VI

((Y/N)'s P.O.V.)

I opened my eyes and groaned, sitting up and clutching my forehead. I looked at my surroundings, still in the squid base. That was the only thing I could remember, besides my name. How did I even get here? I stood up and looked outside my cell into the one across from mine. There was someone in there, someone awake, he seemed so familiar; he wore a long-sleeve black and gray shirt, black pants, red shoes, sunglasses, and he had an amulet that looked just like mine. I picked up my amulet and looked from mine to his. Again, this guy seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it. I had one helluva headache, but I don't know how I got it. And what was I doing in an underwater prison?

"Notch, this is confusing." I mumbled quietly so the person in the cell across from mine wouldn't hear me. I leaned a bit out of my cell to see the other two cells next to the one across from me had people in them. The one to my left had a person wearing a blue spacesuit and the one to my right had a boy about my age with a green and black headset, a white V-neck t-shirt, and gray pants. The boy's hair was brown and covered his left eye to top off the look. I had to admit, the boy with the headset was pretty cute. Wait, what am I thinking? I haven't even spoken to him yet! I sighed and took another look around; the place seemed unguarded for the most part. I looked at the open section of my cell where food can be passed into the cell. I took out the sword I had in my sheath.

"Could work…" I whispered and started to cut the area around the hole so that it was big enough for me to slip out. Considering that I was really tall for my age, which I was guessing was at least 19 or 20, I had to pretty much cut off the entire base of the door. Once I was done cutting, the section of metal fell to the floor with a small clang! I flinched as the noise echoed through the hall, afraid that guards would come and most likely torture me. Okay, this was feeling déjà-vu-ish to me; memories of this jail shot through my mind. I must have been taken here before when I was younger. No one turned to look at me from the other cells… I think the guy across from me was, though. I couldn't tell; sunglasses. I snuck out of the hallway undetected when a twinge of guilt stopped me in my tracks; I couldn't just leave them there… could I? No, I was going back for them. I turned around and went back to the hall. I stopped at the first cell with the space-guy. I took out a bobby pin from my hair and picked the lock in no time flat. The space-guy seemed to be unconscious, so I went over and he woke up just as I bent down. He looked at me in surprise… I think, with the helmet he was wearing, I couldn't tell. He sat up and gasped.

"(Y/N)?" He asked, but I didn't respond. I just helped him up and motioned him to follow me. I took out another bobby pin and handed it to the space-guy.

"Pick the locks," was all I said before I went to work on the lock to the cell across from the one I was in. The guy inside perked his head up once he heard the door open. I didn't face the man inside; I just set to work on the lock on the cell to the left of mine, which contained a furry creature in a business suit. I didn't speak to any of them after that; I was focused more on escaping. I felt like this has happened before; being captured by the squids, I mean. I cut open my window to my cell and gestured for the others to go out first while I kept watch for the squids, in case that they came. First it was the guy with the headset, then the one with the checkered jacket, the furry one, space-man, the guy that was across from me, and I finally I crawled out. They waited for me outside of the building; they actually waited… that's a first. We swam up together and to the shore. Once on land, I turned back to the others.

"See ya around." I saluted them and left, running into the forest and up the mountain to my home in the trees. The expressions on their faces when I left still flashed across my mind every now and then; they looked concerned and sad, mostly the guy with the amulet. He looked like he wanted to cry out, "Wait, stop!" when I turned to leave. When I left them, it felt like there was something telling me to stay with them, but I denied it. I felt like I wanted to cry, but why? Was it something involved with those five people? Or just the one with the amulet? I was about to open the door to my home, but froze; something was telling me to go to the castle of Mordias. I followed the instinct and turned away from my front door, walking towards the castle. I looked at the surrounding forest that led the way to the ancient, fallen building. It seemed… quiet; almost too quiet. I drew my sword, just in case something, or someone, decided to jump out and scare the crap out of me. Some of you are probably thinking, "FORESHADOWING! FORESHADOWING!" and that's exactly what I was doing; the bushes to my right started to rustle and it scared the crap out of me. I pointed my sword at the bush and lulled over my options in my mind; Fight or Flight? Fight or Flight? Fight… Nope, definitely flight. I turned and ran in the direction of the castle; maybe I would be safe in there… maybe. I made it the steps of the castle when I realized that I was safe.

