(Author's Note: Okay, sorry this took longer than I meant it to… And I hate to say this, but I don't think I'm going to meet my deadline of done by the 1st. See, I got a new computer last week, and I've been trying to transfer files from my old one, only nothing is working right, etc. So I've been screwing with that all week instead of working on this. Plus, I've been feeling sick, and I've had a cough for three weeks, which I know is not good. :-p I know, it's an excuse, but that's why this is late. *sigh* I promise the story will be done soon, though, if not by my goal.
Laney: Welcome back, and good timing. I went away for a month too, and only posted a little bit before you came back. Well, I hope this chapter helps a little with that suspense that's killing you. ;-) It explains the biggest question at least. As for me being God or a future LJS… Eh… wishful thinking, but I think there are others on ff.net that far more deserve those titles. But I'm glad you like it!
Mandy: Thanks for sticking with the story so long! There was never a doubt in my mind that it would be finished, but I'm sure some of you have wondered. :-P And your final showdown, coming up soon!
Dragon Fire: How can I remember you if you keep changing your name? ;-) Hehe, just kidding. Here's more for you!
lil'ol'me: "Vampire-lordy guy?" lol! Sorry, struck me as funny. ;-) Anyway, just be patient. Answers will come.. And I'm glad you like it.
Adelaide E: Wow… I was surprised when I saw I'd gotten *eight* new reviews at once.. and then they were all from you. *grin* Not very often that somebody reads the whole thing through in one sitting, much less commenting on some individual chapters! Anyway, didn't mean to make them sad or anything… But I guess if they made you feel that way, then that's good because they caused some emotion.. Right? :-P And the vermin thing… Yeah, I was feeling that whole repetitiveness as I wrote those chapters, but what else do you say when you're trying not to use many swear words? lol. If you didn't notice, I'd just about stopped using it by the end…
Water Angel: Thanks for sticking with the story! I'm glad you like it!
Spunky: Liking a story since the beginning is always good… Means the entire story's worth reading. :-P lol.
Jewel: I don't know if you'll see this, since you stopped at chapter 12, but… Thank you for you criticism… That's why I post on here, to find out what needs improved, and I don't get a lot of those (although, I admit I did feel a bit crushed at your change in opinion.. :-P). But believe me, I in no way intended this to be like The Chosen; I've never even associated it with it, other than it being at that same time period. And I understand what you're talking about with the soulmate thing, especially since I've read Kiana's story and a few others. But a couple of things I'd like to point out (not arguing with you, believe me.. Just my thoughts..)… For one, I've been writing this story a long time. When I wrote the chapter you stopped at, that was probably… at least more than three years ago. I had no idea where I was going with the story for sure, and I didn't know how long it was going to be, so that's part of the reasoning behind that. This is also my first fanfic, and I felt it important to kind of hold to LJ's version of soulmates. Plus, the same thing had occurred to me when I wrote it; I actually asked my friends who'd been reading it if they thought Damian had given in too easily, if he was too wussy now, etc., and they told me no. I also can't help but feel that the rest of the story helps balance it out and explain things a little, so I'd like to know your opinion after you've read the rest, if it's still the same. Seriously, I want to know, because if it's that big of an issue, when I'm done with the story, I'll go back and try to fix it up (which I'll probably try to do anyway… Holes tend to form when you've been writing a story for almost five years). Finally, I admit that Kiana's a genius at writing, as are several others, and I know I can't come near comparing to them, and I've admitted that to myself. I only wish I could write so effortlessly like them. I recognize my plots aren't always the best, and that's why I appreciate comments on them… Does this whole thing make sense? I get the feeling I sound like I'm angry and defending myself, but I'm not, honestly. Let me know what you think when you catch up to here, okay? I'd really like to know. I'd love to be able to get that "excellent" status back from you…
Okay, now that that's out of the way… lol. Let me know what you think of this chapter, because it explains the point of the whole story, and if it doesn't work I'll hang myself. lol. No, just kidding; I'd try to fix it. But does it work, or it too cheesy and unbelievable? Thank you everybody! )
*Chapter 30*
Jenny finally dozed off about 15 minutes after her talk with Selene. She lay on her side, curled up in a ball, and fell asleep with a heavy heart.
Her concern was twofold – not only had she rejected Damian, but he had rejected her when he betrayed them. It didn't matter if Jenny changed her mind if Damian didn't want her.
