I woke up on the cold floor as I always have for about three years now.
I used to have a bed, whatever happened to it I couldn't remember.
"Alright you idiots! It's your lucky days! None of you will die today unless you decide not to work!" , He seemed cheerful today, probably because he didn't have to take any of us to that death cell.
For as long as I can remember we have always been in this place, never seen the light of day even. Usually all they have us do is mine for profits. Then there is the battle days, every few days they take one of us out of here and promise us more food and better treatment.
That all comes at a price though, in order to get that food we have to survive the ring.
And that place? No one has survived as of yet.
On the wall across the cells was a memorial to the deaths that happened in those days, the one right across my cell was my sister, she was taken one day and was torn apart when they brought her back.
I managed to get up just in time for them to shove a pick into my hands.
"Another Day in the mines Kiddo! Better hope it lasts!" ,he laughed and led us along the deep dark tunnels.
The tunnels had always creeped me out. I always thought anything could be in here lurking in the dark abyss. I shuddered and followed closely.
"i hear that kids next" ,someone whispered behind me mockingly.
I turned around and walked backwards staring at him.
He wasn't a very tall boy but he was obviously much older.
"just saying, every one has been hearing you're the next one for the death cell." he mocked, "Planning to join your sister?"
I turned back around to hide my face.
You let anyone here know how you feel and it could be the end of you.
After the day of work we got lead back again. My body ached and my head was swimming.
They started to throw in the food.
"Hey! Its my lucky day! I got an entire apple!" ,someone screamed.
One stopped by my cell and looked down at me sadly.
"Sorry its not a better last meal kiddo." ,he said quietly and he slipped in a loaf of bread and some cheese.
I took it and got to the corner of my cell.
As I slowly ate I slowly felt my insides sing from food, and yet starve from the fear.
I had to get some kind of plan if I was going to live, yet no one who has seen that cell ever lives.
I looked over to the cell next to mine, there was a old man that they never took for work in there.
"Y-You seem troubled young man, anything my wisdom may help with?" he chuckled.
If he had any wisdom at all it was: how to be old, how to be forgetful, and how to be insane.
"Its my last day alive so might as well get some advice old man." ,I said solemnly to him.
He chuckled at that, "last day? I don't think so! You have much longer to live, young people these days need to be calm."
"What chance do I have? I am going to the death cell tomorrow! I don't even have anyone in here to talk to other than you!" I exclaimed in a panic.
He looked at me with big brown eyes and a toothless grin.
"Stay calm, and focus on getting out of there." ,he said before he fell asleep.
I guessed it was getting late, we never saw the sun so I could never tell.
I decided to simply sleep rather than be worried about my death.
I put my head into my arms and closed my eyes.
I didn't sleep long I think.
Everyone was jolted awake by a roar, all the cage doors were shaking.
Even the old man had actually gotten up and had a look of fear in his eyes.
The roaring and shaking stopped finally and everyone was now looking towards me.
I clutched my chest and tears began rolling down my face.
Whatever that was, it is whats going to kill me tomorrow.
"Idiots wake up. All of you get ready for the mines except for…" ,he paused and pointed to me.
This was it. I didn't even sleep now that I thought about it.
"stay here until someone comes to get you." ,he said leading the other children and men away.
"whats your name kid" ,the old man asked.
I looked towards him.
He was leaning against the bars of my cell.
"My name is.. uhm" ,I couldn't recall what my name actually was it had been so long.
"ill give you a new name if you want" ,he said slowly, "it will be a name fit for one to go against… that thing."
I nodded towards him.
"in that case I will name you.. Megami. In my ancient tongue that name means dragons strength, I say its fit for a young man like you!" he laughed.
I shook my head. We both know that is not what that means, give me an actual name.
"fine! Ill name you.. Raven." ,he said. I thought about the name for a moment. I had always loved ravens so I wasn't against it.
The door burst open and a large burly man walked in.
He shoved open my cell and dragged me off.
"Make them remember your name Raven!" ,The old man waved me off.
The took me to the cell and closed the door.
It was small and empty, all that was in the room was a chest and a girl in the corner.
"look in the chest for armors and weapons… don't die to badly please." ,she couldn't even look at me while she spoke.
I opened the chest and found several different weapons.
I took a moment and decided on strapping several of the small axes to my waist, and I took a shield and short sword.
The could lift them both fairly well and they were much lighter than the cold steel of the pickaxes.
"I- Im ready as I will ever be!" ,I told her joyfully. I was trying to keep the mood lighter than normal.
"stand in the center of the room and wait." she told me.
I stood in the center and stood tall, my stomach felt like it was going to implode.
I stayed ready for whatever was going to come my way.
The floor started to lift and I fell onto my but.
