“Well guys…. This is it...” Axel said walking to the center of his group of friends. “This is where we’ve been trying to reach all this time.”

Axel. Reggie, 6, Lily and Lance were all gathered together in the dugout of the SPA Coliseum and training field. They lay under a giant shudder door that muffled the sound of cheers erupting from outside.

“I know... It’s crazy… It feels like we were all stuck in detention just yesterday” Reggie chimed gleefully.

“Pretty sure that was just you and Axel!” Lily laughed

“What’s crazy is that they have us waiting in the dark and the rest of the entrants are out there!” Lance bickered.

“Treating us like second class citizens because we haven't gone through the two year training! I’ll show them!” Lance declared swirling around the wind in his hands.

“HAha Yeh! I can’t wait to go wild!” B said throwing some punches into the air.

“C'mon guys ha-ha save that energy for the match” 6 said laughing

“Yeh, after all, you’re gonna need it!” said a harsh voice from behind them.

PB and J appeared together as rotten and unwanted as ever.

“You losers are gonna be begging for mercy once this beginnings haha, especially you Axel… You and that robo freak!”

“Listen here-” Reggie said taking a stride towards PB “I’m gonna stick my arm so far up your!-”

“Guys” Axel interrupted, completely ignoring Pb.

“We’ve gone through a lot together in these past few weeks. It’s crazy how close we are considering we barely knew each other just over a month ago.” Axel remarked, receiving looks of approval from his friends.

“But, even though we are friends, or enemies” He said, eyeing Pb. “Let’s not forget that this is a competition!” “I want everyone here to know that while we may be cordial or at ease under this bunker, once we're out on that battlefield, there's no holding back! Even if we end up fighting each other!”

“Hmph. I had no intentions of holding back anyway…” Lance said

“And as for you two” He said eyeing down Pb and J “If we face each other in this tournament… Your best bet is an early surrender, hehe… If you couldn’t handle a single punch from me before… If we fight as we are now… you may just get blown to shreds.”

“WHATT YOU LITTLE!” PB said

“As badly as I want to settle the score with you two, there’s someone that I want to fight even more” Axel said taking a step passed them.

“And who would that be?” Lance asked curiously

Axel slowly turned to Lance meeting his gaze in a deadlock. It had been so long since they had gotten serious with one another, being almost two months since their initial showdown.

Lance fiercely stared down Axel folding his hands and crossing his fingers. As their eyes interlocked, the sound of PBs overarching voice faded into the background, complaining about how badly he was being underestimated.

“Ladies and gentlemen, those here and abroad, on behalf of the SPA Atlantica branch allow me to announce the start of the Gauntlet!” An announcer said galvanizing the crowd. As he enthusiastically enchanted them, an explosion of confetti and balloons flew out of the glass booth he was standing in across the field.

The crowd roared with a booming round of applause as the festivities began.

YEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

WOOOOHOOOOOOO!

“This time we have 32 Entrants in the exam with 24 coming from SPA headquarters and the rest coming fresh outside of the main city!” He proclaimed

The last part of the announcer’s sentence was not received well by the crowd. People began to boo and slander the announcer as if he was rooting for the enemy team.

“We’re taking in those lawless devils now? Is that how desperate we have become?” a woman in the crowd grumbled

“My tax money is going to this!” A man complained

“Without formal training… do they even stand a chance?” an agent asked.

“Let us first do the introduction of the first 24!” “Starting with the favorite to win the tournament!”

Up in the SPA lounge of the arena a group of agents were bickering amongst themselves. As they groaned and hissed at each other the air became ripe with the smell of testorone and hard liquor.

“Hmph O’Brian… what are you up to?” An old man said, watching from the highest view of the arena. In his own private lounge he sat with a glass of whisky in his hand spinning around the ice cubes as he contemplated the afternoon’s events.

“General Matis” An attendant in an SPA uniform addressed him. “Are you satisfied with your drink?”

“Ehhh?” He said giving the woman an awkward stare. “This drink….” He said, raising it to his eyes “It's sour as piss!” He said slamming it down into his cup holder.

“I'm sorry sir! I’ll get you another right away!” She said trying to retrieve the glass

“What the hell are you talking about?” The old man barked “This drink is amazing!” “IF it didn’t taste sour as piss I wouldn't be drinking it!” He explained.

“I'm glad you like it sir!” The woman said bowing her head and leaving the room.

“Hell, hopefully the fights are half as good as this drink!” The general said laughing.

As the woman ran up the stairs she almost crashed into O'Brian who was making his way towards the general

“Sorry sir!” The woman said blushing and disappearing up the stairs.

“O'Brian!” The general barked.

“Yes sir” O'Brian replied laughing subtly as he took a seat beside the general.

“Just what the hell is going on here?” The general groaned.

“I know you all too well sir, explaining things as they are won't make any sense.” O'Brian said. “For now just sit back and enjoy the show” he said laughing.

“Ehhhh? Goddamnit O'Brian! I swear if you make the SPA look bad I'll have you and Grants head for this!”