And if what Selene had said was true, and Damian really didn't want her…
She sighed in her sleep, which was blissfully dreamless. The heavy clank of the cell door opening and shutting startled her awake about a half hour later. The guards began taking them out in pairs.
It had begun.
Her heart pounded as the cell grew emptier by the minute. Like clockwork, the guards appeared every five minutes to take two of them away. Selene was among the first. She didn't even look back.
Finally, Jenny's time came. Thankfully, the guards paired her with Mari. Jenny attempted a small smile for Mari, which Mari tried to return. The fear in her eyes couldn't be hidden, however. The two guards redid their hands behind their backs and led them through the door.
Jenny glanced back at Gunther, still in the cell. He nodded his encouragement, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. He looked paler and more nervous than Jenny had ever seen him. It was bad, if even Gunther was scared.
Silently, Jenny and Mari followed their captors through a maze of tunnels. Jenny tried to pay attention to the turns, but soon lost track. They were headed farther down, that was all she knew.
Shouldn't we be hitting molten lava by now? she thought absently.
Gradually, she became aware of a dull roar. It seemed to be coming from all around them, within the rock. She glanced at Mari, who shrugged. And then, they left the tunnel … and Jenny's heart stopped.
They had emerged into a wide, open area – no, that was an understatement. It was a gigantic hole in the rock above them, the ceiling so high that Jenny felt dizzy looking up. Bright artificial lights dotted the walls near the ceiling, aiming down at the center of the cavern. The "room" was round, and easily the length of a football field. Seats carved directly into the stone rose high above Jenny. Hundreds of Night people teemed around the seats, talking amongst each other – the source of the roaring sound in the tunnel. Probably two dozen of them watched Jenny and Mari, the hunger plainly written in their eyes.
"Oh my God," Jenny breathed.
The guard next to her grinned, and actually waved at someone in the crowd.
It was a stadium, simply put. A giant, underground stadium. They might be having a football game, or a soccer match. Whatever it was, it was much worse than any blood feast, Jenny was suddenly sure of that. She met Mari's eyes and an unspoken message passed between them – "Oh shit."
"Quit gawking." The guard on her right poked Jenny in the side with his sword handle. "You'll see plenty of it in a bit."
He led them to yet another cage, this one separated into cells of three or four people and built against the stone wall on the edge of the "playing field." The guards undid their ropes, locked them in and sauntered off.
"What is going on?" Jenny cried, turning to her other cellmates, a boy with soft-looking brown hair, and a girl who looked older than Jenny – and absolutely terrified.
"Looks like we'll find out soon," Mari said from her position at the door. She gestured at the center of the stadium. Hunter strolled across the field, a black velvet cloak draped over his shoulders. His golden hawk's eyes burned with intensity as he looked over the crowd.
Behind him, five or six vampires followed, including Troy. Jenny's skin crawled at the sight of him. He wore his hair loose and flowing over his shoulders. Under his black trench coat, he wore a white silk shirt, open at the chest. Some kind of silver pendant hung around his neck, but Jenny was too far away to be able to see what it was. Heavy black boots stirred up dust from the packed-dirt floor as he walked. His red eyes glowed like burning coals, contradicting the cool smile he wore.
"Who's that?" Mari whispered, looking at Troy.
Jenny closed her eyes. "The devil himself."
***********
Hunter stopped when he came to the middle of the field. His cadre of vampires stopped behind him. Troy stood to his left, leaving about a foot between them. Hunter raised his arms, and the crowd instantly fell silent.
"Welcome… to the Night World Games." He wasn't exactly shouting, but somehow his voice carried throughout the cavern. It was almost like he had a microphone, but Jenny didn't see any mics or speakers.
"The Night World Games?" Mari whispered to her. "What the hell is he talking about?"
Jenny shrugged and turned back to Hunter as he began talking again. "I thank you all for coming." He slowly circled as he spoke, making sure he faced everybody. "You are all here because I invited you specifically. I invited those of you who I know are loyal, who I feel can understand the point of this event. I did not invite anybody who might be tempted to protest this, or to go running to the rest of the Council." He took a few steps toward the cages and gestured toward them. "These lucky few have been gathered by close members of my staff. All of them have conspired and plotted against the Night World. Some of them are Daybreakers. Some are humans. All deserve to die."
