…
"Now, Round 3: Valentina versus Luna," the general announced.
The two participants slowly approached each other.
"Begin!"
Valentina dashed towards Luna, punching her square in the face. Luna stared back, unfazed, with an expression of emptiness.
"Are you just going to stand there?"
Valentina demanded.
Suddenly, Valentina's fist started bleeding.
How did she… I didn't feel anything, Valentina thought, alarmed.
Valentina quickly dashed back, wiping the blood from her hand as she circled Luna.
But before she could react, Luna closed the distance and delivered a powerful blow to Valentina's skull, sending her crashing to the floor. Blood now streamed from Valentina's face.
"I will win." Luna whispered.
Valentina stood up with confidence and pointed her fist at Luna, her hand beginning to turn a light shade of blue.
Magnolia, now awake, said, "Her too?"
Valentina rushed toward Luna and connected with a body shot, causing Luna to cough up blood. Luna retaliated by headbutting Valentina and then slamming her head into the ground.
"Look away…" Luna said as she summoned a small plant that folded around Valentina's head and squishes it, she broke it off after Valentina stopped moving.
"Since Valentina is unable to continue, Luna is the winner!"
Valentina was taken to the infirmary with Kibo, and Saijew began to speak.
"Next will be Matthew versus Abraham."
Both walked toward each other and bow, then step back before turning around to face one another.
"Begin!"
Both circled each other, observing their movements and waiting for the right moment to strike.
I wonder how he'll use them this time Abraham said quietly, still circling Matthew and waiting for him to make the first move. If only he knew…
Matthew quickly created a barrier around Abraham from all directions, the barrier then began to close on itself slowly.
"That's fast!" Amelia blurted.
"Already?" Poison uttered.
Ren rested against a wall analyzing the scene before speaking up. "He's giving him no chance to adapt."
As the barrier started to slowly crush Abraham, he spread his body as to give himself more time to think.
"This is… Unexpected," he muttered.
He placed his hands against the barrier trying to find a weakness in it but he couldn't.
"Mhm," he murmured as he maneuvered his body so that his feet were pressing at the top of the barrier.
What is he thinking of? Matthew thought to himself.
Abraham repeatedly kicked the top of the barrier several times then he kicked the upper right, and upper left corner as well. Causing small cracks to form.
"There it is," he said, a deep grin appearing on his face.
He kicked the upper left corner several more times than the rest, causing one side to be more vulnerable than the other.
"Don't tell me…" Matthew said realizing what Abraham was trying to do. He raised his hand causing the barrier to crush Abraham faster.
"Shit." Abraham said, as he continued to strike the upper left corner, the area got smaller and smaller limiting his range of motion. Abraham swiped his hand across the barrier as a gold line appears outside the top of the barrier.
"Do I have enough time?" Suddently the barrier erupted on itself. Abraham smirked, adjusting his posture then jumping upwards out of the now collapsed barrier.
As he landed several meters away from Matthew the entire arena erupts in disbelief.
"Honestly, this fool almost got me. Too bad I'm too smart for his simple-minded self."
"It seems young Abraham has found a way out. How surprising," someone notes.
"How did you—"
"We can talk about that later. Now, let's finish this."
Abraham started circling Matthew, who watched him warily. Suddenly, Abraham rushed toward Matthew and delivered a blow to his chin, sending Matthew flying back. Not giving Matthew a chance to recover, Abraham continued to deliver blow after blow to Matthew's gut, face, and back.
Matthew caught Abraham's punch, but Abraham's fist begins turning a blueish white color. While holding Abraham's hand with one of his own, Matthew used his other hand to punch Abraham repeatedly until he stopped moving.
"Abraham is unable to fight. Matthew is the—"
But Abraham started moving again. He quickly kicked under Matthew's legs, knocking him to the ground. Before Matthew could touch the floor, Abraham caught him by his shirt with his right hand and began punching him profusely until he was unconscious.
"Matthew is unable to fight. Abraham is the winner."
Matthew was taken to the infirmary while Abraham returned to the stands.
"My lord, Abraham is…"
"Special, yes… Perhaps he might be more ready than we've previously predicted. With correct and wise training, he could become one of the eight."
"Next is Emma versus Sofia." Saijew declared.
Both walked up to each other and wait for the signal to start. Sofia looked confident, while her opponent, Emma, had a look of worry and doubt. She was uneasy and shaky. Sofia locked eyes with Emma and slowly walked over to her before saying, "There's no way you will win. Honestly, just give up now and save yourself from total embarrassment."
