Addie’s shivering body was sprawled across the hallway floor.  A silver spear was impaled into her right knee.  She wanted to cry out, but the fear of Spear and Sander coming back was too terrifying.  Addie listened to the rain that sprinkled on the windows.  Despite how hard she concentrated, Blade had no idea where she was and there was nothing she could do about it.
One week earlier, Addie had been waiting at the bus stop.  The morning air was brisk and the cold bit at her arms.  The breath of her and the two other youth was steaming from their lips.  Addie was the last on the bus as it rumbled up to the stop.  All the seats were taken except for an open space next to Jenna.
“This seat’s taken,” Jenna hissed in her low, quiet voice.
“No it’s not,” Addie began, “This was the last stop.”
Jenna glared, “You can sit there, but he’s not going to be happy.  Reaper is a little big on vengeance.”
Gingerly, Addie walked away from the girl.  Her eyes were black as night which made Addie agree to herself that she wouldn’t sit there.  She went to the back of the bus and squished herself in between some boys who paid her no attention.  The bus ride was miserable.
She hopped off the rusty bus to see her friend, Jacky.  She waved happily and skipped over to where Addie was standing.  Then, Jacky pulled her into a tight hug and twirled her around.
“You’re acting as if you hadn’t seen me in years, Jacky.  What gives?” Addie wondered aloud.
Jacky looked slightly afraid with good reason, “Rumor spreads that the Bloodshed has begun.  You were gone for a week and I thought… I just…”
She looked like she was about to cry, so Addie quickly said, “Ease up, I had the chicken pox.”
Jacky didn’t let go of Addie for the rest of the day except for when they had separate classes which happened a lot considering their age difference.  Jacky was two years younger than Addie who was a sophomore.  Fortunately, Jacky had skipped a grade which landed her in her freshman year.  Their relationship was that of a sisterly love.  Jacky had been orphaned at a young age and had been through too many foster families to count.  Her only family was Addie.
When Addie entered her small dank house, she threw her school bag on the floor and went to her room.  She threw her shoes and socks off and went back into the kitchen.  Before making a lunch, she washed her hands.
“That’s strange,” Addie whispered, “There’s something blue on my arm.”
She washed her arm and scrubbed with soap until the skin was blaring red, but the blue mark was still there.  Addie pulled her sleeve up and soon found herself sitting on the floor from shock.  There was a design that looked like the symbol for a blade.  Addie had no idea how she knew what it meant, but it was erie.  Then, she realized something.
“Blade is one of the seven followers in the Bloodbath,” Fear seeped into her emotions and she screamed, “No!  I can’t be a keeper!  No!”
At some point, Addie had blacked out.  Her heavy eyelids were forced open to see her father holding her head up and saying soothing words.  Then, as her vision cleared, she noticed her mother coming to them with a wet paper towel.  Then, she put the paper towel on Addie’s forehead.
“What happened, Addie?” Her father asked in a clearly concerned voice.
Then Addie remembered the thread of events that had plagued her before she had blacked out.  She quickly glanced at her arm and noticed that her sleeve was covering the mark.  Despite the question her dad had asked and the worried expressions her parents were giving her, Addie stood up.
“Where’re you going, Sweet Heart?” Addie’s mom pressed.
Ignoring her throbbing heartbeat, Addie said, “I have to go to the library for some… last minute studying.”
Her parents protested, but Addie didn’t pay them any heed.  She waltzed right outside and began walking to it.  The sun was setting when she arrived at the library and Addie was already feeling drowsy.  She continuously pinched her arm to keep herself awake.  If she was in the Bloodbath, then she had no time to lose.  There were too many people counting on her that she couldn’t allow herself to die.
She found multiple books about the Bloodbath and seated herself at a table.  Then, she began reading through the enormous books:
Chapter 1: The Bloodbath Origins
The Bloodbath started after the war of seven nations.  The first nation specialized in their sword fighting.  They were nicknamed, The Blades.  The second nation had a knack for archery and were, for obvious reasons, called The Archers.  It was no mystery as to why the third nation was known as The Spears seeing as all their soldiers carried lances and javelins to every battle.  The fourth nation battled from afar, or though it seemed.  They trained their warriors to be assassins and were later called The Reapers.  With an army filled with cavalry and trained animals serving them, the fifth nation was called The Tamers.  The sixth nation had no boundaries.  They trained their soldiers by throwing them in an arena and having them kill each other.  The last one standing was sent to fight for the nation.  Almost every soldier had gone mad with the horrors of war and for this, the nation was called The Rage.  Lastly, the seventh nation was small, but powerful.  They believed in magic and legend says that one day, the gods put pity on them and granted it to them.  They were seen as The Summoners to every nation around them.
Addie couldn’t bare to read any more of the drab writing so she skipped to the section about The Blades:
Chapter 9: Blade
There was no end to the war of seven nations.  Instead, it was rumored that the gods grew tired of the tedious fighting of man kind, so they destroyed the nations and packed it into an object called the Sacred Artifact.  It was made to grant a wish to the winner of the Bloodshed.  Blade is a real being that is conjured during the Bloodshed for the Keeper that owns her.  It does not vanish if the Sacred Artifact is obtained.  The Keeper can be identified by the mark on an arm.
Her eyes were wide with horror.  The image on the page had matched the image on her arm.  Despite how terrified she felt, she knew that she’d die if she didn’t try.  As a last attempt, she opened the book back up and flipped through the pages until she stumbled across a chapter that mentioned how to summon a Follower for a Keeper such as herself.  Addie found the answers she needed, returned the books to the shelf, and left the library.
