"That's right, nobody can keep us in a dingy hole like this. ¡We're space explorers… and we need space!" Matthew holt to Lapis Lazuli before they get to the clastle of Doom.

Kerberos. Two Years Earlier.

"Ugh…" Matthew groaned as he struggled to open his eyes, as his ears rang. Unable to detect anything through hearing and sight. Every time he tried to open his eyes, the ringing in his ears would grow to the point of deafening. Not to mention that every part of his body felt like jelly; being unable to move anything, not even a finger. Although three of his five senses had gone numb, Matt still felt that his body was being dragged somewhere by someone; neither of which he knew or wanted to possess knowledge of for that matter.

"Commander Sendak." Matt heard an unfamiliar voice respectfully address. His eyesight was slowly coming back to him; however, his hearing remained distorted. Despite the hindrances; he could, although barely, make out what was said. "We found ourselves some stowaways."

"Very good Haxus, these three should be of use to Emperor Zarkon." The voice, whom Matt assumed to be Commander Sendak, said in a harsh militant tone. As soon as the young man's vision fully returned, his eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw; the two men standing before him weren't even human. They were taller than the average adult male; with purple, fur-like skin and heads shaped like a mixture between a human and a cat, with devilish amber eyes.

The tallest of the two, whom Matthew believed to be Sendak, was equipped with red and black body armor with yellow highlights. He had a gigantic robotic left arm of similar, yet darker colors that was way too big for his body; however, he heaved it like it weighed nothing at all. In place of his right eye was a crimson, cybernetic one. Standing across from him was a slightly shorter man, who must've been Haxus. He wore armor like Sendak's, but his gear was black and grey with violet highlights, instead. Matt could tell he was the Commanders right-hand man by his respectful posture towards a superior officer.

"And what should be done with the old one?" Haxus asked humbly. Matt stared at the aliens with confusion; was he talking about his dad? If so, then who was the third person they spoke about earlier? Matt tried turning his head to find the shuttle pilot, Shiro and his father, the Kerberos missions leader.

"It is simply, send him to one of the labor camps; he'll work there until death claims him," Sendak commanded.

"¡No!" Matt unintentionally shouted with raw emotion; garnering the attention of the two aliens.

"Hmp. So this one's awake," Haxus stated with a smug smile as Sendak approached the imprisoned human; his artificial crimson and natural amber eyes stared directly into Matthew's own; as if they were gazing directly into his soul.

"Why are you doing this to us? ¡We did not do anything!" Matt questioned the military leader, only to scream in pain upon getting electrocuted by jolts of energy from the alien's mechanical arm.

Matthew's body began growing weaker from the violent shocks but tried his damnedest to remain conscious long enough to hear Sendak's orders. "Take the three of them to their holding cells and activate the hyperdrives; I expect us to arrive at Castle Doom in the next two varga!"

"Vrepit Sa!" Haxus shouted, beating his fist on his breast as some form of an honorable salute. Matthew tried to remain awake a little longer; but as his eyelids grew burdensome, and the ringing in his ears returned; everything eventually went dark and then silence.

"Ugh…" Matt groaned again as he slowly opened his eyes; sitting up and massaging his throbbing forehead. "Wh… where am I?" Matthew asked himself, as he looked around the room; it didn't take long for him to figure out that he was in a cell; one big enough to store several people and was probably heavily fortified. Turning to his left, Matt found an unconscious Shiro laying against the wall. "Shiro?" The young man scrambled over to the unconscious pilot; gently shaking his body. "Shiro!"

"M… Matt…" Shiro groaned as his cloudy grey eyes sluggishly opened.

"Are you okay, sir?" Matt asked his commander, offering the slightly older man a hand up; which he gratefully accepts.

"I'm fine, Matthew," Shiro assured him, as he stood up; taking in his current surroundings as she stretched his arms and legs. "Where are we?"

"Okay… so, aliens just abducted us. We're their prisoners now. Also, they're transporting us to a place called Castle Doom; which, considering the name, doesn't sound like a fun place to be." Matt quickly summed up, using humor to conceal his worries from Shiro.

"That's what that light was," Shiro said to himself, continuing to look around the room; taking notice of something behind Matt. "Someone else is here."

Matthew swiftly turned the other way, following Shiro's gaze, and discovers a woman lying unconscious on the floor across from the two space explorers. The build of her body was human-like, but she had cerulean-blue skin and hair; with her attire consisting of beach dress of the same color with a dark blue diamond symbol on her top. Realization then sparked in Matthews mind that this must be the other person Sendak referred too. Without a second thought, Matt and Shiro rushed over to check on her.