Emma looked even more worried, now frightened at the thought of embarrassment. She was doubting her power. Sofia then walked back across from Emma.
"Begin!"
Sofia dashed over to Emma and scraped her face, causing her to bleed. She then kicked Emma in the gut, sending her flying across the arena. Sofia quickly followed and touched the blood on Emma's face before delivering another kick, which caused Emma to fall to the ground. With Emma's blood on her hand, Sofia scraped her own arm, causing it to bleed. She touched the blood on her arm, mixing it with Emma's blood, and it turned a very dark shade of gray. Suddenly, Emma began to feel extremely disoriented and nauseous. She fell to the ground, coughing up blood.
Sofia walked up to Emma and kicked her repeatedly, each time forcing more blood from Emma's mouth. But Emma got up, stood tall, and rushed toward Sofia, landing a blow on her. They began trading hits back and forth, neither backing down. Sofia then punched Emma in the jaw, making her stagger. She kicked Emma again, picked her up, and prepared to end the fight with one final punch to the gut. But her fist stops just before making contact.
"What? Why can't I hit her??" Sofia exclaimed.
A barrier of wind appears around Emma, lifting her into the air as all her wounds heal— except for the first cut on her face. She then dropped back to the ground, standing firm.
"How did you…?" Sofia stammered. "It doesn't matter. You can't win, even if you're back to full strength."
Both rushed toward each other, trading blows again. It's clear who's winning—Sofia. Her attacks were stronger, but Emma somehow withstands them and managed to counter with some of her own. Sofia intensified her attacks, each hit knocking Emma back heavily and causing deep wounds on her gut, left cheek, and right arm. Despite this, Emma continued to clash with Sofia.
"WHY DON'T YOU JUST GIVE UP ALREADY!?" Sofia shouted in frustration.
Emma punched Sofia hard enough to knock her back, causing Sofia to bleed from her right leg after being pushed into a wall.
"I can't lose… BECAUSE OF MY DESTINY!"
3 Years Ago…
"Emma, come over here."
Marine was now 18, and she had a house with the help of her late boyfriend.
"Yes, Mother."
"Listen to me when I say this… One day, there will be someone you meet. That person will guide you to find what you desire most—destiny and love. These two things will come together to help you find your purpose. I know you might not understand everything now, but please remember to keep this in your mind forever."
"Yes—Yes, Mother, I will."
Present…
"Destiny?" Emma whispered to herself.
She charged toward the injured Sofia, launching a powerful blow to end the fight. However, Sofia caught Emma's final strike, Emma's movements become slower as Sofia put more and more weight on her opponent. She then began punching her until she was unconscious. Sofia kicked her away and then assumed a fighting stance. Suddenly, the sky turned black, and the clouds disappear. Sofia's figure darkens as the battlefield turns black. She drew the darkness from the sky, forming a blade with it. She spawned above Emma and prepared to strike with the blade. But at the same moment, the entire area turned white. Soon, the sky and battlefield return to their original colors. Everyone was surprised and momentarily blinded by the white light. When it faded, the Pharaoh was standing in the arena, having caught Sofia's blade.
"That's enough, Sofia. The battle is over. Emma can no longer fight."
Sofia verbally sighed in slight irritation as she took a seat back in the spectators spot.
Emma was taken to the infirmary, and Sofia returned to the stands to watch the last fight.
"Now, the final fight: Amelia versus Sous."
Both walked up to each other, waiting for the general to begin the fight.
"Remember, this fight will determine what team you are on—Team 1 or Team 2."
"Squad One consists of Magnolia, Kibo, Valentina, Matthew, and Emma. Squad Two consists of Poison, Ren, Luna, Abraham, and Sofia."
"Begin!"
Both rushed toward each other and begin clashing, exchanging attacks rapidly.
"For a girl, you can fight," Sous remarked.
"You say that like you're surprised. Never heard of a woman who can fight?"
"Obviously, but they all lose in the end…"
Sous landed a quick blow on Amelia, causing her to bleed slightly. He dashed toward her again, and they clashed once more. Amelia then delivered a quick punch that knocked him back, creating a small cut that bled. They continued this pattern several more times, with Sous landing multiple hits that Amelia couldn't even see.
"You're faster, huh?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, I guess so. If I were you, I'd focus more on surviving than small talk."
