"Now..."
There was a click as the barrel turned, knocking another bullet in place.
The sound of ragged breathing disturbed the quiet night, the smell of iron, metal and gunpowder lingered in the air.., the victim lay slumped against a wall bleeding from several gunshot wounds. His chest rose and fell almost imperceptibly.
"... where is the doctor?" the assailant pointed a gun to the young man's temple.
"W... we don't know... anything." his voice almost a whisper. His eyes rising slowly to meet his killer.
"P... please we..."
The shot rang loud and clear in the blood bathed home. The man spoke no more. The assailant reached into the folds of his cloak and drew out a phone. He dialled a number and held it to his head without removing his hood.
"Well?" a feminine voice answered on the second ring.
"It's a blank. All leads have gone cold, no traces, no records... It's like he's a ghost now."
"We were informed that you were the best at what you do but it seems you're just as incompetent." she clicked her tongue.
"Now, now..." he said calmly. "I may not be able to find the creator, but I can find the creation."
"What do you mean?" she answered sharply.
"Turns out some morons tried to steal from under the nose of the Terra. Of course they were caught, but one of them gave the Terra the fight of their lives." he chuckled slightly as he turned his back on the corpse and walked past the dead bodies that lined the house.
"Heard it took 6 of 'em to take out one person."
There was no response. It seemed even she was digesting this new information.
"Don't you think it strange." he continued "That a bender of such prowess, hasn't been seen in over 15 years.?"
There was still more silence from the other end of the line. Then...
"Find him!" she said.
"It's not a him." he stepped out into the cold, dark night.
"It's a her."
----------------------------------------------------------
The loud clanging of a bell woke Ronin out of his slumber.
"RIIIIIINGGGGGG!! RIIIIIINGGGGGG!!!"
It droned on endlessly. His cell mates stood in a single file right behind the door with the leader in front. Thinking somethimg major was about to happen, Ronin hurriedly stood behind the last person and waited.
Almost immediately, all the doors of the cells swung open. The other inmates marched forwards, also in s single file with what seemed to be their leaders, in front. They rounded a corner, passed through a weird tunnel and navigated a series of turns all the while maintaining a steady and rhythmic pace with the inmates of the other cells.
Ronin spotted a few shirtless guys with different engravings upon their chests from the other files.
'They must've arrived yesterday.'
Unlike Ronin, these guys seemed to have settled quite comfortably with their new roommates and seemed to be discussing something quite seriously.
"I'm on steering. You make sure..." The rest was lost on Ronin as they emerged from yet another tunnel.
"Woah!"
He looked up emerging into a large open space. As wide as 3 pro-bending arenas stuck end to end. The sky was hidden from view by the domed, stone ceiling. Fires burned in steel braziers, lighting up the place in a pale orange light. Before them was mounted a podium, supported by pillars of rock towering high above them. It looked like what a king would stand on and address his subjects as he looked down on them.
The inmates lined up cell by cell with the leaders in front, facing the podium. Ronin stood at the rear of the line staring over the shoulders of his cell mates. He looked around at the other prisoners. All of them maintained their single file. There were at least 4 people in a line whiles the most seemed to be 6.
'Something's not right.'
He had assumed the dull, dejected looks on the inmates faces had been due to grueling menial labour, barely sufficient food or something along those lines. But the looks on everyone' s faces... The looks of resignation, defeat and despair...
"Welcome men!"
The voice reverberated throughout the cavern. The inmates looked up towards the podium.
"Another splendid day dawns on us all." the speaker above spread his arms looking towards the ceiling with a smile. As if he wanted to bask in the glory of the sun which shone not in their underground world.
"Hope you're all doing well." he showed his teeth.
"Now without further ado..." another voice, a more firm one, echoed from above.
"Horn, bear, claw, bird and raven step forward!" they said in unison.
All the files took 5 paces backwards, reverberating the ground beneath their feet, save for 4 at varying distances away. Ronin's group had stood stock still as well. Making them one of the 5 groups who now stood in front.
'What the heck is going on?!'
The ground rumbled, stairs appeared, leading underground, in front of the 5 remaining groups. As one they descended into the darkness.
Torches lined the walls of the tunnel. At the base, they emerged into, what looked like a stable. 6 ostrich horses stood in a pen staring bleakly at them as they entered. Further inwards, they found metal chariots with two wooden wheels fitted to each of them.
The leader and one of the others took one and dragged it towards the stables. They got two of the ostrich horses and yoked them to the chariot. The other two did same.
'It seems they plan on working together. Maybe I could tag along with one of them.'
Ronin approached the two others as they yoked the ostrich horses to their chariots.
"Um... Could I work with you guys?"
One inspected the wheels of the chariot while the other checked the tightness of the yokes.
"Uh..."
"Fight and die. That's all you need to do." one said. They then ignored Ronin altogether and went back to their task.
Confused, Ronin found another chariot and yanked it over to the two remaining ostrich horses. Repeating the processes and procedures he'd seen the others perform, he began to yoke them.
Suddenly light burst through into the room accompanied by the creaking of wood. Some doors further inwards had been opened and with their opening, the thunderous sound of a large multitude flooded the room. The others spurred their mounts towards the noise and light.
Ronin hurriedly finished securing the ostrich horses and picked up a long metal pole on an impulse.
"Yah!"
The ostrich horses trotted forwards into the blinding light.
"Let the games begin!" the voice, which had spoken to them first, thundered over the din of the noise through hidden speakers.
He emerged into the sight of hundreds of people all seated around what looked like a large stadium. Mounted all around the stadium, large, wide screen televisions, placed at various points each displayed different and changing views of the arena. Overhead flood lights illuminated the place casting dark shadows on the earth.
