Battle Royale
Part 2

Inside of the control room was a figure in front of a big keyboard along with screens on every noble. The figure watched over every noble carefully, making sure they didn't do anything suspicious. Of course, even if they did, they wouldn't be able to leave from here. They will all end up dead.

"Wes, everything is done and ready at the arena." A young man with red eyes approached the other man named Wes. The older man smiled wide, his mask was off and watched pleased at the nobles.

"Good. This is the beginning of a great era for the Evans."

The family Evans used to be the top noble family. They shone brighter than any other noble families. The family of Evans, their specialty was music. When they shone the brightest, they had a music company and everyone knew who they were. It was hard finding anyone who hadn't heard their music or knew who they were. One dreadful day, they lost everything. When the family was in need of help, no one of the other noble families turned to their help. All their money and fame was washed away before anyone had the time to utter a word. Their title was stripped off them and the family was forgotten just in a matter of years.

The younger male smiled wide. "You think this will work?"

"I'm sure it will. After they get eliminated our family will shine once again. We all know you are the best pianist Soul, people will want you to play on their funeral." This's their chance to be nobles again. Soul had always dreamed and wished to be a noble. He and Wes may never have tasted of being a noble, but their wishes of tasting the life of a noble are great. For Wes, he just wants to be famous and honor their family, but for Soul, he's doing it for a completely different reason.

"You're right." Soul joined his brother beside him and his eyes widen when he saw a certain ash blonde noble. "What is she doing there? We agreed on not putting her in the g-"

Wes started to laugh loudly and grabbed his brother's shoulders, his nails digging into his shoulders. "You are so weak, Soul. She's a noble. Just like all of the others. Of course she would be there as well." Wes's red eyes stared into his own red ones. Soul had never liked the control his brother has over him. He always wanted to walk in his brother's footsteps and become just like him, but sometimes he wasn't sure that was what he wanted. His brother's very inspiring and smart. He wish he could be half as good as him but he knew, even how much he tried to become like him, he wouldn't succeed. But it was worth a try.

"You promised she wouldn't be there! You know she hasn't any chance of surviving out there!" his cheek started to ache from the slap Wes delivered to my cheek. His eyes looked sinister and mad like. Soul felt very little in his brother's presence.

"And I changed my mind. Don't you remember it was the Albarns who turned on us first? She deserves to be here. This is a message to never fuck around with us, you understand?" In some situation, Wes could be very terrifying and this is one of them. You never mess with Wes when he isn't happy.

Wes grabbed Soul's head and turned his head roughly toward the screen Maka was on. She was currently on the ground crying. Something in Soul's heart panged with the sight of Maka crying. "Look at her. This is exactly how our grandma was when her grandparents betrayed us. She deserves to feel the same way our grandmother felt. You know how shaken up she is."

He knew very well how broken up his grandma was. She locked herself up in their little house and refused to come out. She never stopped believing her best friend who just happened to be an Albarn would come. Her hopes were high but it eventually hit ground hard and it almost killed her. The betrayal hit her so hard she couldn't tell her own family apart from backstabbers. It hurt Soul when one time his grandma accused him of being a backstabber. In his heart, he knew it would be better for Maka to die here, for his grandma and for the whole Evans family. It's a sin for him to feel attracted toward Maka.

Maka suddenly stood up and the tears that once trickled down her cheeks were gone. It was like she hadn't cried to begin with. She took off and started to run. Something inside of him lifted off his shoulders and he got new courage for the young woman. He hopes she survives. His fingers are crossed for the emerald eyed woman. She can survive, he's faith lay on Maka and only Maka.

"I know. I know this's the right thing to do."

…

Lucky for me, I'd found a little shed in the underground hall or arena or what this is and inside of it was two pieces of bread and a bottle of water. It's a weird place to find food in and consider the shed was completely empty from everything except the food I found. At first I had been suspicious of it. It might be poisoned but after mentally battling myself, I decided it's for the best to eat it. If I don't eat I won't have energy to flee and will eventually die.

