In this chapter, Frank and Chris will be narrating, since they've been neglected for about 3 chapters. Nico and Leo would be narrating too.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise, especially the characters in the story. I just used names that came to me. I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, Kane Chronicles, Jumong, Ranger's Apprentice, Beyonders, Dormia, Lord of the Rings, Kingdom Hearts, Avengers, Eragon and Google Translate(I used that to generate family names)

Summary: Almost everyone knew that the person sitting on the throne does not belong there. They did nothing, though. Everyone heard of the rebellion that has happened and failed. And everyone knew what happened to those that joined. Perhaps they knew not who was the leader and what happened to the person, but they knew enough to know that joining the second wave, led by a successor, is dangerous - you only join if it's the last option. This time, though, it was not just straightforward swords, spears, shields, arrows and democratics. This time, unseen, other forces were gathering too. A storm was imminent - and if the throne is not returned to its rightful owner, it would grow to become a hurricane no one would survive.

'Thoughts'
"Speech"

Chapter 8: The Arena

"Welcome to the 7th annual Range-Arena Competition!"

As the announcer spoke, he unlatched the door, allowing it to swing open and reveal the royal arena. The crowd cheered as he did that, for it was only open to the commoners on special occasions, such as celebrations and inter-kingdom competitions. Leo was just as enthusiastic, this was, after all, the first time he would be watching the competition Anulet was famous for. This competition was one of the rare times they would allow people from other lands who were not traders to enter the kingdom.

That aside, this was also the first time they would be changing the game rules. The competition's arena was unique, as only the spectators would be seated within. The actual competition takes place in one of the forests in the mountain ranges next to Anulet, the ones that almost no one visits. It was said to be a perilous place, and it was rumoured once you get lost there, you cannot find a way back.

Everyone from the cavern was here at this competition, with the rest of the citizens, to watch this competition, as they do every year when they pass by. Sure, they were all in a bad spot now, but everyone enjoys a little fun and games. They do need to cheer up. As they streamed in with the rest of the crowd to fill out the grandstand, they made sure to stick close together. The agreement was that if they were separated, they will meet back at the little inn they had pretty much rented out.

As he was being jostled around, he spared a thought to wonder, for a moment, where Nico was. No one had seen him since a day ago and Lupa had slinked off somewhere. Then he noticed the set-up in the middle of the empty ring - a giant panel-like mirror which curved slightly, blocking out the entrance, sealing the arena. It was gigantic, rising up towards the sky, showing a spectacular view of the competitors' arena - from the sky. "Magnificent, isn't it?" Echo commented. Leo had to agree.

"They do this partly to show off and to intimidate," she continued. "It's all part of diplomacy, you see. They need remind their neighbours that they do have an advantage many does not have, their preservation of one of the only magical artefacts included."

Leo was slightly distracted from the conversation as the mirror showed the competitors, standing in a malformed row. Surprisingly, there were barely thirty of them there. "Isn't there usually more people than this?"

"It could be the change in rules. That might have deterred some of the competitors," Echo rationalised. "In the previous few times the competition was held, the only weapons allowed was the bows they provide, so as to make this competition fairer, but this time, they are allowing competitors to enter with other long ranged weapons that are less conventional. Now, they're allowing throwing daggers too. Of course, the rule that no competitor is allowed within a three metre radius of another competitor knowingly is still in place, however, the risk is higher. After all, there are no rules in place to ensure that the competitors cannot eliminate each other."

It took Leo a moment to process the words. "Killing is allowed?" he finally asked, disbelief visibly colouring his tone. Wasn't this meant to be a friendly competition?

"There has been, and always will be, deaths. No penalty has ever been imposed, as no one has ever been caught. Usually, they don't get caught, as around half of them will make it out at the end and even though those who ended up as a pincushion for arrows were definitely killed by one of the others, no one would know who, for all the arrows were standardized. Besides, even without the competition within the competitors, they face danger from the predators living in the mountains too." Echo sounded detached, coolly uninterested.

"Then the winner is still determined by the most number of prey, isn't it?"

