The landings inhabitants all faced Atom as he put away a cylindered canister with a horn shape attachment. Layla’s mind was somewhere else, though, as she imagined smashing the blonde man's face with her fist while her knee squashed his privates. The mental scene was helping her cope with the ever-rising feeling of irritation each time she had to see the man’s face. She was now in a foul mood.

Atom spread his arms wide in an inviting manner and said, “Good morning potentials. I’d like to be the first to welcome you to Nexus Ascendant Academy. My name is Master Neutron. Please leave all of your belongings on the landing and proceed in an organized manner down the hallway.”

“Master Neutron,” Layla spat out. The man was an idiot. A five-year-old could make that connection.

She looked over at Tia and shrugged before sitting down the boxes. Layla tried to keep the irritation off her face as the two followed the crowd up the small set of stairs. Burning torches lighting their way. The hallway led to a rather large open area about twice the size of the landing. Easily accommodating all the potentials with room to spare. There was no exit that she could see anywhere on the four walls of the room. Looking higher, her heartbeat sped up. Expressionless faces stared down on the group from stands surrounding the room twenty meters above. The torches light of area, casting ominous shadows on the spectators.

Layla had a bad feeling about the situation that was immediately justified when the doors of the hallway slam shut behind her. Lights flared to life in an area of the balcony directly across from the doorway drawing everyone's attention. Four chairs sat alone in the now clearly visible location, but only three had occupants. Each wearing what she now assumed where the master’s attire of black robes and white open haori. The masters all held that strange ageless look that Atom and Dory had. Somewhere between twenty-five and forty. Atom appeared from thin air standing in front of the three seated individuals. The balcony's face open where the chairs presided over the potentials giving him space to walk and be seen clearly.

Atom had not dropped his smile. For anyone who didn’t know him, you might think it was welcoming and trustworthy. A person ready to help with any problem you might have. Layla knew the truth of that smile and looked around, getting her position in what was most definitely turning into a setup. She needed to get to a wall. An area where she could at least be able to prevent attacks from behind.

Grabbing Tia’s arm, she began shouldering her way towards the wall as Atom’s voice rang out over the crowd of soon-to-be enemies. “Again, Welcome to Nexus. Now you all might be wondering what this is all about. Perhaps confused as to where the Academy greeters are. Why you aren’t being shown around the campus and going through a proper orientation.” His voice pausing an understanding, concerned paternal look on his face.

Layla ignored the evil bastard's prattle. Pushing other potentials out of her way. All their gazes fixed on the man as he spewed out his false concerns like a particularly nasty case of the runs. Finally breaking out of the group, she found that the door to the hallway was indeed closed. Everyone had moved closer to Atom as he continued to speak. His speech leaving an open line to one of the corners of the room.

A tugging from Tia halted Layla’s progress to the corner. She looked back at the girl in confusion.

 

“What are you doing Layla? We need to listen to what the Master is telling us.” Her gaze going back to the fatherly smile of concern.

 

Layla turned around. Grabbed the girl by both of her shoulders and shook her. Forcing the girl's face towards her, “Stop listening to the manipulative bastard. We need to get to a corner before this place devolves into a slaughter.”

 

Tia only looked at Layla in confusion. “A slaughter? Why do you think that? It’s our first day Layla. It’s orientation day. Nothing like that would… hap…pen…” She trailed off as Layla just pointed up while she was talking. Tia finally taking notice of the shadowy faces of their audience surrounding the room. Layla thought she could see some people smiling, but it was difficult to make out in the torchlight.

 

“I see. Yes, a corner does sound ever so nice,” Tia said, and Layla turned back around, heading to a corner on the right side of the room.

 

Atom began speaking again, “Those are all very understandable concerns. I myself would wonder such things. Have no fear my bright and shiny new potentials. That part comes next. First, I need your help with a problem. You see, I was talking to the other master’s, and we just couldn’t agree on something. It’s a silly thing,” He chuckled, waving his hand like the topic was non-consequential. “You don’t mind helping do you?” The potentials all nodded their heads, already eager to curry favor with a master.

