15 Survive The Day (2/2)
With that the lady disappeared. It was clear to everyone she had just been another hologram. Two platforms then appeared where she had been standing with smiters on top of them. One with the inherited smiters and the other with smiters that had been chosen for certain candidates. These smiters were the only weapons that could destroy a spirit and the sight of them was what made everything that had happened feel like this was really happening.
”Shit I never took any smiter test!” Darius muttered to himself as the various weapons had names engraved on them. He began to panic at the thought that he would be going in there completely defenseless, when the platform Darius had come down from descended once more, on top of it an old hammer with the name 'Darius Omen' on the haft.
Darius hadn't known this but his hammer had been a smiter all along. The other contenders snickered among themselves at the sight of it.
”Hey you, what's your name?” said a particularly smug looking young man. Darius knew that because of his temporary status they couldn't do anything to him so he spoke with confidence. ”My name is Darius Omen.”
The young man screwed up his face for a moment as if in though before saying, ”Omen? I don't think I've heard of that house before. But then again, the lower houses are as good as peasants.”
Everyone looked at Darius, the disgust written plainly on their faces as they backed away from him, like he would give them some sort of commoners virus if they came near him.
”It's because he's not from any house.” came a girls voice from within the crowd. ”He's my brothers substitute.”
The girl walked out of the crowd, scrutinizing Darius carefully. After a few minutes she said, ”Clearly Lionel has no intention of passing the test.” Her short black hair slightly covering part of her beautiful face and one of her azure blue eyes.
If Darius had to use just one word to describe her, it was 'hot'. She wore a small leather jacket and red tank top with a midriff, showing of her amazing curves. The cargo pants she had on did nothing to hide her legs and with the swords strapped on her back she looked like a warrior chick. And as a matter of fact she was. Lionel's twin sister, Lara took pride in her martial arts talent, apart form her impressive intelligence. Darius was sure he had never seen anything this sexy in his life.
Lara noticed the way he looked at her and was immediately disgusted. Although he wasn't the first guy to look at her like that and was definitely not going to be the last, she was not going to accept this from a hick commoner like Darius. She lunged at him so fast that even with his already incredible agility and reflex's he was no match for her.
She drew one of her swords with her left hand and pressed it hard against Darius' neck. On closer inspection her hair wasn't black but rather navy blue.
”I don't care if you're Lionel's substitute or not. If you look at me like that again I'll slit your fucking throat.” Darius could barely move. Although all the other nobles wouldn't dare lay a finger on him because of whose substitute he was, if she was really Lionel's sister then there was a good chance she could probably do it.
At that moment the administrators voice sounded. ”All participants, please stand on one of the platforms and await entry into the arena.”
She backed away from him and stood on one of the platforms. The other nobles opening a path for her. With her demeanor and rank among the nobles she was not to be taken lightly.
All the nobles began shuffling toward the circular platforms on the floor. As Darius proceeded to the one nearest him he was waved off quite violently by one of the nobles. To them he still wasn't one of them, he was just being used as cannon fodder for real nobles.
Fear had gripped Darius so tight didn't even notice this happen. His heart was racing and the room began to spin as he stumbled towards the next platform. He could barely hold his hammer as they descended into the arena. He had held it so many times for so long, it felt no different from an extension of his own body. It was the only thing calming his nerves in this perilous situation. It was then that they arrived at the intended location. It was a dense green rain-forest, surprisingly realistic. Darius could hear various insects and birds chirping as the platform lowered him into the dense, green thicket.
”Participants, your first challenge is simple. Survive the day.” The administrators voice sounded throughout the arena.