Okay I know I update slowly but I'm working quite a bit and have an exam coming up so I squeeze in writing whenever I can which is sadly not too often. So this one is really short but I kinda wanted to update. Hope you enjoy :)

-B

The arena seemed to get smaller and smaller the longer she walked towards it. Since she was just an afternoon amusement, a puppet to dance and then be disposed of she was lead into the underground dungeons of the arena to prepare for her fight. She knew since it was her first time in the arena she only had to fight once. All the others had to do at least two fights, well as long as there were enough contestants to battle. It's not that all people are dying but it happens. Most of the time the losers that are still alive are punished and their opponents have to beat them up, often beyond recognition or even cut of one or more of their limbs – a gruesome fate. Whatever pleases the screaming crowd.

What Santana found the sickest thing was that the people from the stands were all from the alliances that sent their warriors to fight on their behalf. It was as if they entered the arena and forgot all about it. They forgot the weeping mothers, wives/husbands and children of the fighters, forgot that they are all fighting to keep their people alive and all they did was scream for blood and more violence than any fighter could stomach. Santana still remembers the first time she watched a fight. There was this boy, who was about 16 and severely wounded. He wanted to surrender, his eyes were screaming in pain, agony even and Santana could see how scared he was. But the crowd wouldn't hear any of it they screamed for his head, ecstatic to see his decapitated lifeless body in the arena pit. His opponent was a bear of a man and he didn't hesitate. In one swift motion of his ax he severed the poor boys head from his neck. It might seem cruel not to show any mercy but in the arena was no time for mercy, no time for nothing except for one thing – keep the crowd roaring. Some may think that the arena is a curse put upon every alliance but instead it was in some sense their salvation.

Prior to the arena alliances were fighting by themselves to survive. Some were hunters in the woodlands, living of game and plants they collected. Others were farmers harvesting whatever edible plants they could seed in the rich soils in the west. And then there were the bandits. They were alliances that lived of the robbing the others, stealing their hard work right under their noses. They were ruthless and a raid never ended in just stealing goods. Buildings were destroyed, people killed, children stolen and women raped. The smaller and peaceful alliances had no chance to stand against them because the bandits were packs of ruthless men and women, who not only overwhelmed them by number but by willingness to inflict any kind of pain or terror upon other humans. Sometimes the strongest are not the ones with the biggest muscles but the ones willing to go further than anyone else to achieve their goals.

Right now she stood in front of an iron gate that sealed the entrance to the dungeons. After the guard saw Noah he opened up the door for them. Noah had made quite a name for himself while he fought. He was known under "Puck" and although he wasn't as vicious as Smythe or a bull like Brutus the crowd loved him. It was a pretty big shock that a nobody had injured him like that and he wouldn't be able to fight anymore but now the crowd was just as excited to see a new face getting mauled.

Both Noah and Santana descended the stairs, which were leading them in a spiral down into the cellar. At the end of the staircase a musky smell invaded Santana's nose and she wanted to retch. It smelled like dead rats, garlic and rotten flesh. The other fighters were already down there swinging swords or axes around getting ready for battle. To her right she could see Sebastian Smythe casually leaning against a wall and smiling to himself. He was tall but very slim and if she hadn't seen him herself Santana would never believe that he would pose a threat. But she knew he was deadly with his two daggers, that he was fast and precise, knew when to strike and could read his enemies like an open book. She knew if she would go up against him she had pretty bad chances of going out of that arena without at least losing an arm. He was known for killing his victims or at least feeding the greedy arena sand with his opponents flesh and blood. Then there was Brutus, he was tall and strong like a bull. Santana saw him lifting a boy taller and heavier than her up with one arm while choking him slowly with a sickening grin on his face. She didn't know what to respect more Sebastian and his cunning nature or the pure force of Brutus raging madness.

"Okay Santana we spoke about this. Your first fight is very important and you know that because I think I told you more times than I can count. I know you won't die, you are fast and you have the accuracy of a trained marksman not to forget you are smart. You don't even have to win, make an impression on the crowd, try to get them to like you to want more of you. You know how the system works, it's not winning that brings you most of the money it's people paying to see you and paying extra when you fight to fulfill their twisted needs for a good show. Because remember that's all this is, " he looked deep into the girl's eyes and he was pleased to find the stony mask he trained her to adapt set in place. Her eyes showed unwavering determination. "A show we put up and get paid for. And like every good actor you get paid for the best amount of acting. Don't ever forget it, if you play it clever you can fight and still sleep at night." At that her eyebrows scrunched up. What did he mean by still sleep at night? She will be in the arena today fighting for her life and the food of her alliance. She will have to wound, mutilate or even kill people with her own fans while people cheer her on. How will she ever be able to sleep again?

These were all thoughts that ran through her mind but the only thing that left her mouth was "Let them gawk and look. I will deliver them a show they won't forget." I smirked at him for good measure and turned to the sturdy man at the far corner of the room standing behind an old dark wooden desk. The man was old short and fat. He liked to call himself Matchmaker but everyone just called him Gambit. He put up the pairings for the fights, so Santana approached him cockily.

"So fatty who will I fight?" Santana, smirk still in place, looked up to the man head held high. It was risky to be so cocky but if she learned something it was that pleasantries never got you anywhere. She'd rather be remembered as that cocky girl who dared to speak up to Gambit than the little frightened girl who politely asked for a fight.

Gambit turned around at her voice his face was unreadable and it was killing Santana but she had to keep her pokerface. He suddenly punched the desk in front of him hard with the palm of his hand making a loud noise but Santana didn't even bat an eyelash at that.

She saw Gambit seizing her up and when she saw him almost nod to himself she knew she won that round.

"Well little girl," he said, "I guess you'll be up against Martin Hunter, you know that bloke from the farmers that almost skinned that poor girl." Santana didn't let his words faze her instead she turned her back on him and through over her shoulder "Well then let's hope he behaves." Santana could hear Gambits chuckle behind her but didn't even look back. She walked up to Puck, took a little bit of the Sand beneath her feet wiped some of it on her hands and touched pucks forehead with her index and middle finger. A symbol of camaraderie, trust,honor and respect.

It gave her the reassurance she needed to go up to the gate and talk to the post. "I'm gonna go up first sleazy so put hunter out there and let's get this show on the road." The guard looked up at Gambit and when he nodded Santana grabbed the weapon Puck held out for her and waited for the guard to open the door. When he did the light was blinding and Santana entered the pit – ready for anything.

A/N: Thanks for reading and if you have any thoughts or suggestions leave a review :)