"With less competitors, there is less competition for the same amount of preys in the area, thus it would be easier to get more with less effort. This gives them a higher chance to winning. Also, if there is only one person left, by default, the person will be named winner."

"Then they encourage the killings too?"

"The point of this game is to help them sieve out the best, get them and train them to be better, then have them serve the kingdom. To do that, they need people who would not be afraid of getting their hands dirty. They would never announce it, but they want people who would be able to do this things for them. After all, there is a dark side to everything."

"Things?"

When Echo did not reply for quite some time, it became obvious that she was not going to make any comments and was no longer interested by the conversation, or want to continue it.

As the announcer started introducing the competitors, Leo went back to studying them. There was six who caught his eye immediately - the only two females in the competition, Jennifer Dalby and Madelyn Wilkyre, the big, bulky hunk of a man who was about three times the size of the Madelyn named Erak Altman (or was it Eric? Leo wasn't quite sure), the boy in black on the other side of Erak, with his head held high and a calculating look in his eye, Will Selethen, not nearly as tall as the giant next to him even though he exuded a certain amount of confidence that boosted him even though he was not actually there, in the arena and Icon Elidano, who was standing next to Jennifer. Then there was the last one, Cino Miller, the boy in a jacket who was barely shoulder-height of those to his either side despite those people being of a fairly reasonable height.

Both Cino and Icon looked ridiculously small and breakable, almost fragile. Both were equally slender and willowy, almost feminine. From this perspective, Leo was sure they were twins, since they have the same build and preferred the same slightly defensive stance. He was also pretty sure they would look ridiculous holding the bows that were provided, since most of them could be around their height, as the competition was designed for people who were slightly taller and generally older. Even Madelyn was tall enough to use the bows, and she was shorter than most in the competition.

Of course, they most likely would have chosen to use their own weapons, so it may not matter to them. Leo certainly hoped so. He wanted one of them to win.


The arena reminded Nico of home. There was just as many trees here as back home, although the trees here were not either evergreen or leafless. There was also no snow here, no frozen creeks and brambles growing around dead trees. The main difference, though, was that he could not let Lupa run free and do what she does best here, in this foreign forest. She could not enter with him, he did not want her to be well known. To minimise chances of being recognised, he had taken on another name, even though he knew that no one here knows him. It still felt safer, pretending he was someone else.

Nico let his mind wander a little as the soldier who led them here repeated the rules once more. Try not to die, bring back as many prey as possible, stay within the boundaries…. that was really about the gist of it.

His thoughts wandered down the road leading to home. He knew that he needed to go home, although it was going to be really, really tough to do so since he was currently in the heart of one of the more reclusive kingdoms within the land. And if he wins this competition, he most certainly would not be getting out of this place soon, not if he wants to keep his conscience clear and keep the people who had helped him safe. He had joined this competition to repay them, not ruin them, and he would do that. He had to win.

He wished that he could keep Lupa with him. He was a good hunter on his own, but with Lupa, they could clear the forest within hours, not days.

Most of his competitors were pretty normal. There were a few he might need to be concerned about, though, after some evaluation. The tall, bulky one was going to be a problem, since he actually had a brain despite his appearance, although Nico was more worried about the other boy, the one who looked almost like him.

Since he relied on his size and the fact that he looked harmless, he was sure that the other boy would see through him as the other one likely relies on the same tactics. That means that being underestimated by that one would be out.

There was also the portly girl who looked homely and welcoming, like the friendly chiefs he met at the inn, the ones who gave him extra food because they thought he looked too skinny. She didn't seem like much, but from what Nico could observe when they were warming up, she was surprisingly agile and fast. Nothing indicated at her ability to fight, however, it was likely that she was more than capable. The lean girl was pretty average, except that Nico had seen her with a bow and he silently admired her skill. Her standards were almost on par with that of the Hunters and the NightWatch, even if they were not comparable to his family's. She was also good at tracking fast, moving objects, and Nico was quite certain that she hunts for a living. She would be a threat, too. Although, from the way she eyed the bows they were given, it was highly likely that she was going to use her own weapons.

