Episode 18 - Touchdown pt. 1

— BLUE TEAM POV —

The Blue Team were inside their warehouse. It was difficult to talk about the incoming match, since most of them were from the same region, Maeva, it was more complicated for them. Having to fight against their own comrades wasn't an easy task, but it needed to be done. Elise stood in front of her bed, softly caressing its bedsheets. She knew it was now or never. She needed to confirm Maeva's identity now or she won't be able to die in peace. She needed to talk to her at least for a second. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Felt how a hand on her shoulder patted her softly. "It's time", said a familiar voice behind her. Elise took their hand; she knew who it was. Knowing that, she smiled lightly.

"Red and Blue teams, come to the coliseum. I repeat: Red and Blue teams, come to the coliseum."

It was time to go. Elise turned around and, with a smile on her face, headed out of the warehouse. Her whole team right behind her, ready for the fight.

— RED TEAM POV —

Luna was laying on her bed, reading her book again. She didn't know if it would be her last time reading it. She wanted to memorize everything, since it was very special to her. But she couldn't stop thinking about the team they were going against. And while it was true that, compared to Sophie, she didn't know them that much, since they all met in Sector 4 for the first time. Even so, she felt like one of them, like they were home. And that feeling wouldn't stop bothering her, she tried to distract herself with the book. But it was impossible.

At this point, she still wasn't used to fight. She's never fought with anyone before, not on her school, not within her family. She's always been someone peaceful, who didn't like looking for problems with others. It was still difficult to digest that she was killing real people. She harshly bit her lip, feeling impotent. She knew that all this time, she's been nothing but a burden on the Red Team, since all of them were trained soldiers. Even so, in the trainings, she was the one who put the most effort.

Without noticing his presence. Zorn flicked her forehead. Just a gesture was enough for her to know that it was time. She nodded, getting up. Closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was no turning back, there wasn't anything else she could've done to get a different result. All she could do was move forward and win for her team. For Maeva, exactly how they promised the night before. She looked at her teammates. There wasn't any need for words, everyone knew what they had to do. They nodded to each other and together, made their way to the coliseum.

Once both teams were in, the robotic voice appeared again.

"A little reminder before going in. From now on, the remaining rounds will have small changes regarding the weapons. For Touchdown, you can only use revolvers and daggers. Good luck to both teams."

Hearing that, Luna couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise and start to feel nervous. The revolver was the weapon she had the least practice with, since she really didn't like it. Zorn laid his hand on her shoulder.

– Don't worry, it's not that different. We can do it.

With that, both teams went inside their respective pods, immediately falling into a deep sleep.

— BLUE TEAM POV —

Not even 5 seconds passed and everyone was already standing, weapons in hand. Elise decided to take a dagger this time. Zacharie took one too, everybody else took revolvers. From the warehouse could be seen the center of the place, where the ball they had to take was in. The place where the match was taking place looked like an underground train station. Both warehouses were inside a train, each in both extremes of the place. The rails and pavement where people normally waited for the trains were in between the warehouses. The ball was on a pedestal.

Elise decided to be the first one to get it. The others would protect her from behind. She ran as fast as she could for the ball, and got it. The point was to carry it to the enemy base. Having it in hand, she realized she needed to carry it on her arm, leaving her with only one free arm. Since she had the dagger, it wouldn't be too much trouble for her. She tried to sneak past from behind, but in the enemy base was Zorn, who shot her with a revolver.

— RED TEAM POV —

Having the ball in hand, he dashed out for the enemy base. Luna was behind him. Zacharie appeared in front of Zorn, who stabbed him with the dagger, making him let go of the ball.

– Luna! What are you doing!? Kill him!

Ethan was shouting at Luna, but she couldn't react. She couldn't convince herself of shooting the Blue Team. In that moment of hesitation, Zacharie took the ball without doing anything to Luna. Luna stayed a few seconds petrified. She was terrified. Couldn't move. Ethan stood in front on her and started to shake her from the shoulders.

– LUNA. We need your help! Or do you want to die and not be able to save your region!?

Right then, Luna widened her eyes in surprise. Ethan's words woke her up. Hearing about Maeva made her blood run faster than normal. Noticing the situation they were in, she blushed lightly.

– Th… Thanks, Ethan!

She ran out embarrassed. Ethan face palmed with a sigh.

