Chapter Seventeen ~ The Arena Battle

Angelina Phillips POV

I woke up to Sophia walking through the door. "Wha...?" I groaned, my head falling back on the pillow.

"Sorry." She winced. "You fell asleep. Then Sam took me away and tried to interrogate me." By 'fell asleep' I knew she meant: 'sorry, I accidentally knocked you out, please forgive me as I can't control my powers'.

"What did she want to know?"

"Our godly parents. What our powers are and some other...stuff." I nodded my head.

"When do we get dinner?" Night had fallen by now, and my stomach was rumbling.

"Not sure." Just then there was a knock at the door and Any walked in carrying a tray. She had changed out of her Aphrodite Rangers shirt with an STS uniform.

"Your dinner." She murmured quietly, placing it on the end of my bed.

I clenched my fists. "Get out." I growled.

She looked at me with tired eyes. "Don't you see, Angelina? There's nothing to hide. I betrayed you. Done and dusted."

"You just want to get information for your new friends." I sneered, standing up to face her. "I bet you didn't even care about us."

Amy dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out the bottle of anaesthetic cream that had helped heal my leg. "I'm giving this to you." She murmured. "In hope that it will help someday."

"I don't want your stupid ointment!"

"But don't you see?" Amy asked. "There's no good and evil. Sure, some people might be more evil than others, but everyone is the same. It doesn't matter which side you're on, it's all the same."

"Of course it is." I laughed without humour. "You keep believing that, hon."

"But you don't understand." Amy pleaded. "They plan to destroy the Aphrodite Rangers. I'm sorry that I betrayed you."

"Why should I accept your apology, betrayer?"

"I had a vision earlier." She sighed. "Catgirl and Taylor were in it. The STS attacked a base and I saw Rangers die before my eyes."

"How do I know you're not lying?" I narrowed my eyes.

She turned around to face the door. "Something's happening, Angelina. There's two sides, but only one can win." Then Amy walked out of the door.

•••

That night, I fell into a restless sleep, not knowing what was going to happen next. In the morning though, Sam and Amy came to get us. Sam gave us some clothes. They weren't too bad; a pair of black trousers and a grey shirt.

Sophia and I had a cold shower from a bathroom down the hall before we were marched downstairs underground. We were thrown into holding pens that were claustrophobic and reeked of pigs. Then, to a lot of cheers from above, we were let out into an arena.

It was large, with a caged net protecting Sophia and I from the crowds of STS agents booing at us. The ground was dirt and the ceiling was dark tiles. At the opposite entrance, a girl and a boy walked out.

The girl looked quite tomboyish. She had stringy brown hair and pig-like eyes with a workout outfit on. She had a spear slung over her back.

The boy looked tough as well. He had dark black hair and a handsome face, but don't let that get to you. His arms were totally...what's the word, ripped. He was holding a double-sided golden battle axe in his right hand, along with a short knife in the other.

Great, just great. They both had weapons.

"Ladies and gentleman!" The announcer boomed over the speakers. "Today we have a fight against the Aphrodite Rangers. On our side, we have Jane Malice, daughter of Ares." Jane gave a wave to the crowd. "And Jackson May, son of Venus!"

I groaned. We were so screwed if this was to the death. Even with Sophia's powers, she wouldn't be able to use them without giving herself away. "And on the Aphrodite Rangers side, we have Angelina Phillips, daughter of Demeter!" I gave a wave, but the crowd booed at me. "Sophia Downside, who is...um, a mortal!" More boos. Sophia smiled sweetly, but underneath it I could see the grimace.

"The two sides will be fighting to the death, the STS not only having the home advantage, but the weapon advantage as well. Never fear, after ten minutes a sword and shield will appear for whoever wishes to wield them--if you survive that long." It was pretty clear that the announcer doubted that. "May the game begin!"

Jane came towards me while the boy went to Sophia. She raised her spear and charged. I dodged it, but held my ground as she came at me again. Then I grabbed the spear's wooden end just below the point and yanked it towards me, making her stumble. The crowd booed, but I didn't care. I took the spear in my hands and snapped it in half.

Roaring with outrage, Jane ran at me, but I tackled her, clenching my fists and delivering a quick blow to her head. While she was dazed, I glanced over at Sophia. She had just stood there as Jackson had approached her, then had lashed out when he was least expecting it and kicked him in the nose.

While I had been distracted, Jane had already swung her fist at me. I blocked it with my arm, but it still hurt. I pushed her to the ground and delivered two more swift blows to her head and arms.

Then suddenly, the roof exploded. Three girls in Aphrodite Ranger uniforms dropped down and landed on the floor. I gasped as one pulled out a weapon and fended off Jackson as another helped Sophia up because he had pushed her over and tried to stab her with his bronze knife.

The other one pulled Jane off me and quickly knocked her out then took me back to underneath the hole in the ceiling. Then the angry STS agents broke free of the cage and poured out into the arena. We were surrounded.

Sophia stepped forwards. She closed her eyes and concentrated. The air in her hand glowed brightly and a sword appeared, made of what looked like bone and bronze. Someone STS agents gasped.

"You were wrong to think us Rangers as weak!" She cried, holding up her sword. "Now you shall be defeated by Sophia Downside, daughter of Alice and Mike Downside, blessed by the Queen of Olympus, Hera!" Then the air exploded, leaving the STS agents dazed and gave us enough time to escape out of the hole in the roof, and outside into the sunlight.

Authors Note:

I know, three updates in a row?? That's a first!