 

Layla and Tia made it to the corner and took up a defensive stance. Neither saying anything as they waited for the speech to reach its inevitable conclusion and the crap to hit the fan.

“Excellent, so motivated. I love it. Well, the issue we couldn’t agree on was which one of you exceptionally talented potentials are the best. I know, right. It’s ridiculous. How would we even decide such a thing? I thought maybe a tournament. One on one.” He made some punches in the air, “Mano a mano, good ole fisticuffs as they say where I’m from. They told me that would just take too long with the amount of people we have currently. Sad, I know. Welp, I did a little digging and found out there use to be an old ritual at Nexus. A rite of passage before the Agoge Trial. A grand free-for-all, a pell-mell if you will.”

 

His last words had a noticeable effect on the crowd of potentials as Layla watched them start looking around. Understanding coming to them as the ones in the center realized that they were surrounded by potential enemies, figurative and literally. The ones in matching robes gathering closer together.

Taking a deep breath, Layla closed her eyes. Her heart was racing in anticipation of battle. The emptiness of the void coming to her easily. Its emotionless embrace wrapping around her like armor. The excitement and thrill of the situation draining away. Her heart rate slowed, and her eyes opened. She was ready.

 

“Anywho, the rules are simple. There can only be one.” He said in a cheery manner and sat down in his chair. “Begin!”

 

The room erupted into violence. The sounds of screams and flesh smacking against flesh filled the arena as potentials savagely attacked one another. Layla, prepared for the battle, was still taken aback at the ferocity. The sheer level of violence that everyone was willing to deal at the drop of a hat surprising her.

A guy in flamboyant yellow and blue robes with butterflies put down an orange robe potential with a swift kick to his temple before making his way to her and Tia. Layla was impressed with his efficient dispatching of the orange. An avenging, orange-robed female rushed him from behind, but he turned smoothly and delivered a kick to her chest, sending her back in the gaggle of brawling people.

He looked at Layla and Tia with a charming smile on his olive tan face. His black hair immaculately styled in a top knot at the crown of his head. His fingernails were painted in colors that matched his gaudy robe. Layla wasn’t sure what to think about the guy. He certainly knew what he was about. His moves looking well-practiced.

 

He bowed at the waist and introduced himself, “My name is Oliver. You beauties wouldn’t happen to be independents, would you?” He kicked one of the unconscious, orange-robed potentials lying on the ground beside him to emphasize what he meant.

 

“Yeah, what of it?” Layla called back.

 

“Excellent, do you mind if my sister and I join you in this lovely corner,” he said.

 

Layla didn’t see this so-called sister anywhere. She knew that she could probably take him, but she also knew that without help, one of the groups would overwhelm them eventually. She looked at Tia, and the girl shrugged as though she didn’t care either way.

 

“That’s fine Oliver. That’s Tia and I’m Layla. Truce till the end?” He nodded his agreement and smiled at Tia before taking up a relaxed fighting pose in between the two. She was familiar with his fighting stance, but she didn’t comment on it. Instead, looking around for the sister he spoke of. She didn't worry about his betrayl. Layal was confindent on putting down a single man.

A female in a more subdued red and gold robe power slammed a man in green robes right in front of them. The man was out cold from the looks of it, but the girl kept stomping on the man for some unknown reason. It looked personal to Layla.

 

“Ah, there she is. Sister, please stop beating on your ex and join us. I found us two Allies.”

 

The girl pushed back strands of her disheveled black hair, looking at Oliver, and gave the poor man who’d clearly offended her in some way another kick. Someone attempted to attack the girl from behind, but she ducked and pivoted fluidly, coming up with an elbow strike to the offender's chin that crumpled him. The movement was gracefully executed so well that it looked like one single motion.

All gracefulness was immediately lost as the girl struck her chest with her fist then splayed her arms out, fingers waving in a braggadocious manner. She pointed at another potential that had taken notice of her. “You, want to rumble handsome. Come. Let mama show you how she treats her boys.” Her tan face grinning maniacally as she ran her hands down her body in a suggestive way. The guy just looked confused. Hell, Layla was confused herself. She wasn’t sure if that had been a threat or if the woman had just propositioned the man to have a go mid-battle.

