Page 80 of Xeda

Those who stayed did so only because they understood the rebellious fighters weren't there to hurt them. They understood what they had been fighting for. Hell, some of them had been rooting for them too, seeing some of the worst injuries and therefore hating the games just as much as some of the fighters.

Not all of the fighters were happy with the rebellion. A few actually tried to protect the very families that broke them and forced them to fight. They were either taken down or forced to flee.

Some of the members of the powerful houses got away too, but most didn't.

She learned what happened to Sal and his family. And she admittedly felt nothing when Xeda told her. Maybe they deserved it, but most of all she was just glad they could no longer hurt anyone.

No one could hurt them.

She took another deep breath and pushed off the wall. She walked past medical staff and some of the fighters sitting on make-shift cots as medics checked their wounds. Instinctually, she rubbed at her throat, wrapped now in a heavy cloth. A gyda medic named Tora had examined her, informing her that her windpipe and vocal cords had been damaged.

"Drink this once a day," Tora had told her, giving her liquid medicine. "It will take time, but eventually your throat will get a little better."

She had been checked for clots as well and was thankfully clear of those. Her brain function was also normal. Still, they told her to get examined every so often for the next few months and to monitor for any other symptoms.

She slipped by a group of fighters, making her way toward the entrance of the hangar. She slowed as she saw a different group to one side.

They were not fighters but staff. Those forced to aid and work in the games, just like those forced to work for the powerful houses. They stayed close together, talking softly, eyeing the fighters warily.

Not all of them had been spared either, getting caught in the crossfire. She felt for them. Thankfully some sense was talked into the rebels.

Sitting with them, she saw Warden Margo. She and Ophilia locked eyes. She gave her a sad smile, then turned her gaze away.

Ophilia continued on until she got to the open side of the hangar. There she saw Xeda standing, staring out past the rain. She came to his side and peered out in the rain too.

A ship sat just outside on the landing bay, water pouring down its sides.

It was being packed with supplies some of the fighters took, ready to be flown out of the city and off world.

The flight staff had mostly fled too, along with city officials. Most of the security had been inside the gaming center. Funny enough, the games were more enforced than the actual city, and no one wanted to start a battle with these fighters, not after the collapse of the arena. There wasn't enough enforcement—most were just thugs or bodygaurds for families living in the city.

She stood quietly beside him for a moment, then took his hand. He squeezed hers in response. The stub of his missing arm was now sealed shut and wrapped.

"They'll be going soon," Ophilia said, breaking the silence. It hurt to swallow, and she tried to not clear her throat. "Have you decided...where you want to go?"

He gazed back at her, the heat of his eyes warming her even in the cool air from the rain.

"Wherewewant to go, you mean," he said.

She couldn't help smiling at that. "Where we want to go," she repeated.

He looked back at the ship, a shadow falling across his gaze. "I can never go back to my home world," he said. "I have...committed too many crimes, being a part of the Blood Guard. I can't take you to any alliance or governing world either for the same reason. It's strange, all I wanted was to escape this place, not realizing I had nowhere to go."

Ophilia looked back at the ship. There were other habitable worlds not tied to the systems, small port cities and towns or working planets, but who knew how long it would take to find one that suited them. They would also be alone. Completely alone, and always having to watch their backs. And, worst of all, she knew deep down Xeda would never stop being hunted. Though his tattoos had faded, they were still slightly noticable. He was a target for bounty hunters and alliance spies. No port would be safe.

They would have to go far, and who knew what other dangers lay outside the systems.

If only there was a place that was safe, where they could be accepted. Where they had some control of their life.

She closed her eyes. "We should stay here then."

She opened her eyes and saw him staring down at her.

"You can't be serious."

She shrugged. "Kind of? You took down the very person who controlled most of the city. There is no law or real system here. It was always just whatever the most powerful houses deemed as law. Then just Kaxek's law. But he's gone, and most of the houses are crumbling as we speak. There will always be danger wherever we go, we can't stop that. But we already have an idea of the kind of danger we face here. We are still free. No one can dispute that now." She turned to face him, and he did the same. "Those who were a true threat are gone or have fled. Maybe, we can make things work here. Make things better. Better for us, better for..." She looked back at those behind them, then caught his gaze.

He studied her, still looking uncertain. "Some that survived might want revenge."

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