You wake up in a round room. A large shadowed figure stand above you. You are surroounded by others of different age and look.

The figure speaks in a booming voice.


"Greetings. Let me explain why you are here.

I have no name and face. I simply am. I've created a new dimension. A new layer. Where there is no time and no aging. Where you can live forever as if it never was. But that's not why I've brought you here. You are here because you are human's who souls burn brighter and stronger than any others. I want to unlock your potential. I want to make you as strong as the spirit within you.

I want you to fight.

You will fight for a single chance.

A chance, to be come a God.

I myself am a God. I have powers that you couldn't comprehend. I am not your "God" in case you were curious. I know you worship him but who he is, I'm not even sure. I've only known myself to exist.
But I digress.

You have one chance to have my powers. To have immortality, and that will be the least of your extraordinary powers. You will be able to truly create and destroy. How you choose to use these powers is your decision. You'll only have to deal with your personal consequences.

You will be here for one year. You will be trained. You will create alliances and enemies. I will declare when the next round will begin and who will be fighting whom. You will have free roam to this building I have created. It has training grounds, sleeping quarters and everything else you need for all your human necessities.

You will find friendship. You will find yourself. You may even find love.
But for the next year you must choose wisely if you plan to win.



If you lose 2 rounds you are disqualified. You will no longer compete but you will remain on the grounds to support your fellow competitors. You may be called back to compete another round or to assist one of your allies if the round calls for it.


Your soul is your weapon. I will teach you to release your soul into a physical form and use it to fight against your opponent. Your soul will take the form of any weapon in existent. It will have all the advantages and all the faults of that weapon. It may be a sword, it may be a staff, it may be a whip. I will teach you to summon it, control it, and improve it.


Now. If you accept this opportunity, you may walk through the main hall. If you decline you may simply tell me and I will return you to your dimension and you will live knowing you had this chance and gave it up.






Now choose."

Violet was scared a little but she liked the compliment about her soul. She didn't hear compliments often. Violet accepted the offer and she walked into the main hall. She waited for the others to come with her. She didn't like people normally but she thought that they could be different. Violet never had friends or nice people around her so she wanted to know how it felt to be around nice people. Violet had accepted because she wanted to avenge her family.

Kain stared around him after wakening, completely at a loss at what just transpired. He had just appeared it seem into this... Place. He first looked at the others who had appeared beside him, and then at a strange shadowed figure in front of him. The figure was saying.. Something, yet Kain was in shock and couldn't understand much of what the figure said.

The last thing Kain remembered was walking down a dark alley in dead of night, rain pelting him from all directions. It was scene almost like from a story. A lone man walking to nowhere, anywhere, but there. He was walking away from nothing, to nowhere. It was a dreadful sense of nothingness. Kain then shook his head with vigor, hoping to snap back into reality. Hmm, Reality. How did he know it was, indeed, reality instead of a dream? Because... Simply, Kain doesn't dream anymore. Dreams are for those with hopes and goals. Dreams aren't for Kain. Nightmares are. And this scene did not seem like a nightmare. Not in the least.

Then, finally, the voice began to focus itself. The first words Kain understood were "I want you to fight."

So they were now human cockfights? The winner takes all? Wait, what does the winner take? Kain continued to listen, his nerves frayed and his sanity questioned. Just what he needed, to be insane. That would just top the cherry of the mud-pie that was his life. Kain sighed and continued to listen, reluctantly.

The next topics were just as strange, and made little sense. A chance to become a God? Fighting with their souls? Allies? Friends? Love? All concepts foreign to the Dejected Kain. But hell, He had nothing to lose, and a chance to gain. He slowly made his way to his feet, and stood straight. Yet, it seemed as if a dark cloud hovered over him. A rejected and depressed visage enveloped his face, and he shrugged, and simply said, "I don't have anything else to lose," And made his way down the main hall. The only thing he had to gain was perhaps a chance... Yet, sometimes, that is enough...

The dark girl grinned maliciously. Sure, she was still extremely young, but she had a wicked streak about her. And she was totally not above killing for what she wants. She saw two people walk past the gate in front of her, and she smirked.

