Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

So, not much hate, even with all the romantic drama going on! I know I'm so cruel :D Anyway, thank you all soooo much to take the time to review, even if you're not happy with 7/8s break-up. I really appreciate every review and I love hearing feedback. Thank you all sooo much!

Now, you may hate me now... but next chapter there might just be something that you'll all love... but you'll have to guess!

So, yeah thank you all so much for waiting for this update and I have most of my college/high school work sorted out :D

Enjoy!


Six

Nine stops the car, jumping out at once, his muscles twitching. I join him, grimacing as the sun beats down on us unbearably. The others eventually pile out, their eyes nervously examining our surroundings. The memories of the last time we were here are undoubtedly in everyone's minds.

I strap my sword to my belt and go to the boot of the car, opening it up. Inside, piled high, are massive guns, the best we could get as such short notice. I sling one of my back, handing another to Marina who has joined me. Ever since her shock break-up with Eight, she's become more focused on the war and it's amazing to watch the dedication in her. She's more independent now.

"You ready?" I ask her. She nods and smiles at me as she pulls the gun onto her back. Like me, she's carrying a sword.

"Are you?" she asks. I laugh and nod, chucking a couple of guns to the others. Weirdly, no troops or mogs have come to greet us; it's as though they want us to go somewhere specific.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, walking up to Nine and Eight. Nine shrugs, just as confused as me.

"No idea. Maybe you should scout it out" he suggests. I see John open his mouth to protest but I nod quickly.

"Eight? Do you want to come?" I ask, offering him my hand. If we get into any trouble, he can teleport us out of there. He nods and takes my hand, both of us turning invisible. The relief from the heat is immediate and I smile.

"We'll be ten minutes tops" I say. Nine nods as he and the others continue to watch the surroundings.

Eight and I walk quickly over the terrain, teleporting in short jumps here and there. I can see the base ahead with a weird stadium nearby but so far, I can't see any sign of the mogs.

"You're an absolute idiot" I inform Eight. He sighs as though he knew this was coming but he needs to hear it.

"I know" he replies. I want to throw my hands up in annoyance but I can't; that would give us away.

"Then why did you do it?!" I demand. He sighs again and I imagine he's biting his lip.

"Did it hurt when your Cepan died?" he asks. I jerk in shock. What a stupid question!

"Of course, it was horrible. I'll never get over it... but I can't see what-" I reply but he interrupts me.

"Yeah it hurts. It kills, it's that painful" he says. I wait, not sure where he's going with this.

"I love Marina more than I loved Reynolds, that's how much I care for her. Imagine knowing John would die" he says. I get an immediate flash of agony thinking about it and I start to see his point.

"She's going to die" he breaks off, emotion plain in his voice. "I can't be with her knowing that we won't always be together. I'm hoping that maybe my feelings will just go a little... so it won't hurt so much" he says. I squeeze his hand, not sure what to say.

"It's a hard situation" I finally say. He laughs bitterly.

"It's an impossible situation" he says. We've reached the outskirts of the base now so we both become quiet. I can't help but think of what I would do if I knew John would die. Like Eight, I would end things; it would be too much. People who have suffered for so long instinctively want to reduce as much pain as possible.

We creep around some of the rebuilt buildings but we can't see anything. No mogs, no agents. However, we can hear a faint roaring from the stadium almost like a match is going on and the crowd is cheering.

"Oh no, Six look at that" I look around, not sure what Eight is looking at until I see a small poster on a wall. I'm nervous; it's as though someone wants us to find it. We both walk over quickly, wondering what the hell is going on. We read the poster, my blood freezing when I realise exactly what's going on in that arena.

"Come on Eight!" I say, rushing back to the others. They're executing Adam and Five by putting them in an arena filled with Mogadores' animals.

To be eaten alive.

Eight obviously understands my need to rush because in seconds we've teleported back to the group. We turn visible and relate everything to the others. Nine turns more and more serious after each second until he's shaking with tension. Marina pales and I see Eight unconsciously reach out and hold her hand. She doesn't even push him off.

