left all the participants in a state of shock. They just discovered they weren’t in Sector 4 to stop the war between the 8 regions. They were there to kill each other. There never was a pacific way to stop the war. Nobody knew what to do. Nobody knew how to react. After the announcement there was a hellish silence that covered the entire coliseum. Besides that, the teams had been randomized. The teams divided by regions were no more, now there were only 8 teams divided by colors, the regions didn’t matter. What only mattered now was how strong was each individual. Everyone but the troupe’s leaders were changed.

– WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY TROUPE IS NOW SEPARATED!? WHAT IS THIS FOOLISHNESS? —screamed the leader of the blue team—.

– I-I c-can’t b-be on a-another team… AAAAAHHH! —screamed a girl from the black team—.

Everyone started to talk and scream at the same time. But it was useless. The robotic voice didn’t come back. They were in despair. Some ran outside the coliseum and tried to climb the walls, tried to break it with the practice weapons. Nothing worked. They were trapped there. And there was only a way to end it all.

Luna tried to look at her neck but couldn’t. She gulped down. Her legs were frozen, she couldn’t move from where she was. In panic, she looked at everyone around her trying to get out of sector 4.

– Are you alright?

– E-Elise! —Elise’s voice worked like a needle popping a balloon, Luna reacted immediate—.

– I can’t believe it… —she hugged herself and started to tremble— I can’t believe it…

– Luna… —Elise got closer to her and gave her a hug— what color is my collar? I can’t see it.

– Is… —Luna looked up— b-blue…

Elise looked at her disconcerted.

– O-oh… yours is r-red. —she tried to say it with a smile—.

– W-what!?

– Zacharie is still with me… Stephen is on the black team. I don’t know about Sophie… she disappeared after the announcement.

Luna’s eyes were widely open. The entire team she once fought with had been totally snatched from her hands. It was a nightmare.

– Zorn… ZORN!

Luna screamed Zorn’s name and ran looking for him. She couldn’t imagine having to fight against him too. She ran and ran but there were a lot of people. Everyone in the same state as hers, petrified and without knowing what to do. She ran until she reached the coliseum’s entrance and there Zorn was.

– ZORN!

– L-Luna!

Without saying a word, Luna just looked at his neck. She so felt relive her knees gave out. Zorn’s collar was red too. That meant there were on the same team.

– W-what a relief… —she said almost in a whisper—.

– Wh-what’s wrong, Luna? —he extended his hand to help her up—.

– We’re on the same team…

– Such luck! I couldn’t imagine having to fight against you. —he smiled— what do you think about heading to our warehouse? Now they have plates with each team corresponding color, we’ll wait the others there. They’ll give up in any moment and come.

Luna just nodded. She needed to lie down for a bit to process everything that was happening, the moment they arrived at the warehouse, Luna lay down on the bed she chose before; she had the same warehouse since the leaders weren’t randomized. She covered her eyes with her arm. Zorn just sat by her side.

“What is this? What is happening? This is not the book I yearned for so much… why is this happening? I don’t understand… this shouldn’t be happening…”

– Luna!

Luna took her arm off her eyes quickly.

– The others have arrived…

Luna got up the bed and stood in front of the 3 new figures that had came into the warehouse. As expected, all 3 of them had a red collar on their necks. One of them looked familiar.

– S-Sophie! You’re on the red team! —Luna ran to her and gave her a big hug— I thought I was completely alone…

Without saying anything, Sophie hugged her back. After this, Luna went back to her initial position.

– H-hi… I’m Luna Patterson. It was assigned to me the title of leader for this team… I still don’t know why. But well… I’ll do anything you’d need me to; you just have to call me. What about you, who are you and from what region are you come from?

The other two stayed silent for a while.

– Hi. —a masculine voice spoke first—. I’m Ethan Arleth. She’s Necole Foxwell. We both come from Gaeva region. —he cleared his throat— … A pleasure.

– Incredible… —murmured Sophie—.

– Alright, alright! Let’s sit down for a bit on our beds and let’s talk about this. —said Zorn—.

They couldn’t do much about this situation. Everyone did as Zorn suggested and sat down on the beds. They spent a few hours talking about their pasts and about new strategies they’d have to implement. Luna went out of the warehouse to get a bit of fresh air.

– Oof… all that talk left me exhausted.

While walking, without noticing, she bumped into someone.

– I’m s-sor-

– Look where you’re walking! Will you? Tch.

A girl a bit taller than Luna was in front of her. Her collar’s color was purple. On her collar she had a little crown. That meant she was purple’s team leader.

– Excuse me? What is wrong with you?

– What is wrong with me? There’s a lot of people walking here and you… ehm… aren’t looking where you’re going. Things like these can happen. Next time, be more alert, okay?

– Wait, and who do you think you are to talk to me like that, huh?

– Hmm… maybe… a true leader? A soldier that did come from her region? The strongest of all? You’re a dumb girl who came from god knows where and got named leader because there was no other option.

– Excuse me!? Do you want to fight with me!?

– Oh, I’d love to!

– STOP IT.

Ethan moved Luna away from the other girl.

– Regina… stop.

– E-Ethan…! You’re on her team! I can believe it…

Regina Avant. Leader of the Gaeva region, and likewise, of the purple team. She was the strongest soldier form her region.

– What is happening!

– D-Damien! —screamed Regina—.

– I see you’re in the blue team, Damien… —started Ethan—.

– And you in the red… wow, that’s rough, huh.

– Tch.

Regina turned around and walked away. Luna kept looking at her until she couldn’t see her anymore.

– I-I’m sorry Luna… Regina is like that.

– What a bad person she is…

– She isn’t… she must be stressed by all that’s happening… I’d be like that too. —he sighed—. Do you want to go to the cafeteria to get our basket?

Luna agreed. With that, Ethan and Luna made their way to the cafeteria to look for their basket. Suddenly, there were only 8 pedestals. The others were removed. Now, in each pedestal was a little plate with the corresponding team color. Luna looked down. The absent of those 8 pedestals made her realize what was going on. Those troupes had died for real. They weren’t present anymore. And now, each team had to fight with each other to survive and get out of that place. No one knew what was the purpose of this, but they had to follow the rules as stated.

– Luna?

– O-oh… I’m sorry… let’s go…

Luna took the basket, and as if it weighed a ton, she fell down to the floor.

– LUNA! —Ethan got down to help her— are you alright?

– Y-yes… I-I’m sorry…

Ethan took her on his arms, princess style, then took the basket and got out of the cafeteria like that.

– Wh-what are you doing! I can walk by myself… —she said with a blush—.

– Don’t worry, you must be tired from the battle. I was told you didn’t have previous training like us, it must’ve been harsh on you.

Luna couldn’t refute him. She just hid her face between her arms on the way to their warehouse. This whole situation was embarrassing.

– Oh, the food is he-! —Zorn stopped immediate after looking at them— Luna! What happened? —he ran to them—.

– N-nothing… just got a bit dizzy… it’ll pass once I lie down…

– Okay, guys. Let’s prepare for the next round, we can’t lose. —Sophie said—.

Everyone nodded. After eating, they were going to train to give their best on the next round.

TO BE CONTINUED.