Oliver rushed over to his sister and began dragging her back to the corner. The girl still screaming obscenities at the confused males. “You want to go pretty boy? I promise to give you an experience you’ll never— oof… Let go of me Oli!” She struggled to get away from his grasp, but it looked like Oliver had ample experience handling his sister.

He released her and shoved the girl towards the corner before saying, “Could you please refrain from embarrassing us in public Livvy.” His words sounding well-practiced as he sighed. Layla guessed this hadn’t been the first time his sister had did such a thing. He took back up his spot in the center and waved his hand towards the newcomer, “This violently promiscuous creature is my twin, Oliviana.”

The girl glared at Oliver before fixing her robe and scratching her crotch in a very masculine manner. She nodded at Layla and Tia, “Sup females.”

Oliver groaned, and Oliviana grinned behind his back.

 

Layla suspected that Oliver’s sister enjoyed embarrassing him, but she put the silliness out of her mind as a group in black robes attempted to break out of the melee. Several making eyes at their corner. She could see seven, but they were mainly engaged yet looked to be winning. Their tactics of ganging up on their opponents showing fruit. She thought that might be a problem if they made it to them. She didn’t know how well Tia could fight yet and she was sort of worried the woman might just let someone beat on her. The red cheeks and panting she was doing as she watched the fight around them continuing to support the theory.

She tapped Oliver and had him switch with her so she could be in the middle. The black robes finished off their opponents, and they made their way toward Layla’s group. Layla could tell just by looking at them that they wouldn’t be joining them peacefully.

The leader stepped out in front. He had dark skin and a red mohawk. His voice was slimy, and the tone was that of a man used to getting what he wanted, “Peasants, if you relinquish that position, we will let you leave un-accosted. I Jano of the family—”

Layla interrupted him, annoyed at the peasant remark, “Piss off mohawk! Find your own corner. Call me peasant again and I’ll put you down. Hard.”

 

The man looked to have blown a circuit as he started stuttering in a mix of bafflement and rage. “How d-dare you talk to me th-that way. You dirty whor—“ he began choking as Layla punched his throat. She hated being called names. Hated it. Her friends, sure. But being called anything by anyone she didn’t know always sent her over the edge.

She slipped by the choking man and kicked off his back, angling him towards Oliver, who put him down with a quick punch to the temple. A big fellow had been watching Mohawks back, so she went after him first. Slamming her open palms against his ears disorienting him. She kicked the inside of his knee and felt the ligaments tear as he folded up one hand on his knee and the other on his ear.

Her battle sense warning her of an incoming strike to her right, she moved into the punch, grabbing the man's wrist with one hand and putting her other under his armpit. Using his own momentum against him, she flexed her hips body slamming him into one of his buddies, trying to sneak attack her from behind. Not releasing the man's wrist, she struck the back of his elbow with her palm with enough force to make it bend the wrong way. She ignored his screams as she kicked the man he was on top of in the side of the head, taking him out of the fight.

A kick to the back of her knee caused it to give out. Layla rolled with the motion, latching on to the offending leg. Its owner not pulling away fast enough. Grabbing the foot with both her hands, she jerked and pushed off with her other knee doing a twist in the air a few inches off the ground. Feeling the ankle make a sickening pop, she released it as a girl screamed. She rolled away as another female tried to stomp down on her head.

Layla executed a kip-up from her back and immediately had to defend against the last two black robes. A male and the female that just tried to stomp her head with enough force that Layla was positive it could have killed her. She showed them no mercy. Every opening they left was exploited fully as she jerked the male off balance while jumping over an incoming leg sweep from his female counterpart. The crack of the man's shin was a satisfying sound as he crumpled to the ground. Head stomper cursed and turned around to run, but Layla snatched the back of her robes before she made it two steps. Slamming her elbow into the girl's kidney as hard as she could. Ensuring that she would be pissing blood for the next month. The girl hit her knees as she tried to reach the spot with her hands. Her mouth was open as she made a soundless scream. Layla performed a sidekick putting the girl down for the count.

