Daughters Of Pierce

Five

    "It's been a while, E," Edwardian turned around smiling. The fear in me was drained away by the calm euphoric feeling of Edwardian's mind.

    General Armadian Sterling is standing at her Chamber's entrance. She will be sharing this room with Avaira, who was also punished for what E and Dominion had done. They are both housed in the Hall of Eternity. She hadn't seen Armadian since she had been sent to camp thirty years ago. When she had returned he had been sent to the guard in Old Darkness. She remembers the last time she had seen him. He was slimmer, less muscle, most definitely less facial hair. At that moment, she decided that it goes beautifully with him.

    "It has, hasn't it?" she moved aside as a former took her belongings into the room.

    "Look at you," he growled circling her around her like a predator. "You're all grown up. A true Vampire Princess,"

    "Yes, we must all grow up sometime," she chastised with a smirk. He laughed the booming sound of it made her shiver.

    "Thank the goddess for that,"

    "That is the cheapest line in the book, brother," Avaira laughed, coming up behind her saving her from the massive blush that almost broke across her face. "Stop flirting with the princess. She is way out of your league,"

    "I think she belittles me, E," he growled into her ear. She didn't miss the wink he fired her way as he walked into their room.

    "Where is Dom?" Edwardian's mood is now officially ruined.

    "Hall of Light," Armadian and Avaira both turned to look at her.

    "He didn't," Avaira growled.

    "No. I'm convinced it was that b***h Malivia," E waved them off before sitting on top of her coffin.

    "What are you going to do?" Armadian asked.

    "Whatever it takes to get the f**k out of here alive,"

    "She's your sister, E," Avaira sighed.

    "My survival ensures the survival of the Vampire race. Not to mention the survival of Darkness. If I let that b***h have her way it's the end of everything. I love Dom. You more than anyone knows that, but I can't just allow all of this go to s**t. Too many lives depend on my survival. She's just one person,"

    "I'm sorry, but your father is a complete fool," she groaned opening her coffin before falling into it.

    "Get ready. Trials are about to begin," the hall master shouted. Avaira groaned climbing out of the coffin before shutting it again. E would have laughed had she been in better spirits.

    Armadian went back to his chambers to get ready. Edwardian began to ready herself to give these trials everything. There is no such thing as holding back in the arenas. This is where Darknessians of every house are sent to make up for any crimes they have committed. Some never make it out, some don't even pass the trials. It's kill or be killed. At least in the Camps, they had to kill mindless formers, not one another. At least, not directly.

    Edwardian pushed everything out of her mind by the time she was downstairs. I didn't want to tell her yet. She couldn't afford the distractions in here. She was going to be killed if she had other s**t on her mind.

    "Welcome to the Inner Circle. I am Tobias Carmichael," a massive man called out, coming down from the top floor. Edwardian likes the dark shade of his skin. What she doesn't like are all the scars that covered a lot of him. She had heard of him. He was a ruthless murderer back when Edwardian had been trapped in the confines of the camp. Now he's the Hall master since he can't be killed in the arena and the council doesn't want him out there killing innocents.

    "We have quite the group here. I am a fan of most of you," he laughed. "Come forward as I introduce you, please. Princess Edwardian Pierce," a few whispers began as Edwardian stepped forward.

    "Sentenced to full trials for the murder of Marcus Belmont the werewolf Beta and the m******e of the entire pack of Moonlit Dance. Tell me, Princess, why did you do it?"

    "Shits and giggles," she glared at him. Armadian and Avaira chuckled.

    "Aristocrat Lutherian Avaira Sterling. Sentenced to full trials for accomplice of the m******e of Moonlit Dance. Was it just the two of you?"

    "It was just the princess's appetite I just kind of watched," Avaira shrugged. Edwardian laughed.

    "Kinky," Tobias smirked. "Aristocrat Armadian Sterling. Sentenced to full trials for the murder of Alpha Marcelino Parson of Moonlit Dance," Edwardian looked over at him shocked. "Were you in league with these ladies?"

    "He took something from someone I care about," he shrugged like it was no big deal. He winked at E again before crossing his massive arms over his broad chest.

    "Xavian Stefan sentenced to two trials for spitting at Queen Malivia Pierce," Edwardian, Avaira, and Armadian laughed.

    "That b***h is no queen," he growled. "My queen will be Queen Milianne Duke until the prince takes a soul," Edwardian smiled feeling pride swell up in her chest.

