Gods of Arena
The Shuffle

He walked into the room, dropping himself on the bed immediately. He didn't prepare the bed or use his blanket. He just unbuttoned his shirt, closed his eyes, and spread out his arms on the bed. He felt the breeze blow on his bare chest, as he slowly fell asleep.

"Hello, Jin. Looks like you are making progress", an hefty man said, appearing right behind him. He had almost broken the lock successfully.

Jin turned slowly, thinking of a way to escape whatever was coming for him. He stared at the man in the eyes with nothing to say. Other armed men walked in after the man and stood there, pointing guns at him. He raised his hands up, slowly. "This isn't what it looks like. I swear", he said.

"It sure looks like a lot of things. Don't it?", the man said, smiling. "I think I'll be the one regretting this since you are one of our bests, which is why we intentionally put you with a physical match to make the game unpredictable" "Please. I'll just go back to my room and I'll never come back here", Jin said. That definitely couldn't set him free, unless this man wanted to keep him in the game. He hoped there was another punishment. He wasn't only close to escape. He had multiple alternative ways to get out.

"Oh really. I still wonder what you were doing here in the first place. You said it's not what it looks like, right? Or did I get that wrong?", the man asked, still smiling. He waited for a few seconds. There was no response from Him, as expected. "Don't mind me. I just like toying with the minds of people, unnecessarily.... Shoot him, guys"

Jin clenched his fist and an aura of fire swirled around his arm. He stretched his arm at them, throwing them back with a wave. He calmed down, as they fell on the ground.... But one person was still standing, too far to be affected by the wave. His eyes moved up, slowly. The man was armed, pointing a gun at his head. He shot Jin in the head

His eyes opened, slowly. He could hear some sort of movement, probably coming from the hall. He had a good sleep, feeling absolutely refreshed. He stretched, as he got on his feet, and glanced in the mirror. He went on the ground to do a few pushups. "One", he muttered and grunted, as he pushed himself up and down. "Two.... Three...."

He could still hear the rowdy movements from the hall. He got up and walked out of the room, wondering what was happening. He could see people moving around with bags in the hall.

"... You are only allowed to enter the room you have been placed in. Go though the list and be sure of the rooms you have been placed in before walking into any room....", the announcement said, loudly, through the speakers. "What list?", he muttered and his eyes fell on Jae approaching him, slowly, with a bag.

"For a moment, I wished we would be roommates so I can easily smash your head against the wall but it's going to be one dumb mid-tier", Jae said and shoved Kang aside, walking into his room. "But don't be mistaken, our fight isn't over. We are not fighting on the Arena so I will make it happen here. What Romeo did; I want to do the same thing.... And it will be with you"

"This threat would have been a lot scarier but I'm only scared of this sputter", Kang replied, boldly. "It might take days to get rid of the stink"

Jae's teeth gritted at him. Kang walked forward, stepping away from him, and turned. "I'm going to check my room. Then I'll start preparing for when to shove your head up your ass".

No one needed to give him directions to get the list. He could see the crowd gathered down the hall, staring at a projection on the wall. He walked down and looked at the list of names on the wall. There was a Larger Figure behind the wall to attend to every of their inquiries.

"Ana?", Kang guessed, staring at her from behind. He wasn't sure she was the one. It was a pretty different appearance but the hair was pretty similar.

She turned. "Kang", she smiled. "Have you seen your new room?"

"No. I just hope I have not been placed with a top-tier psychopath"

"I'm not sure about that but it's definitely not someone you already know", Ana said. "How were you able to recognize me from behind? I was on disguise." "It's just you and Dea, right?", Kang replied. "The hair is definitely not hers so it's yours"

"Oh. There are a lot of females in here. I bet you haven't even met the Queen"

"There's a king and there's a Queen?"

"Yea. She's his wife", she said. "How are you working on your Shin Zhu?"

"What am I supposed to do if I have no Shin Zhu?", Kang replied, indifferently. "I just hope it's not a top-tier I fight against or some badass mid-tier like Romeo"

"Are you kidding?", she asked, staring confusedly. "You think I was joking when I said he wants to make it hard? Well, he wants the Gamblers to have doubts so some bet against you and YOU WIN" "He thinks I'll win?"

"Everyone likes you! Damn! You're pathetic"

"How about you give sleeping pills to whoever I have to fight against?", Kang asked. "That way, I just have to run around the Arena till they pass out."

"That's ridiculous. Why would I want to do that?"

"You just said everyone likes me... and it sounded like you are part of everyone"

She chuckled. "I'm not going to do that because I don't have access to their foods", she said and pushed a strand of her from her face. Kang's eyes fell on her wrist. There was a kind of mark on her wrist. It looked like a watch but it seemed to have merged with her skin, like it was implanted.... Or like it was a tattoo. "Also, I am not allowed to know King's plans. I stumbled upon this information by mistake"

The golden bracelet must be on the second wrist. He stared blankly for a second, wondering what the second bracelet could be for, but he was sure the bracelet had a use just like the golden one. He had no Shin Zhu but those items could probably give him an advantage on the Arena. "Oh. Alright"

"What were you thinking about?"

