Is this destiny?

6:55 AM

"In five minutes, check-in booths will close!", a voice boomed from the speakers. "For the ones who received their numbers, please approach one of the screens to see in which group you will be… There are four fighting areas, groups one to four will start in ten minutes, others will wait their turn…"

Sarah, Aiden, Hong, and Natalia went to one of the screens and saw that competitor 257 (aka Aiden, aka Alex) is in group 15 and that he was set for fighting area number three.

"There are three groups before you in that fighting area. We should go and watch fights before yours…", Sarah suggested, and Aiden agreed.

Natalia trailed behind Sarah and Aiden and due to the obedience potion, she was unable to do anything against them. But even if she could, she wouldn't dare do anything to expose them at this point. If Voronins find out that she brought in outsiders from the Lebedev family, they would skin her alive so it's best for her to keep quiet.

Natalia was surprised that they treated her well. They even gave her breakfast and other than interrogations, they are not giving her any hard time. She hoped that after all this is over, they will release her. Maybe.

They made their way through the crowd and approached fighting area number three.

It was flat on the ground and someone spray-painted a big circle, to mark the edges. The other three fighting areas were also in the visible range with several meters distance between them, and there were bleachers set up so that spectators can see and watch the fight from an elevated position.

Sarah, Aiden, Hong, and Natalia found seats and observed the commotion. It was very lively.

"Natalia!", a woman called. "I was not sure if you will make it…"

"Iskra…", Natalia greeted her back. "Long time no see."

"Are these your fighters?", Iskra asked while eyeing Hong, Aiden, and Sarah.

Natalia gestured toward Aiden. "He is."

"Hmm…" Iskra pursed her lips and eyed Aiden. "You told me you have a fighter, but you didn't tell me that he is handsome. How about you join my camp, sweetie?" She winked at Aiden.

Sarah wanted to rip her throat out. How dares that woman flirt with Aiden when Sarah is right there?

Aiden's hold on Sarah tightened, telling her to relax.

"Not interested.", Aiden responded to Iskra icily. 

Iskra's eyes flashed. "Is that loyalty I see, or did Natalia offer you something you can't refuse? Whatever she gave you, I will double it. I am younger than she is…"

"He said that he is not interested.", Sarah growled. "Leave while you can."

Iskra frowned at Sarah and she was surprised by Sarah's murderous glare. Iskra was confident that Sarah is bluffing. If Sarah has any fighting capabilities, she would be competing and not a spectator. Natalia said that only Aiden is a fighter.

Iskra turned to Natalia and made a face. "You found yourself fascinating people. I hope they can fight and not only talk."

"If they can fight or not, you will find out soon.", Natalia responded. "I recommend that you look after your people."

Iskra lifted her chin defiantly and walked away.

"Who is she?", Aiden asked Natalia when Iskra was out of the earshot.

"She manages a base that rivals mine…", Natalia responded and paused. How can she talk like she still has a base? It's destroyed.

Sarah's eyes didn't leave Iskra who went two rows up and sat with four young men and two women. They were talking something and Iskra was gesturing toward them.

Aiden pulled Sarah closer to him and kissed her temple. "I've got this… try not to stress too much…", he spoke only for Sarah to hear.

Sarah leaned on Aiden and smiled as her fighting spirit subsided. Aiden's touch and voice can calm her down even when they are in the middle of the enemy's camp. She felt as if there is an invisible shield protecting them from everything negative and it was wonderful.

Sarah knows that majority of people gathered here are not pushovers and that they are troublemakers. But that will not stop Sarah from protecting what is hers. And Aiden… is hers. After all, if there is a competition of who is the biggest troublemaker, she would be the one at the top, with Aiden.

"The first round begins in three minutes…", a voice boomed from the speakers. "Participating fighters should come to the areas designated for their fight. The round starts with ten fighters. Weapons are not allowed. A fighter is eliminated if he steps out of bounds or if he can't fight… Accidents happen, but if you kill your opponent on purpose, you will be disqualified… The last three fighters standing will advance to next round…"

Sarah calculated that if Aiden is 257, there are definitely more than three hundred fighters. And considering that the check-in proceeded for a full hour after they arrived, it might be four hundred. Assuming that the number is rounded to four hundred if three out of ten are going to proceed to the second round, that means that one hundred and twenty will be qualified out of four hundred. This is exactly how Sophia predicted: quick elimination.

They observed that one of Iskra's men went down to the fighting area number three. The man was very muscular with a short military-like buzz cut.

Among the ten fighters in area number three, there was one female. She had a tight red t-shirt on, and her light brown hair was tied in a ponytail. Sarah was curious to see how she will perform among those nine men.

The audience quieted down as the countdown started on the screens: "5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Go!"

Everything erupted into chaos. The fighters lunged toward each other, and the audience started shouting and screaming encouragements and curses.

Sarah stood up to see because people in front were standing and they were blocking her view.

Within five seconds, three people from the fighting area number three were out of bounds and one was on the ground, not moving. Sarah was happy to see that the girl in the red t-shirt is still in.

One man launched an attack on the muscular man from Iskra's team and it was like he hit a mountain. Iskra's man slapped him out of bounds like he swatted a fly.

"That guy is strong.", Sarah mumbled.

"The one who attacked him was weak.", Aiden responded.

Sarah perked up when she saw that the woman in the red t-shirt is very nimble. She skillfully avoided several attacks with minimum movements and when one man lunged toward her, the woman jumped up and the man skidded below her… out of bounds.

The first round didn't take more than five minutes. Among the three people standing in the fighting area number three were Iskra's man and the girl in the red t-shirt.

The fights in other areas ended as well and the announcement was made that the next round will start in five minutes and he started repeating the rules.

The unconscious people were dragged to the side and one of the organizers approached the winners to take their information. Everything moved rather quickly.

... 

When they announced that the third round is about to start in five minutes, Aiden pulled Sarah toward him and gave her a long lingering kiss.

"Watch me.", Aiden spoke into her lips.

"I always do.", Sarah whispered back.

"Don't forget…", Hong had to remind Aiden. "Nothing flashy to attract attention. Your goal is to win and move onto the next stage, not to make a spectacle..."

A catcalling whistle from the side interrupted Hong and they all turned to see a young man ogling at Sarah. He was another guy from Iskra's group.

"How about this, sweetie… I will beat up this pretty boy and you become my girl.", he grinned provocatively. "I will treat you well and show you what a real man can do…"

Aiden's muscles tensed and Sarah knew that Aiden is raging even without looking at his expression.

"Don't kill him…", Sarah said to Aiden.

Aiden looked at Sarah and his nostrils flared in anger.

Sarah smiled and ended her sentence: "…unless you can make it look accidental."

Hong helplessly exhaled a shaky breath. Aiden is about to do something crazy, isn't he?

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