Applause and cheering broke out among the spectators. Jenny could even feel the vibrations in the floor.
Hunter continued after the noise quieted. "You are here for two reasons. The first, to celebrate the last vampire who truly understood the Night World's place among the humans. The last who took matters into his own hands, who conquered land after land in the name of the Night World. Since his death by two vermin hunters, nobody has dared go as far as him again." He smiled, allowing the suspense to build. "Yes, that vampire was Julius Caesar. The Night World has been all but erased from those ancient records, but I assure you, the Roman Empire was really a Night World empire."
The crowd roared again. Mari gasped and covered her mouth with her hand in surprise.
"You've got to be kidding," Jenny found herself saying.
Hunter motioned for silence. "So, it is in celebration of his vision that we hold these games here tonight. Although his plan failed with his death, it is upon those ideas that we should build. From tonight until it ends, we will have challenges. The victims… These traitors." He again gestured toward the cages. "Oh, they will have their chance to live… But they will have to fight for it." The spectators cheered.
"Bastard," Jenny spat. So that was what he meant by sporting chance. Wonderful.
"The challengers… will be those of you who wish to try your hand at combat." Surprised gasps from the crowd. A smug smile stretched across Hunter's face. He was pleased that he could catch them off guard. "Oh, don't worry," he continued. "There will be a reward involved. Those of you who make it to the championship round will have something quite valuable at stake. The winner of these games will be awarded the empty seat on the Council."
More gasps. Mari turned to Jenny. "We're the pawns in a power play. Doesn't that make you feel better?"
Jenny shook her head. She felt strangely calm for having found out what she was here for. Shock, she thought. I must be in shock. I should be crying and screaming right now.
The girl behind her was huddled on the floor, shaking. Jenny almost felt sorry enough for her to go to her, but she didn't want to miss any of Hunter's speech. He'd obviously worked so hard on it. "I'm going to get that son of a bitch," she swore, more to herself than to anybody.
At that moment, she noticed Troy, who was watching Hunter with open hatred on his face. If somebody else doesn't get him first, she thought. As soon as Hunter turned toward him, Troy's face went neutral.
"I know what you're thinking," Hunter said. "There are no open seats on the Council. But trust me… There will be." That smug smile again. "The rules are simple. You fight to the death. The winner – Night World or not – moves on to a later round. If you're afraid of losing your life, do not enter. But with fear comes no reward." He stepped back and turned a full circle. "Now… Let the games begin."
The crowd went wild, on its feet and cheering.
Impulsively, Jenny hugged Mari. "We can do it," she whispered roughly. "We've fought Night World before."
Mari nodded, tears filling her eyes. "I hope you're right."
Hunter headed off the field in a different direction than he entered. Jenny noticed some steps cut into the wall on the far side, leading up to an enclosed box.
"Oh my God, there's Raina!" Mari pointed at the box, where, sure enough, Raina sat on a stone seat. Her wrists were handcuffed in front of her, and a chain led from the handcuffs to the ground. She had changed into a daringly cut black dress, and her hair fell around her shoulders like wild fire. She stood, watching the group approach her, a defiant sneer on her lips. Troy ascended the steps and stood next to her with a smile.
"What does he want with her?" Jenny wondered aloud. To Mari, she said, "Well, for now, she's safer over there than down here with us."
As she said that, a scream filled the cavern, echoing off the walls. A girl was being led – no, dragged – out into the arena. She fought the guards the whole way, trying to yank herself free, but the guards held on. Finally, one threw a sword on the ground in front of her, and they let her go. They raced back toward the entrance, which a heavy wooden door immediately sealed. She stood in the center, tears racing down her cheeks.
From the other side of the arena, a woman entered. She wore some kind of black jumpsuit, which accented the fine blond hair spilling down her back. She stopped just past the entrance and lowered her gaze on the girl with a smile. With a yell, she ran at the girl, sword raised.
Jenny cringed and turned away in disgust before the woman reached the girl, who stood frozen like a deer in headlights.
She grabbed Mari's hand and said, "This is going to be a long-ass night."
***********
Jenny couldn't watch. She had been in a lot of fights, but she couldn't stand to watch so many people who weren't fighters being sent to their deaths. Instead, she sat in the far corner of the cage, ignoring the sounds of battle and trying to give the frightened girl a few tips.
