Everything is exactly as it always was, the benches, the sand laden pit, the exclusive seating area, even the dark foreboding sky above. I look around me, drinking in the murky grey color of the tall pit walls that promise no escape. The steel bench that creaks under my weight feels like it is about to give way under my pressure.

My body feels heavy with guilt ridden anxiety as I watch the match between two fighters; Cristina and some other girl I don't recognize. This fight is as bloody as I'd expected with Cristina winning after just a few minutes. The loud horn blares, indicating her victory and the large crowd stands abruptly, erupting with glorious approval. 

The humans and Plutonians are wild today and the stands are packed to the brim with spectators. The benches behind have been extended to it's maximum capacity and there are two huge monitors that have been set up on opposite ends, overlooking the pit. We were told that they have been broadcasting all the matches today all over the planet and the universe.

Plutonians from all over the galaxy are currently tuned in to watch today's matches, most likely for the most anticipated last match. The one that will decide the empire's new leadership.

Which makes 'S's words more and more ridiculous as I ponder them. How are we going to escape with the entire universe watching? And what distraction could be big enough to allow our escape and also prevent Lazarus from killing Lucian? 'S' can't be expecting us to just waltz out of here without arousing suspicion right?

"Stop shaking so much, you're making the bench rattle," Rosie mutters in a tense voice making me look at her. It's clear that she is just as nervous as I am only much better at hiding it. I quickly stop myself and the bench stops squealing.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I just wish they handed out some drinks or snacks or something. I suddenly feel like snarfing down ten wargol burgers," Rosie grumbles. 

We lift our legs just as a Plutonian attempts to cross us but he trips and I hold my breath anticipating for him to accuse us and demand punishment but he doesn't do either. He clutches the bench between our legs to steady himself and leans in for what feels like a second.

"Keep your hands on the benches. It's going to be an exciting day," He says and I frown at him in confusion. He is dressed in casual attire that covers his arms and head, I can barely make out his face.

I lean to the side to get a good look at him but he gets up quickly and walks away. 

"What was that about?" Rosie eyes him suspiciously with her good eye and I shrug my shoulders. 

"Weird," I reply but my fingers automatically clutch the edge of the bench tightly.

"They're setting up something new," Mike says and he points at one of the large screens suspended in the air.

The three of us were guided here to sit while Josephine, Jade and Joon are seated across the stadium. Ron is sitting on the far corner near another exit.

I see a pair of Plutonian officers replace the weapons on the wall with larger, more menacing looking weapons and keep my eyes on the dusty ground as a plethora of emotions flood through me at once. 

This is the place where it all started. The place where my life as a slave changed. This is the place where I won my first match which lead to me meeting Lucian, lead to me joining the army, falling in love and now I'm here about to watch the Plutonian I love fight with the Plutonian I hate with my entire being.

The bench starts creaking again and Rosie casts me a sharp look. I stop shaking and look around, scanning the exits. There are two Plutonians standing at the one nearest to us and about the same number guarding all the others. 

Has there always been this much security? 

"My dear esteemed Plutonians and hardworking humans, the time has come for us to witness history in the making. A fight for leadership, a fight between our very own beloved PG Lucian and PG Lazarus." 

I clench my teeth so hard and then grind them together, not caring if they turn to dust.

The doors to the walls open and two tall Plutonians walk out in their signature black army attire with neon blue streaks going down their sides. They are both wearing black helmets that cover their faces making it impossible to distinguish between the two.

My eyes flit between Lazarus and Lucian frantically as they stand in the center facing the exclusive seating area. Their height and build are almost the same, I really don't know who is who which somehow amplifies the fear in my gut.

The one standing on the right glances around the stadium briefly and then I see his head pause in my direction. We stare at each other and in that moment I know he is Lucian. This calms me for the briefest moment before my gut fills with guilt. 

I'm going to leave him today and for the hundredth time I wonder how he will take my escape. Will he start having nightmares again? Will my betrayal break him or will it drive him back to Luna?

All these painful questions pierce my mind like the sharpest needles and I clutch the seat painfully before releasing it to stretch out my fingers. I then feel something irregular taped to the bottom of the metal and instinctively run my hands over it.

My heart almost stops beating when I realize that it is a laser gun. 

"Check under your seat," I whisper to Rosie before we are told to stand to repeat our pledge.

Rosie checks under hers and I see her eye widen in shock before she stands up. She tells Mike to do the same while the announcements and formalities are being carried out and his expression tells me that there is a gun taped under his seat as well.

Rosie and I exchange a look and I wonder if 'S' planned this from the beginning. After all, we were ushered by the attendants to sit here tonight and our seats just so happened to be five rows from the back and by the lane that leads to the exit. 

The convenient positioning makes me think of 'S' once again and for some reason I glance at the exclusive seating area. My breath catches in my throat when I see General Lyra staring at me. She nods at me inconspicuously and suddenly it clicks in my head. 

Things need to change before it is too late. Before the rot kills us all.

I'd forgotten about those words but now I remember her telling me the exact same thing when we rescued her in the Serpentine constellation.

Now it all makes sense how 'S' knew things before they happened and how they were able to give me Lucian's fingerprint device and vandalize the slave quarters without getting caught. 

My mouth falls open and the horn blares simultaneously indicating that the match has started. 

