~Hongjoong's POV~

After leaving behind the bright lights of the club Illusion we travelled to the outskirts of Hala Hala along with Yuyaga and more of his armed guards. The stadium where the death match would be held was already was filled to capacity with thousands of bloodthirsty onlookers. The sounds of their cheers and the crunching of metal against metal drowned out the rest of the world as we reached it's outside walls.

We saw the end result of the fight as the ring came into view. Two hulking giants of steam and steel were locked in a deadly embrace. One had both arms plunged into the chest of the other, metal claws protruding from the back dripping in black oil like blood. With a screech it pulled the entire suit apart, setting off an explosion that sent the winning fighter crashing into a corner that shook the stands. Aquacerians near us rose to their feet screaming in either exaltation or defeat as the winning EXO pilot was announced over the speakers.

The smoking EXO suit sat in the corner of the ring as two guards pried away it's armor to recover the pilot inside. When the plate fell away I caught sight of the victor as he was pulled from the wreckage and escorted off of the killing floor. A couple guards half carried his limp bleeding form away from the battle torn EXO suit.

The victor's master would be paid an exorbitant amount of gold while the victor may not even survive the night. Whether they were drowning in debt or looking for ways to pay for their vices there was always a master there ready to take advantage of any soul's plight. That was the way these battles were always fought. Upon the backs of those fueled by enough desperation that they felt they had no other choice.

Rarely did these pilots fight for the sport of it.

The losing pilot wailed in the ring crawling in the mud on his hands and knees. He was badly injured and didn't have the strength it took to stand. His EXO suit had been obliterated, scorched rubble littering the ring and burning up the air in towering flames.

Cheers from the crowds now turned into a death chants as the pilot's master entered the ring. He was beside himself with fury at the loss as he clasped the long blade he held out in front of him. The pilot saw the master approaching and tried in vain to get to his feet, stumbling back to the ground. Two guards came at him from both sides of the ring and restrained him so he had no chance of escape.

The chanting grew in intensity as the master neared the pilot lifting the weapon high into the air to strike him down. I closed my eyes unable to watch the inevitable as I heard the blade sliced through the air cutting the pilot's scream short. The crowds thundered their appreciation in response.