"The key is not to give in to your fear," she told her. The girl nodded, wide-eyed. "I know you're scared, but if you freeze up out there for one second, it's all over. Just take whatever weapon they give you and try to use it to keep away the opponent. Wait for an opening, and take him down. I promise you, as long as you concentrate and don't give up, you can make it out of there alive. Follow your instincts." She squeezed the girl's shoulder.
The girl sniffled. "I'll try."
At that moment, Mari yelled at her, wildly motioning her to come to the door. "It's Michael! He's up!"
Jenny's heart skipped a beat. Oh God, Michael. She jumped to her feet and raced to the door, clinging to the bars as if she could bend them like Superman. Tension raced through her body, and she shivered violently. "He'll win. He's got to win."
Michael was walking into the center as the crowd hissed at him. He wore the same white shirt she'd last seen him in, the same dark blue jeans. Jenny couldn't believe it had been two weeks since she last saw him, but seeing him again suddenly rang it home. His dark hair curled into one eye, and he pushed it away, setting his jaw determinedly. The muscles in his arm pressed against his shirt sleeve as he gripped the sword in his hand.
"Oh Michael," she whispered, longing to be able to run out to him and whisk him away to safety.
Mari grabbed her hand. "Michael's a strong fighter. He'll win." But Jenny could hear the uncertainty in her voice.
Jenny nodded, even as tears stung her eyes.
The man walking out to Michael was enormous – thick, beefy arms and no neck. He looked fairly old, but Jenny thought that might just be an effect of his bald head. He looked like a bouncer or bodyguard. A gigantic two-sided axe hung from one hand as he walked. He grinned when he saw Michael, and bared sharp teeth. Silver light glowed in his eyes.
Michael lifted the sword, holding it in two hands in front of him. He lifted his chin in defiance, and jerked his head, telling the vampire to bring it on.
Jenny gasped as the vampire roared and lunged at Michael, axe held over his head. He swung it down toward Michael, and Michael rolled to the ground and to the left. The axe missed by mere inches, digging into the dirt where Michael had been standing. A second later and Michael was back on his feet again, swinging the sword at the vampire. The vampire towered over Michael – who was in no way short – by at least six inches, but his size made him slow. The sword caught him in the back of the thigh, and he screamed.
With a swing of his arm, the vampire's fist smashed into Michael's chest, knocking him backwards into the ground. The sword went flying.
Laughing, the vampire pulled the axe out of the dirt and stalked toward Michael, who was lying on the ground looking stunned.
"Michael!" Jenny shrieked, even though she knew he probably couldn't hear her.
As the vampire stood over him, lifting the axe again, Michael scowled and swung his leg out. He hit the vampire in the ankle and swept his feet out from under him. The vampire crashed to the ground, the axe beside him. As he reached for the axe, Michael jumped to his feet and kicked it away. Then he sat on the vampire and began punching him in the face.
It worked for about 10 seconds. The vampire just laid there, his nose broken by one of Michael's punches. Then he grabbed Michael around the neck with one enormous hand. He sat up, growling. Michael clawed at the hand as his face turned red, but couldn't get away.
The vampire stood, lifting Michael off the ground one-handed. The crowd roared as he spun in a circle, Michael swinging in the air as he turned.
Jenny covered her eyes, unable to watch.
Then… "Yes!" Mari exclaimed, and Jenny peeked between her fingers. Michael had managed to kick the vampire in the groin, and was now standing on his own two feet, coughing. The vampire kneeled, his face grimacing with pain.
For one second, Michael turned his face toward Jenny, and she met his eyes. He nodded, then walked over to the sword lying in the dust a few feet away. The vampire looked up as Michael strolled up to him, a smile on his face.
"Game over," Jenny heard him say, and he ran the sword through the vampire's heart. The vampire's mouth opened in an astonished 'O,' and he collapsed on his side. Instantly, his body shriveled in on itself.
The crowd booed and hissed as Michael raised his arms in triumph. As two guards led him back to the entrance, he looked at Jenny and winked.
"Oh, thank God," she whispered, and sank to her knees. Mari sat down beside her, head hanging.
"I don't know if I can handle any more of this," Mari said, pushing her hair off her forehead and sighing.
Jenny shook her head. "Me either."
"And it's only just begun."