    "Sebastian Monte Carlo," he sighed. "Sentenced to two trials for taking the fastest mare from princess Azreal Chambers?"

    "It wasn't her mare. She took it from my sister," he argued.

    "It's just a horse," Avaira mocked, making a confused face.

    "I know. I just hate that she gets away with everything just because she's an angel princess,"

    "Based on your performance tonight, you will decide who will take strategic lead for the remainder of your stay. Remaining rival hall members will be joining us to replace those who don't survive," Tobias informed. "Any questions?"

    "Are we all going to be tried at the same time?" Xavian asked.

    "Yes, group effort," Tobias answered sarcastically.

    Edwardian smirked as he stepped onto the platform. It began to shake. She rotated her shoulders closing her eyes. She has to survive and for that to happen she needs to get everyone in line to make sure they all do. If one dies that means less protection to keep her alive in future fights.

    The arenas had once been used as gladiator stadiums which is no different from this. The light coming off the candles began to leak in through the cracks as the platform settled. The shouts of adrenaline echoed through the tunnel ahead.

    "First time with an audience," Avaira complained.

    "You didn't go to the camps in Macedonia," Armadian smirked.

    "Macedonia was hard," Xavian admitted.

    "Explains why you guys are so cold," she chuckled.

    When the five of them stepped off the platform and made their way towards the arena a wall blocked them from actually seeing the arena ahead. They weren't allowed to see it. It keeps them from forming a strategy straight out the gate. Above, those who had come to see the show are cheering. Funny how they didn't think killing should be committed outside but had no problem paying ridiculous amounts of gold to come see us tear each other apart.

    "What do we do?" Xavian asked out loud as fear began to settle in his blood. Edwardian can taste it.

    "Stay together in a circular formation. Do not break away," Armadian answered.

    "We exit to the left," Edwardian added agreeing with his plan. It's the first time I ever see her agree with a fighting strategy that isn't her own. 

    The five of them carefully moved around the wall to find the arena of eight pillars. This is the arena where no weapons are given to demonstrate the powers of each Darknessian as well as their hand in hand combat skills to set a betting pool for the real battles ahead.

    "Welcome to the first round of Darkness Trials," Bartholomew Knotheram shouted over the screaming crowd. "To my left, we have the Inner Circle," the cheers erupted in chaos. "To my right, we have the House of Salvatore," more screaming. "No weapons and the rules are... There are no rules. The first hall to have only two remaining members losses,"

    "Is that legal?" Sebastian asked.

    "There are no rules," Edwardian smirked releasing her wings and fangs.

    "Dinner is served," Avaira smirked stepping away from her.

    "They have an angel," Xavian whispered nervously.

    Abbadon looked at Edwardian with a smirk. She returned it. She had wanted to fight him for a while now. She also wants to know why he's here. So do I. She looked at our opponents and how they rushed out, spread out like they couldn't care less if they died.

    "I'll take the angel. Vampires usually go for the obvious kill when not trained. Their upper bodies are their strong point go for the legs," E whispered.

    "That doesn't insult us in any way," Avaira snarked sarcastically.

    "She's right. We don't have weapons you're going to have to take them down to get close enough to rip their hearts out. Strike upwards in the center, right under the chest. Use your hand as a dagger open it as soon as you reach the heart and pull as hard as you can," Armadian instructed. "E, you have to distract that angel without getting yourself killed,"

    Edwardian didn't say a word as they came to a stop at the center of the arena. She faced Abbadon who held a smirk on his lips. She looked around to see that they were still in a circle. There is no way they were going to keep it. That much we both know.

    "Good evening, Princess," he greeted mockingly.

    "Abbadon," she smiled giving him a slight nod.

    "It's been a fight in the making," he chuckled. "Mili had wanted to fight me as well, but she never got around to it,"

    "Don't hold back," Edwardian laughed, taking a defensive stance.

    "Not in my nature," he bellowed. Armadian growled at the way E and Abbadon are speaking to one another. Vampires are very possessive of what is there's. It only served to fuel E's excitement.

    "Are you ready?" Bartholomew shouted. "Deathmatch,"

    Abbadon rushed forward using his wings for speed. Edwardian dodged him gripping his ankle right before he reached Xavian. She pulled him back sending him into a pillar face-first. The impact shook the entire stadium. He turned to look at her angrily.

    "I don't think so," she growled watching the blood in his nose slide down to his face.

