The Arena

[Day of the Games]

Star was quiet as she allowed the costume crew to prepare her for the games. They would know what they were talking about when it came to preparing someone for a battle to the death. Each member would be put in an outfit designed specifically for their species, but allowing a change for hot weather or freezing cold. No one except the game masters knew what the terrain would hold so the crew would prepare for anything.

Star looked in the mirror as the final touches were put on her. The face staring back was beautiful, yet intense for the upcoming battle. She wore a pair of short, jean shorts that were very mobile, a pair of thigh-high boots and a tank top. Luckily kitsunes didn’t get cold easily so they didn’t think that would be much of a problem. They ushered her to the elevator, knowing better than to wait for Kane, and wished her good luck. She traveled alone in the elevator as each of the contestants would.

When the elevator doors opened, the kitsune looked out at an empty hallway that each contestant would have to themselves. Star held her head high as she walked the length of the strange, metal hallway. This was where all of the cameras would get their best close-ups for their contestants. These pictures taken now would be the ones people would bet on or sponsors would pay money for. Sponsors, one thing Star thought she would get a lot of.

Sponsors were wealthy monsters that chose their favorite and would donate a large sum of money for their contestant. This money could be used for food if the contestant was starving or a blanket if they were freezing. Even water if they were parched in the desert. But those things were hard to come by and as the games continued, prices would rise.

She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of terrain they would be on this time around. Would it be a desert? The middle of the ocean? If they were lucky maybe just a field with some woods attached? Star then passed through the security spells where it stripped her clothing of any embedded runes or any weapons she may have hidden to bring the games. Nothing could pass the ancient spells put on by the game masters.

Finally, the tunnel ended and Star eyed the symbol in the floor of the hall. She took a deep breath before stepping onto it. The symbol began to glow and Star disappeared to the battlefield.

When Starlet was able to see again, she looked around. She was standing on an elevated, but flat rock with the same symbol carved into it. The other contestants were also standing on their own rocks with their own symbols. They were placed out in a line and were given sixty seconds to assess the situation. If they stepped off before their sixty seconds was up, they would be killed immediately by some unknown force.

The terrain seemed easy enough. To her left was a pretty large rainforest and past that rainforest, snow-capped mountains could be seen. Star made a mental note to avoid the mountains due to the chances of an avalanche. They were in a small clearing and about a hundred feet away was a rather large pile of weapons. They were the weapons taken from the contestants or even from their rooms or some were just weapons brought in for the fight. Star began looking them over, knowing it would be a horrible bloody mess to try and get the weapons. She looked around for Kiera and once she made eye contact with the demoness she shook her head as if saying, “The weapons aren’t worth it. I wouldn’t go there if I was you.” She didn’t want her partner killed in the first minute of the games. She had seen all of the other games and knew a large majority of deaths happened in the first thirty seconds.

Training passed with little eventfulness, and Desmond’s last words to his friend Arabella had been, “If I can avoid it, I’ll not kill anyone… but Arabella, if something happens and I lose myself like I did before you must promise me one thing.” He had made certain that the others he would prefer not to harm had heard like the elf girl and Mian, “Run, no matter what happens, don’t try to stop me, just get out of there as fast as you can and hide until I burn up... one death is better than a dozen.”

He couldn’t help but to wonder if the game masters had intended just that. They had brought in not one but two kitsunes, a rare race that seldom was in the games, in hopes that he would burn up. He knew he wasn’t welcome on Earth anymore, the council had wanted him exiled, the hirules wanted him to return to Hydra, and most of the monster clans had paid a part of a group of assassins’ fee to have him eliminated once word spread about his return. The Game Masters had even more reason to want him dead, since he was now on a vendetta to eliminate them all.

The Makeup crew had supplied him with a new outfit, a black combat suit, and had informed him about the seal stripping barrier. He was tempted to try and get his suit through anyway but after thinking about the hours spent making it and the fact that he didn’t need the hindrance of the coat he decided to leave it behind. He did attempt, however, keep his bracers on. The silver plates weren’t weapons, not always, and when warned of the barrier he responded with Alchemy isn’t magic, its science. He knew that the barrier wouldn’t affect the alchemic circle etched on the plates. But still, they insisted they be taken away from him and pooled with the other weapons.