When I looked over at my men I noticed most had looked away from the sight. All except for Yeosang. His gaze never wavered as he stared right into the ring.

~~~

I felt sick to my stomach at the idea of Yeosang fighting for his life. So sick that I would trade anything in the world for it to be me in his place instead. Guilt ate away at me at the possibility of losing him and ultimately Jongho too.

They depended on me and I've failed them both.

These thoughts buzzed through my mind as we all sat in the hold of the stadium, the thunderous chants and stamping of thousands of feet out in the stands was overwhelming.

Yeosang appeared calm and collected as Yoongi, another one of Monster's men, helped him suit up. Yeosang stripped down completely, his naked skin showing scars from past battles he had managed to survive. A long one stretched from his calf up his thigh from his first fight he won when he was only fifteen, another wound down his spine from the last he had ever fought in, the one that very nearly claimed his life. Yeosang stepped into a skin tight suit which Yoongi zipped up from the back. Then Monster's friend worked silently as he snapped pieces of body armor onto my navigator.

I had to crane my neck to look up at the EXO suit he'd be piloting for the match. It was an extremely rare model that was highly sought after by those vicious enough to use it. It sat empty in the hold under the harsh fluorescent lighting, a giant born of metal and blades created for the sole purpose of delivering death. The robot was covered in plates of high grade steel and cloaked in shining chainmail for even more protection. In the very center of it all was the heart, where Yeosang would be in control.

Yoongi stepped away and nodded his head once, satisfied with his work. "He's all suited up and ready to fight," He glanced up at Yeosang. "Good luck out there."

Yeosang wasn't responsive, his eyes had clouded over as if he was somewhere far away in his own mind. I was at a loss as to what to say to him.

So I instead made a promise to myself to end it.

I walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. He seemed surprised at first but soon wrapped his arms around me. We stood like that for a while as I pretended not to notice how badly he was trembling. I hated myself for throwing him back into the nightmare he had clawed his way out of years before.

Soon enough I could feel heat as the rest of my crew gathered around our brother. As if all of us standing united could lend Yeosang the strength he needed to survive. There were no words uttered between any of us even as Yeosang climbed into the suit to enter the ring.

Anything said would feel too much like a goodbye.

                                             ~~~
                       
We all sat watching from Yuyaga's side in his designated balcony overlooking the ring, a rolling mass of aliens shouting loudly in Cerian demanding the next match to begin. The master loudly drank and conversed with other Aquacerian masters. No doubt boasting about how he had forced the God in the Machine to fight once more, insuring him a swift victory.

"What do we know about Yeosang's opponent?" I asked my men. They all looked between each other hesitant to tell me. I could tell from some spark in their eyes that they recognized the name of the pilot.

Finally Wooyoung came to sit at my side. "The opponent's name is Uranaan," At this he nodded his head over to where the group sat, carrying on. Some of Yuyaga's dancers had shown up and sat around the masters to entertain them. "Yuyaga and his idiot friends are over there talking the other pilot up saying he's pretty hot shit. They're also saying that the God in the Machine has been out of the circuit too long to win—" Wooyoung sharply inhaled and stops. "I'm sorry Hongjoong."

"How many matches has Uranaan won?" I asked.

Wooyoung pushed his hair back from his face. His face was pained as he looked down at the floor.

"Wooyoung please.." I begged.

"He's won thirty." Wooyoung answered.

Thirty matches... I ran my hands down the front of my face. I didn't know that Yeosang would be considered the underdog going into this fight. The thought laced my veins with cold dread as I stared at the mark of blood still in the ring from the one who'd lost his life earlier.

A few years ago, before I had liberated him from his own master, Yeosang was considered to be the greatest EXO pilot in the known galaxy. His skill within the heart of the suits he controlled was unparalleled to anything anyone had ever seen before. The way he fought with deadly precision quickly made him notorious in certain circles. It wasn't until I had first met Yeosang that I saw just how much of a toll killing for sport could take.

It was after a particularity brutal fight he'd participated in...

I found myself dealing with masters much like Yuyaga. Something that was necessary at the time but still I looked back on the things I did with shame. It was on a nameless planet in a distant galaxy that was completely frozen over in an endless winterscape. It was there within the glistening white planes of ice and snow that I watched him fight for the first time. I was captivated by the way he handled himself within the suit, delivering blow after blow until his opponent was brought to his knees in defeat. His EXO suit was damaged beyond repair but Yeosang had somehow survived, staggering out from the wreckage and into the flurry of snowfall.