I can take them. No sweat.

She swept her dark hair across her face, and brightly walked into the main hall, confident and anxious to start the eliminating. She craved power. She absolutely lived for it. And Kyra knew she had the ability to use her power to make a world that serves her, and her alone.

A year to work hard, and then eternity to enjoy. I will dominate. They will submit.

She knew that this may be a trick- hell, it was almost unbelievable. But the rewards if it was real, the rewards blinded her judgement, and she almost squealed with anticipation.

Henry took what the man said with a small amount of skepticism. Naturally. One minute he was in a fight because he had interrupted an attempted mugging of a girl. He hadn't known the girl, he had just been walking down the street at night bored out of his mind when he had heard the scream. He quickly chased down the source to find a hulking man attacking some young woman, now most people would have just looked the other way once the saw huge size of this guy but Henry had just casually tapped the man on the shoulder and had insisited he stopped. The man had turned around and looked at him like he was crazy, luckily the woman knew to run at this oppertunity. So when his target had gotten away the hulk of a man had deducted the only thing left to do was to take out his anger on Henry, unfortunately.
The last thing Henry remembered was the guy apologizing and admitting defeat...only to smack Henry in the back of the head with a pipe when he turned to walk away. Now, with a massive headache, he was being told he had the oppertunity to fight in a tournament to become a god. It didn't make much sense but looking at the other "competitiors" he could see he was taking it alot better than most. He looked from each one to the next, one of them got his eyes, she gave of some sort of angry vibe. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the problem at hand, where the hell was he? and would he accept or turn down the offer? He looked at the huge gates that lay in front of him a distance away, and looked behind him at some doorway. Taking a long moment to think to himself he decided. He straightened up and walked forward towards the gate.

Yuri found himself in a realm of nothingness. Some pencil-neck with no face talked; he said useless words, some crap about becoming god or finding love or whatever. Yuri hated vagueness more than anything in the world, except for things he couldn't punch. And when Yuri hated something, it made him mad. When Yuri got mad, he punched things. So, he punched the ground, making a timeless hole. There, he thought, now he felt a little better.

Looking around, he saw a few other people. A large man, a wimpy looking male, and two females. They all had walked into the hall - Yuri wasn't sure why, but he assumed it had something to do with what the pencil-neck said. Looked like he'd have to follow - he didn't really like this realm of nothingness, so he followed suit. As he did, the gears in his head began to turn. He didn't really listen to what Mister No Face said, but he gathered that all he had to do was beat everyone else up in ordered combat to become god. God, huh? If he was a god, he could punch other gods, crushing them under his unrelenting power. Yuri balled his hands into a fist, their most comfortable position. He liked that thought.

He moved into the hall, surveying its furniture and people, then forgetting what they looked like a few seconds later. Wanting to stake out his competition, he bellowed out a challenge.

"Who amongst your number is fit to best me in honorable combat? Which amongst thee is bravest?" Yuri roared, eyes fiercely darting from person to person.

Raven listened to the man enveloped in shadows speak of the tournament that he wanted Raven as well as the others to participate in. Scanning her eyes around the room she saw eyes filled with determination, disbelief and anger. The backs of some could already be seen, walking through the door to the new opportunity. Raven couldn’t stop herself from believing that this was somehow just a dream, suddenly whisked away from her plain life and offered something new and exciting. She had been sitting in science class, listening to the teacher ramble on when she blacked out to wake up in this strange new dimension where she learnt she would be fighting others.
The idea of such a challenge enticed her as well as friendship with the others. But fighting? It was the only thing that made her pause; she wasn’t exactly skilled in the subject, not fond of picking fights with others. But Raven had already made up her mind. With a grin suddenly forming on her lips she started to walk to the main hall, following the others that had already decided. It would always be fun and anyways, she thought, it was better than sitting through a very detailed two hour thesis on the atomic structure.