He now found himself walking into the tunnel toward the combat arena. The uncomfortable and overly tight suit making him frown slightly. He made a mental note to alchemically change it inot one of his suits once they got into the arena. The cameras were trained on him and he wondered how much money would be pouring into the other monsters from political rivals hoping he’d perish in these games. Shad and the minotaur would be getting quite a large sum he imagined. Of course his own supply of cash was assured, Kalen would be sponsoring him in these games with their savings he had transferred to her. A loophole in the system as it were.

He stepped through the barrier and felt it tug at him as though his person was against the laws of the barrier. It would let him pass, but after a moment of it pulling on him after he stood on the teleportation seal he got tired of it and flared a blast of aura at it. The barrier held but was forced back and away from him which let him be transported to the field of battle. What he saw made him very cross.

His bracers were on the pile, but that didn’t bother him as much as the other objects of his that were on the mound of weapons. His books. And he had no intention of letting the others get those. Each one was an arsenal of information, and the one that lay on the top of the pile held his gaze, that book would make a difficult opponent impossible to defeat, the ritual it held was forbidden, and he knew only one person personally who had used it. He looked at Shad, and at the other’s with large auras… that ritual could not fall into their hands, or anyone’s. He began to take aim mentally, he’d burn that book before he’d let others use it. It hurt him to think he may have to burn them all, they were a collectors dream, and each one was an heirloom.

Raine sighed, glancing around at the costume crew. Apparently none of the contestants could dress themselves for a fight. She was only glad, really, that her outfit allowed for free movement, as she was sure was the same with everyone else. She sighed before walking out; she just wanted to head back home now; had she known others would be choosing what she wore, and others were out to kill her here, and that she had little to decide for herself, she would have attempted to refuse and argued the whole way there. This was just beyond irritating, really!

She paused before she shook her head, walking down the hallway, doing her best to ignore the cameras. Sponsers...she briefly wondered how many she would have, but quickly brushed the thought off. She had managed without much money before, and she would make do with nothing, if she had to. ...If it was possible, anyway. The most she could do at this point was to keep a confident smile on her face, but couldn't hide the hint of nervousness she felt. She had no idea what the others had planned, if they intended to stick to a certain plan, or would end up doing whatever they thought was best.

She hesitated for a moment when she saw the symbol on the floor, and took a deep breath before stepping onto it, unsure of what it would do. It wasn't like she had paid much attention, anyway. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing on a rock, just like the others around her. She glanced around at them, then through the pile of weapons. She didn't really plan on going for those, so she paid them little attention. They would only weigh her down, and she still had her aura she could use as a weapon. She had been careful not to show too much of what she was capable of, though that had proved to be hard. She turned her attention to the area instead, looking over the field. It would be easiest, she thought, to stay out of the way, where few would go looking for her. As long as she stayed out of the way, she had less chance to wear herself out, she thought.

She looked over the other contestants again. It was one thing seeing them all at training, and another seeing them all here, when the games were starting. It just made everything seem more...unnerving. She was anxious to get all this over with now; to be able to head back to where she had been staying for a while, away from this whole mess. She was tempted to try to leave before then, but wasn't sure how far she'd really get. So she'd have to stay and do her best until she got the chance to leave. This whole thing was starting to get on her nerves, but was also starting to frighten her. She would have to try to fight for her life, now, and this was bad enough for her, let along fighting against so many!

The costume crew swarmed around Mathew trying to dress him in the clothes for the battle. "Excuse me but I already have the clothes that I want to wear for this battle." Mathew said silently. He was going to wear what he wore on the day of his parents death. Mathew snapped his hands and the clothes appeared on him.

After that was done he left and went through the tunnel and was thinking about how so many people would have sponsors while he would have none but money never stopped him all the time he spent all alone. He then went through a force field that would take all of his weapons away even though he didn't have any.