I immediately snap my attention back to the pits to see Lucian and Lazarus walk up to the wall to pick their weapons. They both pick long poles with spears on both ends and without warning one lunges out to attack the other.

I hold my breath and watch as the one on the receiving end deflects the attack with the speed of lightning. 

The entire arena falls dead silent, all of us can hear the sharp sound of spear striking against spear as the two Plutonians fight each other with fervor and skill that none of us have ever witnessed before. 

Although, it quickly becomes clear that one is much more accurate and faster than the other. He strikes the other fighter's armor and nearly pierces his chest, missing only because the other one fell backwards.

The fighter falls to his knees and brings his pole to his front to deflect the attack from his assailant and I watch as the assailant's entire pole shatters to pieces when it hits it. 

The fighter standing takes a step back in shock, looking at his broken weapon and the one on his knees stands up quickly. 

He must be Lazarus and he must have cheated with that reinforced pole. 

I watch as the one holding his broken weapon throws the broken piece in his hands to the floor and then whips out his helmet. 

"You want to cheat, fine by me," Lucian mocks Lazarus and he takes off his helmet as well. I can hear the entire area fill with audible gasps and people sucking in their breaths simultaneously.

Lazarus laughs loudly, his voice makes my skin crawl with disgust. 

"Whatever are you talking about, brother?" He spits the last word out and then charges at an unarmed Lucian with his spear. 

I stifle a scream as he aims it's deadly sharp end right at his neck but Lucian moves like the wind. He dodges Lazarus's attack effortlessly and ducks out of the way not before punching Lazarus in the gut. 

The older Plutonian hunches over in pain and Lucian uses the opportunity to grab another weapon from the wall. They start sparring with each other again and my fingers tighten around the handle of the gun under my seat as I wait for the worst to happen. 

I don't realize that I am shaking so much until Rosie places her hand over my free one. I stop slightly but my eyes remain fixed on Lucian and Lazarus.

With the way things are going, Lucian might just win. Maybe there will be no distraction, no chance to escape. Maybe there they won't need to be.

The bubble of hope grows ever so slightly only to be punctured by my ear piercing scream as Lucian's weapon breaks once again. This time Lazarus wastes no time in driving his spear right through Lucian's shoulder. 

Lucian falls to the floor and Lazarus pulls out the spear earning a loud grunt of pain from Lucian. He smiles triumphantly and holds his spear up in the air, going in for the kill this time. 

My eyes, heart and nerves are all a garbled frantic mess as I look around for the so called distraction that is supposed to save his life. Why isn't anyone stopping this? Why haven't the adjudicator's announced the victory to stop the match? 

Was this all part of the coup or is it because Lucian hasn't tapped out yet?

The spectators around us stare at me but soon all our attention returns to the two fighters in the pits. 

"It's like you said right, brother? I guess the stealthiest and strongest did win after all. You want to tap out or die instead of facing lifelong humiliation?" Lazarus asks Lucian who has his head hung low with his fingers clutching the wound on his shoulders. 

He tries to stand up but Lazarus kicks him in the chest making him fall to his knees again.

"So stubborn," Lazarus mocks him but none of us anticipate Lucian to head butt him making Lazarus fall back. The two struggle with each other on the floor and then a flash of red light passes by Lucian's shoulder, missing him by mere millimetres. 

Someone just tried to shoot him. The spectators around us stare at them in shock and I hear a few of them wonder out loud if someone is trying to kill Lucian. 

"He's cheating!" Someone shouts and one of the officers from the exit walks over to reprimand him. 

My attention is still fixed on Lucian and Lazarus struggling with each other but Lucian has blood pooling out of his uniform and has lost a considerable amount of strength. Lazarus is able to hit him hard in the chin making Lucian fall to the floor. 

Not even Rosie can stop my trembling as we watch Lazarus pick up his spear and walk over to Lucian. 

Lucian coughs loudly and it takes every fiber in me to refrain from rushing over to him. Lazarus lifts up his spear to strike Lucian but just then the ground beneath us shakes and the sound of an explosion echoes through the air. 

This stops Lazarus immediately and Rosie tugs at my hand. 

Everyone is distracted as the sound of numerous bombs going off makes some spectators stand up in bewilderment. Just then I hear a Plutonian officer shout to his partner about the bombs in the prison bases going off, setting some rebels free. 

Some humans and Plutonians start panicking. They rush to the exits while a few angry ones rush to the edges of the pits to shout at Lazarus for cheating. 

Rosie pulls my arm as she gets up but I can't take my eyes off Lazarus. I know he won't lose this opportunity with some now calling him out. I know he will kill Lucian and then take over by force.

Just as expected he kicks Lucian who tries to fight him off but loses his weapon in the process and screams for someone to shoot him dead. The entire arena is chaotic and I do not hesitate to use this opportunity to grab the gun from under my seat and shoot Lazarus in the chest. 

He moves slightly and the laser hits his arm but both his and Lucian's attention turn to me as Rosie pulls me through the panicked throng of bodies to the exit. I see Lucian's eyes widen in shock when he sees the guns in our hands and then his face lights up with realization. 

The look of betrayal on his face is like a spear to my chest but I am soon pushed through the exit by a mass of moving bodies, away from Lucian.

And then a Plutonian officer outside notices the guns in our hands and reaches for the one by his side.

Cliffhangerrr!! One more chapter left, I think :) :) Thanks for waiting guys and hope you enjoyed this tense chapter.