Baelfire's POV
I hated to admit it, but I found myself growing used to the slow rocking of the Jolly Roger. I found it almost soothing compared to the chaos that erupted from the crew. Down below the main deck of the ship was the captain's quarters. It did not feel much like a room as the large space was poorly lit by a few candles sitting on the captain's desk, while the rest of the room was filled with old storage with pieces of furniture sitting at the ends of the room. I sat on top of a bungle of old sheets that I stripped away from some of the covered pieces of furniture in the room; piling it up so that my body wouldn't ache from sitting on the hardwood floor. The captain didn't care much; he, in fact, had a designated couch that I was supposed to sleep on so that I would be in reasonable shape to be the pirate's punching bag for the next day. At times like these, I preferred sitting in the furthest corner of the room where the room was mostly dark, to lean against the wooden walls and rock with the ship. I tried to block it out but even from down here the crews roaring shouts and cackles could be heard for endless days and nights, always reminding me of where I was and how I had no escape. Even when every person aboard the ship was fast asleep, I was wide awake wondering if I would be able to survive the next day, wondering if I could even make it to the island, and even if I did, what would happen next? One thought remained in my mind, it was all I could think about, and that was what would Pan do if we finally meet again?
I wasn't sure how long it had been now, a few days maybe? It felt like weeks had gone by. I could already sense that the time had frozen upon arriving at the ship. Even though we were on the outskirts of the seas of Neverland, far from the island itself, the effects this cursed land still spread its magic to the furthest of the sea. The sense of time lost on the island all those years ago suddenly flooded my mind reminding me of the dangers I encountered on the island. Surely it was dangerous enough to try and get back to the island through the pirates but it was the only way I could without being perceived as suspicious by the boys. Even then it seemed pointless.
I sighed as I lifted my arm slightly to see the newly formed cut on my arm, made by one the pirates during the captains suggested knife throwing game. I hesitated at first before lightly touching the cut on my arm, only to pull away as the area still throbbed. I thought about covering it but in this humidity, I was afraid it would only get worse. How did I bring myself to agree to this, to go back to the one place I hoped I would never return to. Yet here I am, surviving on only enough food and water to keep me alive without killing me, and locked in the captain's quarters as his prisoner. It was only when the captain ordered for me to be taken above deck would I be able to see the blues of the sky and sea. It was the only time I could have the chance to breathe in the fresh air rather than the lingering putrid smell of the strongest rum that pirates lived off of. The liquor they consumed had probably been stained through the old wood of the decks. Just thinking about it made my stomach turn as the captain would often drink at his desk until he could no longer stay conscious, leaving the bottles to dry out and fill the room.
I slowly shut my eyes, letting my lack of sleep tire me down as I leaned my head against the large bookcase behind me. The hard wood was surprisingly comfortable as I rested my head back allowing the bruising and smaller cuts on my face to have time to heal before the next day. Getting their hands on a boy like me who they knew was from the island had been the best thing that had happened to the pirates, especially the captain. They had a thirst for revenge building up inside of them since the day of the attack. Just as my eyes were falling heavy with the hopes of finally getting some sleep, they shot open as loud shouts could be heard from the corridor outside the captain's quarters, with footsteps following shortly after until the door had been kicked open as two pirates stormed in the room. Through the dim lighting, I could see three figures walking through the cabin, soon reaching the far end where I was seated. I could hear the groans coming from the boy they were dragging across the room. He landed with a thud onto the floor as the two pirates dropped him before walking back out of the room, the sounds of their hackling slowly faded after they slammed the door shut behind them. The room was now quiet accompanied by the boy's whines of pain. His face scrunched in discomfort as he tried lifting himself off the floor.
"May I remind you that these pirates don't take a particular liking to children."
He only groaned in response as he tried lifting himself off the floor, clenching his hand at his ribs as miserable sounds escaped his lips. I almost felt sorry for him, that he too was also becoming the new form of entertainment for the deadly games the pirates played. I was used to it but this boy must have been out of his mind to make a deal with a pirate; let alone the captain of the Jolly Rodger himself. The pirates will treat any boy the same if they could get their hands on them, no matter how valuable they were, they would keep you barely alive until they could get rid of you. There was something different about this boy; not only the way that he spoke and acted was strange, but he was also very persistent despite the constant beatings by the pirates. I didn't know this him well, he seemed around the same age as me, I don't think I even know his name but he had a strong enough reason to want to get to the island.
"Y-Your friends u-up there...don't play nice." He finally said as he turned to me allowing me to see the newly made cuts, bruising, and blood on his face.
I turned away and looked down at my feet. "They're not my friends."
"No kidding, one of those knives that they were throwing almost stabbed me."
You have no idea...
"If we are going to be stuck in this hell together, can I know your name?" I asked as I turned back to the boy.
"Connor."
"How did you end up with this particular group of pirates, Connor?" I asked before he could ask my name.
I could tell he was exhausted and that alone gave me more of an advantage to ask him questions without being questioned myself.
"I'm looking for someone," Connor continued, his voice becoming sterner, "I'm going to bring them back."