"Um. Nothing at all", he said, blankly. It would be nice to have her give him some weapons but he wasn't ready to tell her about the golden bracelet he had with him. He looked up at the list and saw his name and the room number beside it. His new room would be the closest to the gym and Jordy's previous room was on the other side.

"I'm pretty sure you were thinking about something. You had an idea?"

"Yea. A stupid one. I want to ask for a favor. Do you mind?"

"Just go ahead"

"I'm having problems with Jae. We fought, the last time, and he wants to make it happen again"

"Okay. You want me to arrest him?", Ana asked.

"That would be a good idea but I don't want to arrest him. I want to fight him", he replied, staring at her. "I want to fight him"

"So what's my part in the story?"

"I don't want to hear the bullshit announcement and I don't want the soldiers interfering. Alright?"

Ana laughed at him. "Let me guess; you want him to beat you to death before the fight on the Arena?"

"What?! No!", he laughed. "I want to beat him. You should probably keep your eyes on the gym.... In case he beats me, you can stop watching."

She laughed. "I promise not to", she said, as he turned, walking back to his room.

He pushed the door open, as if hoping to catch someone stealing.

"Hey! Show some respect, ok?", Jae howled, lying on Kang's bed. "It's my room now, alright?"

Kang walked to the bed and packed the pills from the nightstand. He reached under the bed and pulled out his bag. He stared into the bag for a few seconds, taking short glances at Jae. Jae was definitely not someone he could trust. He put the pills in the bag and headed towards the door.

"I didn't see that bag. I would have taken my share from it"

"You really want a fight, don't you?", Kang asked.

"You really know a lot of things, don't you?"

Kang smiled. "Well, I do and I want a fight too.... So we'll have it"

The door opened and a guy walked in with bags. "Hi...", he said, looking at the two of them. "This is my room"

"Yea. I was just about to leave", Kang replied and walked to the door. "Good luck living with your new roommate"

****

The new room had the same setting as the room he had been. He walked to one of the beds, sat down, and put the bag on the nightstand. The room was empty. The previous owners were careful not to leave anything behind, except the bed which they definitely couldn't be allowed to take with them.

Kang laid back and exhaled, smiling as he got comfortable. Whoever had just left that room would probably be regretting the new room. Not only was the ventilation better but the bed was as soft and comfortable as sleeping in a bathtub. He sat up and took off his shirt. Jin had once recommended meditation and exercises to help him discover his Shin Zhu. He had been exercising but he never tried meditation.

He picked the nylon and counted five pills on his palm. He poured the pills in his mouth and swallowed with water. That was against Jin's prescription. That was definitely overdose... or it would work in a different way and last long.... Or it would just give him enough strength to fight Jae.

He sat on the bed in the lotus meditative position. He closed his eyes slowly and relaxed his shoulders and arms. He could feel the breeze blowing against him like he was no longer in the room. His mind wandered off and he could feel himself floating. He didn't open his eyes and he definitely wasn't seeing anything. He just felt the environment change sporadically.

He felt himself in the lab where he had been made, relaxed and laid on his back. He could feel the wall around him and the inability to raise his back. He felt trapped in.... He exhaled and laid back in the container, then the environment changed again.

He was in the hall, pushing against the invisible barrier. He felt a force throw him against the hard wall. Jae walked in through the passage and dashed at him. He went blank again.... And he was just staring at the black behind his eyelids. He could feel himself on the bed again and an itch on his thigh. He scratched without opening his eyes, then he relaxed again. His stomach grumbled and he was transported again.

He found himself on the arena and he could feel the crowd around him. He clearly heard every movement through the wind. The night Hound was close. He could feel it's anger and intention to attack. This time, they were both blind, unable to see each other... but he was sure he could sense the dog's movement than the dog could sense his. A strong wind blew against him and he felt the Night Hounds jumping at him. He exhaled, relaxedly, and the wind threw the dogs back. He felt himself redirecting the wind to every direction he wanted.

The environment changed again and he was almost unsure of where he was. He tried to open his eyes but his eyelids seemed to be closed tight. He felt an oncoming attack from the wind. It was Jae... and he could feel himself with a battered face. He held the wind with his mind and it stopped. He could feel Jae hanging in a position, unable to hit him and unable to retreat at the same time. He exhaled and felt the wind blow suddenly. Jae was thrown into the air, towards the passage. The barrier threw him back.

Kang felt himself laying on his back and he was in the container again. The breeze continued and he relaxed. He raised his back slowly till he was sitting straight up. The walls had disappeared. He was no longer trapped in.

The door opened, suddenly, jerking him out of his meditation. He opened his eyes and saw a guy at the door. He had never seen him before so the guy was definitely a new fighter.... Or his new roommate. The bags he held confirmed that. Unlike before, he wasn't accompanied by the soldiers.

"Hi.. uh", the guy said, walking in slowly. "The list says this is my room. I'm your new roommate"

"Wow!", Kang muttered. He was going to fall on his back and sleep off. "Right now, I'm not even sure if I'm alive or dreaming so I'll just fall asleep. When I wake, I will confirm this"

The guy stared blankly, as he dropped his bags on the second bed. Kang raised his head, slightly. "Also, you forgot to close the door", Kang added and laid back comfortably. "And you're welcome".