Chapter 3: Ariadne

"Ariadne is a woman with the power to see the changes in the corridors. I don't know how she does it. Problem is; nobody knows where she is. That's why we can't go chasing after her," Grandfather explained, as the trio huddled in a dead end, while their creatures kept watch.

"You seem to know her," Dara observed. Caught off guard, Grandfather begrudgingly replied.

"We were put in here about the same time. I don't know if she's even alive." Sighing, Grandfather began to lie down. "Too bad it's pointless to try and win. What I wouldn't give to be waited on hand and foot."

"It's not really that great. You don't do anything. All you do is watch, and nobody expects you to accomplish much at all. You're just… figureheads," Dara stated, somewhat depressed by this reality.

"Paradise," Grandfather retorted, ending the conversation.

Meanwhile…

A tall young man wearing a torn cloak and carrying a bloodstained trident strode down the corridor. Jason Centurion didn't speak much, or at all really after the 'accident' as the media had dubbed it.

Yeah right. More like a legal abduction.

Hearing a high pitched voice, Jason stopped. Gazing in the direction of the sound with crimson eyes, he signaled for his partner to stop.

Stark white claws brandished, the diminutive creature stood on two hind legs. Its head was the base of an angular red crest. A gold oval rested on its forehead, as its fanged mouth smirked.

"Weavile," It murmured, returning to a scowl.

They had their next targets. Only a matter of time.


Christine, Jexz and Jaden had fallen into a sort of pattern when travelling. Jexz would take the lead, Zoroark slightly ahead of him, while Christine and Audino walked in front of Jaden, who brought up the rear.

"So, you had a brother?" Christine asked Jaden, in an attempt to break the tension.

"Yeah. He'd be about as old as you actually," He replied, a sort of nostalgic grin o his face.

"What do you think he's up to right now?" Christined inquired, as the much larger youth winced.

"Could we just not, talk about this? It's actually kind of painful," He shot down before a click caught his attention. The floor below Jexz collapsed, sending him plummeting down.

Almost frozen from shock, Jexz tossed his knife up into the ceiling where it stuck, as his hands clamped around the chain. As he dangled, an insectoid creature with a dark purple colouring began to surface from the sandy pit.

Instead of a head, its face glared from its flexible torso. Two arms ended in claws, and its lower body sported six short legs. Hissing, it began to advance.

Acting on instinct, Jaden leaped into the pit of his own accord, swinging his sword to try and kill the beast. Instead, the cold metal blade bounced harmlessly off of the exoskeleton as Jaden pulled himself into a ball to soften the fall's impact.

Otherwise distracted, the creature decided to leave Jexz alone for the moment and focus on its new prey. Maintaining a brave face, Jaden charged into another tremendous swing, only being forced to dodge a striking tail.

Accidentally rubbing his fingers across his palm, Jexz dropped with a thud down to the ground as his weapon vanished, joining the deadly tango.

Meanwhile…

Grandfather suddenly awoke, startled by a rumbling. Shaking Marcy and Dara into similar state, he scanned the ground. Spotting a well defined line, he pulled them back as the rumbling approached.

Sliding into the position, the walls began to move as the left wall of the room disappeared, showing a new turn while another slammed into the ceiling from where they once stood.

"That… was close," Marcy breathed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for keeping us from being crushed."

"No problem. Just stay out of trouble from now on, alright? I'm going to die sooner or later, and would prefer later," He deadpanned, without any sort of sarcasm in his voice.

"So, why didn't a wall show up here?" Marcy asked, trying to put the entire picture together.

"I've noticed guidelines along the floors over the years. They mark places that don't change, almost as reference points for where to drop kids like you or traps. That's how I found this place. No matter what, I stay within twelve hours of here. So I can always be back someplace familiar," Grandfather explained.

"And, we have twenty-four hours before the next change, right?" Dara interrupted, directing his question at Grandfather with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't try and save the screamer kid. They're never around when you get there," Grandfather interjected as Dara began to run off.

Meanwhile…

"Damn it," Jexz muttered, ducking under the tail once again as Jaden tried to pierce its armor with his sword. "This isn't working! We need something that can get through! Your sword's for slashing, it won't work."

