–– BLACK TEAM POV ––

Selene was nervous. She knew her team trained enough for this day, but still the nervousness took ahold of her. The metallic sound of the pods opening was heard. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then turned around to look at Dorian. Dorian smiled at her. They knew they were in a life or death situation, but it still felt surreal. Though, it wasn’t like war was any different than that, but this time it felt different. You died inside a virtual reality. You died without seeing the real world one last time. You died knowing that everything was lost.

Selene got closer to Kiera, who was trembling.

– Kiera, don’t worry. We might’ve known each other only for a short time but I’ll protect you.

Kiera looked at Selene in the eyes. They were filled with terror and frustration. Selene gave her a big smile and a quick hug.

– Just do your best.

Kiera mustered up a small smile and nodded slightly.

It was time. Everyone in the Black Team went to their respective pods. They lay down and felt the same sensation as before: an injection coming from their bracelets that sent them to a deep sleep.

At their wake, they found themselves inside the match. Selene was the first one in getting up, seconds later Dorian got up too. Then Chad, Stephen and finally, Kiera. There were weapons of every kind in front of them. Guns, swords, revolvers.

They were surrounded by metal walls, it seemed to make a small warehouse. The metal was rusty and there weren’t any windows. Each one took the weapon they were more confident with: Selene took the guns, Chad and Stephen took melee weapons, Kiera a revolver and Dorian the sword that came with a shield.

– Alright… we just have to capture the 3 bases, after that, we have to go and defeat them one by one, only then we can get 30 points. —said Selene—.

– Are you sure? If we divide ourselves to go to the 3 bases… one of us will be left alone.

– Why don’t you do it, Stephen? —questioned Dorian— after all, the enemy team are your friends, right? I don’t think they’d hurt you.

Stephen raised an eyebrow. His expression normally never changed, but those last words did affect him.

– What do you mean?

– You were from Maeva, no? In the Red Team there’s Luna and… Sophie. I’m sure Sophie isn’t capable of doing anything to you.

– Dorian… stop… —pleaded Selene—.

– Tch. —Stephen turned around and left the warehouse completely alone, going to the closest base—.

– Dorian! What is wrong with you? —Selene smacked him in the shoulder—.

Dorian didn’t say a word. Selene sighed. She took Kiera by the wrist to go to the other base, Chad and Dorian had to go to the base left.

–– RED TEAM POV ––

Luna still wasn’t used to the sensation of being transferred to a virtual world. Still felt dizzy and lost when it happened. She got up and blinked a few times, trying to locate herself and feel her feet on the floor; spending a few minutes doing that. The others had already their weapons in hand. When she could finally move, she heard how the first base was being captured.

– Come on! We have to move! —screamed Necole—.

Ethan got closer to Luna. Zorn just looked sideways at them and followed Necole. They went to capture the base the enemy team had captured. The Red Team had the same strategy planned: divide themselves in 2-2-1. Necole and Zorn were a team, Luna and Ethan were another, and Sophie would go alone.

– Luna, are you okay? —Ethan stood next to her, helping her to stay still—.

– Y-yes I am… —she said with a hand on her face, hiding herself— don’t worry about me…

Luna could finally stand on her own feet without help. And while still feeling a bit lost, it was better than the last time, she was starting to get used to it. Taking a deep breath, she took one of the guns that were in front of them. Ethan had a katana.

– Ready?

– Ready.

Both nodded and left the warehouse. They ran, and at every chance, they would hide behind the tall metal buildings the map was composed of. They were looking everywhere, making sure to not bump into someone from the Black Team. Walking a bit further, they started to see the Base 2. Luna almost began running towards it but Ethan stopped her.

– Wait.

Right at that moment, Chad and Dorian were getting closer to it, capturing it and getting 5 points.

– Let’s go, Luna!

Ethan started running first, Luna helped him from behind with her gun. Chad and Dorian only had melee weapons, so they had to leave Base 2 to hide.