I could see his face frown before he turned to me.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm also looking for someone," I replied honestly.
I kept my eyes away from him so that he wouldn't push to ask any further, although what he did say took me off guard.
"You're not from here are you?"
It was now that I turned back to him, trying not to look too surprised.
"Here?"
"This place...the island, the one they call Neverland. I heard that is where she had been sent."
She...
So the rumours are true. He was telling me the truth after all, which meant that this wasn't all for nothing. The only thing I wanted to know was why Connor was after her. If he is from the world I was sent from without magic, then how did he get here? How does he know about the island and more importantly, how does he know about her?
"So, how did you get here?" I asked, hoping to not sound suspicious.
To my surprise, he didn't seem suspicious at all.
"It wasn't easy that's for sure, but I found the right people. I didn't believe them at first until they gave me a bean."
My eyes widened. A bean? How was that even possible? How could people from a world with no magic have possession of something as valuable and powerful as a bean?
"They said the bean would take me to the pirate's ship. What they said was true, that as soon as I appeared on the ship, the pirates would be desperate enough to keep me on board and send me to the island where she is."
Before he could continue the door of the room got kicked open making the two of us flinch. The captain walked in with a bottle in one hand and his sword out in the other. A grin spread on his face as his cold blue eyes looked between the two of us. He then lifted his sword out and pointed it at us, moving the blade back and forth.
"Making friends, are we?" He asked, amusing himself as he shut the door behind him.
We both remained silent which only made the captain chuckled before walking over to us, swaying a little from side to side as he tried to gain his balance. I felt my body tense as he walked closer, only to find myself almost frozen once he stood directly in front of us. He pointed his sword to Connor who swallowed the lump in his throat before carefully shifting his gaze up to the captain.
"You have a big day tomorrow." The captain said as he lifted Connors chin with the blade of his sword, making Connors expression shift to a look of anger.
"You promised me you would take me to the island," Connor spoke back to the captain whose blue eyes now narrowed as he moved his sword from under his chin.
He grabbed Connor by the collar of his shirt, lifting him from the ground to face the captain directly.
"Why you want to go to that hell of an island is beyond me, but you will leave tomorrow, on your own, or be my guest to walk the plank. Do I make myself clear?"
Connor nodded his head but the captain's grip tightened as he glared down at the boy.
"Remember our deal boy, once you're there you bring back what I asked for or else you or your little friend won't be going home anytime soon. If you think about double crossing a pirate, you're already dead."
Connor nodded his head again, slower this time as his face fell still in shock as he tried to find the words to reply.
"Y-Yes, captain."
"I'm saying this out of the kindness of my heart," The captain said sarcastically before letting go of Connor, making him to fall back to the floor. "I wish you the best of luck on your trip to the island and hope you don't run into the demon himself."
Hearing those words from the captain meant that Connor was already dead. I knew Pan too well to know that Connor wouldn't last more than a night if she was the one he was after. Pan would use Connor for his own benefit; make him believe that he was on the same side as Pan, then dispose of him once he's forced any information out of him. If Pan found out that Connor had been with the pirates he wouldn't give it a second thought to kill him...that is if she really is who they were all warning me about. If Pan knows the truth of the girl then he would kill Connor to stop him risking the pirates knowing the truth, he would probably keep her away from the rest of the boys if he really knew the truth.
At least that's what I thought...
I was wrong. It seemed that Pan had no idea of the real truth, neither did any of the other boys which will make things easier for me, but it also meant that I had to be careful in order for this to work. After all, I am the receiver. I was sent here for a reason. I remember what he told me that once I have arrived I must do my part and return. The only problem was the amount of time I had before I must return. Time in Neverland was frozen but now that I am here I don't know how much time I could be wasting in the real world.
I shifted my gaze up as the boys in front of me had stopped walking, most of them now filing out into campus. There was a lot of talk erupting from the boys as they all tried to process what was happening. It surprised me more that they were just talking rather than locking me in a cage for trying to escape the island. I exhaled slowly as I took this chance to look around campus and see if anything had changed since I was gone, only to see that everything remained the same. All the huts lined the edges of campus on the far side overlooking the large bonfire that was still set in a burning blaze in the center of campus. The same setting and the same faces, all of which I was familiar with...except for one.
My eyes met with hers and her expression instantly changed. She seemed confused as she noticed an unfamiliar face from the rest of the boys. I averted my eyes as soon as I saw her turning to Will to ask questions. It was only now that I felt uneasy, that it all had finally sunk in now that I here, now that I know what I had come here to do. This was too risky...coming back here. No one knew the real reason why I had come back to the island and no one can find out. It wasn't going to be easy, but I had to fit in with the rest of the boys as quickly as I could. The main problem was Pan, he's unpredictable. He allowed me to walk into campus alongside the other boys, hands-free, and under no guard from any of the other boys. He even healed all the bruising I had from the pirates. All that meant was that Pan was planning to do something with me, and it wasn't going to be good.