"Yeah, well what do you suggest?" Jaden retorted, blocking a swipe of a claw immediately after.

Annoyed by the resistance, the creature roared, causing its claws to glow neon purple. Bringing its appendages into an x-like shape, it promptly swung them outwards to launch a blast of the same colour and shape energy.

"Agh!" Jaden cried out in pain, taking the brunt of the blast across his torso. Collapsing to the ground, Jexz took one lock at him and cursed their odds of survival.

As a rumbling began to shake throughout their little pit, a solid metal beam rose out of the floor, taking the insect creature with it. Slamming against the roof, it lifelessly slumped, blood dripping down the walls, with that pathway now blocked.

In another part of The Arena…

Bow raised in a prepared stance, Tim stepped down one of the endless corridors of the Arena. Turning a corner, he froze upon the sight of a cloaked figure lurching in the opposite direction.

Hearing the continued telltale clack of claws as his almost snow white partner continued behind him, Tim began to panic. Cocking its crimson faced head, it posed "Sol?"

Pulling back around the bend, he nonchalantly told the quadruped "It's nothing," while preparing to get a bead on his target. His shorts brushed against the wall, and Tim realized he would have to step out more.

"Steady," he murmured to himself, slowly drawing back the string of an already notched arrow. Flying straight, it stuck in his target's left arm.

"Shit…"Tim stated, now wide in the open. Turning to run, his black shoes hitting the pavement, a pointed chain was fired at his heart.

Stepping into the line of fire, while producing a green spherical barrier, deflecting the chain so that it stuck in the perpendicular wall, the Tim's partner took on an aggressive stance. Hearing, the sound of the collision, Tim stumbled and called out with surprise.

Jason then paused to think, deciding Tim wasn't worth his time and turning back in the other direction.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Tim leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Clutching a silver medal dangling from his neck, thoughts of his mother and sister played in his head. "I'll get back to you two, I promise."


"So, how would we find Ariadne exactly?" Marcy asked Grandfather.

"I know of one room that she would probably be staying in. Unless, of course, they got to her…" Grandfather trailed off.

"Wait, who got to her? Would they kill her? I don't want anyone to get me!" Marcy interjected.

"Look, not every more permanent resident of this hellhole would be so kind to you youngsters, without a fee. Ariadne's the biggest balance shifter in this place, because she could take anyone to the surface within a day. It's probably no secret to the owners of this place. She'd want protection. No matter what the cost," The older man explained.

"What if we go find her then? We've got you, and me, and there's Axel…" Marcy began to plan out.

"That creature of yours better not be 'Axel'. Come on then, we should be able to go find the room at least," Grandfather motioned, as if he wanted Marcy to follow him.

Before the author's note, I'd like to take time to remember a friend of mine, Lessly Ann Cepeda, better known as Sunbean. She took her own life with an overdose on the 16th of the month. She was an amazing author, friend, mentor, musician and general person to goof off with. I don't think I'll ever capture the magic of her writing, but for her sake I'll try. I'll never forget you Less.

Well, this is finally done! I've introduced the current full cast, but I'd like one more female to try and balance things out. Actually, I never described Ariadne. I'm game for a suggestion or two.

Jason belongs to TyranitarMaster19, and Tim to Tbroome535

And, there happens to be so many characters I might start doing a couple more focused chapters, where only three or four OCs show up. Is that alright?

Reply time!

poketrainer101: Is it still awesome? I hope the fight scene I put your character in was alright, and props to anyone who can name the pokemon they fought.

TerraClearwater: I hope you don't mind me breaking up the type combo… and yet, where will Dara end up? After all, that's two screamers in this chapter. Marcy's still with Grandfather though, so maybe it'll all work out in the end.

krazy-klepto101: Well, you may yet still get your character in, so feel free to submit!

Duckmon: Well, should I try and go three for three then? And I hope I still have the atmosphere right.

rising daemon: You're actually not that far off…

Manser77: If you've read the story so far, you'll understand what I'm accepting as weapons.

And that takes care of everybody!