Listening to the shadowy guy finish up Tom sat back for a moment and pondered.....was it worth it? He had always figured something like this had to happen, after all most myths and legends are based on fact so all of the fantasy novels he had read had to have come from somewhere. Looking around the hall Tom felt at ease, while he wasn't the tallest (at 5'10 he never was), he was certainly the broadest (at 255 lbs he generally was), some of the folk looked tough but Tom had heard of badass Hells Angels bikers crying over a stubbed finger and little old ladies sawing up babies for fun....in short looks were deceiving.

The shadow man went on for some time speaking of things that sparked much interest in Tom, imagine a humble carpenter with the powers of a God, there was so much he could create, images of entire worlds and bright new futures for thousands of creatures flashed over his mind.

Tom stuck his right thumb in the belt-loop of his jeans and scratched the back of his neck with the other hand, as the man finished and others murmured they're agreement to join up in this "God" contest Tom looked toward the shadowy man and grinned,

"Why the hell not?"

After a brief moment one of the taller fellows strode forward.
"Who amongst your number is fit to best me in honorable combat? Which amongst thee is bravest?" the man bellowed, clenching his fists and strutting about.

Tom sized him up and admitted while the guy was intimidating looking, he also looked to be able to handle himself as well. Despite the Shadow Mans rule that fights were going to be asighned Tom couldn't let some fella just stride in and show of his big boy britches unless he earned it.

Drawing the large carpenters mallet from the holster on his left leg Paul held it over his shoulder overlapping the left strap to his only chest covering, a black undershirt.
Gonna have tah find somethin a little more protective Tommy boy.

Striding forward to meet him Tom looked him over as the man fumed, turning Tom spat of to his right, away from the other combatants, tilting his head back and up to meet the gaze of the man Tom loudly grunted,

"If yer fealin feisty "comrade" Ill give yahs a beatdown."

Throbbing. Evangeline’s head ached as if her head was being used as a bass drum by some invisible drummer. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face a couple of times before shutting it off and leaning on the sink’s counter. Work beckoned her- she’d told Marco she’d only be gone a moment. In her condition, she shouldn’t have come to work at all, let alone try to take it easy at work. The woman worked at a paintball range out in the heat, for heaven’s sake. But people depended on her to be there when she said she’d be there. Ditching work because of a headache and a little fever would be selfish.

A knock on the bathroom door prompted Eva to push herself into a full standing position.
“I’m sorry, ma’am.” She said, oblivious to the weakness in her tone as she opened the door. “I’m done.”

The woman before her was about her height, but she was oddly blurry. It was then that Eva noticed her head pounding more vigorously and that her vision was filling with white static. As her body grew heavy, she put her weight on the doorframe in a futile attempt to catch herself before she collapsed, but it was all in vain. She lost control of the fingers gripping the doorframe, and passed out with the woman’s concerned words in her ears.

After what seemed like a mere moment of unconsciousness, Evangeline awoke to the feeling of a cold, stone floor against her skin. Wasn’t the floor of the range’s supply store wooden? She sat up to examine the room, only to see several other somewhat confused people, and that the group definitely wasn’t at the paintball range. A slight anxiety mixed with anger perforated her emotions- had they all been kidnapped?

Her eyes were drawn to the center of the room by a mysterious, unclear figure looming over them. It began to speak, saying they were all brought here because their souls shone more brightly than most. Because of this, the figure ‘offered’ them the chance to fight for the privilege of gaining the same god-powers it had. It also said that if one did not want to fight, it would bring them back home, where one might simply live life as if this even had been a dream…

There was no doubt in Eva’s mind that this was real. The coldness of the floor, the presence of the other people. Her mind was clear…her mind was clear! In that moment she realized that her headache and its accompanying symptoms were in fact gone. The weirdness of the situation bore down on her. Some strange thing calling itself a god had just whisked her away to a world of nothingness to duke it out with complete strangers? Worst of all, she’d be gone for a year. A year without Yecenia…How could she abandon her sister? Those early high school years left an impression on a person, and Evangeline wanted to be there for her sister.