"Right, let's go" Nine demands, needing to leave as soon as possible. We all nod and grab our weapons, not even having time to fully prepare for this battle.

We race along the dunes, the sand scorching our skin and the sun baking us yet we have one goal; to get to Five and Adam. Fortunately, we have Cassie who's in a motel room a couple of hours away protecting our chests. Much to Nine's annoyance, Marina used mind control to order her not to leave the chests unmanned.

We finally reach the arena where the roar of the crowd is much louder, drowning out everything else. We look at the doors barring the stadium and Nine goes to kick them down when we hear a shot cough. We turn to see who's there though we all have a pretty good idea.

"Setrakus" Nine growls. He's been tense ever since we heard Five jumped off the roof.

"Coming to watch the little show?" Setrakus asks, smiling smugly at us all. I eye him nervously, not sure what he means. John looks as though he's trying to contact Pittacus but it can't be working.

"I swear, if you've hurt Five-" Nine threatens, extending his pipe staff but Setrakus laughs, not at all worried.

"You're little girlfriend? She's fine after her little tumble" Setrakus taunts. Girlfriend? What is he talking about? I see Nine blush slightly and Marina glance at him as though she knows something. I shove that thought to the back of my mind; I can think about it later.

"I guess you would like front row seats" he says. Before we can react, he points his hand out to all of us and then we're enveloped in darkness.

Xxx

Five

My hands are chained above my head, my arms stretched to the limit. I've been here for hours and have a horrible cramp that I can't get rid of. The sun's been beating down on us ever since we've been here and I see Adam suffering from terrible sunburn. My skin is slightly red; I'm more used to the sun but it still hurts.

I can hear the sound of the crowd as they wait eagerly for the monsters to come out and kill us. Originally, the plan had been for Adam and I to fight to the death but then Setrakus thought it would be more amusing to see us fight the mogs' animals.

Especially since our hands are chained to a pillar.

I hear the sound of a horn, meaning the animals will enter the arena. I try not to whimper and tug desperately on the chain but it won't give. I look to see some doors opening and a huge piken lumbers out, taking it's time. Yapping around its feet are krauls, here to eat our remains. I see Adam almost faint in horror but I try to keep calm.

I pull on the chain again, wondering if my hand will squeeze through the small bands. I groan as the blood starts to trickle down my arms as I continue to fight against the cuffs.

There's a small howling noise as the krauls smell my blood, sniffing for their pray. They race towards me, their teeth bared in a horrible grin. With a last final surge of strength, I jerk on my chain but it's not enough. One of the kraul bends to pounce at me.

I close my eyes and think of Nine.

I hear this sudden yelp and open my eyes, shocked by the sight in front of me. Nine is here; ripping through the krauls with a ferocity that shocks yet pleases me. It's like my mere thoughts brought him to me. I can see some of the others nearby, preparing to fight the other hundreds of krauls and the many more pikens coming through the gates.

Nine swings his staff like a bat and whacks one kraul on the head, sending it flying through the air. The first onslaught is over for now and he turns to me, his eyes filled with concern and anger. He runs over, inspecting the chain clasped round my wrists.

"Can you break it?" I gasp, desperate to get free and my muscles clenching in pain.

I can see more animals appear and there's nothing more horrible than being helpless against them all. Nine nods fiercely and snaps the cuffs with his super strength easily. Once the support has gone, my knees crumple and I would have fallen to the ground if Nine didn't pull me into his arms. I look over to see if Adam's ok and see Eight helping him walk, an arm wrapped around his back.

"We'll get you out of here" Nine mutters, his voice low and intense. I'm so weak I can barely manage a small moan. I haven't eaten in days and the abuse I've been put through is taking its toll on me.

"How is she?" Six asks as Nine reaches them. The animals are milling around us, so we're stuck in the middle. Adam and Eight have also joined us, Adam losing the battle and fainting. He's suffered far more than me in this extreme heat with no water.

