Chapter 14

Brooklyn, New York – Graves Apartment

Sophia Graves had always been a light sleeper, but tonight, she hadn't slept at all.

The second the Voice spoke, she knew what it meant.

She had been sitting at the kitchen table, a cold cup of tea forgotten at her side, her hands clenched so tightly around her phone that her knuckles had turned white. The brackets had been revealed, and Orion's name had burned itself into her mind the moment she saw it.

Her boy.

Her seventeen-year-old son.

Set to fight.

Set to kill or be killed.

A match against someone she had never heard of, but it didn't matter. It wasn't about who the opponent was. It was about the fact that she couldn't protect him.

She had lost her husband in an instant—one terrible moment that shattered their family. And now, this?

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right.

Her hands shook as she scrolled through the news updates. Every station was covering it. Every country was reacting—politicians scrambling, nations arguing about what to do.

And outside? The world was panicking.

But all she could think about was her son.

The phone buzzed. A message from Daniel—her husband's brother, Orion's uncle.

Daniel: Saw the announcement. Do you want me to come over?

Sophia hesitated.

She wanted to say yes. Wanted to say she couldn't breathe, that she needed someone to tell her it was going to be okay.

But it wouldn't be.

So instead, she typed:

Sophia: I'm fine.

She wasn't. But that didn't matter.

She exhaled, gripping her phone tightly, whispering to the empty kitchen:

"Please be safe, Orion."

Brooklyn – Caleb's Apartment

Caleb stared at his laptop screen, eyes wide.

"Holy. Shit."

Ava and Jace's faces stared back at him over the video call, both looking equally stunned. The bracket had just been revealed, and there was Orion's name, clear as day.

"I—" Jace started, then stopped. He ran a hand through his hair, looking pale. "I don't even know what to say."

Ava looked furious. "How the hell did he end up in this?"

"Bro," Caleb muttered. "He's literally about to fight for his life."

Silence.

The tournament had seemed distant before. A world event, but not their world. Something crazy happening on the news, something that felt big but also… untouchable.

But now?

Now it was Orion.

Their friend.

Ava gritted her teeth. "We should've done something. We should've—"

"What?" Jace snapped. "Stormed the Pentagon? You think we could've stopped it?"

Ava exhaled sharply, frustration clear in every movement. "I just—I hate this."

Caleb leaned forward. "So do I. But we're not powerless."

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What do you suggest?"

"We support him," Caleb said simply. "However we can. I don't care if we're not fighters. We're his friends. And when he wins? When he comes home? He's gonna need us."

Ava exhaled, nodding slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

Jace smirked. "Damn, Caleb. When did you get all inspiring?"

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

Jace chuckled, but then his expression sobered.

"You think he's scared?"

Ava went quiet.

Caleb swallowed. "I think he's… focused. But yeah. He has to be."

Another silence.

Then, Ava straightened. "Alright. Then let's be there for him. However we can."

Caleb and Jace nodded.

Because no matter what happened in that arena—

Orion wasn't alone.

Lagos, Nigeria – Okoye Family Residence

Bakari Okoye's family home was filled with noise.

Not panic. Not despair.

But pride.

His mother had called a dozen relatives, his father had already spoken to local news, and his younger brothers had practically exploded with excitement the moment they heard the announcement.

"Bakari's gonna win!" his youngest brother, Kofi, shouted, jumping onto the couch. "He's the strongest!"

Their mother, Amara, beamed. "My son, representing all of Nigeria. The whole world will see!"

Bakari, standing by the window, felt their pride.

And yet—

He couldn't shake the weight in his chest.

It wasn't that he was afraid.

But he knew what this meant.

He was expected to win.

Not just for himself.

For his country.

For his people.

He was strong. He had been strong before this tournament, before he even knew he had an ability.

But what if it wasn't enough?

What if—

A hand landed on his shoulder. His father.

"Bakari," he said firmly. "Are you ready?"

Bakari met his gaze.

And he nodded.

Because he had no choice.

United Nations – Emergency Meeting

The room was in chaos.

World leaders, diplomats, military officials—all talking at once, all demanding answers that no one had.

The Voice had spoken again, and the world had listened.

The brackets had been revealed. The fights had been set.

And now?

The reality of the tournament was unavoidable.

"We need a coordinated response!" one diplomat shouted.

"This is out of our hands," another countered. "These champions—whatever powers they've been given—they're beyond us!"

A military official leaned forward. "We have citizens in that arena. They're fighting for their lives. What happens if our representative wins? What happens if they lose?"

No one had an answer.

The President of the United States leaned forward, his face unreadable. "We need to prepare for every outcome."

Because no one knew what came next.

All they knew was that the tournament had begun.

And the world was watching.