We stand in rows, the last five of us, the survivors. Each of us is clothed in dark robes, our faces a maze of wrinkles and sweat. Non of us dare to breath our hearts heavily thudding from within our chests. We all know that there will be no second place that the only way to survive is to win. The only way to survive is to kill the others and we are all desperate enough to do so.

The board of judges inspect us, staring us down like prey. They begin to speak “Cove, Anebella, Henrick, Lyli and Riv, the children of some of the richest families in our beautiful land. I give you my congratulations for completing the following levels and making it this far in the competition. As you know there will be only one winner, if you loose your families fortune will be taken, but if you win you shall become the richest and own the highest status and privilege of our society, it is a great honour that you five have been nominated. My deepest sympathy for those who do not make it through to the awards ceremony, The best of luck on the final round.” The other judges nod, some smiling others laughing, tears of happiness rolling down their cheeks. And then the floor drops and each of us falls through to where we know the final round will be.

Each of us chooses a weapon, cove chooses a knife, Anebella an axe, Henrick and Lyli both go with long swords and I decide on wide tooth ninja stars. We stand in a circle removing our ceremonial robes to reveal tight black thermals with leggings and leather belts around our waists for the weapons we now possess. I chew amongst my lip, gazing at the people who I know will have to die in order for me to win. My eyes linger on Henrick, my heart thrusts in my chest, I feel a harsh blush coming on, enflaming my cheeks. I shake my head, angry at my foolishness. I need to keep my head free of silly thoughts.

The game is quite simple, a ruby shall be placed in the centre of the arena, us five have to do whatever we can to take the jem this can include killing, harming and cheating to a certain extent. Whoever still holds the ruby after the 30 minutes of the challenge wins.

A loud voice begins to count down, 1.... 2.... 3........ and then it begins.

Cove lunges forward taking the ruby and sharply slicing Henrick through the chest as he grabs her wrist. I run forward, watching as the boy falls to the ground, clutching his chest. Henrick screams in agony, slumping onto his back, his breathing sharp and wheezy, blood spilling from his chest. I am lost for words, I do not feel anything. I stare into the dead mans eyes, as realisation hits me hard like a ton of bricks. Anebella rushes over her face red and blotchy, and falls to her trembling knees, shoving me harshly out of the way. tears spill from her cheeks as she realises that Cove just murdered her brother. I stay on the floor in the same position where Anebella pushed me, refusing to accept reality.

Anebella screams and lifts her axe above her opponents head, ready to hammer it into her back but, cove is faster she slips her knife through Heneick’s sisters heart and gently pockets the ruby. Now it’s just me Lyli and cove who remain.

The three of us stand in a triangle unsure of what to do next, cove clicks her neck, shaking her arms, preparing herself for her next victim. I watch Lyli from the corner of my eye, her long sword pointing at my side, she prepares to thrust it into my hip but not before I throw four ninja stars at her chest. Blood pools where the teeth of the star cut deep into her flesh. Cove grins, finishing of the job by placing her knife on Lyli’s heart.

“Now...”she purrs “it’s just you and me Riv.” She laughs and bends forward swiping her knife but it does not hit me. I throw one of my stars at cove but she hits it away with her blade. I scream and throw three more stars, one hits her leg, one on her arm, the other spins away and hits the wall. Cove roars limping towards me. With one sharp thrust, I find her dagger piecing my front.

I knew it from the start, I have indeed always known that I would fail. As I stumble backwards and lay here I realise that my fortune is gone, that I am broke. And it is now that I cough and splutter, understanding I am poor that I truly untangle my feelings for the boy cove killed. The one person who I have ever truly loved is gone, is dead, is never to come back. And suddenly I know that I shall die, right now, right in this exact place because there is nothing else to live for. I have no money, no home, no family, no future and no Henrick. I close my eyes and except my ending.