Integrate!

The second chamber was nothing like first one. It looked like a world of its own. The ceiling was high, covered in mirrors, and the room was big, with multiple doors everywhere, without walls. I didn't know how big it was, but I couldn't see the end or the beginning of it.

I was standing in daze of this quirky room when all doors suddenly disappeared and I started seeing people in their places. It seemed like it was a shared experience for everyone in here.

Suddenly, mirrors above us started shaking, then, a person appeared inside them. A huge hologram of the same person in every mirror.

"Welcome to the second chamber of the arena. Since all of you are still far ahead of the finish line, the second test will be just as simple as the first one."

Shit, I hope it won't be another riddle.

"You all got a weapon when you finished the first room, didn't you? Don't you think it was a bit strange for every single one of you to get a weapon? This is a competition after all."

I heard murmurs from everywhere, people complaining, but I couldn't understand what they were saying as we were too far away from each other.

"This year, we got a lot more competitors than usual. That's why, only 500 of you will pass to the next stage. The others will be eliminated. And trust me it's better to be just eliminated, since from the next stage you will start dying.", the man laughed at that as if it was the best joke he heard in a while.

Shivers run down my back, but I was ready. I prepared for this all my life, I knew I was better than most people here, I was stronger.

"Okay, so, for this test, I will need you to integrate your powers with your weapon. As you can see, everyone has the same weapon, only when you integrate it with your powers will it become truly yours."

I looked at the spear in my hand. It did look simple to use, but how am I supposed to change it? How do you integrate your powers with your weapon? I was starting to think that my parents didn't know as much about the Arena as they thought. Unless things changed since they were here last, instructions they gave me so far had no use to me.

"I will put a counter here." The image of a man disappeared and in his place three zeroes appeared. "That way you will know how many people are ahead of you."

That will just put more pressure on people. But I guess that was the plan from the beginning. It's a mental battle right now, not a physical one. You get to see how many people are better than you, and you also stress about combining your powers with your weapon.

"You can begin in three, two, one…Start!"

The number skyrocketed so fast that it surprised me, 250 people already passed, in a second. Shit. This is bad. The number started climbing slower after that luckily. It seems that the people that passed already knew how to integrate their weapon.

I had to stop thinking and focus on my weapon. I grabbed it by the middle and sat it straight in front of me, with the tip of the spear snuck in the ground. I tried to visualize my powers and put is inside the spear. Nothing happened.

This was a basic exercise that I did when I tried to summon my powers. But It didn't help me back then so I don't know why I thought it would help me now. I looked at the counter and saw that 300 people passed already. That many people are ahead of me.

Visualizing powers helped me later on, after I got them for the first time. I tried to remember the night that I got my powers for the first time.

Fear.

That was the first feeling that came in my head. The arms of unknown man trying to stop my breathing. The weight on top of me that didn't allow me to move. The stink of his sweat that dripped on my forehead. I remember I tried to push him away, I kicked and scratched but it was no use. I was helpless, pathetic, about to be killed by some unknown man.

Then the anger came.

The fire came out without me knowing. The smell of the burnt meat and hair came in place instead of the sweat. The arm pressing against my neck was no longer putting pressure.

I remember kicking his body off of me. I was still burning, and so was he.

I opened my eyes as I remembered the painful memory. I focused on the feeling of anger. The memories, the pain that I went through. The number was over 350 now. I was angry at those people, I was angry at myself. You are better than them, so why the hell are you still down here. You need to go up Aria, you need to be a hero, you need to save them!

The spear started shining, it changed shape, it changed color, it became thinner, it fit my hand better. It was now black with red cracks, the tip had a normal sharp end but another tip, longer and curved appeared on its side. It reminded me of a scythe we had back home.

I didn't get the chance to examine it closer since I got teleported to the next stage.

The dog girl appeared in front of me and stuck a number on the front of my shirt.

374.

Pathetic.

My parents would be disappointed.

"Aria! Heey! Aria!"

I heard a familiar voice calling for me.

But it can't be. What is he doing here?

I finally saw a familiar mop of black fair going my way. Still short and grumpy, Six appeared in front of me.

"I knew I will find you here." He said tiredly. He was probably looking for me for a while. I saw number three on his shirt and subconsciously tightened my jacket around me.

"What are you doing here Six?" , I was nervous. Did my parents sent him? Did they not trust me enough?

He scratched his neck nervously.

"I thought I could be of help to you, so I decided to join the arena as well."

"Why would you want to do that?" , in this arena we fight till death. Having Six around could be useful, but what about when we reach the end. Can I beat Six? Me right now can't, but me in the future will have to.

He looked at me weirdly.

"Because we are friends, of course."

No Six, we are enemies.