**Volume 2: Upper World**

  **Chapter 54: Countdown to Blood**

  January 3rd, 7:12 a.m.

  The dorm lights came on slow — soft yellow at first, then full bright like the system was trying to be gentle for once. Sky woke up fast — heart already racing before his eyes even focused. Frosty was still asleep beside him, curled on her side, breathing deep and even, one arm draped loose across his chest. The dried blood on her jacket sleeve looked almost black in the morning light. He didn’t move right away. Just watched her for a second — the way her hair fell across her face, the faint bruise under her eye from Kael’s last kick. She looked peaceful. Like the tournament hadn’t touched her yet.

  He slipped out from under her arm careful — didn’t want to wake her. Stood. Stretched. The necklace Mara gave him last night — cracked moon pendant — rested cool against his skin under the blue shirt. He touched it once. Then walked to the window.

  Outside the dome: snow still falling slow, arenas lit up already, floodlights cutting through the gray. The stands were half-full even this early — people staking out spots, demons smoking in clusters, normals huddled under blankets. The air buzzed with anticipation. Tickets had sold out weeks ago — over 200 million bought for today alone. And the live stream? 5.99$ a view. Over 1.7 billion people worldwide getting ready to watch. All because of one fight at the end: Mara vs Jane.

  Sky exhaled fog on the glass.

  The intercom crackled — Josh’s voice, calm but tired.

  “Good morning, players. Match order for today is live on your screens. First fight starts at 3 p.m. sharp. Each match begins the moment the previous one ends. No breaks. No delays. Arenas 1 through 50 are synced — you’ll see everything on the big boards.”

  Sky turned.

  The screen on the wall lit up — red text scrolling slow.

  **Today’s Order (All in Central Arena – Shared Viewing):**

  1. Ram vs Jones

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  2. Jessica vs Jamie

  3. Jacob vs Jackson

  4. Hiro vs Rita

  5. Ray vs Jay (Brother Match)

  6. Cam vs Max

  7. Sky vs Josh (The Host)

  8. Mara vs Jane (Final Match of the Day)

  Sky stared at his name.

  Sky vs Josh.

  The host.

  He couldn’t believe it.

  His stomach dropped — cold, heavy. Josh — the guy who’d been announcing deaths like it was a game show, who’d changed the rules to keep himself alive — was now his opponent. Before Mara vs Jane. Before the day even ended.

  He looked at the rest of the order.

  Ram vs Jones — two older clan guys who’d survived the academy.

  Jessica vs Jamie — lightning vs memory wipe. Fast and ugly.

  Jacob vs Jackson — gravity vs gravity. The arena would probably crack in half.

  Hiro vs Rita — healing vs dominion mark. Quiet but brutal.

  Ray vs Jay — brother against brother. Ray’s bored ancient face against Jay’s rage.

  Cam vs Max — the one everyone dreaded.

  Sky vs Josh — the host vs the guy who’d eaten the Heart.

  Mara vs Jane — the last match of the day. The one everyone paid 5.99$ to see live.

  Frosty stirred behind him — sat up slow, wincing as she moved her side.

  “What’s the order?”

  Sky didn’t answer right away. Just pointed at the screen.

  She read it.

  Her eyes landed on Sky vs Josh.

  She exhaled slow.

  “Shit.”

  Max walked in then — shadows trailing him, eyes red like he hadn’t slept.

  “Saw it,” he said quiet. “Cam vs me. Right before you and the host.”

  Sky looked at him.

  Max tried to grin — failed.

  “It’s gonna be hard, bro. I don’t wanna kill him. But I have to.”

  Sky nodded once.

  “We all have to.”

  The intercom crackled again — Josh’s voice, this time softer, almost tired.

  “One last thing before we start. The Blood Vessel — the one carrying the Demon Heart fragment — is among you. The tournament was built to find them. To force them out. To make them strong enough to claim it… or die trying.”

  The room went still.

  Sky’s hand went to his chest — instinctive — where the thump had started months ago.

  Josh kept talking.

  “Today decides a lot. Survive. Win. Maybe you’ll be the one who ends this.”

  The screen went dark.

  Sky looked at Frosty — then Max — then the door where the rest of the group would be gathering soon.

  He spoke quiet — first time all morning.

  “After this is all over… when the games end… we find Jane. We find Ray. Any villain left breathing. We end them. All of them.”

  Frosty nodded slow.

  Max’s shadows curled tighter.

  “And Josh,” Sky added. “Before he can change more rules.”

  They didn’t say anything else.

  Just sat there — waiting.

  At 2:45 p.m. — forty-five minutes before first match — Josh’s voice came over the intercom again. Private. Only in the dorms.

  “If I die… the Shipping Games end for good.”

  A pause.

  “I made a pact. Anyone who tries to restart them — my soul and brain go into their body. I take over. Completely. No coming back from that.”

  Another pause.

  “So play nice. Or don’t. But know I’m not going anywhere easy.”

  The line clicked off.

  Sky looked at the clock.

  2:48 p.m.

  First match soon.

  Ram vs Jones.

  Then Hiro vs Rita.

  Then Ray vs Jay.

  Then Cam vs Max.

  Then him vs Josh.

  Then Mara vs Jane.

  All in the same central arena — one after the other, no break.

  The crowd was already roaring outside.

  Over 200 million tickets sold.

  1.7 billion watching live.

  And the day hadn’t even started yet.

  The chapter ended.

  To be continued…