Will's POV
At first, I didn't recognize him because he looked as though he had grown up a little since the last time we all saw him, but now that he was walking closer I could see it really was Baelfire. His facial features looked more defined as he no longer held the face of a younger boy, he was also slightly taller while his brown hair that was once long and curly had now been cut shorter. Seeing him again alongside the rest of us seemed almost impossible. We all remembered him the same way. He got along with most of the boys, helping the younger boys and teaching them to learn how to hut and train when they needed. Even though he interacted more with the older boys he still cared for everyone equally. He was close to Pan before and was even good friends with Felix. He always did as he was told and never questioned Pan's orders and for that reason, no one expected him to suddenly run out in the middle of the night and escape the island. His loyalty to Pan was strong, maybe so strong that he was able to fool everyone, including Pan.
Maybe we didn't believe it was true, so much that we believed the pirates had taken him. I know he is feeding us the stories he wants us to hear. I know there was something off about him because of Pan. He hasn't shown the slightest bit of anger towards Baelfire despite him knowing perfectly well that he betrayed him. He wasn't in a cage guarded by any boys; instead, he was standing alongside everyone as if they had completely forgotten what had happened. Most of the boys were talking among themselves about the pirates, most that I could over hear were all asking the same questions.
"The pirates had him this whole time?" Ben thought out loud, trying to piece together what Ethan had told us.
That was the other thing. Pan had created the barrier before Baelfire had tried to escape which meant that the pirates couldn't have grabbed him or known at that specific time that Baelfire would escape. Even if Pan had exchanged him in a deal with the pirates, they would have never given him back to Pan without a scratch. I heard from some of the boys that Pan had healed Baelfire when they appeared back on the beach.
"I've never seen him before, who is he?" Emily asked eagerly as the three of us kept mumbling to each other.
"That's Baelfire, he was a lost boy," Ben said.
Emily only turned to Ben in confusion. "Was?"
"He was the first of us to escape the island, at least that's what we thought. From what I've heard Pan had made a deal to get Baelfire back from the pirates who had grabbed him before he could make his escape." Ethan explained.
"Did you just say, pirates?" Emily asked before turning to me with a blank look. "As in Captain Hook, pirates?"
Ethan and Ben exchanged surprised glances to me before we turned to Emily. How could she know of the pirates let alone Hook?
"You know him!" Ben asked.
She sighed, "From what I've known so far from my time here, probably not.
"It's a good thing too. Hook isn't someone you would want to meet. I don't know what you've heard but he would most likely kill you as his first greeting." Ethan explained to her.
Can't one thing be the same from the stories I heard as a kid...
"If I ever do meet the codfish again I'll happily run my sword straight through him," Ben said coldly.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
We all turned to Ethan, following his gaze to where he was looking to see all the boys now gathered near the bonfire. Ethan had a point, we had no idea what Pan was planning to do with Baelfire but I had a feeling we were about to find out. We walked over to the group of boys and joined the circle. Many of them were still talking among themselves; some were even talking to Baelfire who seemed to be surprised that the boys around him were brave enough to confront him after what he had done. The loud chatter soon fell quiet once Pan had faced the group.
"Now that the pirates have gone I can properly welcome back our old guest," Pan announced leaving most of us surprised at how different he was acting.
I couldn't help but notice the grin on Pan's face as he grabbed the sword out of Felix's hand. He twirled it effortlessly in the air before getting a proper grip of the handle and extending the blade in front of him. Pan's eyes locked with Baelfire making a few boys who were standing beside him step back.
Baelfire's POV
I tried to remain calm as the boys around me moved out of the way. There was one thing I did not miss, and that was the look on Pan's face when he was planning something bad. His green eyes would shine brightly, a grin wouldn't be able to leave his face as he spoke, and his words were mesmerizing as you could clearly hear the mischief in his tone.
"It has been quite a while since we have had some fun." Pan started as he walked closer to me, the sword still extended as the blade followed.
I managed to stand my ground as Pan now stood directly in front of me, the blade of the sword remaining to be the only thing held in the air between us. My feared reflection in the blade of the sword took me off guard. I looked to fearful, I had to make sure I didn't come across as scared in front of Pan. He lived off of others fear; it was his way of using it against you. I managed to relax and keep my chin up as I stared back at Pan waiting for him to continue.
"What do you say, boys?" Pan said a little louder, as he looked around before his eyes met mine again.
"Why don't we show our old friend a warm welcome...I think a challenge will do."
Suddenly just like that, as if something in them switched, the boys erupted in cheers and shouts of excitement. The noise from the boys surrounding us caused Pan's smirk to widen as he let out a light chuckle that he knew only I could hear. He twirled the sword around so that the handle was now placed in front of me instead of the sliver blade. The boys quietened down once Pan took a step away, his hand still holding the handle out to me.
"What do you say, Baelfire?" Pan grinned as he glanced from the handle then back to me, "Up for a little challenge?"
I scoffed at his mocking tone before grinning at the sword. So this will be the game he wants to play. At least now that I know he won't kill me, well not yet anyway, I can have some fun in the meantime. I had to show Pan and the rest of the boys that I belonged with them. I had to assure them that I am still the same lost boy I once was, and if winning this challenge was the way to prove myself then challenge accepted. I took hold of the handle allowing Pan to let go before I copied him and twirled the sword the same way he and done before pointing the blade at him.