Sous's attacks grow more powerful, leaving Amelia with several deep wounds. Amelia slowed down, trying to read Sous's movements and find a pattern in his attacks. However, this strategy forced her to tank even more of his blows.
There it is! She thought to herself. He attacks up once, went left twice, and alternates between left, right, and up three times.
She began dodging his attacks and countering. They started clashing again.
"How did you suddenly get faster?" Sous asked.
"You talk too much," Amelia replied.
They clashed once more, both landing solid hits on each other. Their attacks grow faster and more powerful, neither giving up or letting down.
"This is taking too long. I didn't think I'd have to try…" Sous muttered.
Sous rushed over to Amelia and punched her in her gut, then in her arms and legs in rapid succession. He then redirected the force causing himself to be flown back, but redirected that which threw him over to Amelia once more. As Amelia was healing her wounds Sous came rushing towards her sending a devastating strike to her skull.
Amelia was barley able to block the attack yet the force still knocked her backwards up against a wall.
Amelia struggled to get up but managed to get to her feet. She adjusted quickly before slowly walking to Sous, then she ran towards him. Appearing right by his side, she struck him towards knocking him into the air and before he could redirect the force she held him in the air, pausing his movements.
"The hell?!" Sous uttered as he stayed frozen in the air.
"She's levitating him to stop him from redirecting anything." Abraham said adjusting his glasses.
Amelia then raised her hands and slammed Sous to the ground. However, Sous predicted this, and instead of redirecting the impact, he redirected Amelia's levitation. Which floated Amelia upwards into the air. Sous then jumped upwards and struck Amelia on the head. As she fell to the ground the impact creates what looks like a small crater.
"Amelia can no longer fight. Sous is the winner."
Amelia was soon taken to the infirmary alongside the others.
Several moments later Kibo, Valentina, Emma, Matthew, and Amelia all walked out of the infirmary.
"There you all are." The pharaoh smiled as he ordered them all to take a seat amongst the other recruits.
The recruits began chatting briefly, soon enough the General stepped forward.
"Enough."
Every recruit turned toward him.
"You've all fought."
He looked across the group. "Some of you demonstrated strength." His eyes moved toward Valentina.
"Some demonstrated adaptability." He looked toward Amelia.
"Some demonstrated intelligence." His gaze shifted toward Abraham.
"And some demonstrated control." He looked toward Luna and Sous.
Then he turned toward the entire group. "Your results have determined your assignments."
The recruits became tense. "The winners will form Squad Two."
Several recruits exchanged glances. "The losers will form Squad One."
Magnolia looked toward Ren.
Ren looked back.
The General continued.
"Squad One." He paused.
"Magnolia."
Magnolia's eyes widened slightly.
"You will serve as Head Captain."
The arena became silent.
Magnolia looked genuinely confused.
"Me?"
"Yes."
The General continued before Magnolia could say anything else.
"Valentina will serve as Vice Captain."
Valentina straightened.
"Understood."
The General continued.
"Matthew will serve as Tactician."
Matthew rubbed his chin.
"Kibo will serve as Scout."
Kibo nodded.
"Emma will serve as Assault Specialist."
Emma looked toward Magnolia.
Finally, the General turned toward Amelia.
"Amelia will serve as Field Support."
Amelia nodded quietly.
Magnolia looked around at his new squad.
They had all lost, yet somehow they had been given responsibilities. He didn't understand the General's reasoning.
Not yet.
The General turned toward the opposite side.
"Squad Two."
Ren stood slightly straighter.
"Ren."
The General paused.
"You will serve as Head Captain."
Ren's eyes widened slightly.
Then he nodded.
"Got it."
"Poison will serve as Vice Captain."
Poison smirked.
"Sounds troublesome."
The General ignored him.
"Abraham will serve as Tactician."
Abraham nodded.
"Luna will serve as Field Support."
Luna smiled gently.
"Sofia will serve as Assault Specialist."
Sofia nodded.
"Sous will serve as Scout."
Sous's expression remained rigid.
"Understood."
The General looked across both teams.
"These roles are not decorations." The recruits listened carefully.
"You will be evaluated according to them." His voice became colder.
"If your captain fails, the responsibility belongs to the vice captain." He looked toward Magnolia and Ren.
"If your tactician makes a poor decision, the entire squad suffers." His eyes shifted toward Matthew and Abraham.
"If your scout fails to observe an enemy, your squad enters battle blind." His gaze moved toward Kibo and Sous.