“Will our 8 contestants from the outside please make your way forward?” The announcer said.

Back in the dugout the overlay slowly peeled back as the group walked out onto the field towards a ring set up in the distance.

Axel’s pupils dilated as he came into the light of the beaming arena. It was about what he expected. 100 meters of green pasty turf, about the same as his field in the academy. A fighting ring composed of white tiles erected in the center where the other 24 contestants all eyed him down, indignantly oppressing him with their SPA garments.

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They looked absolutely terrifying. Not a single one of his adversaries seemed to be anywhere near his age group. There was the Cadet of at least 7 feet, with rugged chains hanging from a black bandana he was wearing over his mouth, a young man that could only be described as looking like a human spider, and the red eyed man who by the look of his battle torn face was at least in his mid-thirties. The youngest looking person Axel could find was the red haired kid with a mohawk who looked to be at least 2 years Axels senior, Alexander Hendrix.

The contestants were frightening, but the crowd, the crowd was overwhelming! Surrounding him was an almost vertical seating area that went back almost 10 stories. There must have been at least 100,000 people there all watching him walk out into the arena. Floating cameras zipped around him snapping pictures projected onto holographic displays in the center of the arena while a group of 20 SPA agents lined down the field on each side of him carefully monitoring him as he approached the ring.

At the center of the field, Colonel Grant was standing waiting to receive the group as well as the other 24 candidates lined up.

Axel finally understood the Colonel’s sentiments. Next to this group of monsters, he and his friends really did look like a bunch of kids.

“Scared?” Lance said from behind him.

“Heh” Axel sighed remembering the real monster of the tournament. If Lance wasn’t worried, he sure as hell wasn’t either. “Not a chance!” He rebutted.

As he reaffirmed his confidence, Alex approached him. He was looking at Axel like he was lost in need of direction.

“Are you ready to fight against these monsters?” Alex said stretching his hands out to the monstrosities behind him.

“You don't look that old yourself” Axel chimed.

“I'm 17 two years you’re senior...” Alex rebutted

“Heh two years big whoop.” Axel said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Why are you so confident? Why aren’t you shaking in fear? Don’t you understand what you’re getting yourself into?” Alex cautiously alarmed.

“What is there to be afraid of?” Axel asked.

“Injury? Death, your whole journey becoming pointless and losing your place in SPA?” Alex remarked.

“I've already experienced the first, the second” Axel paused contemplating the remark. “Can’t be much worse, and If I can’t join the SPA I’ll just go kick Darius’s ass myself!” He said placing his hand on his hips in commanding fashion.

“Darius? The most notorious… HAHAHA? Are you afraid of anything?” The boy said amazed at Axel’s determination.

Axel paused grabbing his necklace briefly before reconnecting with Alex. “Losing my friends…” Axel said

“Losing your friends is scarier than death huh?” Alex asked

“A wise man once told me” Axel said smirking “Dying isn’t the worst thing.”

As Axel and the others took their places among the other candidates they heard laughs and jeers from the crowd.

“HAHAH their only kids!” someone laughed

“What the hell is going on? They have pre pubic agents now?” someone yelled

“This is gonna be a slaughter!” a man chuckled

Through all the bickering and commotion, another group of voices could faintly be heard under the rambunctious slander of the crowd.

“Get em Lils!!!”

“WHOOHOO GET EM REG!”

“BIG SIS KNOCK EM OUT!”

Reggie, Lily and B's family were calling down from the stands.

Not knowing where to look 6 Axel and Lance exchanged uncomfortable looks.

“Alright bro! Good luck! I will see you there!” Vincent said

“Your gonna come watch the fight!” Axel asked

“Yehhh! I'll have a front row seat! Trust me I’ll be the one closest to the action!” Vincent laughed

Axel looked around the stadium for his brother but was unable to find him.

“Maybe… he's just late…” Axel thought

“Alright now that all of our fighters have assembled a word from Colonel Grant before we begin.” The announcer said.

The colonel took the center stage. Using his hands to signal the crowd he lowered them slowly, trying to get them to lower their voices.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen welcome to the semiannual Gauntlet of the SPA!” He said raising his right hand.

A booming round of applause echoed through the stadium.

“As many of you may know this process is more than just a spectacle for personal enjoyment! It is the selection process for how we decide who gets to wear this badge!” He said signaling the crowd.

“Now, I'm not the kind for long speeches and crazy performances…. You’ll have to ask one of the other colonels for that kind of stuff.” He said scratching his head.

“But what I will say is this. Every man and woman on this stage has taken the pledge to risk their life. They have all gone through rigorous obstacles to get here, and every single one of them I have personally vetted. What I'm saying is that there is no one on this stage who is not worthy of being here!”

“I want you to show the utmost respect for these entrees tonight, because tomorrow they could be the ones you call when you are in trouble!”

“Tech yeh right a bunch of kids!” someone muttered

“I used to respect Colonel Grant now he's getting soft!”