"A challenge sounds fun enough, only if you make it interesting this time," I said, earning a couple howls from the boys around me.
I let out a light chuckle as I look a step towards Pan who seemed to be enjoying my commentary. I twirled the sword through my hand suddenly feeling more confident as I remembered the grip well enough to add in an extra twirl or two, letting it flow naturally to show off and get a few whistles from the boys. I had after all taught most of them myself in training. I suddenly felt a rise of confidence and decided to push a little further to see how Pan would react.
"From what I've seen, it looks like you have gotten a little rusty," I said to Pan, earning myself several howls and shouts of excitement from the boys around me.
It was risky enough to insult Pan after everything that had happened with the pirates, but hell if I'm here on this island again I'm fighting fire with fire even if it is against Pan. I had to be careless enough to fit in with the boys again but not careless enough to get myself killed. Pan smirked he looked around at their reactions; he seemed almost pleased that they were excited about the challenge.
"Everyone to the training area!" Pan shouted over the boys who only got louder as they followed Pan.
Emily's POV
Why was everyone acting so different?
The boys weren't suspicious of this new boy in the slightest even though he had just come from the pirate's ship in an exchange that Pan had made and not told anyone about. He got to walk free to campus and now the boys are just going to accept him as if he hadn't of left the island at all? I wish I could have gotten that kind of welcome when I first came here, but no...hands tied, no questions and straight into a cage. I could not believe the boys were actually excited for Pan's challenge when they had only just come out of a death test yesterday. It made no sense, even Pan was acting differently. No punishment, nothing, just a challenge?
"Everyone to the training area!" Pan shouted over the boys.
The four of us watched as the loud group made their way to the path past the last hut that leads to the training area. I heard a long sigh escape Will's lips, followed by the grunting of Ethan as they both looked at the group in annoyance, probably in no mood for another one of Pan's games. Ben, on the other hand, was already swinging his sword back and forth in all directions with a confident yet excited look on his face. Once he placed his sword back in his belt he turned to Ethan and Will, grabbed hold of their arms and began pulling them towards the group.
"Hurry your lazy asses up!" Ben said excitedly as a grin spread on his face, "I think I know what the challenge is going to be!"
Before they could protest Ben had already pulled them to the back of the group before turning back to me.
"Come on Emily, you can't miss this!" Ben shouted.
I watched with amusement as he finally let go of Ethan and Will who had been struggling to let go before running into the crowd, his blonde head of hair moving between boys before disappearing in the group. I went to follow them but my feet stuck firmly to the ground almost making me fall forwards as I tried to gain my balance from the sudden stop. My eyes widened as I looked down at my feet to see a shiny green mist wrapped around my ankles. It all made sense when I heard a familiar low chuckle coming from behind me. I glared at Pan as he walked past me for a couple of steps before he turned back around with a changed expression as he pretended to actually look worried.
"Do you need some help there?" Pan asked sincerely, yet his tone was hinting enough sarcasm to make me even angrier.
"Have you gotten yourself a little stuck?" Pan added, this time a small grin curled through his lips.
"Shut up and let me go," I said through gritted teeth.
I clenched my fists as he chuckled lightly, finding my anger all so amusing. It was only until I saw his jaw tightening and his green eyes turning to a darker shade that I realised he was just as mad. Before I could blink, my stomach dropped as Pan suddenly appeared in front of me with a wide smirk on his face. I couldn't react at all since his magic stopped me from moving. The only thing I could do was face Pan and stare into those piercing green eyes. I could practically feel his warm breath hitting my skin as he stood so close. I gritted my teeth as he leaned closer towards me until I could feel him breathing down my neck. So this is how it's going to be. Now that he can't get into my head he has to use his magic to forcefully talk to me, knowing that I wouldn't listen otherwise.
"I was going to help you, but now I've changed my mind." Pan said as I felt his cold fingers move my hair back, leaning closer towards my neck before he continued in a slight whisper, "I think you can stay like this until we finish talking." He decided before moving away so that his eyes met with mine again.
"It seems like you have forgotten our chat we had before-" Pan started before I cut him off.
"I don't know why we bother chatting when I don't care about your rules in the first place." I spat back making his face stiffen.
"No you don't, but you will soon enough...once things start changing."
I furrowed my brows as Pan looked uneasy for a moment before a smirk rose to his face once again.
"Looks like you don't want me to leave you alone after all," Pan's voice lowered, "Don't worry, I won't."
I would be wiping that smirk right off his face if I could move but instead, I could only glare daggers at him, hoping that he wouldn't come any closer than he already was.
"I hope you're up for a challenge." Pan's green eyes glistened in the sun as he continued, "It will be fun...so don't be late."
Before I could answer Pan had already disappeared into thin air and so had the magic around my feet.
Will's POV
"Where is Emily!" I yelled back at Ben for the fifth time now.
Over the loud shouting of the boys the only response I got yet again was,
"What?!"