"If your assault specialist fails to break through the enemy, your squad loses momentum." He looked toward Emma and Sofia.
"And if your field support fails to keep the squad functioning, everyone suffers." His eyes moved toward Amelia and Luna.
No one spoke, as the General lowered his hand.
"From this moment onward, you are no longer simply recruits."
He looked toward the two squads. "You are soldiers."
Magnolia looked toward Ren, and Ren looked toward Magnolia.
Neither smiled, yet Neither looked away.
The General turned toward the Pharaoh.
The Pharaoh watched the children silently, his expression unreadable as he studied the newly divided recruited, their injuries already fading beneath the work of the infirmary attendants and their positions within the military now determined by the results of a single day of combat.
The General finally looked back toward the children.
"Your training begins tomorrow."
The recruits had spent the entire day fighting one another, being evaluated, injured, carried away, healed, and returned to the same place as though the battles had been nothing more than a series of examinations, yet despite everything they had endured, hearing those words felt different.
Tomorrow meant the games were over.
Tomorrow meant there would be no spectators sitting around an arena waiting to see who would win.
Tomorrow meant they would begin learning how to become soldiers.
Some of the children exchanged nervous glances while others remained focused on the General, waiting for him to explain what came next, but the General did not immediately speak again, instead allowing the silence to remain until the anticipation became almost unbearable.
Then the Pharaoh stepped forward.
"There is something you must understand before your training begins," the Pharaoh said. "What you showed today is not the highest form of power."
Matthew frowned. "Then what is?"
"Contracts." The General folded his arms. "A divine contract is an agreement between a god and a human. The human becomes a vessel for a portion of that god's authority. Not a god. A vessel."
"So the god just hands over power?" Poison asked.
"No," the Pharaoh said. "A contract is a relationship, and every god has a different nature. Two contractors of the same god can end up with completely different abilities. The authority belongs to the god. How it shows up depends on the bond."
Abraham had stopped taking notes and started memorizing.
"There are three ways to receive one," the General said. "Divine Selection, where a god chooses you. Military contracting, where a commander recommends you, and the god decides. And experiential contracts, which grow out of what a person has lived through. That one is the rarest."
Luna raised her hand slightly. "Why would a god choose someone?"
"Because something about them interests the god," the Pharaoh said. "A shared belief. A difference the god is curious about. Or…" His eyes flicked to the General. "…because the god sees what it once was."
Nobody asked what that meant. The General didn't explain.
"Experiential contracts have no test and no formula," the General went on. "A person survives what they shouldn't have, loses everything, and changes. Eventually, the change makes them compatible with something older than they are."
Magnolia looked down at his hands. The words felt strangely familiar.
"Four rules," the General said. "Remember them."
He raised a finger. "A contract cannot be forced, by anyone, from either side. Pressure is not consent. Fear is not consent."
A second. "You carry the authority. You do not own it."
A third. "Every contract has a limit. Reach for more than your body can hold, and the damage does not stop at flesh."
A fourth. "Understanding matters more than power. A soldier who understands his god will outlast a stronger one who doesn't."
Sous crossed his arms. "So contractors never become gods?"
The Pharaoh paused. The General noticed it, and so did the children.
"You are nowhere near that stage," the Pharaoh said, and that was the end of it.
"One more thing," the General said. "Awakenings. An awakening is not a contract. It happens when something inside a person breaks open under pressure: injury, grief, rage, the near-certainty of death. You cannot force one." His eyes settled on Poison. "Yes, I know you were thinking about it."
"I didn't say anything," Poison said.
"Not having an awakening does not make you weak. And keep your contracts private, even from your teammates. An enemy who knows everything about you has an advantage. Do not assume you understand a soldier because you have watched him fight." The Pharaoh turned away. "Your training begins tomorrow."
The General nodded.
"Tonight, you rest."
He looked toward the infirmary attendants.
"All recruits have been cleared."
The soldiers standing near the medical area nodded.
Valentina flexed her fingers.
Luna touched her healed lip.
Abraham rotated his shoulder.
Matthew rubbed his chin.
Emma looked toward Magnolia.
Magnolia slowly stood.
His body still felt heavier than normal, but the dizziness had almost disappeared.
The General turned toward the Pharaoh.
"My lord."
The Pharaoh nodded.
"Tomorrow."
"Yes."
"The real training begins."
The General looked toward the departing recruits.
Then toward the arena where the sand still carried traces of their battles.
"Let us see how far they can progress…"