"Hey… are you okay?" Matt asked the unconscious alien woman as he pushed at her arm; who quietly groans as she struggles to open her eyes. "Shiro, I think she's waking up?" The young man stated, just as the blue lady then shot up; unintentionally headbutting Matthew in the process. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Matt repeatedly whimpered as he rubbed the sore spot on his forehead.

"Are you all right?" Shiro asked his friend.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Matt answered as the pain disappeared. Before looking over at the blue woman, who was hyperventilating as she scanned at every corner of the room.

"No! No! No!" She cried in a panicked tone. "This cannot happen again!"

"Are you all right, Miss?" Matthew asked her with some worry, getting nothing but a sharp glare from her azure eyes in return.

"Who are you? Where am I? What am I doing here?" The blue-skinned woman asked defensively; backing up from the two men to the farthest corner of the cell.

"I know you're scared, but please calm down…" The Matt starts, trying to ease the frightened woman who just glared daggers at him.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" She snapped at Matt with tears in her eyes, causing the young man to back up. "This can't be happening; I just... I just escaped from one prison only to end up in another…"

"Hey, it's okay. We'll get out of this." Shiro calmly stated, approaching the woman carefully. "My name is Takashi Shirogane, but you can call me Shiro; this here is my friend and fellow explorer, Matthew Holt. We're prisoners here too."

The blue woman began calming down a bit upon hearing they're pinned in the same situation as her. "You... won't hurt me?" The woman gently asked the fair-skinned man.

"No, where not." Shiro relaxingly confirmed to her. "Do you have a name?"

"Lapis… Lapis Lazuli." The woman answered, her blue eyes staring at him with some uncertain trust.

"Well, Lapis, as I said; we'll get out of this," Shiro calmly assured her; offering her hand off the ground, which she hesitantly accepts.

"That's right, nobody can keep us in a dingy hole like this," Matthew added in with self-assurance. "We're space explorers... and we need space!" Shiro and Lapis instantly gave Matt a frown that clearly said "really." "What, I thought it sounded inspiring," Matthew states lastly.

"Well, as "inspiring" as that was." Lazuli mocked. "How do either of you propose we escape?"

"We… haven't figured that out yet. We just woke up after all." Matt admits, suddenly hit with a realization. "Wait, where is Dad?"

Shiro and Matt look around their cell frantically in search of their third crew member. "We're the only ones here." Shiro sadly informs him.

"Who's Dad?" Lapis asked, seemingly unfamiliar with the word.

"No…" Matt says under his breath, realizing they had taken his father off the ship just like Sendak ordered.

Suddenly, the door behind the three cellmates opens; only for the prisoners to be greeted by Haxus and his arrogant smile. "We've arrived."

"Where's my father!" Matt shouted with emotion as he runs up to punch the alien; stopping as soon as Haxus pulls out a gun-shaped weapon from his holster and points it at the human.

"If you must know; he will soon be at one of the labor camps," Haxus answered, before turning his head to Lapis and Shiro. "The three of you are coming with me; Emperor Zarkon would like to have a firsthand look at his newest gladiators."

Sendak and Haxus marched Matt, Shiro, and Lapis down the long hallway in arm and leg shackles; along with several rows of other prisoners of various species. They marched on for what felt like several hours; eventually arriving within a great throne room surrounded by sentries armed to the teeth in medieval and futuristic weaponry.

At the end of the chamber, taking a seat on a black-iron throne was an alien much like Sendak and Haxus, only far more towering. His paraphernalia was composed of crimson armor with striking resemblances to that of a knight; he had a flowing black cape that touched the ground and wore a crown-like helmet which signified his importance.

Next to him was an alien woman who had a purplish-blue complexion with dark yet sage-like yellow eyes and long silvery hair, all hidden behind an ancient looking robe. Matt presumed she was like a priestess of sorts.

Emperor of the Galra Empire.

Zarkon

High priestess of the Galra Empire.

Haggar

"Emperor Zarkon." Sendak began. "On behalf of the Galra Empire, I present to you worthy candidates for the arena."

"I have no interest in gladiators, Sendak." Zarkon started with an unforgettably terrifying and authoritative voice. "Do you, or do you not possess the information on the whereabouts of the Blue Lion?"

Matt, Shiro, and Lapis all glanced at each other in confusion; they didn't know what the "Blue Lion" was but could tell it was something of value to the aliens. Is that why they were near Kerberos in the first place?

