Max stared at the clock its white block numbers ticking down with a constant tone of impending doom while a pit of dread pooled in her stomach and as zero graced her screen she knew who her first opponent was. Spinning around Max watched as an Umbris member ran towards her their pudgy hands wrapped hastily around a lamp, wielding it like an improvised hammer. Swinging the lamp Max ducked running for the traitorous member with her shiv ready.
The member tried to block with his flabby arms attempting another swing but it was halted as the shiv planted itself in his eye. Its crude jagged blade scraped the eyes socket like an eggshell while its runny crimson yolk covered her hands. Reeling back Max lost her shiv to the member's eye yet that didn't matter, as the boy reeled back in pain his weapon laid on the ground. Grabbing the hefty lamp post Max spun, turning faster and faster before planting the end of the lamp in the side of the member's head. While a satisfying crunch filler her ears Max felt her feet fall from under her as she saw a figure swoop in from behind.
Whipping her head in place Max watched as a burly jock covered in rough hockey gear desperately retreated while a pair of rats not even half his size attacked slicing at his hands with broken scissors for knives. Yet she didn't get the chance to react as a wooden plank came careening for her head. Wistfully rolling away Max saw her next Umbris opponent seeing it was a girl, fairly older but not nearly as intimidating as the fat kid. Pushing herself to her feet Max charged for the girl while she readied herself to attack, just before she came close she pulled back watching as the girl whiffed her swing. Leading to a wide grin and a solid punch landing in the girls' face courtesy of Max. Picking up the board Max noticed the nail in it but staring at her assailant she realized a quick death would be a mercy. And she was all out of mercy.
Turning the plank to its side Max brought the board down with all of her strength, as its wet crunches served as her dings of approval “Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! “. Again and again, the board found its target with the girls' whimpers going unheard drowned out by the continuous “Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! “Until an unknown tension released from her muscles. The board fell to the ground its yellowed color now stained a fresh red while what laid on the ground was unrecognizable. The only way Max could tell she was still alive was from the bubbles forming in the blood as her chest moved.
Turning to the remaining Umbris members Max could see the fear in their eyes, she could see their hands trembling with uncertainty, and the sheen of sweat rolling down their face. And then it clicked. This was what she looked like scared, uncertain, completely, and utterly weak. It was unnerving as she realized what everyone saw when they looked at her a weak little girl feigning bravery to save her friends. That meant nothing now and as she looked back on it max could help but laugh. As she forgot the reason she joined Umbris in the first place. Survive.
Strolling towards the group of former Umbris members Max wanted to make it clear she changed. Noticing the literal blood on her hand Max slowly dragged the blood over her eye leaving a bright red streak on her face. Examining their weapons Max watched them tense up and strike a defensive pose as she passed finally finding a boy holding a paddle covered in shattered rulers, scissor blades, and all manner of sharp objects. Staring at the boy Max felt a twinge of sympathy for the child until she felt the heat of a roaring fire glance her back. Striking the kid in the face Max wrenched the paddle from his grip and planted its lip in his neck. Tugging against the boy's neck Max claimed her weapon and walked towards the fray, leaving the Umbris members alone to watch as the battle raged on.
Max felt nothing. All that penetrated her nerves was the smell of metal and blood while a constant whine pierced her ears. She couldn't tell if her eyes were bloodshot or if she was blinded yet all she saw was red. A constant crimson landscape that stretched beyond the reaches of her corporeal perception. It was a rage against weakness, it was a rage against fear. It was the insurmountable will to survive.
The war ended as suddenly as it began leaving its survivors to survey the carnage each of their members had wrought. Daniel had to hold himself back from laughing as he surveyed the destructive power that his followers could bring, but something bothered him. It was just on the edge of his sense until he finally noticed it “Splat! Crunch! Splat! Splat!” Turning away from the layer of corpses that littered the ground Daniel craned his neck to see a girl just at the edge of the field stabbing a dead MVP. Her strikes were wild occasionally missing and hitting the brick wall but each strike was brought with full force. Intrigued by what he saw Daniel turned to Jessica whose mask look like it was ripped from a slasher game “hey Jess, who’s that?” and with her typically cheery demeanor she replied “well sir, that would be Max. The girl that was trying to investigate you”.
Pausing for a moment Daniels smirk widened to the point that his mask seemed to stretch in tandem ‘so she’s the one who’s been following me. Shell be an interesting follower’. Marching to the center of the field Daniel numbly walked on the cushy remains of his enemies, like he did with the first rats that crossed him. Searching for a rat amongst the pile Daniel readily grabbed it lifting it to the sky “today you clans have seen our power how we truly outclass you. Your feeble cliques whittled to nothing more than a poor excuse of our clan, but it's not too late. We will take in whoever wants to join. We will protect you. We care for our own. So the offer stands and in case you doubt my words gimme your best shot”.
Daniel stood eyeing the defeated clans waiting for one of them to test him until one person approached. Pushing past his clan of sports stars and athletes while his armor looked like it was made by a metal band, and as he approached Daniel couldn't help but greet his old friend. “Hello, Jason”
