Chapter 5: The Earthquake

Just as the guards finished shackling the children and were about to escort them back to their cells as usual, a sudden earthquake shook the underground arena. The tremor was so violent that even the spectators in the stands lost their balance and fell.

​When Smith realized it was an earthquake, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Had they been on the surface, he wouldn’t have been as worried there were many ways to avoid the damage caused by the earthquake like staying on the open field without tall buildings around. But trapped underground, a sudden collapse could swallow them whole. Refusing to gamble their lives on the arena’s structural integrity, Smith shouted at the children to follow him toward safety before the ceiling gave way.

And because Smith had lead them to survive In the previous arena challenges,they had an almost blind trust on him.

​As they fled, one child sprained his ankle and collapsed. Seeing this, the other children wanted to leave him behind out of pure panic. Smith immediately turned back, hoisted the injured child with one arm, and ordered another boy to grab the child’s other side. Together, they dragged him through the gateway and out of the main arena.

​Smith’s instincts proved correct. Moments after they cleared the doorway, massive chunks of debris rained down indiscriminately from the ceiling, crushing the center of the arena where they had been fighting just moments before.some falling rubble struck the stands, causing some casualties among the spectators causing the spectators to erupt in wild panic.

​Just as the panicked crowd scrambled toward the main exits, the earthquake abruptly stopped. Before the chaos could settle, the heavy double doors at one of the entrances were kicked open with immense force, tearing them off their hinges. The heavy doors slammed into the fleeing crowd, crushing and killing several people instantly.

​A heavy silence fell over the arena. A group of heavily armored soldiers burst inside and immediately sealed every gateway. Anyone who tried to break through including the arena’s own guards was cut down on the spot.

​Shortly after, a detachment of elite troops escorted a group of finely dressed, high ranking figures into the arena. One distinguished man scanned the bodies on the floor. Frustrated by what he saw, he barked out a direct command: "You must find them immediately, at all costs! I want him alive! Find his body even if only a piece remains, bring it to me now!" The soldiers scattered to search every corner of the facility.

​A few minutes prior, Smith and the children had taken shelter inside a heavily fortified room that served as the arena’s armory. Stored inside were racks of weapons and thick metal doors. They barricaded themselves inside and waited in silence until the shaking stopped.

​When Smith cracked the door open to survey the hallway, he spotted a group of arena guards the same men who usually acted like tyrant running for their lives, pursued by the invading soldiers. Seeing Smith at the doorway, one of the guards shouted, "Grab those kids! We can use them as hostages!" The one guard immediately charged the armory ond the other remained to watch for any pursuers.

​Although he didn’t know what they were up to but he couldn’t let where plan to fruition so Smith slammed the door, but a guard managed to jam his arm into the gap.

​A brutal tug of war ensued. Being young and malnourished, Smith was easily outmatched in strength. The other children rushed forward to throw their weight against the door. Seeing the door nearly close, another guard yelled, "Just shove through! It doesn’t matter if we break them, as long as they’re alive it is enough"

​The guards threw their weight against the door, throwing the children backward. Several kids landed hard onto the weapon racks, sustaining sharp cuts and bruised limbs. The guard forced his way inside.

​Driven by desperation, Smith grabbed a nearby weapon from the floor, pointed it at the intruder, and yelled, "Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill you!"

​Ignoring the threat, the lead guard reached out to grab one of the children. Smith lunged, slashing his sword vertically across the man’s arm. However, due to Smith’s weak frame, the strike lacked power; it cut the skin but failed to disable the guard.

​Enraged, the guard delivered a brutal kick to Smith’s chest, sending him flying across the room into the stone wall. The impact knocked the wind out of Smith’s lungs. Gasping for air, he coughed up blood as a burning pain radiated through his chest.

​I can’t let them harm these kids, Smith thought through the haze of pain. They trust me to get them out. If I fail now, they lose all hope.

​Smith forced himself to his feet and charged the guard again. The guard sneered, preparing to kick him a second time, but Smith performed a forward dive roll and tackled the man’s leg.

​Thinking the boy was merely making a desperate, harmless attempt to hold him down, the guard reached down, grabbed Smith by the throat, and lifted him off his feet.

​"You’ve got a death wish, kid," the guard growled, bringing Smith face to face. "I only needed one of your little friends, but since you aren’t one of the high value targets, killing you won’t cost me a thing."

​Before the guard could finish, Smith reached up with his left hand and clamped it tightly over the guard’s mouth. Confused by the gesture, the guard’s eyes widened when a sudden cold slice cut across his throat.

​The guard dropped Smith, clutching his neck in shock. Blood spurted through his fingers as his windpipe was severed. In Smith’s right hand was the guard’s own thigh dagger stolen while Smith had tackled his leg. The guard collapsed to the floor, dying in silence.

​Gasping and rubbing his bruised neck, Smith turned to the terrified children. "Don’t panic," he wheezed. "We’re safe for now."

​Before the children could respond, the sound of intense fighting echoed from the corridor outside, followed by a final, terrifying scream. The armory door slowly swung open as a heavily armed soldier stepped into the doorway.