All this had happened in less than a minute. Layla looked around to make sure all her opponents were down for good before nodding. Her breathing was steady, and her heart rate was only slightly elevated. Everyone in the near vicinity backed away from her in fear. Most had stopped their own fights to watch Layla as she decimated seven potentials without even getting winded.

She looked over to her temporary allies to see them engaged on both sides by two different groups. The twins seem to be handling their five attackers efficiently. Both worked in harmony to disrupt their attacker's rhythm. They clearly had practice fighting in these types of situations as Oliver snatched a man's leg that had attempted to kick him in the ribs, locking it in place. Livvy bringing down an ax kick that bent the man's leg the wrong way. Layla didn’t let the violence bother her as she had done and seen much worse. She was thankful they didn’t have weapons. Else the blood in this room would already be at least a centimeter deep by now.

Tia fended off several assailants using a similar method to hers by taking advantage of the uncoordinated attack from multiple individuals against them. It wasn’t easy to fight in as a group like most people thought. It was something that needed to be practiced. If it wasn’t and given a situation where you could protect your sides, an experienced combatant could pick your group apart or at the least defend against the assault. One of Tia’s attackers tried to shoot the gap in the middle to flank her. Layla rushed in, kicking the man in the hip, knocking him off balance. He struck his head against the wall in his forward momentum slumping. He didn’t get up. Layla grabbed him by the belt of his robe and tossed the heavy bastard back in front of their position.

She looked to see that Tia had put down two of her attackers and sucker-punched one guy in the sack. He was down on his knees, holding his hand between his legs while he vomited.

 

Savage little thing isn’t she.

 

Layla had at least avoided people's privates. Tia moaned inappropriately as she held up a finger that was going in the wrong direction. The girl shuttering in apparent pleasure as she moved it back and forth with her other hand. Aside from that, the masochist seemed to be fine. There were only a few fights left going on when the twins finished off their last opponents. Oliver seemed to be hurt as he attempted to put pressure down on an ankle. His sister helped him hop to the edge of the wall, where he sat down, keeping the injured extremity off the ground.

He looked over at her giving her a grin before saying, “Well it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to continue. I have a high pain tolerance, but this makes me more of a liability than a help. Good showing by the way. You’re one scary woman.”

Layla shrugged at his praise but smirked at him so he would know she appreciated the compliment. She knew her abilities and skills. If she had her hanbō’s with her or the sickle chained variant. Layla would be able to mow through all these potentials. Nothing but ass holes and elbows left in her wake. It was a disgusting thought that she tossed away immediately. She didn’t want to be a murderer. The simulations were just that, simulations. Things created for her to test her skills and learn. This wasn’t a situation where she needed to end someone's life. Something she needed to keep in the forefront of her mind.

She analyzed the battle. It was getting close to the time for her to go it alone, but there were still three groups left. All of which had taken up corners just like Layla had. Bodies of the injured or unconscious sprawled out everywhere. People crying and some throwing up as the pain of their broken limbs was just too much for them. Layla thought these potential were weak and clearly ill-prepared for the twisted and frankly barbaric scenario the Academy had placed them in not even an hour into orientation day. This place was going to be hell. She looked up at Atom to see him watching her impassively. A knowing smile creeping on his face as he met her eyes.

 

Bastard. I’ll never thank him. Never.

 

She would have been absolutely destroyed if she had come here without that training. A sopping mess on the floor most likely shattered by any of the seven she had so deftly dispatched moments ago. But she would never thank that prick. Not for all the credits in the world.

Layla needed to think of what to do next. She wasn’t great at tactics, at least not when it came to handling unknown resources like her two female companions. She knew her own capabilities and had to admit that the girls at least knew how to handle themselves. There were still several independents fighting it out that was holding most everyone's attention.

“Any ideas?” Layla said, turning to her interesting new friends.

 

Oliver put a hand up as if he would say something but shook his head dismissing his thought.

 

“Out with it man. I have nothing. Best I figure, we have a 50/50 shot of taking a group if all three of us rush one.” Layla said. She couldn't assume that everyone would be as unskilled as the black robes had been.

 

Oliver laughed and shrugged before saying, “You know. It’s going to sound ludicrous but how are your acting skills?”