"We scanned each galaxy you sent us to, my liege." Sendak satisfyingly explained to the ruler and confirming Matthew's theory. "I assure you the information given to your scientists contains what you are looking for."

"You sound so certain of yourself," Zarkon said with no visible emotion. "You are aware of what happens if your information doesn't fulfill my expectations; aren't you?"

"I am aware, my Emperor." Sendak began. "But I would never present you with anything you didn't desire; my sole purpose for living is to serve the mighty Emperor Zarkon and his glorious Galra Empire!"

"Vrepit Sa!" Every one of the soldiers in the cathedra shouted with pride as they saluted.

"Your loyalty remains your most admirable trait," Zarkon complimented his commander with an unmoving expression. "Take whomever you see as a worthy challenge for Myzax to the arena; he has already grown tired of fighting drones."

"It will be done." Sendak saluted to his Emperor,

"Hm. More meat for the monster." Haxus jested to himself.

'What the heck is a Myzax?' That was the exact question Matthew asked himself. Whatever it was, it sounds like something no one in this group wants to meet. Sadly though, they aren't given much choice as Sendak orders fifteen slaves to be taken to the arena; with Matt, Lapis, and Shiro being selected to participate with a dozen of the other capture aliens unwillingly.

The Galra, whom Matt assumed to be the name of the species, made it clear this gladiatorial match was happening no matter what; with further threats that if anyone tried to run away would be shot dead by the guards escorting them.

Matt began to sweat bullets as the imperial aliens forced him to march onward. The thoughts of dying on an alien ship without getting to say goodbye to his dad, or see Katie again began to plague his mind; pushing him to the point of almost crying.

"Matt." Shiro finally spoke up from behind after a moment of silence. "Everything will be okay. I won't allow anything to happen to you."

"But you don't know that, do you?" Lapis spoke up. "Take it from someone who knows from being a prisoner; things rarely go according to plan. Just because you say everything will be okay, doesn't mean it will." Lazuli concluded in a cynical tone.

"You're right; I don't know that," Shiro admitted to the blue woman. "But I'm going to make sure Matt gets it out of this entire mess alive; even if I don't."

"Quiet!" Haxus ordered the three of them as they continued marching.

Matt was hopefully comforted in knowing Shiro will look out for him. Hope is the only thing Matt is holding onto right now, no matter what happens next, he is not giving up on himself. Not until he gets all his friends out of here and reunites with his family or die trying to.

The marching eventually came to a halt with the entire group standing before a cylindrical wall with fifteen doors; each one spread apart by at least twenty feet of metallic wall. "Line up the prisoners," Sendak ordered the guards who branched the prisoners apart from each other, standing them before their separate doors; dividing Matthew from Shiro, and Lapis by at least three entries.

"Once you step through the door in front; your shackles will unlock themselves upon its closing. You all have sixty ticks to choose your weapon before the match begins." Sendak summed up. "There are no rules in the arena, except one: Victory or Death!"

"Vrepit Sa!" Each of the guards cried with pride as they pushed the prisoners through the now opened doors. Matt shackles fell off his body as soon as the door closed behind him; not knowing how long sixty ticks were, he didn't waste any time to procure himself a weapon. The young man browsed through rows of armament, ranging from swords to axes and metal clubs; the latter of which Matt immediately pulled from the rack; swinging the weapon around to gain a feel for it.

A horn-like sound echoed throughout the room, as weapon racks retracted into the walls and the chamber began to move on its own; rising like an elevator. The hatch above the young man slowly cranked open, letting in a brilliant light that nearly blinds him. However, the light faded as quickly as it arrived, with Matthew finding himself in the corner of a massive coliseum with three other aliens; as the bloodthirsty crowd in the stands roared with cheers, impatiently waiting for the match to begin. The Coliseum in Rome was the first thing Matt compared his current setting to, although this arena was more alien-like and futuristic. Matthew looked around for any signs of Shiro and Lapis; eventually spotting the two of them to the far left across from him; a hatch in the center of the arena began to crank open in a similar manner to Matthew's as the audiences chanted a single name in unison.

"Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax! Myzax!"

As soon as the elevator rose all the way up; standing in the center of the arena was a giant. He was not a Galra, as Matt assumed him to be; but instead some creature with a thick, hide-like skin. The beast let out an intimidating roar as he swung his glowing, mace-like weapon for show; stirring up more cheers from the crowd.

Champion of the Castle of Doom arena.

Myzax

"Blood is what you want! Blood is what you shall receive!" The monster inhumanly boomed. Matthew knew he needed to get from where he is now to Shiro and Lapis as fast as possible and find out how to survive that thing.

