Beatitudes

Six months in a hell hole.

To those in the city living their lives like any other normal mortal, six months had gone by in a flash, those who always hated the quick elapsing of time cursed at no one in particular for letting the time go by so fast, but to those in the pit, the glorious warriors who had no knowledge of their purpose, who had began to grow used to battling till blood was drawn and their bodies lost consciousness, these six months that passed felt like sixty years had taken it's toll on them.

There was no way for them to fight back against the suffering, after a few of them had been made scapegoats the others deemed it wiser to keep quiet and just wade through the days.

Thankfully to them, it was about to end, at least it was what they were told. About six months from now, the pit was going to be free of a whole bunch of them, rumours had began to go round that those taken away would be transported to a secret location, there they would be under the spotlight of a warriors sports. When Jaden heard it, he was told by someone who had been told by a guard that all the brutal sessions in the pit was essentially warming up for them who would be taken to battle as true Spartan warriors.

The details were all vague but to them who had been locked up in a hell hole like the pit, it was a Divine intervention, the absurdity of the whole situation was the fact that when the news was spread around, almost all of them who harbored heavy resentment had actually been riled up with the blood in their bodies burning hot. Jaden couldn't be more surprised at their behavior, weren't these the people who had all been bullied to no end, their basic thoughts had seemed to have suddenly changed like they had been brainwashed or bought over, he thought hard until he realized it was the promise of fame and recognition that had them turning their coats, but Issac who hadn't been affected much by the desolate air that they all had was able to think with clear reasoning, was all they heard really as it would be, was it just due to a few words that they who had been forcefully abducted and subjected to unthinkable stress had been able to throw their feelings away for something not even in sight yet, had they already accepted their fates to be as such, as what these people wanted.... he couldn't help but feel sad at the state they ended in.

A match was quickly ended as a person had his head smashed onto the ground, silence pervaded around the two on the stage. Actually they had all gotten used to it, back when he first showed up, those who were pitted against had thanked their stars for an easy win that could guarantee a slight reduction in the torment they felt,but they were wrong, him who looked thin and weak actually backed a bit of strength that, combined with his top battle sense made him run his way through all the ranks and reach the top. Even Issac hadn't expected such a result, he always felt himself calm down when he faced any of them, and at this point where the news about them getting transported had put most of them in high spirits, they slipped up more and went wild with ambition. As one of those who didn't lose themselves, Issac earnestly hoped to escape, he couldn't bare to allow himself turn into something as such.

He walked down the stage as he made his way to receive his meal, the cook handing him his sludge as he looked appreciatively at Issac with his only remaining eye. Issac couldn't be bothered to acknowledge those stares, if he did he knew the day he would also lose himself would not be far off. As he sat at a corner he ate his meal with dull eyes, and a person who looked to be young but was at least a year or two older than Issac walked up to him and sat down on a rock beside him.

" Getting personal with your fights uhn? "

Issac glanced at him, food stuffed in his mouth. In a place like this, everyone was against each other, there was no chance for grouping or teaming up, but Issac just actually managed to make an acquaintance here. At this point in time Issac was already seen to be one of the top fighters here so with battle strength that those in the pit evaluated to be similar to Issac, Harry was meant to be someone against him, at least they were expected to regard each other as opponents that one had to win against, but Issac had ignored thoughts like that that made him lose himself in chase of something like a 'career' in the place, he was a slave for others here nothing else, naturally he had accepted that as well, and it became clear that Harry also thought the same, at least that was the impression he gave Issac during their only battle against each other, it was the battle that brought them together, it ended with no clear winner which ended up getting lashed viciously later on but it also allowed them share a common pain and sorrow.

The question posed was left unanswered as Issac kept on chewing the food that already had no need for chewing, he chewed anyways since it gave him a sense of reality and indulgence.

Watching him eat made his stomach grumble disregarding the one getting digested within it, so he looked forward as he sighed,

" Just try not to be so hard next time, I saw some of them pissing their pants earlier on when they saw you who always fought the nicest transform and seek out blood. "

".. I'm not being hard, and neither am I seeking for blood. "

The food, or the sludge was gone as quickly as possible from the bowl as he finally spoke up, Harry looked at him, then looked at the bowl, and smiled wryly, he had seen Issac eating before but he still felt a little shock every time he saw him eat, right now Harry was sure that if a contest or something was held for the fastest eater, there wouldn't be anyone to reach half the speed Issac has, maybe because they were in this mini hell land that he always ate like this but still that wasn't how the others would dare eat, food in the pit was still at the top rank even when most of the people in the pit grew crazed over a vague chance for some fake freedom. Eating slowly was something they did to allow the digesting period extend over time, it was like creating an illusion of eating more food, something they learnt to do after days of serious starving.

Still listening to his words Harry snorted derisively,

" Yeah right brother, I understand. Just don't... hmm the pit Queen is an making an appearance. "

Hearing the meaningful words, Issac raised his head as he followed Harry's line of sight. Walking at her own pace as those around her parted slightly, she had a face with no emotions reflected on it, her eyes like still pools of water. She was beautiful alright, a beauty that wasn't relatable to a place like this, anyone seeing her would always stare a bit longer at her purple colored eyes, her black heap of hair with purple streaks here and there glowing faintly in the dim firelight of the pit, countless thoughts passed through Issac's head as he watched her walk.