“But… talk is cheap!” Grant continued from here on out. I will let the battles speak for themselves! Good luck to all I patiently await the next Lieutenant of the SPA!”

Once again the crowd erupted in applause as Grant made his way off of the field.

“Alright then let's get started!” The announcer said swapping places on the large televisions with a computer screen. The screen displayed the brackets for the tournament as well as images of each of the shifters entering.

“For our first match we have….”

As the man spoke the computer ran a simulation for the next battle in its bracket.

“Axel vs. Harley.”

The face of the large spike headed bandana man came up on the screen.

“OH mannnn this kid is going to get killed!” someone in the crowd yelled.

“Yehh he's done.”

“Having a kid slaughtered in front of a crowd isn't the best showing for the SPA!” The general bickered

“What…. You act as if I created the brackets?” O'Brian answered.

“You're right… The question is what the hell is Grant up to…” The general said scratching his beard

“You're not insinuating he created the brackets?” O’Brian said surprised

“Ha… this is how we receive our funding! Do you really think we would leave our outlook up to chance?”

“Hhahaha and people call me conniving, SPA Atlantica is something else entirely” O'Brian said, shaking his head.

“Fighters get ready for battle! In 10 minutes the rules will be repeated by the referee before the match but grab all your weapons and reread our rules in your pamphlets in the meantime!” The announcer said.

“Hey grandmamma is that the boy who was in our house?” A small girl said sitting in her mother's lap.

“Yes Nalini, that’s him alright! I’m surprised you remember” Grandma Lu answered.

“I feel bad.” Nalini said.

“Why is that?” Lu asked

“He spent all that time getting better. Now he's going to get beat up all over again.” Nalini said pouting.

“HAHhahaha what did I tell you baby, skin that has bore wounds grows back twice as hard!” Her mother said flexing her biceps.

“Huhhh what does that mean” Nalini asked

“Haha just sit back and watch Baby, you’re too young to understand grandma.”

“Axel what are you doing?” 6 asked as Axel picked up a huge steel box. The box had two handles on it like a giant iron water container.

“Well there’s not a whole lotta water in that ring soo… I gotta take my water with me!” Axel said smiling

“That has to be against the rules! Aren't you worried?” 6 asked

“Nahh my bro read the pamphlet and he said it was ok… Actually he was the one who came up with the idea.” Axel admitted

“How would he know?” 6 asked

“I don’t know… but I trust my bro?” Axel said

“You trust him with your career as an agent?” 6 asked

“I trust him with my life!” Axel said confidently.

Axel made his way onto the field looking up at the Teleprompters.

“Why the hell is my head so big” He complained

As he made his way to the center he dropped his canister down looking up at his 7ft opponent.

“I'm going to make this quick! Hehe got that roadkill” Harley said swinging his chains. “Let’s finish what we started last night.”

From this distance Axel could see more facial details. Judging by his voice and look, he was huge at least 5 years older than Axel.

“Alrighty! Now we just need our referee! Where is this guy?” The announce said

“Pardons we have just got word that our referee for the match is out… But luckily we have a backup ready to step in! Please welcome Vinland Draco to the stage!” The announcer proclaimed.

Falling out of the sky, a blue haired man with a blue bandana and jingling chain links on his jeans descended into the arena. He gracefully landed in between the two fighters.

“BROOOO!!!-” Axel began

“Broken! Yes this is a record broken for the number of non-SPA affiliated entries!” The referee said in a punctual voice.

He winked at Axel and began the address.

“As the rules stand you are allowed to bring any type of weapons you like as long as you can carry them in! This is supposed to be similar to an SPA mission so it would have to be in the reasonableness of being used in that situation.

“Wait are you telling this guy can use that big huge thing on his back!” Harley asked.

“Yeh he carried it in so its fair play!” Vincent said

“Remember the rules, the winner of this match will continue on further and progress, and the winner of this tournament becomes the squad leader or first Lieutenant of the whole group. After the matches are finished, everyone who has won at least one match will become an official agent while the Lieutenant will pick out 8 that he feels are rightfully members of his squad!”

All violence and coercion is allowed during the exam with the only rule being no fatalities. To surrender you can raise your left hand and say “I forfeit or I surrender” and the match will be considered concluded at that point. If any unnecessary action after the match had already transpired takes place I as the ref will do everything in my power to stop it, using excessive force if necessary. That should be everything you need to know about the fight!”

“Alright if you guys are ready you can make your final comments for the fight our floor mics will transmit it to the crowd!” The announcer gagged.

“Heh whatever you got in that tank aint gonna help you kid.” Harley said.

Axel stepped away from the tank and walked towards the man.

“Heh I won’t need it to beat you.” Axel said grinning

“OH yeh!” Harley laughed. “You arrogant punk! I'm gonna turn you into roadkill!!”

“All right then fighters at the ready!” Vince said, raising his right hand.

“Ready!” They said in unison.

“Fight!” Vince said, dropping his right hand.