As she pondered this situation, she saw others stand and walk through the doors mentioned by the god that had brought them here. This brought to mind the question of whether she even wanted the powers of a god. The powers would be useful, and she’d accept the responsibility, but she was fairly sure that she was human for a reason. Eva knew she was flawed, and that would also mean that she’d probably end up using the power wrong…But didn’t that also mean that everyone else here would do the same?

Who was to say that someone here didn’t have evil intentions pushing them to fight for these powers? What havoc a dark mind with the powers of a god could wreak on the world…on Yecenia’s world…If Evangeline allowed someone of cruel intent to gain these powers, all of the lives lost at that ‘god’s hands would be on her hands, as well. She had the chance to save millions, if not billions, of lives, by attempting to control the outcome of this contest. It was her duty to take this chance.

Evangeline stood and took a deep breath before heading through the doors. Hang tight until I get home, Yecenia. Be safe, I’ll be praying for you from here…

Henry shook his head as he watched the two boys go at it. Yes he used the term boys because in his opinion this was not how men behaved. Not that he was perfect no he would be the first to admit his flaws but seriously, picking a fight as soon as you walk in the door. Chilidsh. Now Henry wasn't one to just think and not say anything no he was no coward. "Seriously? Thirty secconds in and your already going at it? Can't wait till we get a little more info on where we are and what we are doing here? Your just going to start fighting?olvidar que ¿por qué debería perder mi tiempo en este brutos juvenil?" He couldn't help himself from speaking spanish, he got like that when he was annoyed. "Just don't hurt anyone else."

'How strange,' Mikael wondered to himself, 'One moment I stood poised in front of a camera, and the next, I am here.' He stood off to the side, and watched the others move about. His eyes grew cold as he took in his surroundings, and hatred soon blossomed within his heart. "Hatred," he muttered under his breath, then grinned evily. Looking down at himself, he noted that his shirt was still missing, and he had a need for a belt soon. "Damn you Jack," he swore silently, "Why'd you put me into these pants without a belt?" He knew the answer was always, "To make the girls fall head over heels for you."

Sighing softly, he took one glance at the young ladies in the room, and knew that he wouldn't find a relationship with them. "Not my type," he muttered softly, then looked at the men. Spying two of them about to have at each other, he studied them intently, but found him to be liking the well muscular man best. 'Too bad though,' he thought, heaving another sigh, 'He's my type, but he's probably not like me.' His eyes became dangerous, as he glared at the other man, "You'd better not bloody him," he muttered quietly, "I've not yet tried my hand at him."

'Why must all the beautiful men be so damn straight?' Mikael sighed once more, this time a bit more heavily, 'I mean, come on, we Bisexuals need love too. And half the time, we find it in men as well as women.' He remembered trying to explain that to his parents, and had to storm out the door before doing them damage. 'Ugh. WHY must my parents be so selfish? "Marry a nice girl," they said, "Give us Grandchildren," they said.' Tears suddenly bloomed in the corner of his eyes, and fell unnoticed. He struck the wall as hard as he could, and heard it crack. 'Mother, Father, forgive me,' his mind cried, as he collapsed to his knees. His eyes stared at nothing, and his tears fell unnoticed from his face. 'I just found out today. Oh gods, I just found out.' He wanted to do nothing more, than to find a hole and crawl into it for the rest of his life. "I'm barren," he whispered quietly.

A man, shorter but broader than he, approached Yuri. He spoke with some kind of drawl that Yuri didn't understand, but the tiny gears in his brain told him that this man wanted to fight. So, this would be a man to look out for - at least, the most direct. Excellent. His rage subsided, and he'd found his target. As he approached the thick man, someone spoke to him in a language he didn't understand, but Yuri gathered the man was chastising him for some reason or another.

"Then we shall meet on the field of honor, champion amongst cowards! Grant me your name - I am Yuri. Yuri Tsuyoi," Yuri said, cracking his knuckles with a grin on his face. "I'll even allow you the first blow."