"We need to get her out of here as quickly as possible" Nine murmurs, probably thinking I can't hear him. I close my eyes in exhaustion; I wish I had more strength to help them fight.

"Five? Don't sleep now" Nine pleads. I unwillingly open my eyes to glare at him and he cracks a grin, despite the fear in his eyes.

"There you are. Stay awake, please" he begs. I huff tiredly, my version of a yes. Nine understands and smiles at me.

"Guys, while this is sweet and all, we need to fight" Marina has come alongside us and takes my hand, concentrating on healing me. I feel that icy feeling race through my veins, making me moan without thinking. Yet as my more serious wounds heal up, I find energy returning to me. Once she's done, Marina looks more tired but I feel better.

I move to get out of Nine's arms and ignore his protests. I look around and see Six, Eight and John leading the attack on the animals. Setrakus is watching from his 'seat of honour' and he smirks at me when he sees me standing.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Nine asks me, looking concerned. I nod and smile at him, hating seeing him worried.

"I'll be fine" I reassure him. I grab a sword from him and then we race to fight the mogs, some of my energy having returned.

It's amazing to watch us fight. I haven't got my legacies due to that stupid drug but I'm still a decent fighter, slashing and stabbing pikens and kraul. Marina and I are on defence, protecting an unconscious Adam from the bloodthirsty animals.

Nine is amazing to watch, destroying the animals like no one else can. I think his anger at my treatment is a big help towards his fighting but whatever it is, he's incredible to watch. He uses his superspeed legacy to fool the stupid piken and then he leaps onto their necks, stabbing them at the weak point between the bottom of the skull and their neck.

Six is just as good, if not better (technique wise). She's invisible most of the time but I imagine the complex sequences she's doing in order to outwit the animals. They may not see her but they have a better sense of smell. Almost every couple of seconds there's a new explosion of ash that can only be caused by Six; she's killing more mogs than the rest of us.

Eight and John use their fire legacies to burn the animals. I admit, I don't like hearing the screams of pain but I have to admire what they're doing. I watch as Eight shoots a stream of fire towards a piken and it disintegrates in seconds. John lights himself up in fire and his mere presence kills the krauls and pikens.

Suddenly, something slams into me and I tumble to the ground, disorientated. I see a mog soldier on top of me and I realise Setrakus must have sent some troops down to deal with us. He raises his knife but before I can react, Marina comes up to me and stabs it in the back. She seems more determined, fiercer than she was before I was taken. Whatever this change is, it's good.

I stand up quickly and look around quickly. More mogs approach us and Marina and I stand back to back, deciding this is the best strategy as they surround us. They shoot at us but Marina focuses her telekinesis and manages to stop the bullets. A mog lunges for me but I stab it quickly before it can do the same to us.

I see the others have their own mogs to fight with yet are doing a hell of a lot better than I did. My excuse is that I've been tortured for days. More mogs lunge forward towards Marina and I but we manage to deal with it, despite getting hit a couple of times.

I stop and look around, realising we're done with our mogs. Six has reappeared and raises her hands, using her element legacy to create a mini earthquake. The huge stone pillars that Adam and I were ties to, fall and crush the mogs. I grin and am about to join the others when there's a long groan, like a building about to collapse. I feel the ground shift beneath me and I stare at Setrakus in horror, thinking he's doing this. He looks confused as I continue to wobble on the unsteady ground.

The ground begins to crumble away beneath Marina and I and with a last surge of strength, I manage to chuck Adam's body away from the danger zone. The ground opens up from under Marina and I, chunks of rock falling away. We both fall into the pit and I hear some of the others call our names out. I desperately scrabble for a handhold as we fall but there's nothing for me to grab.

I slam into the ground, pain streaking through my body.

I'm out in seconds.

Xxx

Marina

I groan as I lie on the ground, my body aching unbearably. I reach out and begin to heal myself, glad to have enough energy to do so. The horrible icy feeling runs through me but I continue to heal myself, ignoring the pain.

