The Arena

by Bradford Bates

  Finishing the pizza in near record time, I turned my attention toward my bottle of Gatorade. Once that was polished off, I kicked off my shoes and leaned back into the couch for some reading time. I decided to set my alarm just in case I fell asleep. Sometimes, like car rides . . . well, let’s just say reading could put me to sleep quickly, and with a belly full of pizza, the chances of that happening were more likely than not. I picked out a new book and started down the rabbit hole. I loved to let my imagination run wild, and a book was the best place I knew to go when I wanted it to run wild.

  Nothing filled me with joy like waking up to the incessant ringing of the basic alarm tone on my phone. I headed back into the bedroom, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. After a quick detour to the bathroom, I pulled my backpack up from the floor. A few quick shakes brought my water bottle to the surface. Grabbing that and my laptop bag, I headed toward the kitchen. Laptop and newly filled water bottle secured, I was ready to run out the door. I wanted to get to the orientation meeting on time. Last thing I wanted to do was make a horrible impression on my first day.

  Making my way across the darkened campus was made easier by the faint blue lights that lined the path. The lights gave the campus an ethereal feel by basking it in a misty blue glow. It felt like I was walking in another world. The delicate blue glow was just enough to light the paths between buildings, while leaving the rest of the campus draped in shadows. I loved it, just another lavish touch that made my new home stand out. It was something that most people around campus probably took for granted, but to me, it just added another layer of awe.

  Finding the auditorium was easy. I took a quick look at my map before I left, but I didn’t need to worry. The signs on campus were actually pretty helpful. The room was surprisingly big considering I had yet to see another person on campus. There had to be seating for several hundred people and balcony seating for an additional hundred. The dark wood of the seats stood in stark contrast to the navy blue fabric of the pad. Each was emblazoned with a symbol that I didn’t know. I had to assume it was some kind of symbol that represented the academy. I bet I could find out what it was when I got back to my room. The folder Betty had given me included a few pages on the history of the school and how it was founded.

  Finally, some signs of life. There was a group of kids huddled together in the center of the room. A few of them looked up when I had walked in, but quickly went back to whatever they were doing. One boy made eye contact with me, and just stared at me with a smug look on his face. I broke the eye contact and headed toward an empty chair down in the front. I wondered what that guy’s problem was. Shit, my first thirty seconds around people and I’d already made an enemy. I wasn’t sure how I knew that I’d have to deal with him sooner or later, but I knew that I would.

  I looked back up at the group of kids one more time. Yep, I was still getting the evil eye from the blond-haired bastard. On the plus side, he didn’t look so tough. He was just a six-foot-three jock, with muscles to spare. My glance did tell me a few things, though. A lot of the kids obviously knew each other already. My guess was they either grew up with each other or had attended school with each other before today. That put me at a disadvantage right away. Breaking into a new clique of people was never easy. They already had an established order, and anything that threatened that would receive the same kind of treatment in return.

  Another couple quick glances around the auditorium revealed few outliers like myself. At least I wasn’t the only one who had come to campus without any friends. Hopefully I’d have some better luck talking to a few of them. No one else had any paper or their laptops out, so I just hooked my bag on the back of my chair. It made sense, I guess; how many notes could you possibly take during an orientation speech? I was sure most of them had an idea of why they were here and what to expect. I was totally in the dark, so this was going to be all new for me. I hoped the speaker wouldn’t just gloss over things. I really wanted to know more about why I was here.

  An older man walked out from the side of the room and up to the podium. He had grey hair and a beard to match. His beard was in keeping with today’s style and cut closer to the face. He was wearing glasses and a tweed jacket with elbow patches. It was like stepping into a time machine to the seventies. At least that was the vibe I got from him. I could imagine him sitting around a campfire singing songs, just as easily as teaching a class. When he walked up to the podium, the entire hall went instantly silent.

  His voice came out clear and with a crisp tone of authority. It was the voice of someone used to being in charge. The quiet confidence he spoke with left you with the feeling that he was passionate about his beliefs. It reminded me of the way Mr. Stillman spoke, except he gave me a much warmer feeling. This man wanted you to believe as he did, but he did not tell you to.

  “Welcome to the academy! My name is Professor Simons, and I am in charge of handling your orientation. Take a look around you. Everyone in this room is also here for their first day.”

  I took a quick look around, making sure to avoid the cluster in the center of the room. Right before the speaker started again, I chanced a glance in their direction and found that Blondie still had me locked in his sights. Awesome!

  “You have been granted the unique opportunity to train here with the best of the best. While you are a student at the academy, we ask that you take a step back from any preconceived notions about what we do. Here we work as one unit, one team. With that being said, we expect you to set aside any grudges or family quarrels at the door. There are stiff penalties here for students found fighting outside of the arena.”

  Stepping back from the podium, the professor took the time to make eye contact briefly with everyone in the room. It made a strong point when he took the time to emphasize it by looking at you until you acknowledged his words.