It wasn't that there wasn't females in the pit battling for survival, but Issac hardly ever saw, he had heard from someone that the females that reach here almost never last for long in the pit, a month or so after they arrive they get whisked away to places unknown, their fates also unknown, but the fact that she had been here for way over a year wasn't the main reason she was regarded as she is, Harry's reference of her being the pit queen was as a result of various rumours and speculations the people in the pit formed about her, naturally the one who regarded as the king of the pit was their accursed supervisor, Bonan, he was the one who set the rules and the one they all wanted to rip apart so much yet dared not to talk back to.

Every once in a while, she would always disappear from their sights and then reappear later on coming from the direction of Bonan's residence, soon enough rumours began to spread about their relationship, but it wasn't what Issac wanted to believe, the incident of a guard getting killed and the culprit going scot free was one that revolved around her, after all she was the one who killed the guard, no one saw how she killed him but when they found the body she was standing right next to it, she didn't even try to deny it either. Despite that nothing ever happened to her, the people here would have yelled out in protest at the treatment but those that tried were silenced not long after, they got mum after that but the gazes that used to look at this woman became one filled with confirmation and restrained anger, no one dared to so anything to her. But Issac still kept to his thoughts, he always felt that there was more to everything than what they all saw, but of course his thoughts wasn't something he voiced out to anyone.

" She's with the boss around here, and yet she still has to battle everytime.. what'd you think Issac, is she someone fighting just for the thrill? "

The words Harry spoke had sarcasm and frustration mixed within, Issac could understand how he felt, they all saw her as someone who had given herself up and was just residing among them like a queen, the treatment she received was no different from what they received but they could see slight differences in how the guards moved around her, hence their anger and indignation. Issac could understand them but he didn't see her that way, he didn't understand why himself but he saw her in a different light. So when he spoke up, there was no feelings or emotions in it,

" I don't know... I can't say. "

_______________________________________________________________

It was hard for them to tell the time in the ever dim space of the pit, but there was a time in the pit that the warriors/prisoners were given time to take a quick nap, it was a time that they always sought for since anyone caught sleeping at any other time would always never dare to do it again.

In the carved out caves that they slept in, spanning across a good amount of space of the pit, Issac had his eyes wide open, his 'cavemate' already far off in dreamscape. He hadn't been able to sleep, just like the first few days he spent here, just staring up into the familiar darkness. So many thoughts going round in his head made him realize that the world he knew wasn't what he really thought.

" It's been a while Issac, I see you're getting used to the atmosphere here in the pit.. "

Almost immediately as the sound of that voice echoed through the cave, he sprang up and looked around, the direction was unknown, he couldn't catch the sight of something or someone talking to him, 'was it a guard... '

He turned his head and saw his partner still sleeping, wasn't he

hearing anything..

He was just thinking that when the voice spoke again,

" Don't be scared, you're the only one who can hear me, and he won't wake up till the usual time he does. "

Forcefully calming down, he got his awry emotions slightly in order as he spoke up, still looking at his partner,he wondered what happened to him.

" W..What...Who are you.. "

The voice replying had amusement within and other emotions he didn't understand.

" Hmm that's like who I know, right... my name's Adam, over here."

Finally he could pinpoint where the voice came from, well this guy named Adam speaking let him know. His head turned and he saw a black haired man who looked like he still had the darkness coiling around him, sharp eyes and features took his breath away as he felt the pressure emanating from him.

" Alright, I should tell you to get ready to leave soon, Issac. I could take you now but It's not the time yet.. Do you get me? "

" How do you know my nam.... "

Issac was still feeling a little lost as he wondered how this person knew him, it wasn't until his brain brought back the words already said into his mind..and his eyes widened

" Did you say leave..h-here... "

It had already occurred to him that the person in front of him wasn't a normal person, neither should he be a guard or someone he knew, but never did it appear in his mind that he was here to take him away, why was this happening to him...

" It's good you understand, you almost don't sound like how you usually did. "

Listening closely to the words this person said, Issac couldn't help the confusion he felt, ' What's he saying. '

Adam looked at this guy in front of him, who was at least five years younger than he was, his eyes grew a tad misty as the shadow of that figure overlapped with his current state, he had felt anger and rage grow quick in his hearts, only with the calm he had grown to have did he manage to hold himself back from bringing this place down and pulverising a good part of the city, killing all those who were informed of the terrible things they did here. But he held himself, he held himself despite the frail look that this guy now had in comparison to even when he first got here... all because of what he had told them. His admiration for the perseverance of this figure was something he had never lost.

" Tommorow when it's time for you all to get back into your caves, don't bother about anything else and walk straight to the exit of this place, I trust you know how to reach there right? "

Hearing the incredulous words coming out of this person's mouth, Issac couldn't help the incredulity he felt.

" What?? "