I groaned and just waved him off thinking it would be faster if I just looked for her myself. I tried to move around the circle but I had no luck. It wasn't until I heard the group get louder that I decided to turn around and push my way to the front. Pan was now standing in the center of the circle with a pleased look on his face at the amount of excitement the boys were giving him.
"Who's ready for a challenge!" Pan roared over the boys in which they all shouted and howled back just as loud.
Pan grinned at the response before holding his hand out towards Felix who tossed him his sword. Pan held the blade into the air as a sign for the rest of the boys to now quieten down, which they did after a moment, as they too all lowered their swords, allowing Pan to announce the challenge that they had been waiting so eagerly for.
"Today we are going to play a game I like to call...King of Swords." Pan smirked.
If the boys weren't excited enough before, they sure were now and I could understand why too. It had been a long time since we have had a challenge or any fun for that matter. King of Swords was a perfect way for us boys to fight against each other without the worry of getting hurt. It was a way we could train and have fun, using hand to hand sword skills in a challenge to see who is the strongest...to see who the king of swords is among us all. Ben has proved himself to be the most skilled with a sword out of all of us, but now that Baelfire is here he might have some competition.
If I was to be completely honest, I prefer that we are able to have a sword fight. It had just been test after test of facing danger, and now the boys could finally relax in a way. However, I was far from being relaxed, if anything I was more concerned than I was before. Pan was definitely up to something and he was making it so obvious that he's now being too suspicious. Anyone could see it to the point that no one did. The death test, the Jolly Rodger appearing out of nowhere, a secret deal...and now Baelfire has returned. All this has happened and Pan was acting as if it hadn't of happened at all.
He is welcoming someone who we were told was a traitor, someone who escaped off the island and more importantly, returned from the ship of the enemy. Still, I would much rather he spare Baelfire for as long as he can...at least until I get some answers. This could have turned out much worse if Pan had planned on doing something else to Baelfire. He is just a boy after all like the rest of us...he was one of us. He doesn't deserve to die, but I for one don't believe his story, there has to be more to it. I know he is hiding something and I need to get to him before Pan does.
"Can our guest come forth into the circle!" Pan commanded.
All attention turned to Baelfire who didn't hesitate to walk out from the group and stand in front of Pan. I was surprised to see that he looked rather confident for someone who had just come off the Jolly Rodger, but now that I thought about all the things he could have been through on the ship with Hook and those pirates; facing a bunch of kids shouldn't be too much of a challenge, especially for someone of Baelfire's skill level. There's no doubt there, everyone knows Baelfire could handle a sword better than any of us, which was probably the main reason why we all went quiet once Pan asked for a contender.
"Oh come now, this boy is no stranger to us." Pan chuckled at the sudden silence before continuing, "So tell me, who is going to face our guest first?"
Pan's mischievous green eyes glanced around the circle, making everyone now stand tense as he slowly began to turn around, in search for a target. He eventually stopped in front of one of the younger boys whose eyes began to shake as Pan grinned.
"You," Pan spoke as he held is sword out for the boy.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, grabbing the sword out of Pan's hand before gathering enough courage to step into the circle and stand in front of Baelfire causing the crowd to come back to life as the boys in the circle, one by one began cheering on the younger boy who stood his ground, in position and ready to fight. He didn't seem too nervous now that all the boys around him were cheering on the fight. Pan stood in front of the two, watching over them to make sure that they were both ready to fight.
"Let the best swordsman become king!" Pan shouted, commencing the fight.
Pan's swords were soon replaced by the clashing of metal colliding as the first of four rounds began.
Emily's POV
I began to slow down my pace once the skull gate came into view. I found it easier to walk steadily on flat ground after pushing the last of the vines and ferns behind me as the path now opened out. I tried to ignore the cracked skulls that were on the spears that surrounded the gate, but what was most terrifying was the skulls that hung underneath the gate by rope. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I couldn't help but stare at the skulls that towered above my head as I quickly ran through.
I managed to get my breath back but ended up exhaling whatever I had left in frustration as I found where all the noise was coming from. All the boys were shouting and cheering in a group, some on the outer circle were pushing and jumping on the others who stood closer to see what was happening in the center of the group. I considered turning around and going back to campus until I noticed Will squeeze out of the crowd of boys and almost fall on his face as those around him tried to push to the front. I ran up to Will and helped him off the ground. He was panting as he stood to his feet, glancing back at the boys behind him before turning to me with alert eyes as if he had just run here like I had but fallen over multiple times along the way.
"Emily I was looking for you!"
"I hope you're up for a challenge." Pan's green eyes glistened in the sun as he continued, "It will be fun...so don't be late."
"I got...held up," I mumbled through gritted teeth.
Will parted his lips to speak but was cut off by the screaming crowd behind us.
"What are they doing?!" I asked as I stared with wide eyes at the pack of animals in front of us.
"It's Pan's challenge: King of Swords," Will said as he turned behind him to see if he was well out of the way in case the boys pushed back.
"King of what now?"
"King of Swords," Will repeated before pulling me back from the boys so that I could hear him better, "It's a sword fighting challenge that we use to train. Two competitors fight in each round and whoever wins will continue. If you lose, another person has to volunteer to fight in the next round against the previous winner. Four rounds of sword fighting to see who's the strongest of all of us."