He didn't wear victory like other fighters I'd seen before. In place of pride or relief his features instead held cold apathy. His eyes were so dark they looked nearly black as he regarded the cheering mob. He stood wounded in the mounting snowstorm oblivious to everything around him. As soon as he could he left the ring without once looking back.

I saw something in that expression that made me get up and follow him.

In the dingy light of the hold I found him shivering on a bench. Yeosang sat hunched over with his back to me, rake marks ran along his shoulder blades and spine weeping fresh blood onto the seat. He sat up with a start as he heard me enter the room and looked at me over his shoulder. At the time his hair was black, like the sea at night, and his blue eyes were detached, as if he wasn't really looking at me at all.

"Who are you?" He asked getting to his feet. He put a shirt on wincing as it slid up his back. The fabric was quickly stained as he moved.

"I'm the Star King," I answered with a smile. "But that's just a title... My real name is Kim Hongjoong. What's yours?" I tried to coax him into telling me.

"It doesn't matter." He muttered under his breath. I could tell by his appearance that he was younger than me, but the few years he had been fighting left him hardened, creating edges where they should be none. Something was just beneath the surface of the boy in front of me, etched into the way he looked and the way he spoke.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He refused to look me in the eyes even as I stepped closer.

"I don't have a name to give you," He responded pulling boots back on to his bruised feet. "Even if I did I probably won't live long enough for you to use it much." He said this last sentence casually as if it was something written in the stars. An inescapable fate his very soul was chained to.

"It doesn't have to be,"  I assured him. "Why don't you walk away from it all?"

"Every time I fight it gets harder and harder to walk away," He said lacing his boots up. "It's inevitable that I'll die in a suit."

His words sat like stones in my heart. My empathy towards the pilot with no name compelled me to open my mouth.

"How about joining me then?" I asked him. He looked up at me then his mouth falling open.

"No," He said his voice wavering. He shook his head and looked away. "I-I can't just leave, he won't let me."

I placed a hand on his shoulder careful not to disturb his wounds.

"I won't let him stop you." I promised. My words forged with conviction to save him.

I was broken from my quiet reverie by the booming voice of an announcer.

Heavy chains clanked together as two massive doors slid open in the ring. The two contenders would be waiting beyond those doors in anticipation for the battle to come. The roar of the audience was deafening to my ears as the two EXO suits walked out under the flooded lights.

Yeosang's life now hung in the balance within the ring.

The Death Match had begun.

                                   ~Ten's POV~
~Six Hours Earlier~

I stood in front of the door of command and tried to compose myself. After an uncomfortable night of sleep because of my wound that refused to heal I was summoned along with the rest of the crew by the Star King for a strategy meeting. I hoped that my face wouldn't give away the inner turmoil raging inside of me. Riddled with guilt at keeping my dreams a secret I debated on telling the Star King and his crew everything.

I was terrified the truth would destroy any faith that they had in me.

I referred to my watch and saw I had gotten to the door forty two seconds before the designated time the meeting was to start. I rolled on the balls of my feet and waited for the seconds to tick by.

An arm being slung over my shoulder interrupted my counting as I looked up into the flecked eyes on Yunho. "Good morning Ten. I woke up and you were gone so I figured you were feeling better."

"I'm doing fine." I said lying through my teeth.

"Good!" He said. Then he looked around as if to be sure we were alone and then leaned in to whisper in my ear. "So why are you standing in the hallway staring at the door?"

"I'm currently nineteen seconds early so I was waiting until it was time to go in."

At this Yunho burst out laughing, the motion making his chest vibrate against my side. "Ten you don't have to do that. Hell, make sure the next time there's a meeting your five minutes late. Now come with me."

His warm hand wrapped around mine and pulled me through the doorway eleven seconds before we were suppose to be there.

Because of Yeosang we were currently traveling through a starburst galaxy named Messier eighty-two which was nearly twelve million light years away from where we were yesterday. It's luminous center of crimson and white served as the backdrop through the glass, lighting up the entire hull. Everyone was already seated around a table talking to one another.

When the Star King glanced up I thought I saw him look at our linked hands before looking away. "Alright now that everyone's here we can start."

I retracted my hand to grip the piece of clothing I held. Yunho looked down at me questioningly and the article of clothing in my arms.

"What is that?" Yunho asked.

"It's someone's shirt I was wearing when I woke up. I wanted to thank them." I answered.

A wide grin broke out over Yunho's face and he held out a hand. "Oh it's mine, and no need to thank me Ten, I'm happy I could help you."

"So if this is yours, then is it safe to deduce that you are also the one who replaced my shirt with this one?"

