Evolution

Chapter One

~Alesana~

I stared blankly at the wall. There was still nothing to do; the machine to draw on my power wasn’t ready, so they just left me in this cube. A cube with blank gray walls and electric matter chains around my wrists and ankles. Even the slightest movement electrocuted me.

 

I let out a sigh and leaned my head on the wall, feeling the sparks go through me. At this point, I was used to it.

 

I managed to turn my eyes enough to get a look at the camera on the wall. It sat, tucked away in the corner, watching me like a predator watches its prey. I let my eyelids flutter shut. I hadn’t slept in days--maybe even weeks--and I refused to eat anything they gave me. I would starve myself to death before they used me for that thing.

 

I tried to remember happier times, my days in the Glock. Sure, I usually came out of the Cages with some sort of major injury, but that had been the best year of my life.

 

Maybe if I could just remember, could just lose myself in my memories, I would be able to keep going.

 

The world blurred, and this time, I finally let it.

 

There was people all over the place; cheering in the stands, exchanging bets underneath the seats, even pressed right up against the barrier. I couldn’t make out my opponent just yet, but I wasn’t afraid. I’d taken on men ten times my size with ten times my experience and come out relatively fine, so I thought I could take anyone.

 

I fingered the hilt of my blades and walked up the few steps to the Cage.

 

The Cage was a huge cylinder in the middle of the warehouse. The barriers were translucent towering walls about ten feet high, and I knew on the inside there was a layer of electric fence that could be triggered by cutting a certain wire. It was handy for knocking people out.

 

Tonight, I was the main feature. I was beyond thrilled; it was my first time on center stage. Somehow, I managed to refrain from getting nervous as I pressed my palm against the barrier and melted through it.

 

The instant I passed through, all sound cut out. There was nothing in the Cage save for a few cameras and speakers in the more out-of-reach places.

 

I lifted my blades and shook out my shoulders, waiting patiently. My breath echoed all around me, the only sound in the silence. Not even the announcers were talking yet.

 

As I watched, the wall on the opposite end of the Cage became blurred and a figure stepped through the opening. It was a huge, burly man, with holographic hammers in each hand. I wasn’t fooled by the holographs; all weapons were that way from the moment you stepped into the Cage until the moment the buzzers went off.

 

The man’s eyes landed on me and he grinned.