I scoffed, "Who would willingly volunteer?"
"Only the most skilled do. Although Pan usually picks the two fighters if no one volunteers."
"Speaking of...I thought Ben was the most skilled at using a sword?"
I remembered from the previous mentions of Will, Ethan and even from over hearing some of the other boys. Ben does live up to what the others say from what I have seen, not to mention all of the bragging Ben does himself.
Will shook his head, "He is, but he now has a challenger."
"Who could beat Ben?" I asked with curiosity as Will grinned.
"The one who taught him."
"That reminds me!" Will said as he began pulling me to the group, "Ben's in the second round!"
Will surprisingly guided me with ease between boys, picking the right time when they weren't pushing each other to squeeze our way to the front. I only understood what all the chaotic noise was when my eyes met with Ben who had his sword clashing against Baelfire's who was struggling as Ben pinned him to the ground. The two were covered in dirt and grazes most likely from falling to the ground, while sweat dripped down their faces as they concentrated on the silver blades that kept colliding in front of them at a pace faster than my eyes could keep up with.
I gasped as Ben got a hard kick to the stomach causing him to fly forwards and tumble onto his back, landing right in front of my feet. His blue eyes shot open and even during the commotion going on, a wide grin spread on his face as he gave me a toothy smile.
"Hi Emily!" Ben shouted enthusiastically even though he was out of breath.
"Hi-" I just managed to say before the piercing sound of mental blades colliding could be heard again as Baelfire now attacked Ben.
"Don't worry, it may not look like it but Ben is actually enjoying this," Ethan said from my side.
Baelfire shouted as he lunged at Ben, his sword already in the air behind him, swinging it back with as much force as he could. Ben tried to shuffle back on the ground as Baelfire brought his blade down. I flinched as the blade just missed him and stabbed into the ground beside his head. Ben took that split second to grab his sword and hold it up as Baelfire pulled his sword up from the ground, kicking up the dirt into the air before bringing it right back down to Ben who was able to block it in time. Ben tried to fight back but before he could stand up again Baelfire caught him off guard and twirled his sword downward instead. It hit Ben's sword before he could have it ready in time. We all watched as Ben's sword slipped out of his hand as it flew into the air behind the two before coming back down and stabbing into the ground. Ben looked at Baelfire with shock as he stood up leaving Ben to lie on the ground.
The boy's cheers and shouts echoed through the training area as Baelfire stood up in the center of the circle. He wasn't out of breath; he was calm and composed if anything. I had never seen someone fight with a sword like that. You couldn't even judge what he was going to do next; by the time you tried, he was already two steps ahead. I was a little taken back as Baelfire turned back to Ben who was still on the ground before holding his hand out to him. Ben's face lit up at the gesture as he gladly took it letting Baelfire pull him off the ground. He smiled at him and reached his hand out to ruffle Ben's hair, leaving a wide grin on Ben's face. A moment later, Ben came bouncing back to us accepting defeat in the strangest way possible as he jumped up and down with excitement.
"Did you see that!" Ben squealed.
"What, see Baelfire kick your ass?" Ethan laughed, "We sure did."
"Yes..." Ben paused before punching Ethan in the arm, "He's just as good as before, maybe even better!"
"I just can't believe he is still going after two rounds. He doesn't even look tired." Will mumbled as I followed his glance to Baelfire who was twirling his sword while talking to some other boys.
"That's because he's amazing!" Ben sang.
"He has made it to the third round already; he will probably win at this rate," Ethan said as he rubbed his arm.
While all attention was on Baelfire, I couldn't help but notice Pan whispering to Felix.
Pan's POV
Perhaps healing all of his wounds wasn't necessary after all...
I watched as Baelfire stood with ease after finishing the fight as the noise from the boys around him got louder with each round that he won. They have accepted his return beyond what I thought they would which mean that he is getting comfortable...and that's exactly what I want. For now, he can stay, until I find out what I need to know. He and I both know where he came from and what he did. He can't change what happened in the past and I don't intend on changing what I'm going to do to him in the future.
I turned to Felix who was standing by my side. He had been the quietest out of all the boys, with his hood covering most of his facial features but I could tell his eyes were set on Baelfire. He watched his every move in the fight while his hands clenching tightly around the handle of his sword. I could tell that his thoughts were elsewhere and I knew exactly what he was thinking about. I wasn't the only one that Baelfire betrayed that day. I walked into the circle and smirked as their excitement got louder as I was to announce who would be chosen to be a competitor for the second last round. I looked around the circle even though I already had my next target in mind. I said I was going to make this fun after all.
"Who's next!" I asked loudly so that all the boys could hear me over the amount of noise they were making.
Of course, asking for a volunteer would be pointless as I would usually just chose one of them myself, but I know someone, in particular, will step in. He has been keeping his anger to himself and for the sake of a good fight; I want him to unleash it. I smirked as I followed the boy's gazes until my eyes landed on Felix who walked out from the crowd and entered the circle. He stood in front of me and tilted his head slightly to the side to tell me he was ready. He didn't have to say anything; I could already see it in his eyes. He had wanted this. I walked past Felix until I was just brushing shoulders with him.