After going through the force field he appeared on a floating platform along with his opponents they all seemed extremely strong so he decided he was going to have to use tactics and intelligence in order to win so he searched the terrain the were fighting in and came up with a plan. He also noticed the pile of weapons everywhere, he knew exactly what to do with those...

Jayden woke up with a new resolve. Today was the day he would act like a grown man, no more childishness. He would be prepared to face the other challangers as a mature adult. The demon sat in the stylist chair waiting for his first battle, the wary stylist gave him a once over before presenting his outfit.

The nightmare's eyes doubled in size before he began screaming in horror, "AHHHHHH!!!!! I WON'T WEAR IT!! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!!" The stylist rolled her eyes before magically binding him to the chair and getting him ready for the day. Jayden stared into the mirror, frozen at the sight of his outfit. The clothes the woman chose were disguting. A disgustingly pink shirt that was clashing horribly with the orange neon sweatpants which were stuffed into the most obnoxious blue boots.

.....kidding. In actuallity He was forced into a simple black shirt along with a pair of black shorts but to him it was just as bad as the pink. He pulled at the bandages covering his forearms, pratical if it came to fixing up wounds but pointless as a fashion statement. After getting over the initial shock of the clothes, Jayden pratically danced down the hall with a wide smile on his face, he was excited to start the games. It was a game after all.

The boy reached the force field that was supposed to strip him of his weapons, the only weapon he ever carried was his hat which he had been forced not to bring. Not very fair to the other contestants if he could carry a month's worth a food and a numberless amount of artility on his head is it?

Finally the nightmare reached the large circle and he jumped on it, giggling as he appeared on some strange terrain. He surveyed the area, grinning when he noticed the ice cream covered rocks in the distance, he'd have to try those. The second thing to catch his eyes was the weapons. Maybe he'd stop by and see if there was anything worth grabing before the other contestants took all the good toys.

Corzaus jogged down the long metal hallway humming a war-chant to himself his heavy plated metal armor make no sound as he stood on the platform the meeting with the costume degenerates had gone as well as expected: window where broken. Besides he was confident in his abilities already any creature that needs bright colors to feel like the are worth something was a weakling in his book he also felt he had a step up on the competition he wasn't supposed to come in with weapons but his had them right here with him: his gauntlets, they are apart of his armor and if they took them away they would be denying him what everyone else had. He also had experience in surviving in the wild so that would play out to his advantage.

It was a shame that no one offered to be his ally... he would maybe had enjoyed the company, but it was too late for that now. He glanced across the terrain as the symbol transported him thinking to himself. "Rainforest... perfect." Half of his military career was spent in the rainforest so his strategy was to make a kill zone in there somewhere and wait them out eventually the weakest would be picked off and the strongest and most worthy would be left that was when he would strike, granted didn't he had someone with him it would be easier but he would manage.

Corzaus jogged down the long metal hallway humming a war-chant to himself his heavy plated metal armor make no sound as he stood on the platform the meeting with the costume degenerates had gone as well as expected: window where broken. Besides he was confident in his abilities already any creature that needs bright colors to feel like the are worth something was a weakling in his book he also felt he had a step up on the competition he wasn't supposed to come in with weapons but his had them right here with him: his gauntlets, they are apart of his armor and if they took them away they would be denying him what everyone else had. He also had experience in surviving in the wild so that would play out to his advantage.

It was a shame that no one offered to be his ally... he would maybe had enjoyed the company, but it was too late for that now. He glanced across the terrain as the symbol transported him thinking to himself. "Rainforest... perfect." Half of his military career was spent in the rainforest so his strategy was to make a kill zone in there somewhere and wait them out eventually the weakest would be picked off and the strongest and most worthy would be left that was when he would strike, granted didn't he had someone with him it would be easier but he would manage.

Arabella looked in the mirror one last time before she had to get going. It was an outfit similar to hers from the ball, but instead of the skirt she had leggings on under shorts. She also had a strange cape that came off of her one shoulder. The people dressing her wouldn’t allow for her to argue it and frankly she wasn’t in the mood. She added her own adjustments to the outfit (which no longer included that dreadful hat). She slipped on a ring and adjusted her necklace. The dressing crew began to usher her out and she sighed as she went down the elevator.

