I woke up that morning with a migraine. I slowly sat up in bed and looked out my little window. The rain had stopped, leaving puddles outside. The sun, shining through the trees, made the puddles sparkly and beautiful. I gasped as pain shot through the side of my face when I tried resting my injured eye on my hands. I pulled away from the window and got out of bed.

"Good morning, my little apprentice," My mother said as I peeled back the curtain. She had a plate of bread and bacon along with a mini cup of tea, "I made breakfast," She said as gentle smile spreading across her face.

"Thanks mother," I said as I took the plate from her hand. "What time is it?"

"The sun is about to be in third position," She replied as she sat down on my bench.

"Third position? I am going to be late for training!" I said as I set the plate on my bed and opened my closet and found my armor.

"Practice has been canceled today," She said as she took the armor out of my hands and put it back in the closet, "Besides, even if it wasn't cancelled, I wouldn't let you go anyway."

"What? Why is it cancelled?" I asked as I picked up the armor again. She took it away again.

"Well—" She started, but her sentence got cut off by a bell ringing outside, along with the sound of a horse galloping. I ran outside.

"News for the Bellum Games!" The man riding the horse shouted over and over. I looked around to see people emerging from their cabins and cottages. I ran over to the town bulletin board as the man started pinning what looked like thousands of papers on it. More men riding horses started putting posters on trees and sides of homes. I ripped a piece of paper off the bulletin board. I started reading it.

BELLUM GAMES

Date: Starts in the suns first position on the sixth day of the forty-second week

This notice is for the Bellum Games. The battles and challenges being played will be on this notice along with the schedule and order.

Challenge 1: Forest chase

Challenge 2: Lava tunnel

Challenge 3: Escape room

Battle 1: The Phoenix Battle

Battle 2: The Battle of the Boulders

Battle 3: Battle of the Ashes (The final match)

School will now be training sessions and training will be extended.

I stared at the piece of paper. I zoned out everything around me and focused on the notice. When I forced myself back to reality, I realized there was someone looking over my shoulder. And not just anyone.

Drake.

I gasped and turned to him and gave him a hug. He hugged me back then said, "I was wondering when you were going to notice me standing here."

"I—" I tried, but my sentence got cut off my Mira. I started shaking, but not from fear. Anger.

"Drake, did you see the notice?" She asked as her gaze looked at me. She grimaced as she saw me hugging Drake.

"Yeah, I saw it," Drake replied as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. She balled her hands into fists at her side.

"Well... Drake, why don't you hangout with your team," She said through her teeth as she stared at me.

Drake smiled wickedly and turned back to me, "I have to go... apparently," He said. Then, he kissed me goodbye as Mira watched in horror. He waved at me as he walked away.

"Cara!" Oara called out as she waved the Bellum Games notice in the air, "This is crazy! We are competing inside lava tunnels! Lava tunnels! I better wear my lighter armor for that..."

"Yeah, same," Lux said as he walked over to me and Oara, "I bet Lynx is excited about the forest chase."

"Um... and why is that? Is that because my name is the name of a forest animal?" Lynx said as he walked over with a piece of paper of his own. As they babbled, I drowned out the noise of everyone talking. I looked at the piece of paper then at Drake. Then I looked at the ground. I started feeling dizzy realizing something I never thought I'd have to think about. I have to fight against Drake. I know I did in training, but this was real life and death. I started shaking. I heard muffled sounds of people around me. I took a deep breath and slowly walked toward my cottage. I looked at the men who put up the notices as they hopped back on their horses and rode away. My migraine came back. I put my hand on my eye and sucked air in through my teeth.

I stopped hearing voices. It felt like I stopped breathing. I looked back at the piece of paper. Battle of the Ashes. I then looked at Mira as she stared at me from across the field. She then got her finger and put it above her eyebrow and dragged it down her eye, mimicking my cut.

Something in me clicked as I ran inside and slid on my armor in less than two minutes. I then ran outside and ran straight at Mira. I tackled her to the ground. I pinned her down and punched her in the face. I felt arms grabbing mine. Pulling me away. I tried to get out of their grip but failed. There was to many of them. They pulled me off of Mira. One of her teammates helped her off the ground. Her eye was swelling. I screamed as I kicked one of the people that was pulling me to the ground. I whipped around my now free arm and punched the other person in the face. They stumbled back letting go of my arm. Someone else pulled me back by the shoulders. I thrashed in their grip trying to be freed. But the person whispered in my ear, "Its okay... calm down. Save it for the games," My face twisted in horror as I stopped thrashing and turned my head to see Drake. He gently smiled. He didn't let me go. Afraid I would lose control on everyone here.

"You have issues," Mira said as she walked up to me one hand covering her eye.

"Sorry..." I said. My cut over my eye throbbed. "Actually... I'm not sorry. You walk in here acting like you can do whatever you want and stick daggers in people's eye sockets. Well, guess what? Life isn't a funny fairy-tale you can go torturing people you hate. Life is a deadly war. Trust me, if I could hurt you right now you would probably be dead. But no. I have some sanity, unlike you. So... I'll make a deal with you. We save all of this anger and killing, until the games," I extended my hand out to her.

She grimaced... but took my hand and shook it. I released the breath I was holding. She gestured for her team to follow her and they left. Except for Drake. He let go of me and walked in front me, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... what made you want to attack Mira like that?" He replied.

I stared at him, my jaw hanging open. He started laughing.

"I'm kidding. I'm pretty-sure everyone wants to attack Mira like that," He smirked and took a deep breath, "Well... I have to go," He held up the piece of paper, "Oh wait," He looked up at me and tucked a strand of my short hair behind my ear, "No matter what. No matter for who. Don't hold back."