He stood in a stance with absolutely no defensive value, simply joining his shortsleeved arms together and cracking his knuckles, with his feet slightly apart. He had no weapons, visible or concealed, and nothing of any particular interest on his clothing: Just a red shirt with the kanji for storm on it, and some blue jeans. Yuri looked at the man, however, with fiery anticipation, a childlike glee at the prospect of throwing himself into battle again, of punching and getting punched and screaming quartets of indignation. Maybe this god-tournament stuff would be more fun than he thought.

Violet looked at the other challengers as she sighed. She avoided speaking to the others and she heard Yuri act like he's important. Violet started to think that Yuri talked too much so ignored him. Then Violet studied Mikael. She shook her head then she studied Henry. He speaks Spanish... She thought. Violet stopped studying the others as she looked around the area she was in. She sighed and she closed her eyes and she thought, I thought I was going to make friends. Its going to be harder than I thought. Violet put a little bit of her hair in front of her face.

Apart from the crowd, Kain stood, studying each individual meticulously. He tried to distance himself away from the crowd, on the account of him not being in a very... Talkative mood. Being swept out of nowhere to participate in fights would have that affect on a normal man. Of course, Kain saw this as business as usual. An unlucky happenstance that always somehow found it's mark on Kain's head. Kain crossed his arms and shook his head, a feeling of frustration skirting through the recesses of his mind. Such frustration was quelled by a sense of helplessness, as it always does.

Though, from his further distance away from the crowd, Kain eyed two males, one short and stocky the other taller and muscular. They seemed to already be trying to go at it. Kain simply expelled pent of air in a "Pah." He saw this display as mere foolishness and a figurative pissing contest. He eyed the men again, and compared himself to them. While he was taller than the short one, he had nothing on his stock. Kain weighed in at a measly 185 pounds and an average height of six foot. His weight was mostly lean muscular, as fat didn't come easily to him, on the account of him not eating much lately.

Kain shook his head, trying to stop comparing himself with these... Brutes. He finally just gave one last glance at them and simply muttered "Fools" before looking over the rest of the individuals. There was another fellow, who spoke a bit of spanish, a couple of ladies, and another fellow, who had just happened to break down and began to sob. Kain glanced disapprovingly at the man. What was his deal? Did he really have a reason to cry? To break down like that? Kain then felt a sudden pang for the man. Kain too, felt what it was like to break down. To collapse in on himself. He couldn't help but pity the man. Yet, this did not mean he tried to make idle conversation.

Raven looked around the grand expanse of the hallway, listening to the others. Two guys stood facing each other, the tall, muscled man standing defenceless, almost sure of his victory, whose name was apparently Yuri. The other one, who looked small in comparison, met the large man’s gaze with one of his own. A few other girls stood around the hallway, watching the fight unfurl, one looking down with her hair shielding her face. Another man was weeping on the floor which Raven felt pity for and some guy was speaking Spanish. Raven couldn’t help but feel jealous, she always wanted to learn Spanish but never really had the patience to learn it.

‘I’ll have to fight these people,’ Raven thought to herself. Most of them looked friendly, just not very talkative. Then again, maybe they were just thinking, just like she was. They couldn’t be bad anyways, these people were eligible to become a God. She was eager to meet these people and not just have to assume their character. Maybe she would find friends within this group of people, but then again, finding enemies was just as possible. This tournament would probably be one of the most interesting year of her life she would ever experience.

Raven leaned against the wall, curious as to how this would play out.

The Shadowed figure raised his hands and his voiced boomed to a great volume just by his mere will. "All of you may do as you please here. I grow weary waiting for those who linger on their decision. As you human's say, 'The door is behind you, don't let it hit you on the way out'. If you choose to stay please come through, for those who want to leave, you heard me. I shall return soon to teach you to fight and to bring out your inner power. Your living quarters are through the hall. You may rest for now and greet each other. I wish you the best of luck." He disappeared into the ground moving along the shadows of the building.

Watching the Shadow Man leave Tom returned his gaze to the man who was called Yuri, Tom had taken him for Russian at first by his size and some of his looks but he seemed to be some kind of Asian as well, Japanese he figured but Tom was never an expert on cultures, he himself was Scotch/Irish and did his absolute best not to conform to the stereotypes but at this point he surmised he wasn't exactly doing so great a job.