"Holy chicken nugget biscuits!" Heh, references… I turned back to the large hole that used to be the doors and took a step across the threshold. A memory hit me like a bullet, but I stayed frozen as I remembered.

I was nine and running down the hall of the castle with my brother chasing me. I wasn't watching where I was going, so I crashed into my father, the king. We both laughed as we got up and my brother approached.

"(Y/N), Sky, I was just coming to remind you that the Survival Games competitors raffle is in fifteen minutes, so go and get into your formal wear. (Y/N), you'll be choosing the names out of the bowl this year." I smiled and ran to my room to get ready. The Survival Games were not as bad as the Hunger Games; you re-spawn once you die in the Survival Games, unlike the Hunger Games. I always loved watching this event; it was my favorite throughout the year. I was really hyper as I changed into my blue dress with gems in a line across the torso and put my cloak on; this cloak was originally my mother's. It was black with a blue lining and a silver clasp. I ran to my bathroom to put my hair up in a 'royal' bun. It was traditional hair-style worn for centuries by my family to formal events. I adjusted the amulet that my mother had given to me the day before she died. I turned to leave my room and someone knocked on my door. I opened the door to find my eight year old brother, Sky, with his clothes out of place; his crown was tilted to the side a bit, his jacket looked like it was put on haphazardly, and his hair was all over the place. I giggled at his appearance and invited him inside.

"Could you help me with my, well, everything?" I nodded and motioned for him to sit on my bed as I got my hairbrush. Sky sat patiently on my bed as I brushed his hair. I could tell there was something on his mind; I always could.

"Is something wrong, Sky? You look troubled." I asked as I continued to brush his hair; geez, how many tangles could he have gotten in his hair in the past two minutes? Sky looked at the floor and shook his head.

"Oh, come on; I know when there's something wrong. So, tell me." I pleaded as I hugged him.

"I just… what if one of my friends gets chosen? I know that the competitors re-spawn, but I would just hate to see them die…" I understand how he felt; last year, my friend, Castia, was chosen in the Survival Games. She was the eighteenth competitor to fall, but she never re-spawned. I was heartbroken; Castia was the only friend I had besides my brother's friends, who I got along with quite well. They always came over for a sleepover whenever it was a break from school or my father was away on royal business; their parents' were all soldiers who protected the king and I volunteered to take care of their children whenever they had to go with my father to another land or kingdom.

"Look, Sky… It's not as bad as you think it would be… Competitors just…look like they fall asleep when they're eliminated from the games. Here," I turned my brother to face me, "if one of your friends is chosen, I'll just cover your eyes so you won't have to see them if they're eliminated. I've arranged it for your friends to sit with us in the royal viewing area. How does that sound?" My brother's eyes lit up… I think, remember people, he wears sunglasses. Sky hugged me and thanked me. I fixed him up and looked at the clock; it was five minutes until the choosing of the competitors. I grabbed Sky's hand and threw open my door.

"Come on, Sky; we have five minutes." My brother sensed my urgency and ran beside me so that I no longer dragged him. We made it just in time for my cue to come out and choose the competitors for the games. My father knelt down to my height.

"Great timing." He whispered and I smiled. I walked over to the bowl and was about to reach my hand in when I remembered I had a short speech to give.

