Ariana was sure the man had still been alive when she had left.

Ariana had never taken a life before, and the thought shook her to her core.

How had he died? Could it be that he bled out, or didn't get medical help in time?

Ariana felt her head spinning as she grappled with the idea that she could be responsible for the man's death.

Since arriving here, she had been forced to compromise her moral boundaries.

Now, feeling nauseated and disgusted, she couldn't bear the thought of having killed someone.

Soon after, the men in black carted the body away. Ariana wanted to get a closer look, but she was stopped. “Mind your own business!" one of the men shouted.

Ariana stole one last glance at the stretcher from afar before retreating to the training area.

Ariana was visibly distracted during the afternoon training session, her mind preoccupied with the turmoil in the control room.

It puzzled her why the man had met his demise, but one fact remained clear-she couldn't change anything now. The primal urge to survive had eclipsed any guilt in her.

She took a deep breath, attempting to clear her mind, pondering if Holden would grow suspicious of the calls or if he could trace the calls to her.

Her thoughts were chaotic, the day's events on an endless Loop, sapping her drive to train effectively. She mechanically went through the motions, striking the punching bag half-heartedly and merely passing the time until evening. Following dinner in the cafeteria, the customary duels commenced.

Ariana dreaded the daily duels, a cruel rule enforced in this place.

Every day, they would draw lots to pick who faced off against who.

Winners earned their stay; losers were sentenced to sleep with the beasts.

Those who had been defeated... Ariana had never seen them again; she knew what it meant to be defeated.

Her luck had held in earlier bouts, battling novices, fellow captives like her, and debt-ridden gamblers. They were all weak and inexperienced.

Stepping into the ring always felt like a heavy burden on Ariana's chest.

Her first adversary, a terrified young girl, had pleaded with Ariana for mercy.

The girl's pleas had pierced Ariana's heart deeply.