Of the remaining, there was only one who seemed to be capable of being a real problem. The first impression he gave was that he was average, perfectly normal, just like all the other competitors - good enough to be confident about his chance at surviving, not too sure he might win but was capable of winning at least a consolation prize to bring home, not "special' enough to stand out.

Closer up, though, his eyes stood out. Unlike so many of the others, they were of two different colours - blue and brown. They were also emotionless, almost lifeless. They were cold, the eyes of someone who would not hesitate at taking someone else's life. If eyes were windows to the soul, that was a clear indication towards the sort of person he was likely to be.

Nico had the habit of making sure he knew what he was jumping into, and he liked taking only calculated risks. So he knew that many competitors always died, which was a reason many choose not to participate. That was another reason he was careful in observing his opponents. He had counted himself lucky when he was first introduced to the rest of the competitors in the arena they were to warm up in. Majority of them were more inclined to stick to competing according to the rules. This one, however… his was ruthless, efficient and smart. Smart and cautious enough to seek out a secluded area in the arena instead of picking a comfortable but public corner when they were given free reign of the facility.

Nico tailed him quietly, just to get a gauge on this one's ability. What Nico saw was enough to give him pause. He knew that this person probably intended for no one to notice him and follow him, which was why he gave Nico a reason to pause and actually worry a little.

Nico was not entirely sure that he would win if it came down to a fight between the two of them.

If he was going to win, he decided, he would have to avoid all these people, especially the multi-coloured eyed one. He didn't really want to have to hurt them, let alone kill them, although he wasn't above playing dirty if needed.


Frank was ready to get on his horse and go home even before dinner was served. He was especially tempted to do just that as dinner dragged on, filled with stilted political talk. It was, however, customary for them to stay for longer than a few minutes, to show that they accept the hospitality of their hosts.

There was also the fact that Eros and Hermes had to talk things over and reaffirm the treaty upheld between the two kingdoms while Ares still ran Fiamme di Guerra, while negotiating new contracts and deals.

This means that they have to stay for at least a few nights. During the days, they would be visiting places within the kingdom with Hermes' eldest son, Luke. Frank was practically vibrating with excitement, looking forward to the programme. He could not wait for the meals filled with tension. Note that sarcasm.

Truthfully, Frank had nothing against the Castellans personally, even if he was wary of the twins, Travis and Connor. He was simply not interested in being here. He understood that they needed to show that they still stand united as a family despite the passing of Ares, which was why they had been asked to come with Eros, but that did not mean that he liked it.

That aside, Eros had given them a talk prior to their trip that even if they were offered separate rooms, they were to decline politely and room according to an arrangement made beforehand - Thalia with Clarisse and Piper, Frank with Jason. It went without saying that Eros would be rooming with Macaria and the guards would room with the other guards from Cielo.

Hermes showed them to their rooms personally, smiling and saying that he understood when they declined his offers. Then, he led them to the larger rooms, which looked just as pristine as the ones they were originally given. Frank, personally, thought that Hermes was too nice and it was pretty obvious Clarisse thought so too. She snorted after Hermes left and told Frank to stay alive.

After everyone was gone, they surveyed the room. Jason let him choose his bed first. Without thinking about it, he picked the one closer to the window.

He felt bad about giving Jason the bed further from the window, since he had a feeling that something was bound to go wrong, and it would happen soon.

Call him a coward, but he loved being alive, so if things actually go south, he had an easier way out. Not that he would leave Piper behind for anything, but it made him feel safer.

Well. As safe as he could feel in the enemy's territory, that is.


Somehow, Travis and Connor had roped him into helping them 'dress' the wolf in honey. Chris figured that it was probably the fact that he knew that he could probably hold them back a little when he is with them, and that they would go ahead and do whatever it was they want with or without him.

He had tried to persuade them that it was a bad idea, regardless, especially since the wolf was a wolf. No matter the fact that it was a pet, it was a natural predator in the wild and nothing good could come out of disturbing it.

Unfortunately, Travis and Connor could not see it that way. As far as they were concerned, if it was not domesticated, they would not have kept it as a pet, let alone bring it here. If it was dangerous, they could have it put down lawfully.

