Hot Spot

With the last of my strength, I pushed myself up from the ground and staggered towards the exit. I didn't have the courage to glance back at the arena, where I had suffered a humiliating defeat. Outside, a man in a black suit and sunglasses was waiting for me. He gave me a card with a number on it.

"Sorry, you've lost the match. Follow me, and don't lose this card. It's your ticket to the island." He said in a cold voice.

I walked behind him quietly, feeling guilty about what I had done. Outside, a plane was ready, full of people with different emotions: anger, fear, acceptance. I saw a free seat and sat down, hoping to get some mercy.

"Hey, you're new here, right? I'm Jack, nice to meet you." A friendly voice said next to me. I turned and saw a young man with blond hair and blue eyes, smiling at me. He looked like he was seventeen, just like me.

"Hi, I'm...uh, Mehmet." I said, hesitating. I didn't know if I should trust anyone here.

"So, what do you think of this whole thing? Are you ready for the battle?" He asked, leaning closer.

I looked at him, unsure what to say. "I don't know, man. I'm just trying to live." I said, shrugging.

He nodded, understanding. "I get it. It's not fair, being here. But don't worry, I'll help you out. We can be allies, if you want."

He extended his hand, offering me a deal. I looked at his hand, then at his face. He seemed sincere, but I didn't know if I could trust him. Maybe he was just trying to trick me or use me.

Before I could decide, the plane started to move. A loudspeaker announced that we were about to take off, and that we should fasten our seatbelts.

The flight was boring and uneventful, until we reached our destination. The man in the suit handed out brochures to everyone on the plane. The title read 'Free-for-all battle'.

I opened it and learned about the rules of the game. We were going to be dropped on an island, where we would have to scavenge for food, water, and weapons. This was the first phase of the battle, which would last for a week. We had to fight each other or form alliances, until only a few were left. At the end of the week, we had to return to the starting point, where we would meet the surviving losers of the second round of the tournament. They would join us for the second phase of the battle, which would last for another two weeks. We would continue to fight, until only three of us remained. The three finalists would rejoin the tournament at different stages: the third place would enter in the third round, the second place in the fourth round, and the first place in the fifth round.

I closed the brochure, feeling sick. This was insane. How could they do this to us? How could I do this to others? I looked around and saw the faces of the other contestants. Some looked scared, some looked angry, some looked determined. They were all my enemies, and I was theirs.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned. It was Jack, smiling at me.

"Don't worry, buddy. We'll make it through this. Together." He said, reassuring me.

I looked into his eyes and saw a glint of something. Was it hope, or madness?

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to think.

I only knew one thing.

I was in hell.

The plane landed on a small airstrip near the coast of the island. We were told to get off and line up in front of a large truck. The man in the suit checked our cards and gave us each a backpack. He said it contained some basic supplies and a map of the island. He also said we had to wear a bracelet that would track our location and vital signs. If we tried to remove it, we would be disqualified and eliminated.

"Listen up, losers. This is your last chance to win back your dignity and glory. You have one hour to get ready and find a spot to hide. After that, the battle begins. There are no rules, no mercy, no escape. Only one thing matters: survival. Good luck and may the best fighter win." He said, with a smirk.

"Come on, Mehmet. Let's stick together. We can do this." Jack said, confidently.

I nodded and followed him. I didn't want to kill anyone, but I also didn't want to die.

We ran away from the truck, towards the forest. We had to find a safe place to hide and plan our strategy. We had to survive this nightmare.

The island was huge, and full of dangers. There were wild animals, poisonous plants, hidden traps, and of course, other contestants. We had to be careful of everything and everyone. We had to trust no one but ourselves.

Jack and I decided to head to the north of the island, where there was a lake and a cave. We thought it would be a good place to set up a camp and gather some resources. We also hoped to avoid the other contestants, who might be more aggressive and violent.

We ran through the forest, dodging branches and rocks. We followed the map on our bracelets, which showed us our location and the direction of the lake. We also checked our vital signs, which were displayed on the screen. We had to make sure we were healthy and hydrated.

We reached the lake after an hour of running. It was a beautiful sight, with clear water and green trees. We saw some fish swimming in the water, and some birds flying in the sky. We felt a sense of relief and peace.

"Wow, this is amazing. We're so lucky to find this place." Jack said, admiring the view.

"Yeah, it's really nice. Maybe we can stay here for a while." I said, agreeing with him.

We walked around the lake, looking for the cave. We found it on the other side, near a hill. It was a large opening, with a dark interior. We entered the cave and turned on our flashlights. We saw some stalactites and stalagmites, and some bats hanging from the ceiling. We also saw some bones and skulls, which made us shiver.

"Looks like this cave has been used by someone before. Maybe some locals" Jack said, examining the bones.

"Or maybe some predators. Let's hope they're not here anymore." I said, feeling nervous.

We explored the cave and found a small chamber at the end. It was dry and spacious, with some blankets and pillows. There was also a fire pit, and some cans of food and water. It looked like someone had prepared this place for us.

"Wow, this is perfect. Someone must have left this for us. Maybe they're friendly, or maybe they're dead." Jack said, smiling.

"Or maybe they're waiting for us to lower our guard, and then attack us." I said, suspicious.

"Come on, Mehmet. Don't be so paranoid. This is a gift, not a trap. Let's enjoy it while we can." Jack said, convincing me.