The bread had tasted like bread, but in my mouth it'd tasted fantastic. It's the same bread she eats every day after school but this situation had made it so much more fantastic.

Had I taken everything I had for granted? I knew I lived a great life with more food than I needed and money to buy myself almost anything I wanted. It's mostly only nobles who have the money to buy as much food as they want.

A moment filled my mind. It's the time when I'd walked home from school and on my way I had seen fragile and boney children sitting at the side of the road. At first I felt pity for them but then when an old lady walked up to them and handed them each a little piece of bread, I'd thought they would be fine since they had the old lady. How could I be so wrong? They struggled to get a piece of bread and when they did get it, they couldn't be happier. I on the other hand, had money, food and a great place to live at, I could've given them money and food. Why didn't I do that?

Crack. The little and sudden sound pulled me out from the past.

Crack. There it was again. The sound of sticks breaking. If they're being broken under a shoe that means someone else is here. Maybe that person has a weapon and is ready to kill me. No. I have to run. I've finished the bread and bottle of water. I've to get out of here! Fast!

Adrenaline pumped through my veins and my head started to get clouded with fear and panic. The window at the back of the small shed was big enough for me to get out of, but the scythe wouldn't fit through it. Can I risk leaving without a weapon? There're only two choices. Leave through the window and leave the scythe behind, or burst through the door and run as fast as I can with the scythe?

No. I have to have the scythe. That's the only weapon I've and I doubt this place is filled with weapons. This weapon might be the only one I'll get my hands on; I've to keep it at all costs.

The steps got closer and I silently gripped the scythe hard till my knuckles turned white. My feelings are going haywire and I don't know how to control them. I've to get a grip on them later, now I have to keep my cool and get out of here alive.

Silence. The footsteps stopped and I could see a shadow under the door. The doorknob turned and it slowly opened. NOW!

I kicked the door opened in the person's face.

A cry in pain was heard, "Fuck! That hurt!" Ox cried out in pain while he held his forehead. My eyes widen and my heart stopped. Ox. Did it have to be him?

His eyes widen when he saw me inside of the shed. "You," he growled low.

My mind stopped when I realized I lost my chance at running away. I was too caught up with Ox's presence I forgot to run.

"I'm not fighting you Ox. This is insanity. We can't sink that low to kill each other." My voice trembled on the words and I wasn't even convincing myself. Even if fighting isn't what I want, I couldn't help but think I sounded like a Scardy Cat.

"Oh so you aren't fighting, eh?" Ox smiled wide and it wasn't a pleasant one. His grin was too wide to be even humanly possible. He looked utterly mad and crazy. "That will make it so much easier to kill you." He closed the door to the shed and I noticed his weapon. It's a golden yellow spear with sharp blades on each end of it. He definitely got a better weapon than my rusty scythe.

I'm starting to panic. We are currently in a small shed together and it's not the kind to just hook up, no, he is after my life. He wants to end it. "Please Ox, we don't need to fight. We can join up with the others and find a way out of here. If we for once join together and use our brains we can find a way out!" I pleaded but my words were for death ear. He swung the spear toward me and the action surprised me. I was too late for dodge it properly. The spear dug into my arm and stopped at my bone. A loud cry escaped my throat and it felt even worse when he twisted the spear a little before he pulled it out of my arm.

Blood. Blood gushed out from my arm and my sleeve got soaked in my own blood.

Ox looked at me with crazy eyes. He quickly raised the spear over his head and I have to thank whoever made this shed because his spear got stuck in the ceiling. My chance once again came, I kicked him in the groin and he groaned in pain but his hands never let go to the spear. This gave me time to flee. With the scythe still in my hands, I ran pass him and away from the shed. I gripped my wounded shoulder and tried to make as much distance as possible.

Suddenly, a sound of a cannon shot was heard and the light dimmed down, showing a picture of Ox. What did this mean?

"Ox from the Ford family is dead." The voice from earlier said.

My blood ran cold and my legs trembled so badly they gave in. Did I kill him? I only kicked him in the crotch! Could the spear have fallen on him and got planted in his skull? Oh my god! I killed Ox Ford!