She found herself entering a forest and with no light from the new moon.  It was erie, but she had a feeling that if she was actually included in the Bloodshed, then things were going to get a lot worse.  She laid a few abstract objects on the ground and drew a symbol around them.  Then, Addie chanted some gibberish that the book had told her to say.  Nothing happened.
“Well this was a waste of time,” Addie mumbled, but the fear was still etched inside of her.
Then, all of the sudden, a beam of light glowed from the pattern on the ground.  It was so bright, that Addie couldn’t see the other side of the forest through it.  Finally, from the burning sensation on her eyes, she averted her form and held there until the darkness seeped back in.  She turned to find a glow, but not from a light.  It was emanating from a figure.  It was a girl who looked no more than twenty years old.
“It is an honor to meet you Milady,” She announced politely to Addie with a curtsy.
“Hi,” Addie squeaked.
She moved forward while saying, “I know why I am here, but everything else is a little fuzzy, so please do be patient with me if I’m slow to grasp this new world.”
Addie shook herself awake and remembered her manors, “Do you have a place to stay tonight, because my parents have a spare bedroom.”
“What country is this?” Blade asked.
Addie felt like laughing, but the gravity of her situation prevented it, “We’re in the United States of America.”
Blade shook dirt off of her glowing white dress and dusted off the armor attached to the dress as she stood in front of Addie, “We cannot stay here.  The Sacred Artifact can only be won in the old city.  We must go to Rome.”
Addie nearly feinted, “Rome?  I can’t afford that!”
“That is quite unfortunate then.  You might consider making an alliance with another Keeper, so we can get there.  If you don’t, I fear that we will be snuck up on and killed in a matter of days,” She replied.
“Why would we die?  Can’t we call the police?” Addie exclaimed.
“I have heard of these police you speak of and I know that they cannot interfere with Bloodshed business.  As for why we would die, it is complicated.  You see, I can sense when other Followers are near, but without being in the presence of the old lands, my senses will grow numb and it will become a matter of time before Reaper or Summoner can hunt us down.”
Addie was starting to understand the Bloodshed more and more, but it just became more real and frightening, “Who do we need to ally with to get a ride there?”
Blade smiled, “You will need to find Tamer, Rage, or Summoner,” Then she paused, “On second thought, it wouldn’t be wise to find Rage, so why don’t we try to find Tamer or Summoner.”
Finally, Blade agreed that Addie would just go to school tomorrow and Blade would follow from a distance.  It would be the best chance for them to find another Keeper or wealthy kid who’d be willing to help her gain a ride to Rome.
The next day, Addie finally got her own seat on the bus.  Jenna had never missed  a day of school, but Addie wouldn’t complain.  There was no more dealing with her odd behavior.  In other words, for once, the bus ride was pleasant.
It was in her math class where everything went downhill.  She was partnered with a strange boy to do a work sheet.  He kept fidgeting and speaking nervously.  It all added up when she noticed his arm.  She could barely make out a faint black mark under his sleeve.
Addie panicked and bundled three common excuses into one, “I have to go get a drink from the bathroom in my locker!  Be right back!”
The boy gave her a confused expression, but didn’t object.  Addie booked to the supply closet where Blade was hiding.  Blade drew her sword at the sudden movement of the door, but instantly sheathed it when she saw Addie’s sweaty face.
“There’s a boy with a mark.  Do you sense his Follower?” Addie said quickly.
Blade’s face became serious, “I don’t sense anyone, but there could be a million reasons.  The Follower may be elsewhere or my senses could already be dulling.  One last reason is that the Follower may not have been summoned yet.  Did you at least see what the mark looked like?”
Addie sighed in relief, “I didn’t see all of it, but this was part of it,” She drew a curved line that seemed to be crossed with multiple others.”
“It’s hard to tell, but it resembles Spear’s.  Spear is honorable and will not fight unless the opponent accepts his challenge or he is attacked.  I want you to learn more of the Keeper to discover if he has a way to get to Rome and if you could go,” Blade commanded.
Grudgingly, Addie sauntered back to the classroom.  The boy was sitting on the floor with a finished worksheet.  When he saw her, he gave her an arrogant smirk.  She glared at him instinctively.
“Done getting a drink from the bathroom in your locker?  I didn’t realize people could have lockers that big,” He shrugged.
Addie forced her expression to stay bored despite how embarrassed she felt, “What’s your name again?”
“I’ve only been in your class for a semester,” He said, pretending to look hurt, but then he saw her annoyed face and said, “Sander.”
Addie had no idea how to bring up the subject of the Bloodshed.  Sander was staring at her while she contemplated.  His eyes fell on her arm and she looked down hurriedly, but only to find her sleeve over it.  She narrowed her eyes at him.
She was about to speak when he said, “How long have you been a Keeper?”
“How did you—”
Sander rolled his eyes, “Oh come on, your expression told me everything and after you ran off from seeing my symbol?  Let’s be honest; I don’t think you have much experience in lying.”
“Well since I can’t lie apparently,” Addie snapped, “I’m going to be blunt.  I need a ride to Rome and if you know how to get there, let me know.”
Addie stood up and began walking away, but Sander stopped her, “My dad owns a jet.  After I summon my follower tonight, you can come with me, but on one condition.”
“What?” Addie growled at him.
“Who’s your follower?  I simply am unwilling to give Reaper and Rage a ride,” He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Well since I have Blade, I don’t think we’ll have a problem,” Addie said smugly.