Ninja University

Second Round

{Unknown Point of View}

"You want me to call off the battle? And just take Dew's soul? Or Eliz's?" Hades looked at me like I was stupid. "This is much more entertaining. Besides, I have a feeling Lukas will be coming to my kingdom."

"No!" I screamed. He looked at me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"He doesn't want you. He thinks you're just another student in his class. He wants Eliz. And she doesn't want him. He never thinks about you unless he's grading you!" My hand lashed out to hit him. He grabbed it, his iron grip breaking my bone. "I am a God. Strike out against me again. I own the Underworld. There's plenty of things here I can put you in. I can make you suffer."

I glared at him. "He will be mine. He will realize Eliz is nothing. He's meant for me. He'll realize that soon. After I kill her."

"You will do no such thing. I forbid you!" Hades yelled. Ravens flew away at his booming screech. I stuck my tongue out at him and turned away.

"The death match will continue! And your precious infatuation of yours will end! When he dies!" Hades yelled as I stormed away.

***

{Dew's Point of View}

Eliz stood at the stage once again, announcing a new rule.

"Either contestant may drop out. But he will receive the same punishment that he would've received if he had lost the challenge. He will go to the Underworld." Lukas looked at me and shook his head. He wasn't going to back down. Neither was I. I wasn't going to leave my soulmate for Hell. And that's why I will win.

***

{Eliz's Point of View}

Everyone stared at me as I announced this new rule. Apparently I had grown five heads, from the way they were looking at me. So no one liked this rule. Whatever.

"Dew? Lukas? Thoughts on this new law?"

"I'm not giving up," Lukas yelled, while Dew said calmly, "I do not intend on dropping out. Nor do I intend on losing the challenge." Dew stared at Lukas, his face a calm, cold, expressionless stone. Lukas' lip curled in a silent snarl, his eyes flashing.

"Neither do I, Dew. One of us has to die." I stepped in front of them, knowing one would lunge at the other if I didn't get in between. Lukas' hungry eyes followed my every movement, while Dew focused on my eyes.

"I'm going to let him win this round," he told me telepathically. I looked at him, fear evident in my eyes. "Don't worry. He won't hurt me. It'll make him underestimate me in the final round so I can kill him easier."

I nodded slightly to him, before turning to the crowd. I picked three random boys to gather weapons. As they did, I decided to search the crowd. As expected, Hades was in the front row seat, his evil grin deepening when he saw my distress. He winked. Uh oh.

What was Hades planning? I wondered. He grinned at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. I turned away, but not before he motioned to Lukas, and then at the ground. He wanted Lukas to go to the Underworld. I nodded.

"Dew, since you won the last round, you get to choose your weapon first," I said as the gatherers stepped back from the pile next to me. Dew nodded and came up, grabbing two Katanas, and a small dagger that he placed in his boot. "He has chosen two Katanas and a dagger!"

Lukas came up next. He grabbed a bow, with fifteen arrows, and a jagged dagger. He stood in front of me for a few moments, his eyes openly roaming my body.

Dew clenched his fists and jaw, hard enough to break it. I glanced at him, shaking my head, and he calmed down.
Lukas grabbed me by the shoulders, suddenly, and brought me face to face with him.

"I saved your life, and this is how you repay me? You have your stupid 'soulmate' kill me off? I thought you were different!" He screamed at me, dropping me. Dew growled. I landed hard on my right foot, twisting my ankle. I dropped to my knees, a yelp of pain escaping. One of the boys, Erik I presume since Dew yelled at him to get me away, pulled me back, out of the way. I let him, leaning on his calves. Another gatherer checked my ankle.

"It's sprained. But not broken," he told me quietly as Dew attacked Lukas. "I'm Pat, by the way."

"Pat, will you shield the battle from me? I don't want to see this." He nodded and sat in front of me. I focused on him. "Distract me."

***
{Dew's Point of View}

The second he had dropped her, I lunged. He had harmed my soulmate, causing her to have a sprained ankle injury. I had caught him off guard, so we both hit the ground. He struggled under me for a second.

He grinned evilly. "No one here knows my power. You picked the wrong person to mess with, water-bearer." A burst of wind sent me flying off him. The wind picked me up and threw me again.

I heard Eliz scream as the wind picked her up as well. I stood, glaring at Lukas. He was controlling the air.

"Say I won this round, or your 'soulmate' won't be breathing much longer," he yelled. Eliz grabbed at her throat, like there was no oxygen reaching her.

"Lukas won this round!" I yelled, running towards Eliz. He dropped her from the spell. She fell to her knees, panting. She grabbed my arm to stand up, falling against me.

"Lukas won the second round. He will get the advantage of choosing how many people help them in the final round. He will also get the first choices."

***
{Unknown Point of View}

My baby had showed them. His power was so awesome. He threw Dew across the arena! And he deprived Eliz of air. Maybe he didn't love her anymore. Maybe I had a chance.

And if I don't, if I don't get my happy ever after, Eliz won't either. Hades wasn't the only one who could send souls to the Underworld.

That's right. I'm the daughter of Hades, princess of the Underworld. I am Erin.