– Luna, they only have melee weapons! I think the best way is to kill them from afar. I trust you.

Hearing the word “kill”, Luna’s heart shook. She knew she was in a life or death situation, but hearing it so casually made her feel sick to her stomach. But she couldn’t leave those emotions to win over her. She was learning how to aim, so doing it wasn’t too difficult. But Chad and Dorian were hiding behind a wall.

– Go to the center of the base and shoot them there, I’ll protect you.

Luna nodded and ran to the center of the base. A bar started to fill under her, making it known that they were capturing the base. Chad and Dorian had to do something quick, or they were going to get 5 points right in front of them. Since Dorian had his shield with him, he ran ahead, Chad was behind him. Ethan quickly tried to defeat them but there were two melee weapons against one person, and Luna couldn’t move because the bar wasn’t full yet.

– Ethan!

– Luna, don’t worry about me… continue to capture the ba-

In that moment, Ethan fell to the ground and disappeared in an instant. Luna opened her eyes in terror. Now it was two versus one. Luna was walking backwards without noticing, to get away from them, who were getting more and more closer to her. Looking to the ground, Luna noticed that the bar was almost complete, but she had to do something quick. With a foot inside the base, she started to shoot both guys, even though they were almost close enough to defeat her between the two of them.

In that moment, with just one hit from the back, a sword took both of them.

– Z-Zorn! What are you doing here?

Before Zorn had the chance to answer, a small sound came from the base, indicating that the red team got 5 points. But there was no time to waste, behind them were coming more people from the Black Team.

–– BLACK TEAM POV ––

Stephen was completely alone at Base 3. No one from the Red Team had come to capture this base. Everyone was dispersed between the first two bases. Every base was at the same distance from each other. Likewise, the warehouses were distributed in a similar manner.

He already had captured the 5 points from the base so he hid himself behind the walls surrounding him, to surprise anybody from the Red Team that could appear. He didn’t have to wait for long, a few seconds later he could see a familiar figure, really familiar, actually.

– S-Soph-

Sophie walked in with caution to the base, making sure that she was alone in the zone. Before beginning the capture, she decided to look around. Stephen didn’t want to lose her from his sigh, but if she continued to walk in the same direction, she would bump into him. Stephen took a deep breath and stood up. Ran as fast as a ninja and in a matter of seconds, Stephen was behind Sophie with his weapon grazing her neck. Sophie instinctively dropped her guns and raised her hands.

– Stop right there.

– Oh… Stephen… haha… what an awkward situation —she laughed lightly—.

– Go. Or I’ll kill you and get more points.

– Wow… I understand. You can release me.

Stephen didn’t doubt her and stepped back. Sophie took that chance to pick her weapons up again and aim. Stephen had let his guard down.

– Stephen… you can’t let your guard down like that. Not in these circumstances. —commented Sophie, getting closer to him—.…

– U-ugh…

Stephen let go of his weapons and kneeled on the ground, leaning on his hands. He looked at the ground feeling lost. Feeling terrified. He felt like everything was about to end. In a fast movement, he got up and got close to Sophie, hugging her. That made her let go of her weapons again, freeing her hands.

– S-Stephen no… —Stephen hugged her tightly— y-you can’t do that… —he reclined his head on her shoulder— not here…

– Sophie… I… I don’t want to die… —tears started to pour out of his eyes—.

Hearing him, Sophie couldn’t keep her tears. She hugged him tightly too, hiding her face on his shoulder. After a few seconds she let go of him. Cleaned up her tears and looked at him directly in the eyes. Stephen was sobbing, couldn’t stand up on his own. Sophie got closer to his face, took it between her hands and left a warm kiss on his lips. Stephen was speechless. He couldn’t move. In that moment, Sophie took her weapons, and with a whisper, she shot him.

“I’m sorry”.

TO BE CONTINUED.