Gods of Arena
Three-way

"We are all going to die", Kang started, staring into the eyes of each of the fighters in the hall. They had gathered there on his request, some reluctantly. He still had no socialization with most of them, as they were probably new fighters before the last fight or they just never met in a fight. "It's time for us to choose what we die for... if we stay here, they will put us in the Arenas and make us fight to death. We can fight against them now. Some may die fighting but we will win this... a lot easier now, after the heat of the Intruders has engulfed the whole of Dergon"

"Sorry but why is she here?", one of the fighters asked, staring at Ana. "She doesn't look like a fighter; more like what we're fighting against"

"1-"

Kang interrupted her. "She's not a fighter but she is a victim... like every one of us", he continued. "So I want to know. Who is ready to storm the Larger figures and get out of this place?"

"I heard there's no way to survive on the outside", another fighter said. "I don't know if this will be the right thing"

"We survived here somehow, right?", Kang said, unsure of the right answer.

"There is a place", Ana said. "The Cradlands. They don't accept anything or anyone from the arena but we can prove to them we are harmless. We can manage to cut a deal with them" "Why should we trust you?"

"Because I am striving so hard to escape this place and escape King too. I've been through hell in his hands, not being a native of Dergon", Ana said. "I was the one who caused the infiltration and if it had worked, I would have survived on the outside."

"Ok. That's it. Is everyone ready?", Kang asked. "Signify if you are"

All hands were raised except one. "Come on, Otto", one of the fighters urged. "Together, we can succeed and survive this"

"I'm scared, Eddie", Otto replied, taking a few steps backwards. "Besides, I'm always messing things up. You guys should go without me"

"Alright", Ana said, addressing the rest. "Be ready to kill them as they've killed us for centuries. Give it your all. Fight like your lives depend on it... 'cause your lives actually depend on. If I know King well enough, he probably senses the plot against him already. We should act fast"

Three soldiers rushed into the hall, quickly. The fighters attacked them, immediately. Dan flung his wires, grabbing the gun from one of them and pinning him down. The other two soldiers were dead already. "What did you come here for?" "King knows about your plot already", the soldier said. "He asked us to search the entire hall and bring you to him"

"So he doesn't know about my involvement yet", Kang muttered.

"You can't win this fight. Do you know how big Dergon is?", the soldier said. "There's a whole other section where the women lead.. Once they send their soldiers here, you will be overwhelmed. There's an even bigger arena somewhere in the darkest parts of the universe. Once King calls them, they will tear you apart. There's no winning for you"

"King is too proud to call Bane for help so we won't worry about the second arena", Ana replied. "We can also be out of here before the other section find out what's happening"

The soldier laughed at them. "King knows you called the Addax arena. He ordered us to bring you and Fred to him... I'm sure Fred is before him now... or dead already"

One of the fighters slashed his throat with a blade. "There's no use keeping him alive"

..... (Somewhere Behind Arena: Gates)...........

"Do you think they'll be able to get in now after the new gate?"

"It's adamantine. Unless it's not properly installed, it can take full blasts from even Bane", another soldier replied and there was a short pause. "We are rebuilding now. Do you think the Arena can ever regain it's glory?" "We better hope so", the first soldier sighed. "For the sake of my family, I hope we rise again. It just never feels right"

"Yea. Just necessary"

"Exactly. Not right but necessary", he affirmed. "I heard there's a plot to tear down the arena"

"King says so... and he thinks it's the fighters"

"What? They can't even leave their hall", the first soldier laughed. "That sounds like an old man's insecurity"

"I hope it's just that though. Those fighters are pretty strong"

"Not stronger than these", he said, raising his gun. "With this, you can get them from the distance"

"Sometimes, I try to think like those fighters", the second soldier replied. "They are forced to fight to death just so the arena makes some money"

"Not right but necessary if we'll survive... We can't stand against King; not if we'll survive"

"Uh", the second soldier muttered, staring up at the gate. "Can you see that?"