Down the hall, Arabella looked sadly ahead. She went through the weapon-taking thing and felt like she was in a human airport. The little witch was too busy fighting the detector for her necklace that was being pulled away from her that she didn’t notice the ring slipping off of her finger. She finally lost and watched her necklace disappear in a puff of smoke. Just gone. Arabella sighed and continued on.

When she was teleported to the arena, she glanced around. The first thing that caught her attention were the mountains. Probably the first place she would go since she felt at home in ice. Plus, it was getting way too hot in the rainforest area. Her leggings were beginning to stick. Next, she eyed the pile of weapons where two pieces of jewelry were the things she wanted most now.


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Kane waved back at the women who had helped him dress and stepped into the elevator. He adjusted his black leather jacket over his tight black t-shirt and shot the mirror in the elevator a devilish smile. He wore loose black jeans that didn’t affect his movement. Down the hall, he was confident ad smiling the entire way. He didn’t have any weapons to be taken away from him. When Kane stood in the rainforest he took off his jacket and his shirt so it wasn’t so dang hot there.

Oz jumped out of the stylist chair and headed for the elevator the moment the dressing crew were finished. Her outfit was kept simple, only a tight blood red t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. The minotaur was also of course provided battle armor to compenstate for the lack of mystical powers and as loose protection against the elements. Once the elevator opened its doors, she confidently strode down the hall, her harsh steps echoing loudly in the confined space.

She was ready for the games to begin, ready for a battle of someone who could for once hold their own against her. The brunette was expecially intrestested in fighting her minotaur rival. Brute strength, just one against the other.

She reached the hall's end and was transported to the stand overlooking the arena. Interesting set up, so much to choose from... She smirked to herself, things were finally going to liven up

A strange noise was made in the distance and the stones everyone was standing on dropped into the ground, each contestant falling a few inches. Star glanced around and decided she needed to go. She took one last glance at Kiera who escaped into the woods before she also slipped into the wooded area. It was extremely hot and Star was sweating before she was only a hundred feet away. She cursed and made her tails disappear, but made her ears stay out so she had her hearing heightened.

She glanced around trying to listen for a river. She didn’t know that the river was flowing very far away. She hopped to the top of a tree to find the mountains and set her heading for there. She needed to find a source of water and she figured there would be snow melting off of the mountains considering the amount of heat that was in the forest

"Giant Pumpkin!" Mathew shouted and a Giant floating Pumpkin appeared in front of him. He jumped on top of it a zoomed straight towards the weapons area. He did this full aware that people would try killing him as soon as he got there, but he still needed to get some weapons most important were his pumpkin bombs. So when he got the pumpkin bombs he began to float away but then he noticed what looked like a spell book...or an alchemy book. Hoping there would be something good there he took it really fast and zoomed away at his giant pumpkins highest speed before anyone could kill him. When he got into the forest about one mile away from the snowy mountains he abandoned his floatation spell and started running towards the mountains as fast as he could. He abandoned the pumpkin because he didn't want anyone to see him and follow him.

Jayden flailed widly trying to regain his balance as the rock faltered, giving a small cry of surprise. He decided to abandon the rock in favor of following the kitsunes of example of simply jumping down. The demon flipped off the rock and sprinted towards the pile of weapons, filtering through the useless stuff like axs and swords. He pocketed the throwing knives and a few other weapons before picking up a large book. The nightmare studied the book and frowned, it was enormous and bulky and there weren't even pictures. He tossed it over shoulder and ran from the pile not wanting to get caught in the onslaughter of contestants.

Once he reached the woods Jayden opted to find one of the other contestants, he didn't want to be here all alone with no one to play with. He spun around and headed in the random direction singing quietly to himself, "London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...."

