I ran into the arena with my team behind me. I looked around and saw there were less teams. So... which ones got eliminated? I heard the crowd cheering as out teams took their fighting stances. Then everyone started fighting and jumped over obstacles.

"Fight hard, Thunderviles!" I yelled as motivation to my team. The cheered. I looked ahead and saw Drake sprinting around an obstacle. He slid in the arena's salt as he dodged pins and slid under logs that were held up by metal bars making them a foot off the ground. This was always Drake's strong suit along with fighting. He could beat anyone at any obstacle, with both speed and precision. I hope his burns aren't hurting him to bad...

Drake then grabbed onto a rope that was connected to a metal panel lined across the top of the arena. He immediately started climbing the rope. I laughed, surprised as he quickly climbed to the top.

"Less love, more shove," Lynx said behind me. I turned to him and shoved him away from me.

"How's that for more shove?" I asked teasingly.

"Good, now maybe do that to people who aren't on your team," Lynx said as he gaped at Drake who was sitting on top of the panel.

 Drake looked bored.

"Showoff!" I yelled. He put a hand to his ear.

"What?" He asked as he smirked teasingly. I stuck out my tongue at him. He laughed, then rubbed his neck where the burn marks were. He grimaced, but then smiled when the pain went away.

"Drake, are you okay—"

"Cara, behind you!" Drake yelled.

I got tackled to the floor.

It seemed to be someone from the Scaleneburgs... Mira? I then tucked my legs underneath me and then pushed up, which made me shoot off the ground, slamming the person who tackled me into the ground instead. The person groaned. I looked at the person and it was... not Mira.

Drake cheered and said, "Show them who's boss, Cara!"

I started panting as I saw everyone fighting each other. I then saw Mira. She was fighting no one and was looking at me. This is my chance. For Drake.

"Cara, no!" Drake yelled, he already knew what I was thinking. He grabbed onto the rope and said, "Don't me come down there!"

"Don't bother... I've got this one," I said as I started charging at Mira.

"Cara—" Drake started but his voice was blocked out by the clanging of me and Mira's armor. Mira kicked and shoved at me, but I wasn't going to give in so easily this time. I punched her in the face, then picked her head up and slammed her back into the ground. She grimaced and tried punching me, but I deflected the punch with my metal wrist guard. 

"Cara... about Drake... I didn't mean to—" Mira said as she tried squirming out of my tackle.

"Quiet!" I yelled. "This is exactly what you wanted! You did this to him, and you did this to me!"

"Cara—"

"Game over!" I yelled as I wrapped my hands around her neck. I then felt arms around me, but I didn't budge. I'm not giving up. Not this time. I heard someone screaming my name, but I couldn't here them. The person was trying to get me away from her, but I didn't let myself move. I focused on Mira. Her eyes started to flicker shut. Almost—

I felt someone whack me in the head with their shield. I groaned as I collapsed to the ground, but I wasn't unconscious. I let go of Mira and heard her coughing. My vision was blurred. Was it from dizziness or tears?

I looked up as my focus cleared more. It was Drake holding a shield in his hand. I felt my head throb and looked back the shield, then at Drake. Drake was panting as he collapsed onto his knees and stared at me.

"What happened to you?" He asked, his voice breaking. I looked at Mira as her teammates were helping her breathe.

"I... I..." I stuttered.

"I'm listening," Drake said as he rubbed his hand against his neck. He took a deep breath, then stared into my eyes.

"I did it for you—"

"I never asked for you to murder someone, Cara. Do you remember when we fell in love?" Drake asked as a tear slipped down his cheek. I stayed silent and looked at the ground.

"Cara, you were ten years old. I was eleven. We fell in love because we were tired of the killing. This game... people don't come back, and we thought it was unfair," Drake said recalling the memory.

"Drake..." I whispered.

"Look around, Cara! I love you because you understand, don't become one of them. Please," Drake said as he wiped his eyes. I nodded and glanced at Mira who stood next to her teammates. She looked at me.

SHING!

Drake heard the noise also and looked at Mira. She had a dagger in her hand... not just any dagger. The dagger. I touched the scar on my eye and froze. I looked at Drake who was staring wide eyed at Mira. He slowly turned his head to me. Mira lunged for me. Drake immediately jumped in front of her.

"Get out of the way, Drake!" She yelled as she stared at me from behind Drake's shoulder. Drake stayed in front of her, blocking her from me. I was hyperventilating as my eye throbbed. "What a lovely scar you have, Drake..." Mira said as she looked at his neck.

"No, Mira!" I screamed as I scrambled off the ground. Mira snapped her fingers and two people ran over and pinned me down. "No..." I said as my voice broke. Drake stood his ground in front of Mira.

"Drake, last warning..." Mira said. Drake gripped his sword that sat in his holster. "Alright, your mind is made... I've got one word for you."

"What's that?" Drake asked as he gripped his shield.

"Mistake," She whispered as she kissed him on the cheek. Drake's eyes widened as he shoved her away and then turned and ran toward me. "Get him!" Mira yelled at the top of her lungs. People from team Scaleneburg started going after Drake. I tried loosening myself from everyone else's grip, but... I couldn't. I felt hot, angry tears stream down my face.

"Run, Drake," I whispered. I heard someone grunt. I painfully turned my head and saw Drake. He got slammed into the wall of the arena. Mira stood in front of him as two people pinned him to the wall. She a dagger in her hand. "No. No. NO!" I screamed as I kicked one of the people pinning me down to the ground in the face with my metal boot. The let go of me, so I punched the person next to me with my free hand. They fell back, letting go of me. I heard Drake cry out in pain. I started sprinting toward Drake. "DRAKE!" I screamed as loud as I could. I saw blood on the ground where he was. Drake was slouched to the ground and leaning against the wall. Mira grabbed his neck where the burn marks were. Drake groaned. Mira then slammed his head to the wall and then backed away.

I caught up to Mira and slammed her to the wall. I didn't look at Drake. I couldn't. Because... he wouldn't want to look at me right now. I wrapped my hands around Mira's neck. Mira stared wide eyed at me.

I then whispered in her ear, "One word for you... 'Mistake'."

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"I... came to see Drake. Is he... um..." I asked as I stood in front of Instructor Martinalli and Instructor Fatelattin, the instructor for team Scaleneburg. The looked at me and said nothing. They only moved out of the way. I stepped into the tent that Drake was in and saw him asleep with a bandage around his neck. Blood was already seeped threw it. I looked and saw the blood was where his burn marks were. I sat down on the cot he was laying on and held his hand. I looked at Drake's face and saw... a scar over his eye. Just like mine. Drake gripped my hand but didn't open his eyes. I kissed him on his forehead and whispered, "I'm so proud of you." Drake didn't move. I frowned and walked out of the tent.

I looked and saw the Scaleneburgs crowded around in a group circle. They all looked at me as I walked out of the tent. They looked at the ground and moved out of the way. I heard them whisper.

"It's her."

"Don't make her mad."

"There she is... the girl that killed Mira."