It lifted into a large open and area and- for a moment I couldn't see because it was so bright.
"I-Is that- the sun!?" ,I jumped to my feet and looked around.
"Today we have a special show for you today! We have four randomly chosen participants for this today! We will have them fight to the death for them to find who will fight The mystery beeaaaast!" ,A loud cheer came from the surroundings. Seems we had an audience.
I looked around and saw three other people.
One was dressed in full armor and held a lance, another seemed to have nothing but the clothes on his back, the last on was a thin pale girl with a small dagger.
I cramped up. We have to kill each other? What do these people talking about! How could I possi-
Before I could finish my though The girl in The Lance was running strait at me and I barely had time to move.
She tore into my side and left me bleeding.
I screamed in agony as she swung the lance into my head.
I was on the floor. The smell of blood filled my nose as she put her foot on my head.
"Little bugs should not even think about trying to live." she said.
At this point the smell was making me sick. I kicked her leg and made it bend backwards,
she screamed for a moment just enough time for me to get up and grab my weapons again.
The crowd just kept getting louder making it harder and harder to think.
She charged at me again and ran into my shield knocking me to my back.
She slammed her lance down towards me and I barely rolled out the way.
My side was throbbing but not in extreme pain, most likely from adrenaline.
She thrust her spear again and I moved to the side scraping my cheek.
"just die you little maggot!" ,she shouted as she continued to attack.
I finally got a little ticked off, "I'm not a maggot or a bug! I'm a human being!"
she laughed for a moment and I thrust my sword towards her.
She had no time to react and the blade slid into a small gap in her armor.
The Crowd Cheered and the announcer shouted, "He sure Stuck it to her didn't He!"
As She fell over I looked at what I had done. Blood was all around me and I had just killed someone.
Across the field something pulled me from my thoughts.
That man had somehow killed the girl without even a scratch, He was holding.. Is that ice?
"Y-You killed her? That's just cold.." ,I said as he looked at me.
"Ice Make, Frozen Hammer of The Lake" ,he said putting his hands together.
A huge hammer made of ice formed in his hands and he held it with ease.
Oh dear, "not to break the ice but, nice to meet you?" ,I attempted to say.
He was already running to me and I barely had time to think, I rolled as he slammed the hammer down into the ground.
I Panicked and thrust my sword at him, It Lodged in his ice hammer and got ripped out of my grasp.
"Crap, guess you could I say I 'Let it Go' then huh, you wouldn't happen to wanna stop for a cup of hot-chocolate would you?" ,I said backing away.
"Ice-Make, Dragon Blade." ,He said forming a sword around his left hand.
He Swung the blade at me and I ducked under his legs and pulled him down to the ground. While he was down I pulled out one of the axes on my belt.
"Would you just let me kill you already?" ,he asked annoyed.
I Stood firm and looked him down.
He ran at me swinging his hammer down smashing it on the ground.
I ran at him in the confusion as he slashed with his left sword.
I slid baseball style and slammed my axe into his knee.
He Screamed out and fell to his knees.
The Crowd was Screaming louder and louder at this.
"ladies and gentleman! The battle seems to be coming to a close! But don't leave Yet!" , the Announcer screamed, "He still gets to face the mystery beast!"
I looked at the ice dude.
"just do it already, and get out of this horrendous place."
I looked away and slammed the axe into his head.
I grabbed the sword and shield again as a gate across the stadium opened.
"Its- Its- Its the… ITS THE DRAGON!" ,the announcer yelled, "This beast Is genetically modified for our enjoyment and is the closest to a dragon we have ever come!"
At this point- I think I already crapped myself.
But this beast was larger than all of our cage cells combined. Its yellow eyes and green scales were blinding in the sunlight.
It Roared and I fell on my face.
I looked at it and felt powerless.
Ice Bro over there might have had a chance but, me? There's no way I am gonna kill this monster.
I stood up and ran towards it.
I lifted up a foot and shoved me aside as if saying, "You're a small little ant are you not?"
the wall was broken and covered in blood.
I didn't know what all on me was broken but there must have been plenty.
This is when I noticed on its chest was a small glowing green area.
This was my only chance to survive.
I took the smallest axe on my belt and stared the best down.
I slowly walked towards it as if to challenge it.
It roared and began to run towards me, I threw the hatched and out of all placed it could hit it jabbed its eye.
It reared back blinding.
I ran towards it and jumped high as I could.
I held onto its chest and shoved the sword strait into the small glowing spot.
The Beast went silent, it simply froze in place and could no nothing.
I jumped down and looked around.
"My name is Raven, And I.. I.. I WANT MY FREEDOM!"
The Crowd was completely silent and watched me.
Then I fell on my face and blacked out completely.