Raine jumped a little in surprise when the rock sunk into the ground, but jumped off, deciding that meant it was time to start. The kitsune had already taken off, as had one of the witches and the nightmare. She hurried off into the forest, heading straight for the mountains. Anything to avoid a fight for now. She couldn't get caught off guard, though, so she paused in the forest, glancing around, listening carefully for anyone headed her way. Not that she would hear them, unless they were charging about without any sense of caution. She continued much more slowly, keeping an ear out for others, and keeping an eye out for good hiding places, should she get herself caught there, in the forest. She thought she heard something, and ducked herself out of sight, hiding in a small group of bushes, before deciding she was hearing things and came out to continue walking. After all, how many would really be ready to start a fight yet? She wasn't...but, she reminded herself, there were others that were more used to fighting than she was.

Once Mathew reached the mountains he said "Giant Pumpkin." and a giant pumpkin appeared before him. He then put some pumpkin bombs on it and sent it towards the weapon pile. It would make people believe he was on it and follow that direction hopefully putting them off track. When the pumpkin was hovering over the pile it disappeared in a cloud of smoke and the bobs dropped down causing the pile to blow up weapons and all. It would also at least damage people nearby. "Giant Pumpkin." Mathew said once more when he made it a bit higher up in the mountains where it was more cold and no one would go to. He then went inside the pumpkin where it was toasty and warm.

Arabella had a plan and the second the platform dropped, she disappeared in a flash of purple light. She reappeared in more light next to the pile, but fell to her knee. It was extreemly tiring, way more than it usually was for a simple transportation spell. Probably because the game masters. She knew then that the other witch would be experiencing the same problem.

Arabella reached up and took her necklace, a cloth bag and the ring before anyone came when she saw the Hirule book. She glanced at Desmond who seemed so focused on it, she decided to reach up and try to get it. That’s when Mathew took the book. She glared after him, but wouldn’t waste anymore time. She took off running towards the blizzarding mountains. She wasn’t as fast as some of the monsters, but she was still faster than the average human. Luckily she was more about endurance.

Corzaus jumped off the platform with an earth-shaking impact and started to run off towards the Rainforest and this is when his old training kicked in: He started to run at a break-neck pace being sure to leap over obstacles and to lose his fellow contestants in the brush and the only person with the endurance to catch him now would be the other minotuar and as far as he knew she hadn't had a day of training in her life, he faded in with his surroundings but kept up his pace, he could do this for weeks if he had to besides he was confident in his abilities he had his weapon and everything he needed to survive was right here all around him, and speaking of that he kneeled down and picked up a plant he knew exactly what this would do. He went over to a river bank and dipped the leaf in then started to rub it on his skin it left his hide and fur green-tinted and camouflaged this way if anyone from up above or on the ground looked they wouldn't see anything unless they looked REALLY closely. He picked himself up and started to run again deeper into the forest.

Oz jumped off the platform and immedietly rushed for the weapons, skidding to a halt when the pile suddenly exploded from.....was that a pumpkin? She rolled out of the way and the debris harmlessly bounced off her armor, it might leave a few bruises but at least she managed to keep all her limbs. The minotaur glanced up as the others disappeared into the forest, she let out a growl and chased after them.

She choose to follow the other minotaur, as it would be in her best intrest to get him out of the competiotion early. She followed his trail of distrucion before it ended in a large clearing making it imposssiple to follow.

Oz let out a howl, "C'mon Corzaz! Come and fight me like a man!!" She knew it was likely he wouldn't fall for something as juvinelle as that but hey, a girl could try. She walked to the center of the clearing and sat down on a large rock giving her full vision of the area. What was she to do? The minotaur gave a sigh, was she being to reckless? The way she acted, this attitude would be the death of her...

Kiera opened her eyes disoriented. What the hell had happened? She asks herself. She was at the top of a tree, her shadows forming a sort of bed. Kiera digs deep in her memory but the last she remembers was Jayden describing some sleeping potion. She had never experienced this. That is since she had woken up two years ago with no previous memory of her life before.

Kiera lets out a string of curses, if the same was happening as two years that would not be good in this game. After a deep breath Kiera drops down about 5 stories, her shadows cushioning her fall. Before she hits the ground she feels a blast of hot air and she growls. Go figure...A hot and steamy rainforest type terrain