The Bringing of The Blood Wars

The Beginning of The End

"Alright. We're here." The man began to speak, "Now I'm going to read the rules. After each pair will enter the Valley minutes after each other. As soon as the last pair enters, a horn will sound and the War will begin." Adonis turned to look at his sister who was sitting on the horse.
"Please listen to the following rules." The man began, " Do not leave the valley. One one female and one male will leave the valley. If a contender is found outside the valley, the contender, their partner, and their families will be trialed and punished. Could result in death. Now My King, Would you and your partner like to enter the valley as the first pair or the last?"
"The last." Atticus says quickly.
"Aye. First pair to enter is Otten Hasma and Wessa Giuliano." The man says. The pair hesitantly step towards the man.
"Prayers and good luck are sent your way." The man says as the pair runs into the forest.

Atticus jumps off of the horse. Thea begins to wiggle her way off when Atticus's hands grab her waist and gently bring her to the ground.
Thea looks at him with a shocked look. Atticus never looked at her, he went on with his business. Atticus leaves her and tends to the horse. He give the lead to a man who was sitting on his own horse. "Look after her will ya?" Atticus asks the man.
"Aye. I will my king." the man said confidently while he put his fist to his heart.

Even with the King being so young, Every man, woman, and child respected him. Especially Atticus. His 11 kills from the last war set his reputation high. Many were scared to talk to him. They feared they would make him mad and he would kill them.

By this time multiple pairs had been sent off.
Thea walked to her brother, "I need to you to listen to me just for a minute." She says. Adonis nods. "No one is going to judge you about what you do in here. You do whatever it takes to make sure you stay alive. Your not killing people if it's self defense. Always watch your back. Don't sleep at night unless Nova is awake. Be careful and fight for your life little brother." Their foreheads placed together. Thea took in the possible last time she may ever see her brother.
"Adonis Ramsey and Nova Dallas."
It was their turn.
Adonis left his sister and began to walk to the man.
"Prayers and good luck are sent your way." The man said for the 7th time. Thea watched as her brother ran into the tree line.
Atticus walked up behind her.
He didn't say anything but Thea could feel
his presence. She felt the cold radiating off of him.

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It was finally Thea's turn. As soon as her and Atticus entered the war would begin.
"Prayers and good luck are sent your way." The man said. Atticus took off running and Thea ran behind him. As soon as the pair hit the tree line, a loud horn blew and that alerted everyone in the valley that it was time to begin.

Atticus found a cave in the side of the valley.
"Look around for any weapons." Atticus instructed Thea.
There were limited number of weapons placed around the valley. Most hidden but some in plain sight.

"Theadosia! Over here." Atticus called. Thea walked over to the boy who had found a knife under a pile of rocks.
"Now that we have some sort of defense we can sleep now." Atticus said.
The way he talked, Thea knew he remembered what to do from the prior years before.
"You can sleep first." Thea told him as they sat in the nook of the cave.
"No you need to." He said. Thea was beginning to argue but Atticus cut her off, "You didn't sleep while you were waiting, You've already been in a big fight and you walked half the way here. Trust me. Just sleep." Thea shut her mouth and looked towards the mouth of the cave without saying a word.
"I'm sorry." He said softly. Thea attention snapped back to him.
"I'm sorry I'm just tense. Deja vu." He said like it was normal for him to go through this more than once.
Thea felt a sense of sympathy for Atticus but she quickly shut it off. Don't get attached. Don't get attached. She repeated in her head to herself. She turned her stare back to the mouth of the cave and leaned her head against the cave wall.
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Thea's eyes fluttered opened. Hours had passed. Thea could tell due to the amount of sunlight leaking in the cave. She propped her neck up. She quickly realized Atticus was no where near. "Atticus?" She whispered throughout the cave. "Atticus?" She repeated.
She slowly got up and walked towards the sunlight.
She slowly creeped around the corner.
For the first time she was thankful to see Atticus. He was sitting on a rock sharpening a long stick with the knife he found earlier.
Atticus looked up at her, he smiled, "you look worried." he said.
Thea did not smile, "no. I thought you had already left me this early."
"So you were worried."
"no. I - Nevermind. It's your turn to get some sleep." She said pointing to the cave. "I'm good." He said.
"If i have to you have to." she said. Atticus didn't answer. He continued sharpening his stick.
"you have to save your strength if you want to win." She mocks Atticus from earlier.
"What makes you think I want to win?" He whispers mocking her yet he didn't have reason for his answer like Thea did.
"Quit being stubborn and go gets some sleep. I can sit here and sharpen your stick." She said sternly. Atticus didn't move. Thea got closer and ripped the knife from his hand. She pressed the tip against his throat.
"I said go get some sleep." Thea said. Thea could kill him right here and eliminate Adonis's biggest threat. Yet her muscles didn't budge. Atticus's light blue eyes slowly shifted towards hers.
"Don't do that again." He said as he slowly got up and handed her the stick.
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A few hours passed and Thea heard something from inside the cave. She hesitantly got up to find its source. As she got closer she realized Atticus was the source. Atticus leaning against the cave wall was shaking. His hands in a tight fist and his jaw clenched. His head moving from side to side. Thea asked her self how he could move that much in his sleep yet not wake himself up.
"Atticus." Thea said trying to wake him.
His eyes stayed shut. Thea got on her knees beside him. "Atticus. Wake up." She said again. A little bit louder now. He still didn't not wake.
His body began to shake even worse.
"Wake up!" she said now getting scared. Thea grabbed his fist clenched hand and squeezed it.
Again the thought intruded into Thea's mind. Just kill him. Kill him now. Adonis will win.
Thea didn't act on her thoughts. She continued to try to wake Atticus. She squeezed his hand again.
Atticus's body lunged forward. He gasped for air. His breaths were uneven and heavy. He couldn't catch his breath. His chest rising and falling quickly.
"Atticus calm down." Thea said trying to get her partner under control.
Atticus's glossy eyes turned to Thea's face.
" I - I cant- Breathe." He pushed out.
"Shh. Just relax. In your nose, out of your mouth." She said.
Thea began to breathe how she told Atticus to. Her technique did not work for Atticus. She placed her hand on her heart like she would for Gaia when she got scared.
Her slim fingers laid across Atticus's chest. "Feel my hand? You have to calm your heart down. Shhh. Your okay." She told him.

Atticus's stare locked onto the Thea. Thea watched her hand as it slowly decreased it speed of falling and rising.
"Good."
Thea never looked at Atticus. The two of them sat in silence until Atticus could breath regularly.
"What happened?" Thea quietly asked him.
Thea looked up at his eyesthat were now staring at the floor in front of him.
"When I sleep, all i see are the people I killed. Their faces I see clearly. I see their deaths even clearer. It's like it's happening all over again."
Thea felt sorry for him knowing she doesn't understand his pain.

"It's fine." Atticus said he he began to stand up. "It's almost night fall. We need to move."
Thea sat there. Is this what Adonis will go through if he survives?
"Theadosia. Come on." Atticus called to her.
Thea stood up to follow her partner.
"wait. How will we know if it's Adonis if it's dark." She said realizing he she just hinted that they were about to go purposely kill someone. She knew this was Atticus's strategy, night time ambushes.
Atticus pondered on her question, "Easy. We'll only go for the girls tonight. Just hope Adonis isn't dumb enough to die for his partner."
Thea knew he wasn't. Adonis had only met Nova. If it was Toran and Thea, Toran would risk his life in a second for Thea. That made Thea question, But would Atticus?