Hey! Everyone that read "Stuck in Limbo" I'm really sorry I haven't updated but there were some major changes going on and I quit University and stuff so I really lost my inspiration for it. But now I'm back and I try to kickstart that with this little prelude of a new story I thought of. It's really short I know but I just wanted to get some of the thoughts out there because I feel like all the ideas kept dying in my head. So yeah enjoy :)

Prelude

She could hear the shouts of the crowd already. They were bursting out of the arena, demanding and frantic. Full of anticipation of what was to come. It was just like the roman poet Juvenal said "Panem et circenses" , "Bread and Games" that is all one needs to please a greedy crowd. She always imagined that people were so willing to see other people fight, kill and violate each other because it was just the time they lived in. Now she is not so sure anymore, because she can hear the crowd roaring like a beast circling their prey. She can hear it, they are out for blood.

She looked up at the arena she was about to enter. It was high built and reminded her of the ancient roman arenas, colosseums that gladiators used to fight in. The stone was brown and the light gave it a glow she couldn't really describe. If she hadn't heard the beast's voice asking for her she might have deemed it beautiful.

"It's time. Are you ready?" It was Noah's voice that stopped her short break in her own head. Noah was her mentor or more so her brother. He taught her everything she needed to know and more. She knew that as her predecessor it was his duty to prepare her, but she knew that he cared for her more than duty demanded and that he had taught her well. Since he was injured all these months ago the hope of everyone rested on her shoulders now and she knew it. Normally a fighter died and that was it. But although Noah was severely wounded he managed to finish and win his fight. It left him with an arm amputated at the elbow but a chance for everyone to choose a fighter in his stead.

And they chose her.

Under normal circumstanced you would have wondered why. She was small where Noah was tall, slim where he looked like a rock with his broad shoulders and toned body. Now don't think she wasn't fit it was just she was all muscle and sinew, lean so to say but she was not even half as intimidating as Noah. She remembers the night everyone voted for her to take Noah's place. She was not prepared, hadn't even thought of the opportunity for it because they had some sturdy boys in their group. She had been so surprised that she hadn't really listened to all they were saying but she came back to her senses when one man said "She can endure it. What others can't, she will." These few words, had hurt more than she could describe. What does that say about the way they think of her? They way they know what gruesome deeds she will see or have to do herself? Did they think it wouldn't matter to her if she had to kill someone? Or watch people get killed? If she was injured, treated like less than an animal waiting for slaughter? She never knew how Noah could do what he did but she knew why he did it. Every time he came back home and embraced his little girl and gave his wife a kiss she knew he did it for them. To keep them safe, well fed and happy. She knew that he also did this for the other people but when she saw him with his arm immobilized and bleeding and him going berserk on that other boy, no that other man, she knew all he saw were his girls taken away, mistreated, killed or worse. It wasn't his obligation to us, to himself but his love for his family that made him do it. She knew it the moment she looked in his eyes. They were feral but determined. She knows she'll never forget his face that day.

Just as she knows she'll never forget why they chose her "She can endure it." It became her mantra in the time she was training. She needed it to survive the harsh conditions Noah put her through but she knew if he had made it any easier she would be lying dead in a second against a well seasoned fighter. Now she had to concentrate.

"Santana?" he asked again. Santana tightened the pony tail on her head and looked up at him.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She looked him straight in the eye her face the mask of stone she gained from her many days of preparation. Emotions had no room where she was going. To be void of them was her best bet to survive. She learned not to fear death, to not fear your opponents weapon to be aware and never lose focus. She couldn't and she wouldn't. She wouldn't disappoint Noah or the others and as she entered the arena side by side with Noah she had banned all emotions from her body. There was no fear, no hurt, no nervousness, no sorrow. It was only her and the steady mantra repeating in her head: " You can endure it."

A/N: Oh and don't be strangers leave a review ;P → and for those who noticed my bad grammar and stuff English is not my native language and I don't have a beta so don't be mad I'm trying ^^