"They sicken of the calm who know the storm."
-Dorothy Parker
It was wrong. From the ticket booth to the black dome of the Pits, it was all so sickeningly wrong. Marina's stomach twisted into knots the second the dome came into view. She witnessed the amount of people flocking towards the doors with smiles lighting their faces.
Stars, she would love to freeze their lips just like that so that even when they felt the fear Marina felt every time she went outside, they would be haunted with that smile. Ice crackled at her fingertips at her dark thought, and she quickly willed it away, hoping that Colson didn't notice the air chill around them.
Colson used the little money he had left to pay for their tickets and they were in. The moment she entered the doors, she could feel him. Ryder was there, whether below her, underground, or waiting somewhere inside the dome for the matches to start, she didn't know. But she could feel him. His calming force that she always leaned on poured through her, settling her fiery nerves.
Marina closed her eyes as she breathed in. To feel him again, to know that he was alive did something to her. If she was determined before, now she was hell bent on getting him out. She would unleash winter on the entire audience if it meant getting him back today.
"Don't even think about it," Colson whispered in her ear, gripping her hand tightly in his. "Your fingers are cold." He didn't know it, but they were cold from the frost that had coated her fingers just moments ago. Heat pulsed from his hand into hers, making the last of the frost vanish from her fingers.
They followed the sea of people, hand in hand, until they reached an opening in the wall. A wide set of stone stairs led up to what she knew was the arena seating. Her steps halted, her face clamming as she stared at the steps before her.
Colson tugged on her hand, his brows bent in worry. She had been so set on coming and seeing her twin, that she didn't even think about what it would be like to watch him fight, to watch him use his telekinesis against others instead of helping them. She shuddered, and glanced back at Colson, giving him a nod.
They made their way up the stairs and found their seat among the audience. They were elevated twelve rows from the railing that separated the audience from the Pit below. She wondered what kept the Wielders from shooting up into the seating because it definitely wasn't the simple, thin rail.
Marina hated being out in public, but at that moment, she was terrified. She was surrounded by hundreds, if not a thousand humans. All it took was one pointing finger from them and the Authorities would be on her like flies on shit.
Their eyes were on her, she could feel them roaming over her, knowing every single secret she kept. But when she looked around, no one was looking at her, everyone involved in conversations with their neighbor. She continued to glance around at the audience, knowing that she would find someone watching her. She could feel it in her bones.
Marina's eyes followed the feeling that was tugging at her, chilling her skin. She scanned rows and rows until finally, in the left corner, not too far away, her eyes locked with Ronan's. Her heart stopped.
His beady eyes stared into hers as they first filled with surprise, then anger. He glanced at Colson then right back at her. Why was he there? What had he told Aeron? Question after question rattled Marina's brain
Marina nudged Colson with her elbow, grabbing his attenion. "He's here."
Colson's brows turned down. "Who? Who's here?" She opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted.
"Ladies and gentleman," a voice boomed through the speakers in the arena. "Welcome to the Pits! We've got a great line-up for today's matches, including a few never-before-seen Wielders. The concession stands will remain open until closing time, but be sure not to miss the action!"
"Can you believe that?" Colson's voice was in her ear. "Like they're hosting a damn sporting event."
Marina didn't reply as she searched the spot where she had witnessed Ronan. The seat was empty. Her eyes trailed the surrounding seats and rows but it was like he vanished. And maybe he did. If he had the balls to leave them stranded, then he probably had the balls to disappear right in front of everyone. Authorities couldn't catch a man they couldn't see, after all.
An idea popped into Marina's head. If Ronan was there, maybe that meant the whole crew had come. Maybe they thought they had been captured and all came to rescue them. Her vision tried to keep up with her racing thoughts as she continued to look over the faces of everyone she could see, trying her best to block out Colson's complaints in her ear.
Then she saw him. Seated three sections over from where Ronan had been sitting was the auburn-haired Aeron. Marina turned towards Colson, their faces only a few inches apart. His breath caressed her cheeks, and to any onlooker, they just looked like a young couple in love.
"They're here," she said, placing her palm against his cheek, further looking the part. "I saw Ronan and Aeron so the rest of them must be here too. They must have planned something."
"And what exactly do you think they're going to do?" Colson's fingers were at her neck, his skin brushing against hers. The chill that swept down her spine felt too good to just to be pretending to play a part.
"They're going to make their move. We need to watch and do our part if the time comes. We could get Ryder out of here today." Her voice was merely a whisper, but their faces were so close, their lips only a breath away.
But then every chill, every warmth she felt suddenly pulled out of her like someone had punched her in the gut. She kept her eyes locked with Colson, resisting the tug that yearned for her to turn her head down towards the Pit in the very middle of the arena. She wanted to see him - all this time there was nothing she dreamed of more.
But what would happen once she did?
She didn't know how she would react, and that - that uncertainty, and fear of the unknown - was what kept her eyes away from the other part of her soul that had entered the arena.
Fiery rage. Bitter contempt. A whirlwind of chaos. A will of a bull. Different parts of her clashed together, climbing over each other to reach the top, to control her every move. It was all up in the air, along with her stomach.
Marina turned her head, finding Ryder with one flick of her eyes. He was already looking at her, his jaw slack and his eyes wide. The dome faded away, the audience quieting to a dull hum. It was only them.