— BLUE TEAM POV —

Duke and Damien were protecting their base. Cautiously observing their surroundings, making sure no one was near.

– So… Damien… What are you going to do after we win?

– Huh? Where did that question come from? —he asked, confused—.

– Well… if we win, Necole will be gone forever…

Damien was surprised. He wasn't expecting Necole to be addressed in that conversation. He already knew that, if they win, he'd lose Necole forever. He looked down. Duke hugged his neck with his arm, getting him closer.

– Don't worry! I'll help you move forward, bro. Don't think that we won't win this. We'll live and save our regions.

In that moment, two familiar figures were nearing the base with the ball. It was Ethan and Necole. Seeing Damien there, both stopped in their tracks.

– Damien… —said Necole with a small voice—.

– So, this is it, huh. Let's make a bet, Ethan.… What do you want.

– Let's have a fight, only our fists. If you win, Necole gets the point. If I win… you must let me get a point.

– What? Are you crazy?

– Come on. It's fairer like that, no? I don't want to shoot you. I'd prefer to use my own fists.

Ethan smiled. He let go of the dagger he had in hand; Damien let go of the revolver. Duke decided to stay to the side. It was something they had to solve by themselves. The others from both teams looked at them from afar. No one did anything. They just let them fight.

– Ready?

– Ready.

Damien approached Ethan and punched him hard. Ethan took a few steps back. His lip was bleeding. He wiped it off and approached Damien to punch him back. Both were punching each other with force. The only way to win this was killing the other, with their punches.

– STOP THIS, PLEASE! —screamed Necole in between tears—.

They ignored her. Even though there were best friends, they've been feeling some tension for some time. Every time they were hitting each other harder. Ethan took Damien by the arm and threw him to the wall. Damien still could move. Necole kneeled down on the floor, hiding her face. She couldn't stop crying. It was difficult to see two best friends beating each other to death.

One more punch was enough to make Damien disappear. Ethan won. A deafening silence fell in the place. Ethan approached Necole.

– Go, get the point.

With tears in her eyes, Necole stood up and slowly walked to the enemy base. Duke was there, but couldn't do anything to stop it, it wasn't his business. Now the Red Team only needed one more point to win. The others who were watching were paralyzed. It was a scene they will never forget.

— RED TEAM POV —

They only needed one more point to win, and were doing everything possible to get it, but the Blue Team wasn't making it easy for them. Even if they didn't want to kill each other, they had to start doing it anyways. Everyone did so with a pained expression. Some closed their eyes so as not to see the other disappear. The Blue Team got enough points to make them tie.

It was the moment of truth. Both teams were just a point away from winning. Luna decided to protect the base. She looked at her fist and closed it. She couldn't allow what happened before to happen again. This time she needed to react and kill whomever gets closer to the base. A few moments later, she noticed how 3 familiar figures were approaching her. It was Zacharie, Merissa and Elise. Luna gulped down but didn't hesitate. With all her might, she started to shoot. Elise had the ball, so she couldn't do much. Zacharie too was in a disadvantage because he had a dagger, and that's why he was the first one to fall. Merissa had a revolver, but couldn't rightly aim at Luna.

Luna could defeat everyone but Elise. Since Elise was good at dodging, she could dodge all of Luna's attacks. Luna threw the revolver away and threw herself at Elise, making her to let go of her dagger. They started to struggle on the floor.

– I'm sorry, Luna… I'm really sorry…

Elise punched her hard, but just enough to make her unconscious. Elise was above Luna, who lay upside down, unconscious, on the floor. Right before getting up and get the point, she noticed, on Luna's neck, a birthmark exactly like the one she had. Elise widened her eyes in surprise and covered her mouth with her free hand, starting to sob above her. But in that moment, everything became black. Behind her, was Zorn, who with a serious expression on his face, shoot the last bullet needed for the victory of the Red Team.

Luna opened her eyes on the pod. That meant that the Blue Team was dead. She stood up slowly and made her way to Elise's pod. Luna fell down to the floor, sobbing without being able to stop. Sophie too, was crying by her side. Their cries could be heard all around the coliseum. Ethan approached Luna and hugged her. Luna clung to him, letting out all of her tears. Necole couldn't get up from besides Damien's pod. That last fight between Ethan and Damien will forever be engraved in her memory.

Zorn, without approaching anyone, made his way to the warehouse.

TO BE CONTINUED.