Listening for a moment to the tall mans words Tom re holstered his hammer and cleared his throat.

"Well ole Yuri, seems were allowed tah have our little tussle its only fair ah keep me lil ole nail pounder in mah holster here seein as your without, but forgive me if I don't throw it across tha room dramatically you Asian fellahs are supposed tah be good with yer hands, and as fer me I'm Tom, Tom MacGruddy."

Tom chuckled slightly as he stuck his hand out for a shake,

"And Ahm most likely gonna take yah up on the first shot when yer ready."

He figured what happened next was up to Yuri, based off all the Bruce Lee movies Tom had ever seen there was about to be 255 lbs of burly Scotsman flying through the air but hell you only live once, besides maybe the gesture would be excepted allowing Tom a few seconds to remember all he knew about hand to hand fighting, a few Judo classes was it but he just didn't feel right taking after the guy with his hammer if all he had was his bare hands.

'Become a god.' That single thought pierced Mikael's mind, and stopped the flow of tears. "Become a god?" His mouth moved, but no sound came through. 'If I became a god, I would be able to have a child.' A slow grin spread across his face, and his eyes had a hint of madness in them. "I will fight," he whispered, "I will fight. I will fight. I will fight. I will fight, and win to cease my boredom forever." Standing up slowly, he staggered as though drunk, and nearly colapsed to the floor. His eyes glazed over, as he staggered across the room. Unseeing, uncaring, his mind took over, and he began to pace.

'Destroy them,' his mind whispered, 'Destroy them all, and you will become a god.' Something came over him, something that made him stop. "How do we know that we'll become a 'god'," he asked aloud, "How do we know that this isn't some trick to make us fight for another's amusement, or for some perverted show for high rollers?" He looked at everyone, and placed his hands on his hips. "How do we know that this is all real? Wheres the proof that this guy can do anything that he said? Granted," he looked around the room quickly, "this guy brought us here, but he could have drugged us, and then brought us here. Then, possibly to his own, or others', amusement, we're told that we should fight. Why? Why must we fight? Whats the story behind all this?"

Mikael's mind whirled, as he contemplated his surroundings. Why were they brought here? To fight? Well, thats quite obvious, but why? To become a "god"? Wheres the proof in that? He needed answers, and he wanted them now. "Yo, shadow man," he called out, "How do we know you ain't pulling our legs? How the hell do we know your going to give us this so called "power" to become a "god" after we've killed each other?" His eyes grew colder, and hatred blossomed in his heart once more, "How the hell do we know we wont wake up dead, or in the hospital, in critical condition, in a fracking coma, after we get ourselves killed here?"

The others idled on the other side of the door; most only observed, but others did not waste any time in taking action. Two men faced each other as if they planned on duking it out right there. There was another man not too far off who appeared to be addressing the two. Having come into the situation halfway through, Eva only heard “¿por qué debería perder mi tiempo en este brutos juvenil? Just don't hurt anyone else."

Another man who, in the beginning, seemed to be only observing, paused nearby this fight and glared at the two fighters. His lips moved, but Eva could not hear what they were saying.

“Then we shall meet on the field of honor, champion amongst cowards! Grant me your name - I am Yuri. Yuri Tsuyoi," The taller man spoke, his words making it clear that he challenged the others. Champion amongst cowards? Really? "I'll even allow you the first blow."

As if on cue, the sound of a solid thwack reached her ears. She turned her head and looked beyond the group to see the blonde guy who’d glared at the fighters over by the wall, his shoulders trembling the familiar tremble of tears. Someone was crying this early in the game?

“All of you may do as you please here. I grow weary waiting for those who linger on their decision…” The shadow returned, speaking his piece before explaining, “I shall return soon to teach you to fight and to bring out your inner power. Your living quarters are through the hall. You may rest for now and greet each other. I wish you the best of luck." Then the thing disappeared, shrinking into the ground and moving off as if its light source had moved.