She looked over him for wounds, for any damage, but she didn't find any. Did he take care of himself during the matches as Colson suspected? He was thinner than she remembered, dirtier too. His jawline was darker, stubble tracing along his skin, making him seem years older than her. But he wasn't. He was still that boy that held her hand during the nights that terror kept her shaking body awake.
There wasn't that much room between them, but it felt like an ocean. She could run down the steps, climb over the railing, and she still wouldn't be close enough until she had her arms around him.
The blaring of a horn tore their eyes apart, sending a pit of dread right into Marina's stomach. The dome came back around her, the hum of the audience growing into a roar. Looking around the Pit she noticed that Ryder wasn't alone - three other Wielders had placed themselves along the edge of the fighting ground.
A girl with short black hair stood to his left, her cat-like eyes assessing her competition. She gave a nod to Ryder with a smile curled at her lip before glaring at the other two. Marina figured that they were friends.
However, the other two Wielders did not look so friendly. A boy - or man - stalked back and forth on his side of the Pit. His skin was almost as light as his hair, making him seem more ghost than person.
On the same side as him was a girl with olive skin and wild brown hair that bounced when she moved. She looked at Ryder and his friend the same way that the girl with black hair had looked towards her and the stalking ghost.
"Three," the announcer echoed through the arena. The audience counted down with him. "Two."
Marina closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to the Stars to watch over him, to be by his side if he needed aid. And she hoped like hell that they heard her.
"One!"
Thunder cracked in Marina's ears, quieting the crowd as they marveled at the growing black cloud that rose from the Wielders. The brunette girl's arms rose with the cloud, her dark eyes morphing into the same color of the lightning that struck the dirt beneath their feet.
A weather Wielder.
Rain poured down from the cloud that spiraled above them, turning the dirt to mud in just a few seconds, but the audience remained dry. Ryder bolted from his spot and ducked behind one of the many rocks that jutted out from the ground. His friend was no where to be seen and then all of a sudden she was behind the rock with him.
She gave Ryder a wink before disappearing again and popping up behind the weather Wielder, giving her a hard thump on the head. In the blink of an eye, she was gone and back with Ryder. The audience laughed, but Marina didn't - she was in awe.
A teleporter.
Lightening zagged down from the cloud as the weather Wielder screamed in frustration. The bolt struck the rock that Ryder and the teleporter were hiding behind, the tip of it crumbling down around them.
It was as if the pair had planned it.
Marina watched, her heart filling with pride as Ryder used his telekinesis, lifting one of the heavier pieces of rock from the ground without raising a finger. Tilting his chin back, he sent the rock flying backwards, missing the the other male Wielder by only a hair. The rock embedded into the back wall, making the audience squeal in delight.
Marina's thoughts turned dark as she imagined that rock being thrown just a bit higher, right into the first row. Colson's hand gripped hers as if reading her thoughts, trying to calm her down. It worked.
Ryder grabbed his friend's arm and they blinked behind another rock. The weather Wielder took the bait again, sending a bolt of lightening shattering the top of it. This time Ryder threw back two rocks. One collided with his opponent's gut, sending him flying a few yards backwards.
The boy's abnormally white skin flushed red in anger as he picked himself up from the ground, his clothes covered in mud. The rain still barreled down, soaking the Wielders, turning the Pit into a lake, drop by drop.
The boy clenched his fists as he stepped forward, mud splattering with each step. The area around him began to fog with white mist until it reached up to his height. Marina narrowed her eyes, hardly believing what she was seeing. The fog began to take shape, forming beings that followed in time with the one wielding them.
He pushed his hands forward, sending the fog beings forward. The closer they got to Ryder and the teleporter, the more pronounced they became. They had arms, legs, faceless heads that were figments of nightmares. Marina found herself sinking into her seat as they inched closer and closer to Ryder. Colson's hand squeezed hers in response.
The teleporter peeked her head around the edge of rock. She whipped back around and said something to Ryder before grabbing hold of them and blinking them behind another rock.
But as soon as they were safe behind that one, the weather Wielder shifted her storm. Bolt after bolt of lightening struck the rock until they had no choice but to seek refuge behind the last remaining one, putting them right in the path of the fog beings.
The teleporter let go of Ryder and stepped out from behind the safety of the rock, facing the fog beings head on. She reached the first, her fist flying through the air and through the faceless head. The being deformed, the white mist falling down to the ground.
Ryder joined her, kicking and pulling apart the fog beings with his hands until another horn blared, bringing all movement in the Pit to a halt. The thunder and the rain stopped, the cloud above turning white with the silence.
"What's happening?" Marina whispered to Colson, her fingers gripping his arm. If it hurt, he didn't show it.
"They're all looking towards something..." his voice trailed off.
Sure enough, Marina followed their line of vision to a wide door on the opposite side of the pit. It was sliding open.
Another group of Wielders emerged from the dark tunnel behind the door, joining the previous group. Marina's eyes immediately latched on to the golden-red haired girl Colson and her had tried so hard to save. Wren was tucked into the arm of a boy. Marina swore his shadow moved as they walked forward.
Following them was a girl Marina immediately recognized. The Channel. And she looked pissed.
A/N: EEEE! I am so excited because it HAS STARTED!
Playlist ~ Storm Comin' by The Wailin' Jennys
Image - Eye of the storm
What did you think of the Pit happenings? What is going to happen next?
Thanks to your support, Shadows of Stars is the winning novel of the CyCal Contest. Thank you guys so much for reading and for all of your votes!
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