While Chris agrees with their evaluation, he did not want to take the risk. He knew, however, that it was hopeless and it was better to just follow them and do damage control. After the amount of times he had tagged along, he had developed a talent for cleaning up after them. He hoped that this time, it would not be needed.

Surprisingly, the wolf was not at the stables when they went there to find it. apparently, it slept with the lady.

"Sleeping with a wolf. What is she, the wolf-lady?" Travis had snorted.

"Well, Chris, at least you wouldn't need to worry about the wolf attacking us. It's definitely a hundred-and-ten percent domesticated," Connor had told him on the way to the room they were informed that Macaria stayed in.

Privately, Chris thought that this could mean that the wolf was probably capable of defending the lady and was therefore kept close by as a bodyguard, but he kept quiet.

Presently, they were passing through the terrace garden, about to enter the rose garden that would allow them to get to the back door.

Someone called out to them.

The words dispelled the silence and peace blanketing the garden in the night. They turned around to see Macaria standing there, her wolf standing next to her.

Eros was nowhere to be found.

"Blast it," Travis muttered, tucking the honey away and moving closer to Chris.

Connor froze on the spot, although it was clear to Chris that both of them suddenly found it in themselves to respect her.

Not many were capable of catching them off guard, after all, let alone sneak up on them and surprise them like this.

He wondered, though. What did she want from them? Since she saw them first, she could have chosen to ignore them and leave. So why did she greet them?

She seemed to sway slightly as she strolled towards them leisurely. The wolf trailed behind her. Chris was pretty sure she had a name… or was it a he?

The closer she got, the more he felt the urge to turn tail and run, even though he could not see any obvious threat. The uneasiness and the feeling that something was wrong stayed, growing with each step she took. Beside him, both Travis and Connor were getting twitchy.

Instinctively, they took each other's hands.

As she got closer, they could see that something was wrong. Both Macaria and her wolf looked… ethereal. They looked faded, reflections of them in real life. Faintly, Chris could see the outline of the plants behind her.

When she came to a stop in front of them, it became clear that she was not Macaria, and the wolf was not the one which followed her. It was a different woman, a variation of sorts. She held out a hand.

Almost in a trance, Chris held out his. She took his hand and leant in.

"You are destined for great things, Chris Castellan. Go to the arena. Follow your heart," she whispered, her voice a breeze chilling his ear.

She stood back and smiled, sadly, almost wistfully. Her wolf winded around Travis' legs and curled its tail around Chris' leg. It nuzzled him before looking up at him. In its eyes, Chris saw an intelligence he could not begin to comprehend.

He looked up to meet the woman's eyes.

She disintegrated in front of the three of them, leaving behind no trace of her presence. The wolf disappeared, too, fading out of existence just like that, leaving behind only a small trace of warmth that was soon chilled.

The only relic from the encounter was the little object she had pressed into his palm when she had taken his hand. His fingers automatically curled around it when he let his arm drop to his side. Somehow, he got the feeling that the gift was meant for him and him alone.

Travis and Connor both agreed that it was just a hallucination, that it never happened. Chris was tempted to believe them. The biting cold of the object in his hand grounded him, though. It reminded him the reality of the woman, telling him that she had actually been there.

Eventually, they agreed to postpone the prank and went back to their respective rooms. Sitting on his bed, he opened his palm. Sitting there was a hairclip. It was simplistic, minimally decorated. And yet, the power radiating from it diffused through him, chilling him to the bone literally. He frowned a little as he flipped it around. The winds in the room picked up speed, lifting up his fringe and brushing past his ear.

It reminded him of her words.

What was she trying to tell him?

What did she mean?


About the late update, well, I guess that there's no excusing it, is there? Good news is, this chapter went through so many drafts and edits that there is enough material edited out for the next two chapters. In fact, about a quarter of the next chapter is already done. Besides, the holidays are coming up soon, and I finally have my own laptop.
I'm sorely tempted to rearrange the whole story or split it up, according to characters. But I won't, since I promised myself I wouldn't make any edits until the story is finished. So, until then, put up with the jumping povs, I suppose. Thanks for sticking with me for this long!