One of the fighters off to the side replied to Yuri with a Scottish accent, identifying himself as Tom McGrud or something- it was hard to tell what his last name was because of how thick his accent was.

And not a moment later, her attention was seized once more by the blonde man. "How do we know that this isn't some trick to make us fight for another's amusement, or for some perverted show for high rollers?" He addressed everyone, hands akimbo. "How do we know that this is all real? Where’s the proof that this guy can do anything that he said? Granted," he looked around the room quickly, "this guy brought us here, but he could have drugged us, and then brought us here. Then, possibly to his own, or others', amusement, we're told that we should fight. Why? Why must we fight? Whats the story behind all this?"

Eva shook her head. What was this guy’s deal? He was so dramatic! There he was, yelling at the shadow to prove itself. She was sick of this. Evangeline marched over to the man and slapped him.

“Calm the ‘frack’ down!” She stared right into his eyes, seeing the emotion roiling about inside. “You chose to come through that door! You’re gonna be here for a year, so you’d better buck up or hope that thing has mercy on you and sends you home early.”

She took that chance to follow up on the guy’s spaz before he could reply. “You all came through that door for a reason! If you seriously doubted the power of this thing you wouldn’t have come! It became an actual shadow, shouldn’t that be proof enough? And if he drugged us, we wouldn’t all be seeing the same thing.” She faced the blonde, giving him the look of a serious mother chiding a child, but continued to speak so that the onlookers could hear.

“We are going to be here for a year, and we are here to fight. You’d best save the mental break downs for when the real combat starts or the others are going to take you out just like that.” She snapped on ‘that’. Evangeline turned on her heel to walk down the hallway but turned back to address Yuri and Tom.

“And, Tsuyoi. McGrud. Stop being such idiots and save the fighting for later, or must you decide who’s is bigger right this moment?” Her words showed just how unsatisfied she was with her situation. She turned away, her boots making contact with the ground rather loudly, and she shouted back with irritation, “I’m gonna go find a room!”

These were those who’s souls burned brightly? She hoped that those who’d been silent would leave a better impression on her, or she’d have a difficult fight on her hands to keep god powers out of the hands of a fool.

Tom spoke in a heavily accented cluster of words that Yuri couldn't decipher, but even he could tell that Tom would fight him unarmed. The man placed his hammer back in its holster and thrust out his hand. Yuri smiled at the man's honorable gesture and returned it, clamping on his hand and shaking it slowly up and down.

"Of course, of course," Yuri said, responding to Tom's deferment of the first blow as his rage satiated. Before he could do anything, however, he found himself face to face with a screaming woman.

Fight later, she said, and some other things he didn't quite catch. Her screaming began to boil his rage - or would, if he didn't feel so serene right now. Yet, a woman with the bravery to scream at him. Interesting. And, she did have a point. A chill ran down Yuri's spine as he felt reason's piercing dagger stab through him. If he had to break something, he may as well break it in the path to becoming a god.

Or not. He disconnected from gesture, his smile remaining. Yuri punched his fists together, flexing his bulging muscles, and put his fists into a fighting position, right ahead of left, mirrored in his feet.

"Have at you, Tom!" He bellowed, keeping his word of honor.

Violet walked towards Yuri and Tom she stood in between them. She stopped them from fighting by saying, "Stop." She wanted them to save their energy for later. Violet had an image of a scythe in her head. She didn't know why but she thought that was her soul weapon. Violet didn't move from that spot. She would move once they were separated. Violet still had hair covering her half of her face. If she had to fight them both, she would fight. Violet looked at both of them with a serious glare. She stood with her arms next to her side. She stood without slouching.

All these other people re truly and purely inferior. They don't even deserve the chance to try and gain godship. Kyra scanned each one- but they all seemed to lack the will to dominate and destroy. They lacked the most worthwhile trait in this whole thing: the desire for blood. Kyra had that one advantage. She knew, because she had killed before.