    He stood up licking the blood off of his lips. He didn't look anywhere else this time focusing his glare just on her. This time, she rushed forward getting her arms around his neck. He gripped her thighs pulling her into him before slamming her into the pillar behind us. His fist came down on her chest knocking the wind out of her. Blood flooded her mouth. She smirked at him when he pulled back to hit her again. She spit the blood in his eyes making him stumble back.

    "f**k," he growled rubbing his eyes.

    She pushed off the wall with all she could ramming her shoulder into him propelling him across the stadium into one of his teammates that had been getting an advance on Avaira. The crowd went wild when the arena shook as the two of them smacked into the wall. A massive hole burst through as dust and pieces of gravel shattered everywhere. 

    Abbadon took no time to recover and rushed towards us. She caught his attack, his impact against the palm of her hands lightly pushed E back. He hit Edwardian's arm with his forearm before he punched her in the chest with an uppercut. E's body was swept off the dirt as her body was sent free-falling backward. Armadian broke her fall.

    "What the hell, E," he growled at her annoyed before standing back up. He pushed her away going for whoever it was he was fighting. She laughed feeling the ache in her chest as she panted.

    "That was a dirty strike, Princess," Abbadon complained while shaking his head with a smile. "Let's play then,"

    A light beamed down from the stars that were brightly exposed over the arena and into his hands forming a sphere of light. At least I think it's a star. He's going to attack her with it. E's body came alive with adrenaline. 

    She tried to move out of the way as he launched it at her. Edwardian was barely able to dodge it as it came at her grazing her arm as it hit the stadium wall behind her. The sting ripped through her arm leaving the flesh bleeding and exposed down a few layers of skin and muscle. She placed her hand over it freezing the wound to keep her from bleeding out.

    "Alright," she growled out in pain. 

    Whatever that had been it had been cold. She's never had a problem with the cold before but whatever he had hit her with, had frozen the flesh where the beam grazed her and then broke apart.

    I had only seen Edwardian use this power one other time and it was when I had still been alive. The ground began to quake. This is something she had learned from Philip and their shared connection. From the torches and candles lighting the arena, small flames began to beam down into the opening cracks of the earth at her feet. She had bled on Abaddon's face so she concentrated on the blood locking him right where he stood unable to move. This is one of the powers no one other than the hybrids have. The stadium grew dark except for the light under her feet.

    As the heat of the flames melted the rocks at her feet she lifted them up off the ground pulling them to her and then propelling them back at Abbadon. The stadium shook as the ground broke apart melting away with her attack.

    "Edwardian no," Avaira shouted grabbing onto one of the members of the house of Salvatore. She tossed him into Abbadon knocking him out of the way. The poor guy took the full impact of the attack.

    The entire stadium was silent as the flames swallowed him up along with the guy who had been trying to get back up since Abbadon had slammed into him when E had first attacked. Edwardian's anger is at its peak as she stood there taking in deep breaths trying to calm down.

    "Holy s**t," Armadian whispered.

    "The Inner Circle wins," Bartholomew shouted somewhere in the darkness and the crowd cheered.

    Edwardian stood up straight concentrating on the flames sending it back to the torches she had taken them from. The stadium lit back up. Nothing was left of the two guys. Her sight began to spin and the pain in her arm became unbearable making her fall to her knees.

    "Abbadon and Wraith are now part of the Inner Circle as a tribute to the two fallen members," Bartholomew added.

    "Were you really going to kill me, Princess?" Abbadon asked amused as made his way over to her.

    "We need to get her some blood," Avaira growled, looking over Edwardian's arm. The small beam that had grazed her left a deep gash in her arm so deep her bone is visible.

    "You were going to kill me," E growled hoarsely.

    "I knew you would dodge it. You locked me in place. How did you do that?"

    "My blood," she whispered. Unable to draw a proper breath in.

    "Nice," Armadian glared at him before looking at her arm. She smiled at him as he lifted her into his arms.

    "Nice gap," she chuckled pointing at his missing fang.

    "My fang will grow back," he smirked.

    "Did you pick it up?" he laughed.

    "No, I didn't. It was in the guy you set fire to back there," she laughed.

    You need some rest, E. I have a few things to tell you. I finally spoke up.

    "Okay," she answered out loud.

    "What?" Armadian asked as the platform lifted the five of them back up to the dorms.

    "It's okay that you lost my fang," she whispered before the pain blurred everything into darkness.