Our Past, Present, and Future

The Festival Begins

Dindraine

Okay, I didn't blame Ragnor when he didn't realize it was around, since it was real dark. And I was more surprised he even realized it was there, since most people, Demons, Humans, Giants, Fairies, Goddesses and Gods alike, can't even see it.

"Please tell me that's not what I think it is." he said with false fear. Well, I want to know how you're so calm, on the outside at least. Most people, especially young ones, would be frozen.

"Sorry to say, I think it is." I informed instead. "Cerberus..."

"Thanks for confirming that for me." he said with a nervous smile on his face.

"Hey, where'd you go?" a voice called out. "Oh, there you are, Cerberus."

We jerked our heads towards the voice, and found a young man in a destroyed cloak. No, seriously, his cloak was ripped up completely and I could literally see the loose strings almost fall out. It also looked extremely dusty, I suddenly heard Ragnor sneeze into his arm quietly.

"Dust." he mumbled in his arm.

"Oh?" the other guy finally noticed us, "There're people?"

"What's so rare about people around here." I said arrogantly.

"And you can see and hear me." he said with an emotionless face with a hint of surprise.

"And you are?" Ragnor asked with half open eyes. They were watering a little, and then I realized had some sort of allergy. I looked back at the guy, and revealed his face, "Meliodas."

"Huh?" I said.

"Oh no." Ragnor muttered, his eyes were wide when he saw the guys face.

"Oh, Ragnor." the other guy's, Meliodas's, eyes sparked with recognition. He walked over to us, to my surprise, Ragnor backed away slowly, but he got locked under the Meliodas guy's arms. "What do you think you're doing, eh, li'l bro?"

He smiling, but I could feel the pressure emitted by this guy, and, unconsciously, I was ready to draw Durendal.

"Who's this girl?" he asked Ragnor, the pressure seemed to dissipate, but I was still on guard against this strange guy. "Yours?"

"Of course not!" Ragnor sputtered in response, I could faintly see blush, but I didn't care about it. And I didn't even get what the guy meant by 'his'.

"I don't have any intention of becoming 'someone's'." I retorted.

"Stubborn!" he exclaimed with false surprise. "I sure am surprised you've been able to deal with Ragnor."

"Don't worry, I think he's been dealing with me far better." I replied bluntly. The guy raised a brow and asked, "Name?"

"Dindraine Blumenthal." I replied smoothly, making sure it sounded believable and like the truth. Then, I felt Ragnor's eyes burn through my skull, and I swore I could hear the Really? I was sure he was thinking. "Anyway, who're you?"

"Just Ragnor's big bro." he said with a small smile. I looked at the Meliodas guy, and realized why the name was so familiar, Meliodas T. Pendragon. I thought with amusement. Of course.

"Yeah, and 'just' part of the royal family of the Demons." I imitated his tone. He started bursting out laughing, his arm came loose from Ragnor's neck, to his luck, while I watched with unfeeling eyes.

I should probably fix my habit of being too aware of people... I thought as I realized I was watching with an expressionless face. Realization suddenly struck me, Why wasn't I so cautious around Ragnor, now that I think about it? Sure I was on guard, but that was the shortest time I've been cautious of someone. Wonder why...

I was in such a daze, I forgot about Cerberus.

"What're you doing with Cerberus?" Ragnor asked suspiciously. "Don't tell me..."

"Of course I stole him!" Pendragon said cheerfully, This guy's an idiot. I decided in my heart. Not that I wasn't, honestly. Then, without warning, a horn went off. The three of us looked up, towards where the sound came from. After a moment, we realized it was from the arena.

"All participants, please gather at the arena." a voice boomed, through speakers probably.

"For the fight festival?" I asked quietly.

"Probably." Ragnor answered. "Let's hurry up and go."

"Hey, what about me?" Pendragon whined. Ragnor sighed, "Meet us at the arena after the fight festival. And this time, you're coming to the Exercitus."

"Gotcha." he answered with an okay sign. We turned slowly, going back the way we came, back to the arena.

"You look exhausted, you sure you're gonna be able to be part of the finalists?" I asked with a smirk.

"I hope I make it. I don't want to pay ten thousand Jems." he complained. "But if I don't-"

"I'm not even gonna pay one for you, just saying." I answered before he could even finish. "I'm not wasting money on a festival."

"You said you liked fight festivals? How would you know without having participated in one?" he asked, I could feel the curiosity overflow from him.

"The fight festival I participated in was the same kind as this one, except it's only the winner that doesn't have to pay." I thought back and realized, "I wonder if we'll get a prize for winning."

"Maybe," Ragnor agreed, "if there weren't one, no one would participate."

"True." I said half-heartedly, as I noticed we were back where we started. The arena was huge, but it wasn't anything fancy; just a slab of rock with a few cracks in it. "Well, we'll worry about that later. Let's just look forward to this festival, now shall we?"

"Welcome, all from far and wide!" an upbeat voice said. The voice came from a speaker right next to us and of course, I had to cover my ears so they wouldn't explode. "I know you all are anxious to get fighting, so the last two people, you know who you are, get over here quick!"

We looked at each other, and, of course, we gave each other the same look, Oops. We ran through the crowd, probably the audience, and finally made it to the packed arena. All of them were middle aged, muscular men, all were burly and were definitely workers who needed a lot of strength, blacksmiths, locksmiths and the kind, I guessed.

"Since, that's everyone..." the upbeat voice exclaimed. The voice came from a young woman who was wearing a skirt and shirt, both bright pink, and held a small mic in her hand. Her free hand was up above her head, palm facing up. She stood on a small, raised platform right at the front of the arena. "Let's begin!"

Both crowds roared with excitement, the men ran to others indiscriminately, they raised their fists above their arms and swung them with speed and force. I realized a man was trying to sneak up on me and try to throw me out of the arena, but instead, I took his arm and jerked my arm forward, forcing the guy to flip onto his back. Then, I grabbed the back of his shirt to throw him right out. Stupid. I thought, An extremely stupid plan.

The audience looked at me with dropped jaws and wide eyes. They couldn't see my face, since, thankfully, Ragnor had a scarf I could borrow, but they could tell from my stature that I was a girl. I could see from the corner of my eye Ragnor smirking faintly.

Half-heartedly, I thought, Oh well, now I just gotta hope people aren't gonna gang up on me.​