In the dimly lit prison cafeteria, Isaac picked at his meagre meal, his eyes fixed on the plate as if it held the secrets of his own misery. Oliver sat beside him, his face etched with a worried look, as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
He knew he was entering a stage where he should be really careful since he had already antagonized so many women in this prison, as well as deceived some of them.
Isaac finally mustered the strength to look at Oliver and asked, "Hey, Oliver, you okay?"
Oliver's response was a melancholic sigh. "I should be asking you that, Isaac. You're the one who's been through hell."
As they quietly ate their tasteless prison food in the shadowy corner, Oliver's thoughts wandered to Morgana, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak existence. He contemplated going to see her later if only to find an advantage in their connection and use her for his own purpose.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the cavernous prison space, breaking the oppressive silence. An announcer, a stern-looking woman, stepped onto a makeshift stage, brandishing a drumstick and a drum. She began to beat the drum rhythmically, the resounding thuds echoing off the cold, concrete walls.
"Attention, prisoners!" her voice rang out, carrying a sense of urgency that drew the attention of everyone in the open area of the prison. They gathered around the stage, curiosity etched on their faces, a temporary distraction from the crushing monotony of prison and mining life.
Isaac and Oliver exchanged a puzzled glance before joining the growing crowd. In this grim world of confinement, every interruption, no matter how unusual, held the potential for change.
The prisoners, their faces a mix of anticipation and confusion, watched as the usual bearer of announcements, Captain Serena, remained conspicuously absent for most of the events. It was highly unusual for her to miss any opportunity to assert her authority over the prison population.
And Whispers of speculation and rumours buzzed through the crowd like a low murmur.
"Did you hear that Captain Serena got dominated by a man? Pretty disgusting for a woman of power like her," They were talking loud purposely, so Oliver would hear them.
As the rhythmic drumbeats continued, the announcer, a tough and no-nonsense woman with an air of authority, cleared her throat and motioned to two figures standing offstage. The prisoners' eyes widened as they recognized the two women who emerged: Morgana and Gwendolyn Ashenfall.
Normally, this wouldn't have been a big deal, but everyone knew that they were currently trying to assert their faction's dominance through this event.
Morgana, with her dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes, stepped onto the stage with a confidence that seemed to radiate power. On the other hand, Gwendolyn, her lustrous blond hair cascading over her cold, calculating features, exuded an aura of ice. The tension between them was palpable, and their mutual disdain was evident to all.
The announcer stepped aside, allowing Morgana and Gwendolyn to take centre stage. Morgana's voice, laced with a hint of hostility, broke the silence that had fallen over the crowd. "Listen up, you miserable lot," she began, her words cutting through the air like a knife. "Captain Serena won't be making this announcement because she's indisposed at the moment."
But that doesn't mean we are going to delay our tournament in Havoc Bay to choose who is going to battle with Tetsukyojin for the mine," Morgana muttered, and Gwendolyn continued as if they were in a weird sync.
"Two weeks from now on, the selection will held and the team that is going to win will get the chance to choose five people to go back to the mainland after finishing their sentence in this prison."
Morgana looked at Oliver and smiled, showing that she was not going to act like a stranger, and everyone knew things were about to get interesting as Gwendolyn had her fist ready to attack at any time.
The announcement about the tournament continued as the announcer girl explained the rules and what would happen before and after the tournament. She finished with the last and most important thing.
"Make sure, you don't embarrass us in front of the officials. If she is not satisfied with your results, you might even lose the chance to leave this prison. So be careful,"
After delivering her final warning, the announcer concluded her task and decided to inform the vice-captain that she had fulfilled her duty properly.
All the guards began to chase the girls back toward the mines. However, all attention suddenly shifted to the stage, where a heated face-off was unfolding between Gwendolyn and Morgana.
It was a face-off not only between two individuals but rather between two gangs that controlled Havoc Bay: the noble faction controlled by Gwendolyn and the Scarlet Circle faction controlled by Morgana.
The crowd fell silent, knowing that this confrontation could change the power dynamics of Havoc Bay forever.
Gwendolyn's eyes blazed with anger as she clenched her fists. "Who gave you the right to act like you own everything in Havoc Bay, Morgana? You really have some guts to touch my property like this" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
She had obviously heard about what happened in Morgana's chamber, but the information she received was quite different from what actually occurred. Gwendolyn believed that Morgana had forced Oliver into doing something he didn't want to do.
Morgana's smile remained infuriatingly serene. "Oh, Gwendolyn," she purred, "it's simple. Your non-existent lover gave me that right or the one that left you since he found a superior pussy." Her words were a deliberate taunt, aimed straight at Gwendolyn's pride.
Unable to contain her rage, Gwendolyn lunged forward, pushing Morgana forcefully. The crowd erupted into chaos as the two women locked in a vicious struggle. Punches were thrown, hair was pulled, and insults flew like daggers. The guards scrambled to break up the fight, but it seemed like neither Gwendolyn nor Morgana was willing to back down.
And the guards knew they wouldn't be able to do anything, since Captain Serena was the only one capable of stopping them.
Amidst the chaos, the mention of Oliver's name had hit a raw nerve for both factions. It was a name that carried weight, secrets, and hidden agendas. The brawl escalated quickly, drawing blood and leaving no room for diplomacy.
"You shitty whore! I always tolerated you despite being a dirty foreigner, but I will kill you right now." Gwendolyn was trying to choke Morgana, but they were both equally strong, making it difficult for her to succeed without being attacked.
"Try it you pompous noble bitch!" Morgana shouted and the duel continued.
As the brawl raged on between Gwendolyn and Morgana, Oliver couldn't help but find a twisted sort of enjoyment in their ferocity. He had always known that Gwendolyn and Morgana were not on good terms, but he hadn't expected the situation to escalate this quickly. It was like watching a chaotic dance of anger and pent-up frustration, and he relished every moment of it.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a tree, Isaac was torn between fear and excitement. He despised Gwendolyn for her arrogance and noble status and secretly cheered Morgana in his heart. His loyalty to Morgana, born out of their shared dislike for Gwendolyn, fueled his desire to see Gwendolyn humiliated.
But just as the two women seemed locked in a battle neither would relent from, Oliver decided it was time to intervene because he didn't want either of them to die, at least until he got the power and escaped this prison. He stepped into the fray, much to the displeasure of the audience, who began to boo and jeer at him for disrupting the spectacle.
"Alright, that's enough!" Oliver's voice cut through the chaos. He looked at both Gwendolyn and Morgana with a stern expression. "You two are going to kill each other at this rate, and that's not what we came here for."
Gwendolyn and Morgana glared at Oliver, their tempers still flaring and Gwendolyn suddenly stopped struggling, since she had to show that she was worried about Oliver.
"You don't have to worry, Oliver." She said and looked at Morgana with a wild look. "You will be safe at my side, I won't allow this woman to even breathe the same air as you. We are proud nobles, unlike these peasants."
Oliver completely ignored her and decided to do what he came to do, announcing his plans.
"Since both of you have asked me to join to your factions," Oliver continued, his tone unwavering. "I've made my decision. I will join forces with whoever emerges victorious in this tournament. That's where our true allegiance should lie – with the one who proves their strength and skill in the arena."
Oliver's words hung in the air, casting a momentary hush over the heated argument and Morgana and Gwendolyn both laughed at his words and knew it would be an interesting week for them.