"I don't care what you do...don't go easy on him," I said loud enough for only Felix to hear me.
He only nodded in response and I moved off to the side to watch the fight along the other boys who were waiting for the fight to start.
"Let the third round begin!" I shouted.
Baelfire's POV
I knew as soon as Felix stepped in the circle, I could see from the moment I saw him once I got off the ship that a burning rage was waiting to escape him. I understood why he was angry, he was my friend and I let him down, but most importantly I left him behind. I had to since he was too close to Pan and I knew he would never understand why I had to leave. I could see his grip shaking tensely around the blade of the sword. It wasn't until he delivered the first strike, almost knocking me off my feet that I realized how much it had affected him after I escaped.
I didn't want to but I had to fight back. If Pan noticed I wasn't putting the amount of effort I have been with the other boys then he would surely make matters worse for me when that time comes. I had to keep him satisfied; I had to put in my best to win this fight no matter what he decided to throw at me next. I know I won't be able to gain his trust but if I can get Felix to trust me, even the slightest amount will put Pan off, it will distract him since he too doesn't know the truth. It will give me enough time. But for now, getting through to Felix without revealing anything is going to be harder than I thought, especially since he is angry. Not only that but having a sword ready to slice my skin open at any moment wasn't helping me either.
I groaned as Felix's elbow hit the side of my face causing me to stumble back. From that hit, my right eye began to blur for a moment which allowed Felix to take a few more strikes until I was on the ground. The fight hadn't even lasted a couple seconds and Felix was on the verge of losing it. I blocked one of his hits providing the ground gave me no time to protect myself from the force Felix was using at this moment. I could barely prepare myself to roll as Felix delivered one hard strike after another.
"Felix, please." I could just get out before his sword came crashing down once again, the sound of metal scraping almost caused ringing in my ears as Felix continued.
"You-why are you here!" Felix said through clenched teeth.
Luckily from the noise, the boys were making they could not hear what Felix was saying. I managed to block against Felix's hit and push him back allowing me enough time to get off the ground and back to my feet before both of our swords were in my face.
"Why were you with the pirates!" Felix asked along with another hit, "How did you end up back here!"
I pushed Felix back and managed to get two strikes on him before he blocked my third. I couldn't answer him; I just kept silent and continued to block his sword which seemed to anger him even more.
"I watched you leave!" Felix spoke louder now as he held two hands on his sword, "You escaped so why come back after all this time!"
Again I said nothing as Felix continued to use as much strength as he could to hit me with his sword.
"Answer me!" Felix shouted and pushed me back.
I stumbled to the ground and Felix was already there with me, now with his sword to my neck. His cold blue eyes shaking in anger as he glared at me, pushing his blade down slightly on my neck.
"Why are you here," Felix said lowly as his jaw clenched tight.
"I can't say..."
I held my breath as Felix pushed his sword down harder until I could feel a drop of warm liquid running down the skin of my neck.
"...Not here."
Felix's eyes widened at my response before they narrowed again, trying to understand what I had meant. After a moment he lifted the sword off my neck and stood up to his feet. The boys were cheering and shouting loudly for the new winner. I know the feeling of being cut by a blade in a fight too well to react to the blood dripping from my neck. Instead, I just stood up from the ground and accepted my defeat. I glanced at Pan who seemed pleased enough at the outcome of the fight, which I was relieved in a way because it meant I no longer had to fight anyone else.
I made my way through the crowd until I got past the last of the boys, almost stopping as I saw her watching me. Her expression changing as she noticed the blood running down my neck. She didn't know who I was and I only know what I had been told. We were strangers which meant it was going to be hard for me to complete the reason I came here because she was the one I had to get to trust me the most. She was going to be the hardest to convince but the most important too. I quickly looked away and walked past her.
Emily's POV
The same way that he came, he left.
Only a small glance; not saying a word as he walked past. I had no idea who this boy is but everyone seemed so accepting that he was back. I didn't trust him and not only just because I didn't know him but because everyone else did. It didn't make any sense, the way they were all acting; this challenge...it was as if everyone had forgotten we were all in a death test just a day ago. Things were changing too quickly and I had to find out why. I had to find out who this boy is and why he is here.
Will's POV
This was it, the last round.
Felix was ready to fight the next person. We had seen him defeat Baelfire faster than any round yet. He was fighting with so much rage that he even cut him. It wasn't against the rules because this game had no rules, except that you had to beat your opponent. We watched as Pan made his way to Felix's side to choose someone for the final round knowing that no one would willingly volunteer after watching Felix take down Baelfire.
Pan chose one of the older boys thankfully. He walked into the center of the circle not looking too nervous as he held his sword ready. I didn't know him well but he would often hang around with Felix which seemed to calm him down a little. The boys were ready, now we only waited for Pan to start the final round.
"Wait." Pan said as he held out his hand between the two, "I change my mind; someone will stand in Felix's place."
"Who?" Felix asked.
Pan smirked as he grabbed Felix's sword.
"Me."
