Isle of Sanctum | The Aya Thrasher Chronicles | Book 1 |[Editing]

Chapter Fifty

PART IX - "You can't just take people in and out. This isn't a basketball game"

CHAPTER FIFTY

RAYNE

It was dark outside and it was nearly nine a.m. The others said it was because it was the sacred day. It would be dark the entire day, just as if it were night. Aya was sitting next to Lake. She looked terrified. Maybe she didn't have faith in the plan. Frankly, I didn't either. We were just kids up against a crazy old nut bag and his minions.

"You look ready," Lake commented.

I nodded. "You better believe it."

"Well let's get you ready," Lake said. "We need to put body armor underneath your clothes. Soren and I stayed up all night making them," she explained holding something up, but it was hard to tell what it was. "Come on, let's go to your room."

She followed me back into my room and was carrying a pile of what looked like dark clothing. She handed me a long piece of fabric. "Wrap this around your chest and stomach." She said and turned around. I didn't know how a piece of fabric was supposed to protect me, but as soon as the fabric touched my skin it transformed, becoming hard and metallic.

"You can turn back around," I told Lake as I put my shirt down. Then she handed me a headband.

"If anything harmful comes close to your face or head, this will act as a shield," she explained. As I nestled the headband into my hair, Lake pulled out a silver ring.

Upon closer inspection, I realized it was body jewelry. "This will act as a communication device, so you can reach any of us," she said attaching it to my upper earlobe. "Good to go."

We rejoined the others and met Sadie, Fox, and Emmy in the hallway. They explained that they would be in the background, but would still be following the plan, they just didn't want to draw any attention.

The navigation devices we were given guided us deep in the back of the city, toward the bluffs and forest. It was a long walk, so we took the only running train. It was about a ten-minute train ride to the place we were supposed to be going.

The arena was not what I was expecting at all. It looked more like an amphitheater. It had an open roof and the sides were tiled with red bricks, some of which had been damaged. It was dark, but the arena was lit by the moonlight.

I led the line entering the arena. The commander and his minions were standing there. I rolled my eyes at first sight.

"Oh good you all made it." He grinned wide revealing a set of gold teeth. He clapped his hands and neon lights illuminated the rows of make shift seats. The arena was predominately empty except for about a hundred or so Wyre supporters. "Now your apprentices will be assigned to you."

"How?" I growled.

"Two of your friends will be chosen at random," he said. A table with several stones appeared as well as a screen with each of our names. "Except for that disgusting human," he said pointing a finger at Trevor.

"What about my sister?" Ace shouted. "I want to trade places with her."

"Your sister is automatically entered into the drawing for apprentice. If she is picked, you may switch places with her," he said. "Now let's proceed shall we." The commander picked up the stones and threw them in the air. The names on the screen were scrambled.

We had calculated this into our plans, but I still prayed Lake's name wouldn't get picked. Even though we weren't really going to fight, she could still be in danger if she were out in the field. The stones floated in the air for a brief second before landing on the table. The screen stopped on two names.