"Five?" I whisper. There's no response but I know she's alive; there's no scar. I reach out and take her hand, beginning to heal her as I analyse my surroundings.

I look up to see a small hole in the ceiling where the arena was, lighting the cavern with very little light. Fortunately I have night vision and can see perfectly. The room is huge and round, like the stadium above. There are a couple of rocks nearby that used to be the ground of the stadium but nothing else.

I can still hear the sounds of fighting from the others; they're too busy to help us. I know that I could float myself out but there's a pull in this cavern. There's something bigger at play here.

Clearly, Setrakus had no idea about this underground cavern. The mogs had simply assumed that the desert underneath the arena wasn't hollow.

I shake Five but she's not waking up at all. I frown as I consider the best way to get out of here when my wandering eyes catch a small change in the rock. I walk closer and gasp when I see a tunnel. My brain tells me to turn back, to run and stay with Five.

Yet my instincts want me to go on and see what's at the end of this tunnel. What if it's important? Also, ever since Eight ended things with me, I've tried to be as strong and dedicated to the cause as possible. Following this tunnel is a perfect way to continue my goal.

I hesitate once, looking back at Five but she's not waking up anytime soon. I've healed her but she's knocked out from the fall and the last couple of days of stress. I know more than anyone how much torture can take out of you.

I turn around and walk through the tunnel. Like the cavern, it's pitch black but my legacy beats that obstacle. I walk slowly down the rock passageway but nothing attacks me. There are small rocks along the ground, threatening to trip me up but I'm careful.

I'm not sure how long I walk for; it feels like at least ten minutes. There's absolutely no change but I know this is right. There's a stronger pull the further I walk down and I begin to feel calm, peaceful. I begin to run, needing to get there. I'm not sure why but I have to get there.

The tunnel lightens as I turn a corner and then the light hits me. I stumble back, my eyes adjusting to the light after the darkness. I blink quickly, wanting to see the source of the light. When I finally get to see properly, my mouth opens in shock.

It's a huge Loralite, possibly the one Eight teleported us to so long ago. I feel a flash of pain when I think back on those times when we were friends and things were so simple. I try to ignore him and think of this strange yet magical cave.

There are drawings surrounding the walls, exactly like the ones in India. Many of them I've seen before, Eight with the sword in him and Six at the school in Ohio. I approach the unknown pictures carefully, wondering if I'll see any images of me dying. I don't want to die but I have to accept my fate and do the best I can in the time given to me.

I look at one drawing and see a scene I recognise immediately. Chicago is on fire; this is a drawing of our recent battle in the city. I look on with amazement at the small details; John with a golden aura fighting Setrakus, Nine lying on the ground with Five hovering over him... everything is right.

I move onto the next scene and see an arena; just the scene I left. I move quickly on from those next scenes as they don't give away anything and move along till I reach another panel. It's a depiction of a battle at a place I've never seen before yet recognise at the same time.

John is the main object of the drawing, fighting Setrakus with a golden aura. It's not clear to see who is winning. I can see Nine and Six nearby, fighting other mogs. Five is nowhere to be seen and I feel a flash of fear; is she one of the blurry figures Eight talked about? I see a spot of brown and then gasp when I realise that it's my hair and I'm lying down, painted with red. Blood.

So, I do die.

The strange thing is I don't feel that upset. Maybe I do die, but I'll go out with a bang. I don't want to leave so young but at the same time, it's worst for the survivors, the ones who will mourn the deaths.

I really am a coward.

I turn away from the drawing, my breathing quickening in distress, and my eyes land on another panel. There are four separate pictures in a peculiar layout. Three are at the top, in a row whilst the fourth is below them all with funny blue streaks connecting the two levels.

I study the three pictures closely and gasp when I see there's writing underneath, depicting what the picture is. I get chills looking at it and I realise this is the key to defeating Setrakus.