The silence was replaced back with shouts as Pan stood ready. He checked to see if the other boy was ready and he nodded slowly.
"Felix if you will," Pan smirked as he held his sword ready.
Felix nodded and faced the two where Pan had stood to start the round.
"Let the final round begin!" Felix shouted.
The fight began and I couldn't help but notice that Felix had disappeared from the fight as soon as it started. I scanned the boys to look for him but he wasn't here. Before I could look back to the fight someone had grabbed my arm and pulled me back until I was out of the circle. I furrowed my brows as I turned to Ethan who let go of my arm. I looked at Ethan's change of expression as he looked behind me. I followed his gaze only to be more confused as I saw Emily running through the skull gate and out of the training area.
"I tried to stop her but she didn't listen. She went after Baelfire and Felix."
My face fell as I turned back to Ethan and he noticed too.
"You still haven't told her, have you?" Ethan sighed, "Emily is already suspicious of Baelfire, don't make her more confused by hiding the truth from her, it will only be that much harder when she finds out what Pan did."
"I know I just-"
"You said you wanted to be the one to tell her at the right time. Then you better go now before she finds out on her own."
Emily's POV
I whimpered as another fern lashed my lower leg as I ran through the thick jungle. Now I understood why they made all of these paths to get to places around the island, they had sharp enough edges to cut your skin open if you were running past, which in my case couldn't get any worse when you have no path to follow. I quickly looked to my right through the trees that I was passing to see the small path that leads from the training area to campus. I had to make sure I was keeping on track of what direction I was running to if I didn't want to get lost.
I had to find out why Baelfire was here even if I had to confront him myself. None of it made sense...the pirates, the way everyone was so accepting; even Pan was acting as if he hadn't just walked off the ship of his enemy. I pulled out of my thoughts and almost tripped as I forced myself to come to a stop behind the huts. I tried to get my breath back but I had to stop once I heard Baelfire and Felix walking along the gravel path on the front side of the huts. I walked my way to the edge of the hut and could just see their backs walking past the next hut. I tried my hardest to choose where to place my feet so that I wouldn't snap any branches and get caught. I waited a moment, listening as their footsteps edged further away before quickly moving behind the next hut.
Where were they going? And more importantly, when are they going to stop? There were only so many branches I could stand on before they heard me.
Thankfully after moving to another hut, they had finally stopped walking which meant that all I had to do was listen. I crouched down making sure I was covered by the large plants around me so that they couldn't see me. I leaned my head slightly to the side of the hut so that I could just see them talking.
"Pan told me not to go easy on you before the fight. Don't think for a second that he has forgotten what you did. When the time comes he will get rid of you." Felix said through gritted teeth.
"Pan may be hard to read but I'm not stupid, I know that Pan will get rid of me sooner or later," Baelfire said before he looked to Felix whose eyes were stuck to the ground.
"I'm sorry Felix-"
"Save your apology, I don't care anymore.
"Emily."
My eyes widened as I turned around to see Will standing behind me, out of breath.
"Will!" I half whispered almost shouting as I dragged him down to the ground, "What are you doing here!"
"I-"
I covered Will's mouth as I heard Felix speak up rather angrily. Will understood and I moved my hand away as we both listened carefully.
"How could you come back here!" Felix shouted, "Especially with Hook, he is our enemy, you were there alongside all of us that day when those pirates came here and slaughtered half of us!"
Baelfire kept quiet as he let Felix finish.
"Why did you come back here after escaping, after all the planning you did. You even asked me to keep it a secret from Pan!" Felix caught his breath back and now looked up to Baelfire, "Just tell me why you're here."
"I...can't. Trust me, Felix, you don't want to know."
Felix glared at him before turning around.
"Have it your way. Pan will find out before he kills you anyway, I'll just have to find out then." Felix said coldly before looking at the hut he was standing next to.
"Pan said this is yours now," Felix said before walking off.
I felt my stomach sink as the words left from Felix's mouth. I looked up ahead to see my own hut and counted them down until I reached the one Will and I were hiding behind. This was Charlie's hut, so why did Felix say he could have it. He must be mistaken...
"Emily..."
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I felt Will's hand place on my shoulder to turn me around so that I was now facing him. I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I could already hear through the sadness in his voice that something had happened while I was in Pan's hut. I looked up at Will and knew he was going to tell me something I didn't want to hear. His eyes were shaking as he thought for a moment as if preparing himself for what he would have to explain to me.
"I have to tell you the truth Emily...about what really happened in the test."
Hey Everyone!
Just to prevent any confusion, Baelfire is roughly 2 years older from when he was first in Neverland in OUAT but basically, he is the same age as the older lost boys (16-17) if that makes any sense.
How was this chapter? I hope you liked it!
Looks like everyone is after the truth of why Baelfire came back to Neverland. Do you have any predictions or theories yet?
I was also wondering, do you have a favourite character in TBFN?
Now I know you guys wanted me to give you some warning of when I will be taking a break so I will do that in the future. My next chapter is going to be a little different so I might need some more time (probably around a week or so). I hope you can hang on until then! Let me know if you do have any more questions!
Another chapter will be coming soon!