He threw his backpack on the floor and sat on the bed. He opened a can of beans and started to eat. He offered me some, and I accepted. We ate in silence, feeling hungry and tired.

We finished our meal and decided to rest. We had to conserve our energy and strength. We had to be ready for anything.

We lay down on the bed and covered ourselves with the blankets.

We sleep the night in the chamber smoothly, it was just the right temperature, and the bed was comfortable. I was the first to wake up, so I decide to look around the chamber, that's where I find a note.

"Congratulations on finding one of the 30 hidden chambers. This place will keep you safe, but it has no extra food or drinks."

We were lucky to find this shelter, but we couldn't rely on luck alone. Our backpack only had enough food for one day, so we had to go hunting today.

As I leave the chamber and the cave, I head out to hunt in the forest. I spot a rabbit in the distance and unleash my Pyrovision power, setting it on fire. I hope it dies quickly and painlessly. I run to the charred carcass, still steaming, and stuff it in my backpack.

After hunting down a few more rabbits with my Pyrovision power, I fill my backpack with food and make my way back to the chamber.

I see Jack reading a book on his bed. "You're finally up, huh?" I said. I opened my backpack and took out some meat. "Look what I got. Enough rabbit for both of us."

"Wow, you got it! I'm starving," he exclaimed. "But how are we going to cook it?"

I smile and say, "No problem at all." I activate my power and sear the meat until it's medium well.

He gaped at me with shock, as if he had just witnessed a miracle. "How did you do that?

I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I have the power to set anything on fire with my eyes. It's my gift."

He shook his head in awe. "That's incredible. And you never mentioned it?

I shrugged. "You never told me about your power either, so I thought it was fair. What can you do, anyway?"

He smiled sheepishly and touched his chest. "Well, mine is not that awesome. I can turn intangible for a few seconds, but that's it."

I waved my hand. "Don't be modest. That sounds very handy and cool. Come on, let's eat. We don't have much time."

I hand him the roasted rabbit and grab another one from my backpack. I use my power to sear it in seconds and bite into it.

After a satisfying meal, we are filled with curiosity and enthusiasm. We leave the chamber and head southwest, hoping to discover something fascinating.

He gazes at me with curiosity and asks, "Do you think there's anyone else out there, or are they all hiding in fear?"

I chuckle and reply, "I don't know, I hope not. I mean, it's-" I stop mid-sentence as I spot a huge wolf charging at Jack, its eyes blazing with rage. It's the biggest wolf I've ever seen.

As it lunges at Jack, I react swiftly and strike it in the jaw, sending it flying backwards and crashing to the floor. I back away cautiously, watching the wolf for any signs of life, when its fur begins to morph and reshape into a human woman, she has long black hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes. She wears a torn leather jacket and jeans and has a tattoo of a wolf on her arm. She looks angry and defiant.

She taunts me with her words. "You got lucky with that punch, but you won't lay a finger on me again."

"Who are you? What's your power?" I asked, trying to sound brave.

"My name is Luna, and I can turn into anything I want. You've already seen my wolf form, but that's not the only one I have. I can also be a mermaid, a fairy, a spider, or anything else you can imagine." She said, smirking.

She shifted her body again and turned into a mermaid, with scales as green as emeralds and a tail as long as a snake. She splashed water at me, trying to blind me.

I dodged the water and ran towards her, hoping to catch her off guard. I used my Pyrovision power to burn her tail, hoping to make her scream.

But Luna was too clever. She flipped her tail and hit me in the face, making me stagger. She laughed and said, "You're no match for me. I can be anything, and you can only be yourself."

She changed her shape again and turned into a fairy, with wings as thin as paper and a wand as bright as a star. She flew up in the air and shot sparks at me, trying to stun me.

I ducked and covered my head, feeling the sparks hit my skin. I felt a surge of pain and anger. I hated her, and I wanted to make her pay.

"Help me, Jack!" I yelled, looking for my ally.

Jack was behind me, holding a stick. He had been watching the fight, waiting for the right moment. He saw me in trouble and decided to act.

He threw the stick at Luna, aiming for her wings. He said, "Don't worry, Mehmet. I'm here to help."

The stick hit Luna's wings, making her lose balance. She fell to the ground, dropping her wand. She looked at Jack and me, with hatred in her eyes.

She said, "You two are fools. You think you can beat me? You think you can win this battle? You're wrong. I'll always fight back."

She changed her shape and turned into a spider, with legs as sharp as needles and fangs as venomous as poison. She crawled towards us, trying to bite us.

I looked at her and used my Pyrovision power to burn her, hoping to end this once and for all.

But Luna was too fast. She jumped at me, trying to sink her fangs into my neck.

I closed my eyes and braced for the impact, when I heard a thud and a scream.

I opened my eyes and saw Jack standing over me, holding a rock. He had smashed Luna's head, killing her.

"Jack, you rescued me, I thought I was doomed but you rescued me" I murmured, shivering with terror. "Thank you!"

"Don't mention it buddy. We're in this together, and we'll make it out alive" Jack reassured me. But before he could say anything else, a loud alarm sounded from our bracelets.

"First blood 'Luna Selva'. Killed by: Jake Shade, assisted by: Mehmet Muja" The voice said, making us shiver. We looked at our bracelets and saw another message. "Live location of the killers will be public to view for the next 30 minutes" It showed a map of the island with 2 red dots, our locations.

They were coming for us.