From the control room, the two Evans brothers watched the nobles. Soul cursed loudly for Maka finding the scythe.

"Ha! She took the worst weapon! She won't manage to kill anyone with that rusty old scythe!" Wes exclaimed loudly and laughed for Maka's unlucky faith.

While Wes laughed, Soul couldn't be more sorrowful. Since he didn't know Maka was in the game, he couldn't have helped her. If he could've, then he would have placed the spear closer to her. He knew from watching her in martial art class she can handle a spear or a stick for that matter. Hopefully she learns to use the scythe. It is almost like a spear, only with a blade coming out. She should be able to learn how to use it.

The minutes went and he was very pleased with her finding the very little food and water he'd put out on the arena. He put three places where they could find food; one was inside of the shed while the other was at more difficult places to find. He watched Maka finish her food but then he noticed on Ox's screen he was too close to the shed for Soul's liking.

His heart stopped when Ox saw the shed and headed toward it. "Ha! Now she'll be dead before she knows it. The perfect opponent for the Ford family! No one else than the weak and fragile girl from the Albarn family!" Wes felt satisfied with the turn of the event and was excited for the action which was soon going to unfold.

Soul started to panic. No, no, no, no. This can't happen to her! Not Maka! Quickly he grabbed the little GPS on the control board which showed the locations of all the nobles. "I'm heading out. I forgot to put some food out there." Soul quickly lied and put the GPS in his pocket. He has to save Maka before it is too late.

"No. It'll only be a couple of hours before it's over. They can survive with the little food they have."

"No, It's better to-" Soul tried to get away from his brother but it didn't help. His brother roared and his eyes turned sinister again.

"You're going to go and help the Maka girl, aren't you?" Once again, Soul felt defenseless compared to his brother.

"No, I'm-"

A loud and horror filled cry came from the speakers. It's Maka's voice. "MAKA!" Without thinking, he blew his cover and quickly turned toward the door but his brother was already on him. Quickly, his brother grabbed him and punched him in the face.

"You aren't going to ruin anything because of one stupid chick! You hear me?!" Wes screamed at his little brother while he quickly tied him to the chair. Wes wasn't going to let his chance of being a noble get away. Not because of his stupid little brother's crush. He knew about his feelings toward the Albarn girl. He noticed multiple times how he watched her with his face filled with love toward the noble girl. As his brother, he should've supported him in his love problems, but he couldn't. He has to think about their goal; the nobility. Maka has to go down for their family to blossom.

"Wes! I can't help it! I can't help feeling like this! I like her! I like her a lot! I don't know what I'd do if she dies because of us!" Soul cried. Maka is like Soul's heroin. Watching her has become a habit for him. He loved watching her smile, laugh and even getting mad. The only wish he had the courage to walk up to her and talk to her, but he never dared to. He's a coward. But he can't be a coward now. Not when Maka's life is in danger.

"Shut up!" Wes covered his mouth and they both looked toward the screen. Maka was no longer with Ox. She was running away while another noble got to Ox without him noticing anything. The person's blade plugged through Ox's heart before he even knew what happened.

The sound of cannon filled the silence in the control room, announcing Ox was dead. Wes had planted a chip in every player which gave away their location and their pulse. When they hadn't a pulse and were beyond saving, it sends a signal to the control room which launched the canon sound.

"Number one is gone… Ox Ford. Now we don't have to worry about the Ford family anymore."

Wes let go of Soul and walked to the keyboard. With a few clicks, the light in the arena lowered and the countdown disappeared, but it didn't stop counting down. A picture of Ox got on the sky and Wes announced Ox's death.

Soul watched Maka on her screen. She was sitting on the ground holding her bloody arm. He knew, if she didn't bandage it and care for it, she might die from blood loss. At least she is safe. But he couldn't be more wrong. He knew you aren't safe when you have four nobles who are willing to kill to survive in one small area. Maka won't be safe as long as she's in the arena.