"Citizens of Mordias! I, princess (Y/N), am pleased to welcome you to the sixty-second annual Survival Games! I am also honored to be selecting the competitors for the games! So without further ado, I present the first competitor of the Survival Games…" I paused as I reached into the bowl and selected a card. I opened the card and read the name, "Drake Conners!" I looked down into the crowd to see a boy, about ten or eleven, stand up and make his way down to the arena in the middle of the stadium; we were just like the Romans! I pulled out twenty-one other names of random people who I never met, so I'm just skipping to the twenty-third competitor. I reached into the bowl after a deep breath; I had made it this far without selecting one of Sky's friend's names. I picked out a card and opened it, gasping at the name. People from the stadium were looking up at me to see what was taking so long. I cleared my throat and read the name on the card.

"M-Mitchell Hughes…" I choked out into the microphone I had in front of me. I heard gasps from behind me and I knew it was Sky. I turned around and looked at Mitch, mouthing, "I'm sorry." I didn't want to watch Mitch make his way down to the center, so I just pulled out the next name. I opened my eyes and the card, but froze on the spot; the card read, "Jerome Aceti." I gulped and turned to face Jerome.

"Jerome Aceti." I tried saying calmly, but my voice was obviously cracking. Jerome stood up and followed the same path that Mitch took. Jerome stopped at the door and ran back to me to hug me. I hugged him back and guided him down the center. I returned to the podium I was speaking from earlier and explained the rules for this year's Survival Games.

"Now, the rules have bent slightly this year for the Survival Games; this year, competitors can partner up to win together, but be warned, you never know who you can trust." I peered down at the center to see Mitch and Jerome silently agreeing to be partners and I smiled. I looked back at the crowd.

"Let the games begin!" I shouted and the crowd cheered wildly. I stepped down from the podium and Sky ran up to hug me. I hugged him back and looked to Ty and Jason, who were teary eyed; I could tell they didn't want to watch the games this year. I turned to my father, who noticed my concern.

"Go ahead; you don't have to watch the games." He said to me and I motioned for Ty and Jason to follow me to their favorite spot on the castle grounds; the indoor training facility. I stepped inside and let the boys practice their fighting skills. I put up my hood and sat to the side guiding them with dodges and attacks. My father always said I was a great fighter and an amazing teacher, so I was assigned to training the younger children in the kingdom. I checked in with the games on my wristwatch; it seemed it would be going on for a few days since only two people died and re-spawned in the spectators' area, plus the sun was starting to set.

"Ty, Jason?" The two boys stopped demolishing the attack dummies and turned to me, "Since your parents will be watching the games, you'll be staying at the castle until they're over." Ty, Jason, and looked at each other, smiled, and ran inside. A week of being tackled by Sky, Jason and Ty later, Jerome and Mitch came into the room, grinning from ear to ear. I looked at them from under the pile of children and smiled.

"You won, didn't you?" They nodded and they were soon engulfed in hugs.

I stumbled back at the memory and ended up falling backwards down the stairs. I looked back up at the castle and memories of my brother and my friends flooded back into my mind. I just sat there gasping for a few seconds before I got up and ran back to my house. I was about half-way to my house when I crashed into something and fell backwards.

"What the…?" I yelled and got back up. I walked forward with my hand extended and my hand hit something. I rubbed my hand against it and it shocked me. I quickly pulled away and almost screamed, my eyes tearing up from the pain. I could still feel the small shock running through my veins and shivered every now and then. After a few more minutes of trying to get through the barrier, my knees gave out and I fell. I was shivering non-stop, but my heart told me to keep going. I was getting weaker by the second.

"No… I have… to keep… going…" I tried to keep slamming myself against the barrier to break it, I was not giving up. I heard a door open about ten feet away and footsteps, lots of footsteps. My vision was blurring and getting darker as the footsteps got closer.

"SETO, LOWER THE BARRIER!" Someone screamed, calling my name several times after. The world grew darker and my body hit the ground, since I was leaning on the barrier earlier. That voice… it was in the memories, but I couldn't place it. Finally, my vision was nothing but darkness.