Section 27: The Test for The Brave

-Joel POV-

Aria sacrificed herself once again, for me, for us. That girl is feistier than others, she's feisty and rude. She's mentally unstable, but she always protected me. I feel conflicted about this, I kind of like her. However, she killed people, innocent people even! God will hate me for liking this girl. I told Adrian about what she did, I thought it might be okay.

Boy, I was so wrong right now. Adrian leaked the information I gave him. Now Ender, Aria, and I were captured by the enemies. She's alone again, while I sit back and watch her back from afar. Being protected by Aria doesn't make me feel good.

"I'll be your soldier, let my friends go" Aria begged the Russian man.

Vladimir looks satisfied, he dragged her away by force.

"I can walk on my own!" she relented.

Vladimir let her go, they walked away from the cage without looking back at us.

"Oh no, what did I do?" I sighed.

"Why did she call you a traitor?" Ender immediately interrogated me after Aria called me a traitor.

Ender will probably hate me if he knows the reason.

"I told Adrian about the couple incident" I answered nervously.

Ender looked at me, disappointment was clearly shown in his expression.

"You're an idiot" he frowned.

Ender didn't look at me anymore, I think he's angry. He leaned on the cage and positioned himself away from me. He turned his back on me, probably to avoid having a conversation with me.

I decided to do the same, I had no idea how to escape and tiredness was getting into me. I leaned on the cage, Adrian and the guard I didn't know guarded our cage. From outside of the cage, Adrian made a gesture, he bowed to me hundred of times by now. He's apologetic because he leaked the information, huh?

I should have known that this would happen sooner, I forgot about his blabbermouth personality. I was so happy to meet Adrian that I spilled everything to him.

"Aria, are you angry at me?" my thought wandered to Aria pouting face.

And then there's that sketchy guy, Vladimir. The way he crushed my spirit is on point. He's right about one thing, I always depended on Aria. Well, Aria feels different than any girl I know. She's that one independent woman who hates people who lack initiative, which includes me. Even if she hates it, she still kept me safe under her wings.

"The only one who is ungrateful is me," I thought about it for a moment.

Aria didn't explain the whole reason she killed Ellis, there must be more than meets the eyes. I'm planning to find out what Aria is hiding and Vladimir's real intention.

"Psst, traitor" Ender whispered to me.

Did he just call me a traitor? I guess he did.

"You're calling me a traitor?" I frowned.

"I was only joking, relax traitor" Ender smirked.

For some reason that didn't sound like a joke, more to sarcasm.

"I want you to form a temporary alliance with me," Ender whispered.

"Alliance?" I asked.

"Yeah, I had an idea of how to get out from this tricky situation".

When I was about to ask for the details, the same unfamiliar guard came into our cage.

"Sir Vladimir wants you to come" the guard spoke stiffly.

Adrian only watched from afar, he avoided my gaze.

Ender and I were dragged away from our cage, our hands were cuffed in the back. We walked toward the center courtyard. I noticed that there's lots of commotion in there, I wonder what happened.

"What's going on?" I asked the unfamiliar guard who accompanied me.

The guard silently dragged me upstairs, so that both Ender and I could get a better view. That's when I saw her. Aria being sliced and hit by multiple people in the courtyard, is this some sort of battle arena? But this is bad!

Aria was bruised all over the place, her eyes barely could open as she received multiple hits from different people. Two people ganged up against her, while Aria does her best in avoiding and dodging.

"This is crazy! Stop this battle right now!" Ender snarled at the guard.

The guard shook his head, "I can't, this is sir Vladimir test for her".

"Test? What test!? This is madness! This is a one-sided beatdown!" Ender insisted.

Ender was right, Aria is attacked by two people, the fact that she could dodge and stand her grounds is already enough. She has never been athletic, but her destroying power is magnificent.

"ARIA! You can do better than this!" I could see Vladimir from the other side, cheering her on.

"SHUT UP OLD MAN!" Aria growled as she dodged every punch and kick.

"If you're going to become my soldier, you must do better than this!" Vladimir yelled like a tyrant he is.

I looked at the guard behind me, I was too shocked to hear about what Vladimir just said.

"What does he mean by a personal soldier?" I asked.

The guard coughed awkwardly, "Aria will soon be promoted to be his right hand, just like Kallen".

In other words, Kallen and Aria will receive special treatment from Vladimir.

"This test only applies to the people Sir Vladimir respects," the guard explained.

So Aria managed to get on his good side, I would like to know how she did that. She's never good with the first impression, but somehow the main bad boss likes her? That's pretty questionable.

"I guess that's just how Aria is, she invites trouble" Ender sighed.

"What do you mean?" I asked Ender.

"It's exactly what I mean, Aria is just like that" Ender inhaled.

I suppose Ender is right, there's something about Aria that invites danger. However, both of us couldn't explain the cause.

"Damn it" Aria started to get impatient as he pushed forward and lowered her head to avoid the incoming punch. She then punched the guy from below, her fist hit the guy's jaws fair and square. Aria started to get the upper hand.

However, fatigue is clearly shown on her pale face. Her scarlet eyes blinked a bit, as sweat rolled from her forehead to her eyes. She's completely exhausted, she gasped for air.

"That's her asthma!" Ender gasped.

"Her what?" I asked the panicked man next to me.

Ender ran from the guards, ignoring the guard calls, he rushed through the crowd to Aria's aid.

"STOP IT! DON'T HURT HER!" Ender yelled from the crowds.

When Aria was about to get pummeled, Ender pushed the guy who wanted to punch Aria. He's brimming in anger, he gritted his teeth and shielded Aria from the assailant.

"Ender, what are you-".

"Don't hurt her! If you want a soldier, I can be one of them! Please test me too!" Ender spoke straightforwardly.

His statement only bewildered the crowd's reaction, even Vladimir lost his words. Vladimir walked to the courtyard, he looked at Ender carefully, like a scientist looking at his lab rat.

"Very well, I can let you help her," Vladimir stated. "But you won't be my soldier".

Ender didn't seem to like what he said, he clenched his fist in exasperation.

"What!? I'm not enough!? You want this tiny girl instead of me!?" Ender growled.

This somewhat triggered Aria furry, she walked to Ender and pulled his collar.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING TINY!?" Aria scowled.

Their fighting somewhat made the crowds less tense. Both of them look like an idiot couple who likes each other but won't admit.

"Now, now since Aria is tired then" Vladimir continued his speech. "You and Aria will do the test tomorrow morning".

The two figures nodded in unison. Not long after, Aria collapsed to her side. Thankfully, Ender managed to shield her fall.

"Aria! She's so exhausted! Please, let her rest!" Ender begged Vladimir.

Vladimir looked irritated, he sighed and nodded in affirmation.

"Fine".