Suddenly I noticed everyone had grown quiet and watched our exchange with barely concealed curiosity. Six pairs of eyes bore into the dark haired boy next to me as his face turned beet red.

"I-uh well you see Ten," Yunho fumbled with his words while frantically pantomiming with his hands.

I didn't know it was possible for someone's face to become as red as his.

"Your shirt was ruined and covered in blood, I mean a lot of blood, oh but don't worry you're going to be fine! Obviously you're fine I mean look at you? Uh, I mean your health is fine not that you're fine. Although you are pretty Ten. And not because of anything I saw... Wait, I definitely didn't see anything! I made sure to look away and keep your," At this he motioned in the air to my breasts. "that area covered with a sheet! Oh and I meant your soul is pretty, you know what I mean? I'm not the kind person that gets hung up on surface beauty..."

As Yunho continued to ramble on and laugh anxiously the stares he received became amused. Wooyoung snorted loudly smacking the table.

"I had to removed it you know? Geez not to mention how unsanitary that would be..." Yunho trailed off babbling. He scratched his head and looked at the others with a silent plea in his eyes.

All of them turned around in their chairs.

I tapped his shoulder trying to stop him from talking which made him freeze. I was perplexed at why he'd become so flustered in the first place. I smiled when he finally looked down at me through hands he used to hide his face.

"Thank you, Yunho." I said sincerely.

His shoulders sagged with relief at my words. "You're welcome!"

Then he marched over to an empty seat next to Yeosang who lifted an eyebrow at him. "Can we just start the meeting already?" Yunho begged. This earned some scattered laughter from the crew.

I sat down directly across from the captain between San and Seongwha. The Star King regarded all the crew then pressed a button on a control panel to dim the lights.

"Soon we will be entering Aquaceria's orbit. As many of you know this was the last place Jongho was seen alive..." At this the Star King looked away and cleared his throat. "Could you share with everyone what you were told Wooyoung?"

"Yes captain," Wooyoung responded. He stood up the movement causing him to wince. I saw bandaging for his broken ribs peeking out from under his collar. "I was recently approached by a slave of Yuyaga's." Everyone grew quiet looking anxiously between one another at the mention of the name.

My database could not pull up anything on who it was.

"She told me that Yuyaga knew where Jongho could be found. I didn't believe her at first but after showing me a video..." He glanced at the Star King who's knuckles were white from gripping his arm rests tightly. "A video of Jongho being tortured in a military cell I knew that she was telling the truth."

"This is extremely dangerous Hongjoong. If we go see him we could be walking into a trap." Mingi cautioned.

"It's definitely a trap," The captain announced to the crew narrowing his eyes. "Yuyaga is notoriously ruthless and I'm positive he already knows about the ATEEZ being in our possession. Which means he may also know about you." He said nodding his chin in my direction. I felt uncomfortable at the idea that my presence could be putting all of them in danger.

"So you're saying we're going to surrender everything to Yuyaga for this information?" San asked incredulously.

The Star King sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If it comes to it San, yes we will. We're talking about information that could bring Jongho home."

Yunho shook his head his mouth set into a hard line. "But what about Ten, Hongjoong? You know better than anyone what'll happen to her if Yuyaga gets his hands on her!" This last part he yelled kicking his chair back as stood.

The Star King stood up and looked at Yunho with venom in his eyes. "We may be friends Yunho but don't you dare push me," He snarled at him. "Don't forget things between us still haven't been resolved."

"You're nothing but a coward Hongjoong. You're not even going to try to fight him?!" Yunho shook with rage as if he was prepared to murder the captain. Seongwha stepped in between the two of them holding Yunho back.

Then the Star King fixed every crew member individually with an icy look. "Unless you all plan to stage a mutiny and kill me for the ship remember this. As long as I draw breath this is my vessel and you're my subordinates!" He roared. I shied away from him, he was tensed like an animal caught in a cage. I'd never seen him this beside himself before and it was frightening.

He finally turned away from everyone else. "We don't have a choice. I don't have a choice..." His voice broke over the last sentence.

The air suddenly grew heavy.

"If Jongho wasn't there that day... If he hadn't been so stubborn in protecting me... Then he wouldn't have been captured. If we stand by and do nothing then Jongho will be put to death."

I knew he was right. Master Commander Arcturus would most assuredly carry out the deed himself. No one was able to look at the Star King as it grew uncomfortably quiet.

In front of the windows again the Star King silhouette stood alone. He brought his hands up before clenching them into fists. "Jongho's blood will be on my hands."

"I'm so sorry," The Star King said regrettably. He looked at me, his strange eyes filled with sorrow. My chest became tight and I couldn't take in a breath. I realized too late what he was implying.

"To get Jongho back we'll have to surrender the ship."