Ninja University

The Death Round

{Erin's Point of View}

I knew my father wanted Lukas to die. He was probably going to rig it so my love would die. Of course, so was I, but for Eliz's love. They were going to pay.

As I crept into the arena late at night, someone coughed pointedly at me. Only one person could see past my shadows. My father.

"Oh papa, what are you doing out and 'bout at this time of day?" I asked sarcastically.

"Waiting for you," he replied. "See, I knew you would rig the battle for Lukas to win. But that can't happen."

"Why not?!" I yelled.

"Lukas' soulmate is in the Underworld, Erin," Hades told me. I felt my heart explode into millions of broken shards.

"Who is it?" I shrilled, glaring at my father. He grinned.

"Someone who belongs to him," Hades whispered, disappearing into a shadow of darkness.

I sobbed in the dark, knowing he wouldn't think about me at all if he had a soulmate.

***

{Eliz's Point of View}

I woke up in my dorm to see someone's shadow, watching me. It took me a few moments to realize it was a woman's silhouette. She stood up and stepped into the moonlight reflecting through my window behind my bed. Erin's eyes flashed black as she stood before me.

"You stole my love!" She screamed, lunging at me. Her hands grabbed my neck before I could stop her. Her eyes darkened, if that was even possible. I couldn't breathe. She was pulled off me before I was overtaken by the darkness. Hades stood in all of his 12+ foot glory, breaking through my dorm ceiling.

"Erin! I forbade you from attacking Eliz! You have disobeyed me. Your punishment will be to watch Lukas fall in love with another woman in the Underworld!" Hades and Erin disappeared from sight in a flash of shadows and the scent of death.

***
{Lukas' Point of View}

The arena was full this round. Almost all the gods and goddesses were standing, shouting our names. Most of them were shouting Dew's, to my displeasure, but some were shouting mine.

Dew's eyes flashed angrily at me, vowing that he would kill me. I knew he would keep his promise, but no way in the Underworld was I going down without a fight.

Eliz appeared at the top of the arena, her neck bruised. Dew growled, loud enough for her to hear. She shook her head at him. "Round Death Match," she said in a voice I knew she had heard on Call of Duty. "Please pick your weapons." She gestured for me to pick first. I chose twin Katanas and a dagger. Dew glared at me. I had chosen his best weapons. She then gestured for Dew to.

He stood where he was and yelled up to her, "I do not want a weapon." She nodded and turned to me.

"Since you won last round, you can choose your helpers, and how many you can use." I nodded and looked at the crowd.

"Three helpers. Erin, Ryan, and Dylan." I yelled, watching Ryan's eyes grow wide. He didn't want to fight for me. Dylan pulled Ryan into the arena, Erin bouncing happily behind them. Eliz eyed Erin, her hand fluttering up to her bruised neck.

"You hurt her!" Dew screamed, lunging at Erin. I stepped in front of her, watching him stop short. He didn't want to attack me until the battle started.

"Dew! Calm down! Choose three people in the crowd for your helpers!"

"Pat, Bay, and Erik!" He yelled. Pat appeared in the arena quickly, without walking in. Eliz smiled genuinely at him, making my heart clench with jealousy. She was nice to that teleporting earth controller but not me? Bay and Erik walked in calmly, holding hands. They had a combined power, water and air. The only thing missing was fire. And only Rosa had that, but she was gone.

"Let the final round begin!" Someone screamed. Eliz stepped off the top of the arena and made her way down to an oracle. For a second, I was distracted by her. Her facial expressions changed often as I stared at her during that few seconds.

Dew punched me in the nose. I felt my bones shift and blood poured out once again. Erin screamed in protest and roundhouse kicked Dew in the throat. He fell to the ground, his head slamming against the dirt. Bay screeched and a wave of angry water shot from her tiny, feminine hands. It disappeared into thin air when Erik grabbed her hand. Erin stumbled back. Apparently the water had turned invisible.

Dew stood back up, wiping his face. Erin yelled in anger and lunged at Bay. She grabbed her around the neck and took her to the dirt ground. Pat teleported to them and yanked her off Bay. He threw her across the arena. Dew grabbed the swords from my hands when I was distracted, watching Erin get thrown.

"You messed with the wrong water-bearer, air controller," he shouted as he slashed at me. He cut right above my eyes. Blood poured out of the wound and into my eyes. I couldn't see. "Goodbye and good riddance!" He yelled as he prepared to make the finishing move.

***
{Eliz's Point of View}

I had never seen that side of Dew. He just lost it. He was violent, slashing at Lukas. He wanted to win. I would be lying if I said it wasn't attractive, but it was scary as well.

"Goodbye and good riddance!" Dew yelled as he spun around. Erin was already running towards them. Just as she made it in front of Lukas, Dew sliced with his Katanas at Lukas' head. A body fell, with the head rolling off, but it wasn't Lukas.

It was Erin. Dew had killed her, not Lukas. Her eyes were wide with terror and her mouth was open in a silent scream of pain.

The arena was silent, everyone stared at Erin's dead body. Hades had walked into the arena to take her to the Underworld. It was time she left Earth.

When Hades and his daughter disappeared, Lukas dropped to his knees. His shoulders shook with his silent sobs. Dew looked at his Katanas with shame. He hadn't meant to kill her. Only Lukas.

"It's my fault she's dead," they both said at the same time. Lukas looked up at Dew and shook his head.

"You were aiming for me. If I hadn't had led her on, she wouldn't have tried to save me. I knew she was in love with me, I let her target my false love, Eliz, and I'm sorry."

"You were the one who was supposed to die. So you will." An unfamiliar voice shouted and someone in a black cloak lunged at Lukas.