The first picture is of a stone table, with a person lying on it. There's another person standing above with a knife and blood dripping from it. Even without the writing, I can tell what this is. Sacrifice. Who will die to beat Setrakus? Five, who is his heir? Or John, who will die killing Setrakus?

Or me? Is it me?

I move onto the second picture. This one is also clear; a long silver sword, slightly curved. Even in the picture it's elegant and beautiful, clearly made from another world. This picture is more hopeful that the last and I read the writing, confirming what I already think. The Sword of Pittacus. However, there's no explanation of where it is.

The third picture is of a blue diamond-like stone, glinting with the special paint used on the cave walls. There is no explanation of this stone, simply a name: Keystone.

Keystone? What does that mean? That it's the key to everything or that it's a stone in the shape of a key? I stare at the stone but I can't see any way that it's similar to a key.

I hear a faint explosion and I turn away, knowing I've spent too long here. I look at the last picture as I turn and see Setrakus Ra, on the ground, dead. I was right, all the above components are needed to kill Setrakus.

But will it ever happen?

I race back through the tunnel, my mind filled with thoughts of sacrifices and keystones. The fighting sounds become louder as I draw closer and closer. I finally burst out into the cavern and see the others, all down here and fighting the army trying to come through the hole in the ceiling.

"Marina!" Six cries my name. Eight turns automatically to see if i'm all right and our eyes meet, before I look away and hug Six. She looks relieved; they had no idea where I was.

"The Loralite! It's this way!" I yell, pointing down the tunnel. Six furrows her eyebrows but as more bullets and mog fire streams down towards us through the hole, she nods and grabs John's hand.

"Come on, this way!" she shouts. John shines his lumen lighting up the tunnel as he, Six and Eight run down it, Five and Adam slung across their backs. Nine hesitates and looks at me; we can keep the mogs away whilst the others get down the tunnel. With our superspeed we can catch up at any time we like.

I see a couple of ropes drop down from the hole and our decision is made; we can't let the mogs catch us in the tunnel. We would die. Nine races up the ceiling using his anti-gravity and cuts the ropes. I use my telekinesis to lift some broken slabs of stone to cover the hole. Nine grins at my idea and jumps down from the ceiling, landing next to me.

"Good idea!" he yells, grinning at me. I smile as I continue to concentrate on the slabs, Nine helping me. There's an unbearable pressure as piken are forced to stand on top of the delicate slabs of rock but Nine's super strength must transfer to telekinesis because he doesn't let the pikens fall through.

Marina! Six calls my name in her mind and I know we're ready to go. I quickly tell Nine as we back towards the tunnel, both focusing on the slabs. We stop our telekinesis at the same time and the rocks fall. Before we can see the monsters that will follow us, we run.

I hold Nine's hand as I drag him through the tunnel, since he can't see. I can hear Krauls racing behind us but they're simply not fast enough. What took the others five minutes to run through takes Nine and I a minute. We burst out into the cave and see the others circled round the Loralite.

"Take a hand!" Eight shouts, panic on his face. The others have heard the army running down the tunnel after us. I run forward and grab his right hand, Nine taking the left. I link my other hand with John. We're a perfect circle.

"Will this work like this?" Nine asks, his voice tense. Eight's silently panicking next to me and I begin to gently persuade his mind to calm down. We need him calm.

"Of course it will" I say, pretending I have complete faith in Eight. In reality, I'm terrified; thinking of every time we've been separated.

Eight closes his eyes just as I hear the krauls moving closer and closer. I use mind control to mute everything around Eight and make him focus only on teleporting. As if he knows my support, Eight smiles and squeezes my hand.

Just as the first krauls race around the corner, everything goes black.

Xxx

Two

Briseis

Shield
Healing
Telekinesis

I stare at the sheet of paper, amazed yet frustrated by the little information it offers. I know I'll get telekinesis and I've already got my shield. This sheet is not very helpful at all.

Yet, healing. The ability to save anyone no matter the issue. Seeing Marina with this legacy has made me jealous and awed as I've see her heal people and soon, I'll be able to do that. To me, healing is the most important legacy and I'll get it.