One of the aliens next to Matt charged at the gladiator with a scream filled with anger and fear. Myzax took notice of that and cranked his weapon-wielding arm back, then hurled it forward. The glowing ball of energy from his weapon shot off its grip and slammed right into the stomach of the unfortunate prisoner; crushing him in between a pillar. Matthew's eyes widened in horror at such brutality. Now not wanting to take any chances of being hit next; Matt zoomed in Shiro's and Lazuli's direction as all the imprisoned aliens either tried to flee or take down Myzax.

"Guahg!" "Ahg!" "Bahleg!"

Those were the final sounds ever uttered by three prisoners who tried to confront the beast head-on; those noises are going to haunt Matthew in his sleep but had to overlook them and reunite with his friends. Myzax let out another crowd-pleasing roar as he tossed energy ball in Matthew's direction. The young man picked up more speed as he tried outrunning it; eventually running up to a pillar just as the sphere was mere inches away from striking him; only to be dragged out of the way in the nick of time by the combined strengths of Shiro and Lapis.

The three of them huffed and puffed with relief just as the deadly sphere crashed into the arena wall, before returning to his master. "You can't hide from me forever, fools!" Myzax roared, continuing to rile up the audience; who still chanted his name.

"Holy rocks, that was close!" Lapis bellowed. Neither Shiro nor Matt knew what "jank" meant but considering the way she said it; they assumed it to be an equivalent to a curse word.

"Shiro, what do we do?" Matthew asked his superior officer, clenching his club tightly. Shiro possessed a sword-like weapon; which won't be of any use seeing they can't even get close to Myzax without being crushed. Lapis, on the other hand, had no weapon with her. Matthew thought that she was crazy entering the arena without and armament but kept it to himself.

"I'm afraid we can only just watch and wait." Shiro started, trying to remain level-headed. "A weakness should eventually present itself." He didn't want to leave the other prisoners the Myzax's mercy but had no choice if they're getting out of this alive.

"I wish I had some water; then I can do something." Lapis grouched out loud.

"What do you mean?" Matthew questioned the blue woman.

"I can manipulate anything that is either made up of or has water within it; using it as a weapon if I have to," Lapis explained to him.

An idea came to Matt now that he knows what Lapis can do; it wasn't the most ingenious idea, but it was pleasanter than doing nothing.

"Shiro, can I see your sword?" The young man asked his friend. Shiro looked at Matt and could instantly tell he had a plan; willingly giving him his weapon. "Thank you." Matt said lastly, as he angles the blade by his cheek and proceeds to cut it; making him gasp in pain.

"Matt, what are you doing?" Shiro asked with panicked tone; regretting giving his friend the sword.

Matthew let out a relieved sigh as he finished cutting his flesh. The wound was broad enough to draw little amounts of blood. "I hope this is enough," Matt said to himself.

"Why would you do…" Shiro started with concern, only for him to be interrupted when the long drips began levitating too Lapis, who manipulated by twirling her fingers; Shiro now realized this was Matt's plan. "Water makes up roughly half the blood in the human body."

With a crash, Myzax's weapon breaks right through the pillar the three of them hid behind, obliterating their cover. The gladiator lets out a triumphant roar as Matt, Shiro, and Lapis began sprinting to the nearby pillar as the fighter throws the energy sphere at them. They all manage to dodge it; but unlike the two humans who continued to run, Lapis instead stood her ground. The blue woman manipulated the blood to act as a small dagger, thrusting it at the monster and managing to pierce his side deeply.

Myzax bellowed in pain, before throwing his orb again; Lazuli froze in the realization that she won't be capable of dodging in time; nor deliver another hit in before the weapon strikes her. Just as the collision inevitably drew closer, Shiro leaps at the blue woman and forces her out of the way; getting his right arm hit by the orb as a result and crashing his body into the wall with a painfilled scream.

"Shiro!" Matt and Lapis cried in fear as they ran to downed ally, just as Myzax's orb returned to him.

"Shiro," Matthew repeated with worry, examining the man's body. Shiro mumbled something to Matt as he slipped in and out of consciousness. "Oh, thank goodness." Matthew heaved a sigh, confirming Shiro was okay, but his friend's right arm was a complication. The flesh was disgustingly torn, with the bones in the appendage shattered beyond description, and an unhealthy amount of blood was leaking from it. "Lapis, help me lift him." The young man asked of the woman, who agreed as they carefully carried Shiro to the adjacent pillar.