The stadium itself was filled with sand, rocks, chains and... what looked like dried blood. A gutter, covered with metal rails, swept along its entire length. Through it flowed clear water.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the games of Zeigh!" the voice continued. "The honours today will be given by horn, bear, claw, bird and raven! Won't you show some love?"
The noise intensified from the spectators above as they clapped and shouted. Ronin managed to find his cell mates at one end of the large oval stadium. But they weren't alone.
'The other prisoners.' He counted 10 chariots in all.
The dried blood, the taunts when he'd first gotten here, the marking, the names... He figured out what was going on and it made him taste bile on his tongue.
'They're gonna make us kill ourselves to serve as entertainment to these "people".Of all the ways to die... '
It explained the hostility of his cell mates. Explained why the first question he'd been asked was what his element was. They didn't want any deadweight. Any mistake could result in their death.
He tried to steer the horses in their direction but they seemed to be interested in other things. They wouldn't budge. He shouted and hit them with the pole but they wouldn't move.
"Hahahaha..." the loud sound of racous laughter made its way to his ears.
"A kid?!"
"Well he's gonna die quick."
"He's alone too! Hahahaha!!"
Their remarks made its way to his ears. His blood boiled from rage and embarrassment. Having to die like this and being made fun of till the very end...
"Damn it!"
He jumped down, kicked off his shoes and rubbed some sand between his hands. He began pushing the ostrich horses towards the others. With every step, he felt it all. The breaths of the men doomed to die, the irritated stamping of the ostrich horses feet, the pounding of the fists of the spectators — Information transmitted through the earth.
He ignored it all and continued to push.
Finally, he arrived. He took his place amongst the others. He stood right in between his cell mates and the other prisoners.
"Well... Now that we're finally good to go. I hope that you've placed your bets by now. Did the last boy get any?" the loud voice resonated through the arena.
This was answered by a chorus of giggles.
"So..."
Ronin spotted him turn towards someone seated behind him on the podium. A young man stepped forward holding a white handkerchief.
The grounds grew silent. Ronin could've sworn he heard the blood roaring in his ears.
The handkerchief fluttered towards the ground. The prisoners hands tightened on the reins. Their eyes darted about sideways at their opponents. Arms were moved into position as they prepared to bend. Grasping his pole/staff, a bead of sweat fell off Ronin's chin.
The hanky landed, immediately accompanied by a roar from the crowd.
"Hah!"
The inmates spurred their steeds forward. Ronin instinctively ducked. Immediately, a wave of fire sailed over him towards the other rider. The flame was extinguished by a wave of water, however it seemed like a counter attack was being developed and he didn't want to be in the middle of it.
"Yah! Yah!!"
Suprisingly the ostrich horses understood what he intended and bolted forward. Almost flinging him out the backside of the chariot.
He was dead last but catching up fast. Since the horses only had to carry one person in his case and not two.
The roars from the spectators grew even louder. Up in front, the race had gotten quite heated.
Ice, and rock clashed in midair, spraying debris over the racers as they battled for life. A shard of ice cut through the rock and pierced a racer through the chest. He fell of only to be rolled over by the wheels of the following chariot. His teammate continued onwards, only to be run through by a spire of rock that jutted out of the ground suddenly.
"Hah!!" The crowd exclaimed joyously at the sight of the first kills as they punched fists into the air.
"And the first blood goes to raven!! It seems claw is gonna need to do better than that!"
9 chariots left and the numbers dwindled fast. A funnel of wind formed around one as they began to curve along the oval in response to an incoming rock. This however was a mistake as the assailant's driver let go of the reins and blasted a tigerdillo style flame from his mouth and arms.
The wind fueled the flame and it turned into a fiery vortex around the unfortunate chariot and charioteers.
"Ooooohhhh!.." The crowd exclaimed.
Two chariots that were enthralled with each other did not see the commotion upfront. When they did realise..., it was too late.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!"
They crashed into the flaming chariot and toppled over. Fire and splinters of wood flew everywhere. A charred body fell unto the ground. A wheel rolled onwards as an inmate run all over the arena, flinging his arms everywhere and screaming as the fire turned him into an unrecognisable, black mass.
"Yieesh! That's gonna leave a mark." the commentator giggled.
6 left. And they were barely done with half the track.
"Oh no..." mumbled Ronin as he began to pick up speed. He sped past 2 chariots in one go. Their occupants momentarily forgot their duel and stared incredulously at him as if a rat had dared cross the path of a lion.
"Yah! Yahh!" Ronin urged the horses. He didn't want those behind him coming for blood. They rounded the next curve and in doing so he drew up along and slightly passed the next chariot. They'd been so focused on attacking those in front of them they didn't realise they'd been overtaken until Ronin's dust flew into their eyes.
"What's this?!" the commentator exclaimed. "The kid's still alive! And he's coming in hot!"
Ronin really wished the guy would stop talking because it was drawing unwanted attention from the other racers.
"Where d'you think you're going little man?" the driver of the recently overtaken chariot asked.
"Take this!" his partner threw a circular slab of stone, as large as a car, at him.
The projectile filled his vision blocking out the light from overhead. It would land on him and crush him flat like a pan cake. It was too big. Too thick... Too fast.
'I don't want to die.'
That single thought filled his consciousness as he watched it fall.
'I...'
"Calm yourself. Breath in. Focus."
The words of his master came back to him.
Suddenly he was back in their makeshift dojo. His master standing tall and undaunted as he looked down on him sweating and panting.
"Remember your training. Pound it into your bones. Never forget these secrets."
The flashback faded away replaced by the descending boulder. He took a stance in the chariot and began to take a deep breath as he readied his staff. Everything seemed to slow down, just a bit, for him. Even the sand being blown behind the chariots seemed slower.
'I... I can do this!'
He swung the pole at the plummeting rock.