***

Manhattan. A few years ago. Kyra was broke, which was something rare. She had spent it all on drugs. Heroin, coke, all of that. But she needed more. She knew of someone rich in Manhattan, rich but hated. So Kyra knew how to pin the murder on someone else and take the money. But the murder would be a last resort. Dressed in all black, she wielded her pistol with a silencer, and a dagger. She also had an empty bag, and a passport so she could fly back to her hometown: Des Moines.

She snuck in through an open window. Gunther Hames had caught her. He drew his gun, but Kyra grabbed at his leg. She then shot him in the lower back and took the money she needed to fuel her addiction.

The dead tell no tales.

She didn't want to get caught. She had a forged note from a local drug dealer, stating how he killed Gunther. Kyra breathed hard. Stealing was easy enough. But taking a life was something else. A sudden wave of uncertainty held her, but Kyra never showed it. She walked forward and pressed her gloved hands tight around Gunther's throat.

***

The small girl never felt guilty about what she had done. Not even for a second. Always look out for number one. Herself.She knew opportunity when she saw it. And this time, Kyra would take it with both hands. She looked around and saw a dark haired boy. His name was supposedly Oto. Kyra sighed, knowing that she had to have at least one friend in this with her, and walked over to talk to him.

Tom faltered at the womans words, his eyes following her as she left the room.
Well damn tha's as good a reason as any fer not goin through with this.
Shrugging Tom started forward a until a small hand placed itself on his chest.
"Stop" the owner of the hand simply said, Tom dropped his hands to his sides as the girls words hit him, Stop...it had such simple logic to it, why would he fight Yuri now and risk expending uneeded energy.
She was small but looked about ready to tear his and Yuri's faces off, all in all he'd much rather duke it out with the big Ruskie.
Tom stepped back from the girl and was surprised to see a scythe had appeared in her hand.
"The hell yah packin a scythe fer? Suppose ah caint say much but still...the hell?"
Turning to gaze at Yuri he nodded at the man, Yuri clearly still desired to fight and Tom would've loved to take him up on it, while Yuri had height reach and most definitely skill, Tom was far larger and bulkier, it would've been interesting to say the least, after this quarrel was over there would be a strong possibility he'd grow to like this guy. As as he stepped away to follow after Eva he mumbled as he walked by and patted the man on the back.
"Ah think were nae gonna be able tah have it out here lad, fates allowed Ill see you on the battlefield."
Leaving the room he jogged off in the direction the woman had left, at least he had to know her name and thank her from saving him from an ass whipping.

Yuri blinked. This was, of course, something that he had never seen before. A tiny, teenage girl, standing in front of him, commanding him to stop. He almost wanted to laugh. In fact, he did. He threw his head back and laughed from the belly, its chords echoing throughout the room. He liked the two people in front of him. He really, really liked them. Dropping out of his fighting stance, he thrust his hand forward and pet the girl on the head.

"Hahaha, you're a good girl," he said, a big smile on his face. He walked towards Tom and put a hand on his shoulder.

"And I hope to meet you on the field of honor, my friend."

With that, looked to see where the screaming woman had walked off to, guessing that rooms were that way. He had no real, logical reason for thinking that, but that hadn't stopped him before. He turned to his two contacts, smiling. He could fight them later - no, he would fight them later, that much was guaranteed. In that battle, he'd learn more about them, and if either party died, so be it. His life was always a battle, and this year would be no exception. And yet, he felt that he could enjoy this year, in its combat and otherwise.

"Let us find a place to rest our bones in the future, friends. Follow me," Yuri said, beckoning Tom and the girl to come with him as he walking across the stone floor into the residential hall, no idea where he was going.

Violet felt intimidated, insulted and angry. All because of Yuri. She didn't like to be treated that way. The way everybody treated her at the orphanage. She frowned and she ran out of the room. Then she accidentally ran into the girl that was screaming before. "I'm sorry..." Violet told the girl with a serious tone to hide her emotions. Violet didn't talk for a long time until she came here. She was hoping that she didn't have to talk after that. Violet put her hair in front of her face again so she can hide half of her face.