  The moment of uncomfortable silence ended as he stepped back in front and started speaking again. “With that out of the way, let me tell you a little bit about what you can expect during your time here. Each semester will be filled with tasks for you to complete. Some of these will be announced; some of them will not. All of the tasks you encounter will be used to rank your position inside of your class. Your rank in the class will determine your seed at the end of the semester tournament.”

  A few cheers broke out among the students. Apparently the end of the semester tournament was a pretty big deal.

  “Our goal here at the academy is to shape your future in our world. There are plenty of positions that we need filled. We have spots for every potential skill set. You can also decide that you would not like to accept a position with us.” He gave a little frown as he said the last sentence, as if even saying it left a bad taste in his mouth. “For those of you who excel and whom we deem ready, there is field work. Those who excel in the field will be offered a chance to join the Ascendancy.”

  When Professor Simons said the word Ascendancy, hushed whispers spread through the crowd. I noticed that most of the students looked excited at the prospect of joining them. I also picked out a few frowns in the crowd. I found myself still trying to get a handle on the fact that magic was real, and that everyone here could use it. Not to mention that they had the kind of influence to hide a secret society. In this day and age, hiding anything for long was a pretty impressive feat.

  The professor gave them a few moments to calm down before continuing. “I will not lie to you and tell you that what you are about to go through will be easy; it won’t be. I will tell you that those of you who dedicate yourselves to your studies will have great success. We expect nothing but the best from all of you. To further increase your chance for success, all access to the outside world will be restricted for your first semester. No calls, no e-mails, and limited internet.”

  The professor seemed oblivious to the groans of protest issued by most of the students. It was going to be tough going cold turkey from the internet, but I didn’t have to worry about the rest. My family was gone, and my only friend had
stopped talking to me.

  As the grumblings died down, the professor continued. “The punishment for breaking this rule is just as severe as if you had been found fighting. Depending on what you are caught doing, you could even be expelled from the academy. You are no longer children, and we are not here to hold your hands. You will be tested to your very limits. Those who rise to the occasion will have a bright future.”

  I was a little shocked by the implications. If you did not succeed, what happened to you then? I had never used magic; shit, I didn’t even know it existed until a few weeks ago. In fact, outside of Stillman lighting some paper on fire, I still wasn’t one hundred percent sure it existed. I was going to have to work harder than everyone else to keep pace. I had always loved a challenge; this was just one more.

  My thoughts were interrupted as the speech continued. “The first semester here will be focused on learning the ins and outs of our world. We will start to have in-depth conversations about the creatures that live in it. We have been fighting most of these creatures for centuries, and have the most comprehensive information about them found anywhere. Since each of you come from different backgrounds, we are looking forward to gaining your unique perspectives during class.

  “There is no bigger danger than entering combat ignorant of what you are fighting. Some people will say that the danger from these creatures has passed and that the Gifted are firmly in control of this world. I am here to tell you this is not the case. We are outnumbered, and new threats are on the horizon. All that stands between them and humanity is you. At one point in our history, each class would have filled this hall. I see a lot of empty seats. That only makes our job harder.”

  He looked around the room at the empty seats before he continued. “The ever-present threat of another Demon invasion hangs in the air. The treaty was broken, and for the moment, we find ourselves standing alone against the rising dark. We will train you to fight back, we will train you to kill, and we will train you to die if necessary. We have two goals. To make sure that humanity remains safe and we remain a secret.”

  The entire hall had gone quiet. I was still trying to process what I had just heard. Trained to kill? Trained to die? That sounded a little intense to me. I had already seen that this world did not view murder the same way we did. The death of my parents let me know that staying alive was far from a sure thing. Not for the first time, I wondered just what I had stumbled into.

  His speech continued. I hoped we were getting close to the end; I already had enough to think about. “How great can the mind become if the body is left behind? We will not ever put you in a position to fail. Your bodies must be strong so your mind can execute any task. With that said, your first month here will be dedicated to getting you ready for the trials ahead. For your first month here, you will only have two classes. Physical training will take place in the mornings, and introduction to the Ascendancy in the afternoon. You will be sore, you will be tired, but you will become strong.

  “Both of these classes will be instrumental to your success here, so I expect you to take them seriously. With that being said, welcome again to the academy! Anyone have a question for me?”

  He swept the hall with a quizzical gaze, looking for some interaction, but no one had a hand up. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Yeah, I had questions, about a million of them. The last thing I wanted to do was look stupid in front of these people. I really didn’t want to give Blondie any fuel for the fire. All any bully needed was the tiniest of openings.

  With no one else speaking, he stepped back toward the podium. “Training starts at seven a.m. tomorrow. I suggest you get a good night’s sleep. You are going to need it.” He said the last part with an edge of laughter in his voice. With his speech completed, the professor exited the stage by the same door he entered from. I kind of sat there for a moment, trying to process everything that he had just said. I guess that was it; tomorrow I was going to start to find out just what this magic thing was all about.

  With nothing else to do, I stood up and slung my bag over one shoulder. Being enrolled in some kind of military combat academy was not what I had expected for the day, but if that was what it took to learn how to use my gift, then I was going to do whatever it took to stay here. My biological father had been one of the Gifted, and now I was following in his footsteps. With both of my families dead, I would do the one thing I could. I would find a way to excel and make them proud of who I had become. I started making my way back to the exit when I heard a shout from above me.