They stepped closer. The gate seemed as though it was being pushed back by a force. There was no way the wind was able to push against it. "It looks like we might have a problem. Alert King and the other soldiers" Strange warships shot in, right through the gate. The Addax beasts had arrived in troops.

******

The fighters formed a line, being unable to walk through the passage in the hall. While Kang and Ana stood in front, each one touched the other. They all followed Kang, as he walked through the passage.

"We are going to have to split up since we will need to take out all the soldiers and larger figures", Kang said. "Once you take down a soldier, make sure you take his gold strap. Having one in both hands gives you a better chance in taking the soldiers down from a distance. Good luck?"

"Good luck", they chorused and they all chose sides.

Ana walked into one of the labs. As she had expected, some larger figures were there. "Where have you been, Ana?", Thomas asked, immediately she stepped in. "King thinks you led the Addax arena to us and gave away information"

"I think so too", Montero added quickly. "You are the only one from Addax here, according to what I just heard. You put a lot of efforts in keeping that a secret, didn't you?"

"King knew from the start. I was born here and I grew up here", Ana replied. "Hi, Pete"

"Sorry, Ana", Pete, the third person, in the room raised a gun quickly. "Many of us have died so you lost my trust"

She shot him down, quickly. Montero raised his gun too but she was faster, shooting him twice in the chest. She faced Thomas, who just had his hands up. "You didn't have to kill them, Ana", Thomas said. "They were going to kill me... besides, there is already a plan to get out of here so I'm going to have to kill you too"

"Fred is dead", Thomas cut in.

"Wh- what?", she stuttered, almost losing her balance.

"I don't know who killed him but it didn't look like an Addax beast", Thomas added. "King might have ordered your execution... but I want to get out of here. I can go with you. We can help each other out, Ana"

Dan stood in front of one of the labs. Most of the ones he walked past were empty. He had a different feeling about this one. He also wasn't willing to walk in to a crowd of armed larger figures or soldiers. He moved to the side and pushed the door open, gently. There was no reaction, no sound except the one he had made with the door.

He slowly came out of hiding and walked in. Right in front of him were seven pods; the invention machines that the fighters were created with. He walked closer and stared into them. They were active and working, with a robot in each of them. "She sent her butler, didn't she?", a voice jerked him back to consciousness. Kwei walked in, slowly, and closed the door behind him. "I actually figured that you were alive... I figured she spared you for a reason. I figured she had something to do with the intruders. I also figured you both were communicating for a reason. I figured you'd believe you owed her and you would do anything for her... then I figured you were keeping the bombs. She could never keep it here. Neither can the intruders set up the explosions from the outside"

"You're going to die, right here right now", Dan said, shooting his wires at Kwei immediately.

Kwei twirled his sword swiftly, cutting the wires down. "That's pretty ironic but you're right. One person is not going to leave here alive", Kwei said. "And, as you said, it's YOU"

One of the robots shot it's hand out of the pod and pulled Dan from behind. He shot his wires up, pulling himself away with the ceiling hooks. He flung himself at Kwei, kicking him against the wall. The sword dropped immediately. Dan shot his wires, wrapping around Kwei's neck and jerking him closer. Kwei pulled out some knuckle blades and swung his arm at Dan, slitting his throat.

****

"What is the news, Kwei?", King asked. "I am yet to see The Blank. I am yet to get a report about the plot"

"I came with something more than just that", Kwei said. "There are intruders again. They have come with warships from Addax and this time, with a commander"

"So Rocco really wants a war with me?", King muttered, laughing at his thoughts. "It's going to be a three-way battle then. Ana and Fred must have realized Addax is not here to save them" "Fred is dead. I think the Blank killed him"

"The Blank? He must be really devoted to our cause"

"He's not. He is leading the revolution against you", Kwei said. "The Blank is the enemy"