The beasts interest returned to the other prisoners as he slew several more; giving Matt and Lapis the time they needed to set Shiro down behind the pillar; who was slowly starting to return to his senses.

"Hey, don't move. It'll only make it worse." Matthew advised to Shiro, understandingly worried for his wellbeing. Before turning to Lapis with some irritation in his eyes and tone. "What were you thinking, just standing there!" Matt shouted at her.

"I was hoping to get a hit on him, which I did!" Lapis bit back, as Matt carefully looked behind the cover; seeing the blood-dagger still lodged into Myzax's side.

"But you can't get to it from where we're at, without making yourself a target." Matt pointed out, still upset with her.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Shiro, but I thought I could end this fight," Lapis replied.

"And I think I know how," Shiro spoke up, trying to adjust to a more comfortable resting position. "I may not have been fully conscious, but Myzax could've hit you guys while attending to me, but he didn't."

"Yeah," Matt admitted, only now taking notice of that. "He seems to stop attacking after every three throws."

"I guess, he must recharge his weapon after that." Shiro deduced.

"It sounds like you have a plan," Lapis stated; with Shiro giving her a confirming, yet weak, nod.

"We need to cause a distraction that'll force him to recharge his weapon." Shiro began. "After that, Lapis, get the blood-dagger and do some damage."

The three of them nodded in agreement and prepared to take down the gladiator. "You just focus on recovering Shiro, we've got this," Matthew told his friend as he and Lapis stepped out of cover.

"Hey, you with the stupid face come and get us!" Matthew taunted the brute; while Lapis blew a mocking raspberry in her hand. The gladiator growls at the two of them and hurls his orb at her, who manages to dodge it in time. "Oh, that was pathetic; I know peridots who are better pitchers than you!" Lapis heckles. Myzax flings the glowing ball of energy again a second time, only for the duo to dodge it again. "You call yourself a gladiator, more like a gladiat... bore." Matthew ripostes, while Lazuli rolls her eyes at the terrible pun. Myzax throws the sphere for the third time, with the two of them still successfully dodging it; forcing the beast to recharge his weapon. "Do what you need to Lapis!" Matt tells her, who responded back with a nod.

Lapis Lazuli's eyes change from blue to a mirror-like reflection as she psychically rips the blood-dagger out of Myzax's side, who bellows in pain. The blue woman manipulates the blood-dagger with her hands and uses it to slice parts of the gladiator's body. She sliced his legs, his torso, and his arms; drawing green blood from the alien, and leaving a nasty looking wound in his chest; the gladiator shrieked from the aching agony and collapsed onto his knees.

Lazuli prepared to execute him with a direct strike to the beast's head; but just as the pointed tip was mere inches from ending Myzax, the brute found a renewed strength and shattered the frozen pike of blood with his mace. A caught off guard Lazuli's jaw drops as her eyes return to their standard color, utterly unaware of the hurtled violet orb heading towards her; which strikes her stomach, pummeling her into the arena's wall.

"Lapis!" Both Matthew and Shiro shouted as they saw what happened to the blue woman; thankfully, she was still alive but unconscious.

Matt turned to Myzax, who was trying to stand despite his injuries; the young man gripped his weapon tightly and charged the distracted gladiator, hoping to get the final hit in; even though Matthew succeeds in landing a blow, it was not enough to keep the monstrous alien down. Myzax seizes the young man's body and forcefully pins him to the ground, Matt groans in pain as he struggles to escape from the beast's clutches.

"I'm going to enjoy squashing you." Myzax threateningly taunts as more pressure is placed on the young man's body; making it difficult for him to breathe. Matthew continued struggling to escape from the giant's grasp. Matt continued fighting for his life as he felt it slowly slipping away.

Suddenly, Matthew caught sight of something in the corner of his eye; he saw Shiro standing himself up, gripping his sword with his working hand as he charged towards him and the distracted Myzax with determination. Matthew knew what Shiro was doing and decided to keep the gladiator's attention on himself. As the pressure applied on Matt's body began to grow to the point of nearly passing out; Shiro let out a determined roar which garnered the monster attention, long enough for him to drive his through Myzax's chest wound; killing the gladiator instantly. The crowd gasps in surprise as the last strands of life leave Myzax's body.

They did it. They survived.

"Shiro." Matthew weakly asked the older man, who flashed Matt a faint smile before collapsing from exhaustion. Matt tried crawling to his friend as a group Galra soldiers entered the arena, with two of them taking Lapis and Shiro. "Shiro!" Matthew cried once more as the exhaustion final catches up to him and passes out.