I'm sitting in the garden, books spread around me as I try to research more about my Elder Briseis. From what I've learnt, she was very gentle and focused entirely on helping people. She was never involved in any scandals or any political outrages. She was an overall nice person.

"Anything interesting?" I turn and see Three appear, a grin on his face. He received his first legacy yesterday morning and has been constantly smiling ever since as well as developing it. It is light manipulation and I swear everything seems brighter when he's around.

Or maybe that's just my crush talking.

"No, my Elder seemed like a wallflower" I sigh. He laughs and sits down next to me, looking over my notes.

"That's not such a bad thing. You can't be ashamed of your Elder that way" he says. I nod and smile, appreciating the sunshine. England, where I grew up, is not a sunny or hot place at all.

"Are you?" I ask. He shakes his head and stretches his arms out in front of him, small flickers of light dancing over his hands as he shows off. I watch, mesmerised.

"No, my Elder was the same as yours. She-" he begins but another set of footsteps approaches us. A sudden flash of resentment flickers through me as Ella sits down next to Three. Wearing shorts and a cute t-shirt, she looks really pretty compared to my scruffiness.

"Hey guys, I'm not interrupting, am I?" she asks sweetly. The thing is, she's not being bitchy, she's just a generally nice person.

I want to say yes and tell her to leave but Three shakes his head and grins. "Nah, join us, three's a company after all" he says. Ella laughs and shakes her head.

"Actually, it's 'two's a company, three's a crowd'" she corrects him. He laughs along with her and I look on jealously, wishing I could be this light-hearted.

"Well, then I can always leave" Three says, pretending to be upset. Ella laughs again and shakes her head.

"No, don't worry" she replies. They smile at each other and I feel completely left out until Three turns to me.

"You want to see how my legacy works?" he asks. A response immediately comes to me and I use it, not wanting to seem slow.

"You mean, you want another opportunity to show off?" I ask. Three laughs and leans close to me, pulling a sad face. My heart stops and I stare at him, sort of stunned.

"Why is everyone being mean to me today? I thought I could count on you to back me up, Two" he says. I blush at his close proximity and I try to reply but I sort of stumble over my words. I give up, blushing furiously.

Three pulls away and I notice with a thrill that he's blushing too. Does he like me? Ella is looking away, pink also colouring her cheeks. Is she jealous? Oh god, this is a difficult situation. There's an awkward silence until Three decides to break it.

Three focuses on his hands and small little orbs of light dance out. Ella and I watch with amazement as these orbs dance in the air, leaving behind trails of different colour. It's magical and beautiful. The orbs float closer to Ella's face and she reaches out in wonder, lightly touching the orbs. They don't burn her and she starts laughing as Three makes the spheres dance around her hair. She looks like a mystical goddess, with the deep blue and silver orbs floating around her, almost like planets.

"Oh wow, this is amazing" Ella breathes as a couple floats down onto her hands. Three is sweating and looks like this is a lot of effort but the look on his face tells me as long as this makes Ella happy, he doesn't care.

"Two!" I turn and see Crayton at the top of the steps by the porch. Time for one-to-one legacy tuition. I slowly scramble to my feet and join Crayton but he's not looking at me. He's watching as Ella and Three still marvel and play with the little orbs of light. Crayton smiles and then turns to me.

"I knew it would happen one day, but it still seems too soon" he says mournfully. My breath catches as I realise what he's saying and I turn away, trying to fight tears.

As we walk back through the door, I take one last glimpse behind me to the two of them.

That's how I see Three lean forward and kiss Ella's cheek.


Firstly, the arena scene was inspired by the one in Star Wars. Can't say which one, just that I remember seeing it :D also, the whole keystone thing is because I was reading The DaVinci Code and am now hooked on all things mysterious :)

So, hope you enjoyed!

Question: On the facebook page for Lorien Legacies, it says a character is going to die *sob*. Which one do you think and why?

Please review!