  “Are you scared yet, noob?”

  I looked up, but I already knew who was speaking. One look confirmed it was Blondie. God, I already hated that guy. Normally, I would take the fight to him—you can’t give a bully an inch—but fighting here on my first day didn’t seem like a great decision. I just gave him a stare that would peel paint from the wall.

  “Ooooooh, scary.”

  The girl sitting next to him, probably his girlfriend, hit him in the arm. “Stop being a dick, Ted.” She walked out of the hall, and the rest of their group followed.

  I looked back around the hall to see how many other people had witnessed our exchange. I was in luck; only a few people outside of their group were left.

  I continued to wonder just what I had gotten myself into. What exactly would we be fighting? Was Alby one of them? Is that why she was so scared of me now? This seemed like a lot to drop on a kid who had never used magic or heard of the Ascendancy.

  The other loners started making their way out of the hall. I knew that these few people might be my best chance at having some friends here. Almost everyone else had left with Ted, so I didn’t see a ton of options.

  One of the remaining kids was a slightly chubby but well-muscled kid. I wouldn’t have noticed him in a crowd except for his hair. Long dreadlocks adorned his head. The dreads looked well taken care of, and I was pretty sure they had beading woven into them. Full dreadlocks with beading was a pretty dramatic look. I liked that he was a little different. While not the hair choice I would have gone with, it sure seemed to fit him. The beading continued into some of his clothing as well. I wondered just what they were for. He finally noticed me staring at him, gave me a slight chin nod, and walked out of the hall.

  The only other person left in the meeting hall was a girl. I tried to take in her details quickly. I hoped that she wouldn’t think I was a creeper. She was small, or I guess you would call her petite. It was hard to tell exactly how big she was, because of the way she was sitting there with her knees pulled up and her arms wrapped around her legs. She made the chair around her look bigger than it actually was. I bet she came in around five foot something, and couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds. Her bright red hair really made her stand out to me. It stood out in stark contrast to her pale white skin. She had a slight look of shock on her face. I imagined that I had that same look earlier. I gave her one last glance before I left. She hadn’t moved an inch.

  9

  Jackson

  My alarm went off at six the next morning, and I let out a little groan of despair. Ok, maybe despair was mildly overdramatic, but hey, I did just say six in the morning. I had spent the summer sleeping during the day. I had tried to flip my schedule around at the mansion but only succeeded in making it about halfway. I will not admit to being up all night playing Assassin’s Creed—nope, not going to do it. I’d prefer to accept zero accountability for my gaming addiction.

  I figured there was no point in taking a shower. From what the professor said, I was going to be working up quite a sweat this morning. I tossed on some deodorant before pulling on my workout clothes, and figured I should be fine, at least for a little bit longer. Hopefully no one at the cafeteria would notice my bed head and realize that I hadn’t showered. Messy hair was the new in look, right, or had I missed that trend by a couple years?

  The cafeteria exceeded my expectations by smell alone. The food smelled good—really, really good. They had a buffet set up f
or breakfast, so I made my way over to it after grabbing a tray and a plate. On my way in, I noticed a few faces from the auditorium the night before. Not all of them looked at me with an unfriendly stare, so that was an improvement.

  I always liked to get in a solid breakfast before my workout. Granted, I normally liked to put more than an hour between food and a full-on workout, but sleep had won the battle this morning. It looked like they were serving up pretty standard fare. Walking down the line, I picked up a decent helping of eggs, two sausages, and a tortilla. I tried to keep it a little bit lighter than normal. The last thing I wanted was for the food to come back up if they really pushed us in our workout. Nothing makes a better second impression than throwing up on someone’s shoes.

  Adding a glass of OJ and a bottle of water, I scanned the room for a place to sit. I noticed everyone was kind of off by themselves, so I just grabbed a seat by a window. The courtyard looked different this morning. The sun had washed away the ethereal glow of last night, giving it the look of just a normal greenspace. A few people moved up and down the paths, going about their daily tasks.

  Never one to be shy about eating, I stuffed my tortilla full of the eggs and sausage, rolling it into the perfect breakfast burrito. Slightly greasy bliss dripped down my throat, and I knew instantly I had made the right choice. The burrito tried to win, but I fought valiantly against it, finally succeeding in eliminating the threat it presented. I turned to my orange juice next, finishing the small carton in one long drink. Taking my bottle of water with me, I headed out to the courtyard.

  Class should have been starting at seven, but a quick look around made me wonder if I was in the wrong place. No one else had shown up yet, so I finished my bottle of water and got to work. Stretching before an intense workout always helped my body stay in reliable shape after it was over. I never understood how people started working out without stretching first. I continued my warm-up as the other students started trickling into the courtyard. Most of them looked like they were still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. That sounded about right for kids my age. We tended to like sleep and to not be too worried about showing up places looking slightly disheveled. I had a feeling they were in for a surprise.