The Blood Tournament

"Attention, as you're leader, I have devised a game."

The ringing of those words ran through the town as everyone slowly gathered around a small stepping stool and microphone to hear the words of this new leader.

"I will now require every child under the age of 25 to participate in my game. Anyone under the age of fifteen is not going to be forced unless the child has committed a felony."

Panic struck in the hearts of everyone as the word felony was used. They weren't mentally prepared for this mans next words. Parents clung to their children as he spoke. Children began to whimper and sob.

"Every child will be placed into teams of /ten/ or more. In the future, each will contain one or two of our most experienced fighters. The rest following on. Only two or three being the youngest."

"There will be several teams, and not just from this town. I have set up this game in twelve towns already. And this is just another stepping stone!"

The man declared this with his hands thrown in the air as even some of the young parents themselves feared their youngest children will be without a mother or a father. But there was no getting out of this. They all knew it, their children.. They where all going to be taken from them.

"Each team meets at a middle town. And don't try to pull your child our of this, they will be killed on sight if found outside the tournament."

The man narrowed his eyes and shot glares into the eyes of people he suspected would do that, then smiled once more to continue his the game speech.

"Each team will then be thrown into a maze. The technology to make this maze is like nothing anyone has ever seen, so don't think you can break it. Its a world. Inside the world. And each of you will travel to different towns, follow the signs, the roads. The eldest in your groups will be your guides. The groups from here will be assigned a guide from another town. An experienced one. And in time, your eldest will become guides. It's a dangerous game out there.."

The man paused, trying to hang the town on a thred before they broke down. He enjoyed the fear, his smile only showed it.

"In town, you are safe. But keep your teammates close. The games have only get to begin. And each town has its games. Don't try to kill the man who tells you what it is, he isn't real. The only real people there. Are you, your team, and the other teams. But I applaud the thought."

"At the end of the game, the survivers will be taken back to their families. And each year they will go back until they are of age to work here in this town."

" There Is Only Enough Room In This World For The Strongest! "

Those where his last words. No one had the slightest idea of the horrors this game would have. But for twelve years, they where forced to it. Like any other holiday. Old survivers would train the young to fight. To hunt. To kill.. But the games weren't always the same, sometimes training wasn't enough. But it was how the world worked. And year after year, the games became bigger, the death rate higher, and the crime rate was at a standstill. For fear that they'd be thrown into the tournament. As years went by, it wasn't just the younger kids thrown in for crimes. Even adults, people on their death beds. The game was sick, but it became a way of life for each and every tortured soul in it.