The Game Arena - A Sci- Fi Fanfiction

II - Chapter 1 - The End Begins - II

"Who...." Ver gasped, unable to form a proper sentence. "You're.....Maria, right?"

"And you must be Ver," Maria answered, her voice soft and calming. "Yeah, I've heard about you, I just wasn't expecting you to also be here in the Palace of Lights."

He slowly approached the other girl, hesitant to get too close but also curious to know more. "Well, I guess Aurora is a sanctuary of sorts, meant for those who need refuge. It comforts me, knowing that my team and I aren't the only ones that suffered from the Arena." 

Maria beamed welcomingly, patting the empty spot next to her by the poolside. "You hungry? There's plenty more where these came from, help yourself. Aster, stop lurking, you look creepy!" 

Glancing around, Ver then spotted a glimpse of purple hair. The slender boy in a smart white coat finally emerged, shuffling about nervously. "You caught me, Maria, sharp as always. I was just, you know....wondering if there will be leftovers for me." 

Ver chuckled as the girl responded sarcastically, "As if, you should just get them yourselves from the servants. So lazy...." Shaking her head, Maria then spoke to the other older guy. "So, where are your friends? I haven't seen them around lately. I'm someone that often explores the Palace grounds when given the chance, but it's as if they have magically vanished out of my sight every time my presence is ever noted. Why is that?" 

The man sighed, politely taking his place next to Maria, his long jeans pulled up before taking a dip into the crystal blue water, cooling and refreshing to the touch. It lapped against his shins, like a welcoming ocean wave. "They're just...a little overwhelmed. Getting used to it but......I guess they still need a little bit more time. I hate to admit it but, as someone that often watches over them, being unable to do much leaves me helpless and also guilty. What they've been through, what they had to do; can sometimes be unforgivable." 

"Hey, don't beat yourself up..." Maria whispered, placing a comforting hand atop of his gloved ones. "We've all done horrible things and landed ourselves in deep, stormy waters. There is a whole world of unknown possibilities out there. My team and I, known as Iluna, are the only group of players that survived the Arena miraculously. Even I had no idea how we did it or why it was us, out of everyone else, that did the impossible. But still, you shouldn't apologize and feel guilty for something you didn't do." 

Kicking a loose pebble into the pool, Aster also chipped in. "Yeah, I agree. The Arena, the games we had to play, they're all rigged! None of it makes sense and sometimes we are forced to do horrible things to our own comrades, go up against our own fears and phobias head on with no prior warning, and even watch some of our loved ones breath their last farewell." Ver gripped onto his hands tightly, thinking of what had happened a few days ago, the blood on his hands a fresh memory never too distant. "You still have to move on, no matter what. That's the only way you'll ever be able to accept things the way they are now and look forward to the future." 

"What I've done is something that I'll never ever forgive myself for." He muttered, not looking up at Aster or Maria. "It has nothing to do with the Arena, nor the games. I just.....it haunts me like a disease, a nightmare that will never leave me alone." 

"What exactly did you do, Ver?" Maria prodded, cautiously. "To hate yourself to such an extent?" 

"It's nothing, I-" He choked on his words and was unable to continue, only ever stuttering something unintelligible. Maria and Aster exchanged looks, before they quickly shrugged it off. "Anyways, enough about me. We need a plan, to destroy the Arena and watch it end for good. This madness needs to stop, once and for all, but we can't do anything without a solid lead."

Maria plopped a grape into her mouth and chewed. "Yeah, couldn't agree more. It has been years since we left the Arena; next thing we knew, we ended up in Aurora and has never gotten another chance to return there again. The Arena locks away players that have already experienced it, so good-luck trying to come up with a plan."