Hama's Point of View

A little fact about Letqe is that besides it being a large jungle, it was also a sanctuary for many animals that had once been extinct, but brought back by magic. It was mostly bugs though seeing as this jungle was insanely humid.

I was on my knees trying not to accidentally inhale a possibly deadly bug that kept buzzing around me when the plan started. I watched as my best bud, Viktor, walk out into the clearing.

This specific location was meant to honor the ancient civilizations of the old earth, but the project was abandoned and forgotten for unknown reasons. The clearing Viktor was standing on a cracked and fading tile mosaic of an old Aztec pyramid with a picture of their gods and the Aztec people worshipping those gods.

It was an eerie setting, but it was made even creepier by Sebastian walking out from behind a ruin that was a little to close to my hiding bush. I scooted a bit over silently just in case.

Sebastian was clothed in a crisp white shirt, black dress pants and a maroon cloak with the hood off. In his left hand, he held the same staff he used in the Second Great War and on his right arm was his age-alteration charm.

"I knew you would join my cause." Sebastian exclaimed happily. He walked towards Viktor and held out his hand. Viktor shoke it with a very convincing smile.

Then the bug came back and attempted to fly up my nose. I swatted at it while also trying not to make any noise. It came at me again and I fell into a small tower of rubble.

"I'm glad you reached out to me. I was getting tired of always having to help those guys without getting any thanks." Viktor continued while I caused a huge problem.

I casted a silence charm fast enough so I didn't reveal our location, but I watched as the tower fell on another tower and fell into a bush. I knew for a fact that that bush housed Charles who had decided to come along, despite Victoria's protests.

He fell out of the bush and onto the ground behind Viktor. Sebastian saw him first and move Viktor out of the way. Victoria sprang out of one of the other bushes and helped Charles up. Sebastian pointed his staff threateningly at Viktor, who now stood to his right.

"Is this a fucking trick?" Sebastian questioned angrily.

"No," Victoria started, "I followed Viktor here after he started to act weird when I took Charles to meet him. I came to make sure he wasn't up to something."

I was impressed that she had gotten better at lying and all I hoped now was that the others would play along.

Sebastian looked at Viktor looking for the truth, but I was the only one who knew that Viktor did theatre in his spare time and he was quite the actor. When Sebastian started to turn back to Victoria, I accidentally caught his gaze. He stared at me for a second and I held my breath, but he looked away from my bush.

"Viktor, don't do this!" Violet begged. "We need you!"

Viktor gave a Violet a withering look that made even me second guess if he was acting, but I shook that thought away the moment I thought it. We didn't need any more paranoia on our team. We had Violet for that.

"You didn't have to follow me and you sure don't have to pretend you care about me." Viktor growled.

"But-"

"Save it for someone stupid." Viktor interrupted venomously. He turned to Sebastian who stood with a triumphant look on his face. "I want to join your army, Sebastian and I suggest we leave now."

"The sooner, the better." Sebastian replied happily. He waved his hand and a silver portal opened.

"Goodbye, Victoria." Viktor said as he walked through the portal. Sebastian walked through the portal without another word. It closed and we were left with simply the sounds of the cicadas and the leaves rustling.

All seven of us got out of our hiding places and stood silently in a circle.

"I think he bought it." I commented.

The others nodded and muttered in agreement.

"Now that that's over, let's get back to the arena and see what else we can accomplish." Victoria suggested.

"Good idea." Daniell agreed.

"How?" Heath inquired.

"How what?" Victoria asked confused.

"How do we get back? We don't have any transportation potions." Heath pointed out. I facepalmed at our lack of common sense.

"If we walk, we could reach my kingdom, by sundown." Joseph offered.

"That'll work." Daniell agreed.

We started to walk and I was definitely glad I was wearing my hiking boots. This walk would take several hours seeing as how we are in the middle of a jungle and our destination is in the central part of the next territory.

I walked by Natalie and Heath who are talking to Charles.

"You never told me that you were engaged to Violet." Heath commented.

"I barely knew who you were and I'm not the type to go around announcing that to the world. That's rude." Charles replied and I laughed at how earnest he sounded.

"You're a good kid, Charles." I stated. "You don't seem like a person that wouldn't keep secrets from your best pals for TEN YEARS!"

I looked over at Violet accusingly and I watched as she rolled her eyes at me. While rolling her eyes, she didn't notice a rather large rock in her path and she stumbled into it. I stifled my laughter and looked away.

I looked over at Daniell to see if he'd saw what happened, but I saw he was quite a bit ahead. I knew something was bugging him if he wasn't being social and I decided to see what was wrong. I jogged to catch up with him.

Despite only meeting him three years ago, I felt like I had known him for much longer. We always understood each other better than the rest of the guys. We both had to grow up fast due to the need to make ends meet for each of our broken families.

When I caught up with Daniell, I elbowed him to bring him out of his thoughts. His eyes focused and lost that glazed look he usually had when he was thinking deeper than usual. Daniell smiled at me, but I could see past his fake smile and I only got more worried.

"What's bugging you?" I asked in a slight whisper so as not to let the others know. I respect privacy.

"Nothing." Daniell responded nonchalantly. He was looking down, pretending to be paying attention to the ground.

"I know when it's nothing and I can tell that what's upsetting you isn't nothing. You don't have to keep secrets from me." I lectured growing slightly concerned.

"You sound like my mum." Daniell mused still avoiding eye contact. I had a sudden thought.

"Are you homesick?" I questioned.

He seemed to think about the question then he sighed, his tell-tale sign that I was on point.

"I miss my sister and mother a lot. Being Captain of the Royal Guard takes up all my time." Daniell explained.

"Well, we can always arrange to move your mom and your sis closer to the castle." I suggested.

"Maybe." He thought aloud.

We kept walking and eventually the others caught up. The seven of us laughed and joked and walked on.

Natalie's Point of View

I was definitely glad to be a part of one of the greatest gladiator groups since Jackie Lord and his band of 'berserkers'. Not only that, but I also got a chance to be with my steady boyfriend, Heath, and my second favorite cousin, Victoria, more often.

The only problem with joining this group was the fact that it was dangerous and time-consuming work. Volcanoes, villains and vicious beasts take up most of your life.

I looked around at the jungle and was at least happy that we weren't being chased again.

I hadn't realized I was lost in thought until Heath bumped into me to get my attention. I looked over at him as he smiled at me like I had done something he loved.

"You get lost in thought again?" Heath asked, still smiling. I nodded a 'yes' and his smile broadened.

"And I thought you'd be the more grounded one of you and Victoria." Heath paused to gesture at Victoria with a tip of his head. "I guess I was wrong."

"Nothing new, of course." I said back sassily.

Heath pretended to be wounded and hurt, but in the end he was the one to give me a peck on my cheek.

"I'll stick by you no matter what, Nat." Heath promised as he slipped my hand into his.

"And I'll do the same for you." I replied back.