Am I Not The Hero?

Chapter 2 - Draigh Silas

Draigh still couldn't believe he was back in Pravda after all those years. Of course, he had worked for almost exactly seven years, but he was never sure if he would actually make it. And now he's here. The town looked exactly like he had remembered. Townhouses left and right reminded him of what New York City used to look like before it got destroyed, like so many other cities. Alleys meandered around town like vines around a tree, and next to all the entryways were flowerpots with the most beautiful plants this place had to offer. The stream lapping underneath him, the Avis chirping around him, and the smell of fresh Carciofi alla giudia filling his nostrils made him fully realize that he was finally home again.

"Are you done with your trip down memory lane?" Right, he forgot, Mary was there with him too. "Yes, my dear sister," he joked, and they continued walking towards the gate. "I still can't believe you talked to someone. You know our whole plan was to keep a low profile while we're here, right?" she had been lecturing him the entire day long, and Draigh had a feeling she wasn't going to let this go anytime soon. "I told you he had a panic attack or something. Should I have had just left him there?" "Yes! Obviously," when it comes to Mary and fighting with her, it's best to shut your mouth, and that is precisely what Draigh did.

They reached the gate which would lead them out of town and back to their troop. Mary went through, but Draigh stopped to turn around. He just got here, and now it was time to leave again? It just didn't feel right. "Draigh? Are you coming? The others are probably already waiting for us" she watched him from outside the city walls, which now seemed even taller and threatening. Mary never understood how he felt, about this world, about Pravda, about his friend. Of course, she couldn't. She was one of the kids who weren't sent here. She wasn't there; she didn't have to witness all the cruelty and hatred that day. Draigh didn't blame her for it, it wasn't her fault, but it was always something that stood between them and their friendship.

"Mary, I'm sorry I can't leave. I have to stay. I have to warn them." He was ready to leave her and return to the arena, but she held him back. "Why? Why do you always have to do your special thing? Why can't you be like the others? Why can't you be normal?" Her eyes widened, and she let him go. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, just please come back, okay? I can't go back without you; I can't live there without you." She looked like she was about to cry, and Draigh could feel himself tearing up too. "Mary, I'm sorry, but I must leave."

Draigh turned around and walked away as fast as he could. He heard her shout after him, but he didn't turn around; it would only make leaving even harder. Instead, he wiped the tears off his face and walked even faster. He had to get back to the Arena. He had to get back to Ravi.

It turns out that that would be a lot harder than he had hoped. "Just let me into the room. I need to talk to a friend," he pleads to the guard once more.

"Sir, I've explained this multiple times. You can't go in there if you aren't a tournament participant." This is hopeless, he thought. But then, an idea struck his mind.

"And if I sign up now? It hasn't started yet, has it? And I have my sword with me" he wasn't the best persuader, but he couldn't think of a reason why the guard wouldn't let him in now.

"Fine, just leave me alone" they opened the door and let Ravi through. "I'm not getting paid enough to deal with this bullshit," he heard them say before the door fell shut. The room was filled with people, all standing in groups of four, talking and laughing. "And you are?" one of them asked him. "Uh, I'm Draigh. I'm a little late. Can you tell me what we're supposed to do?" "Sure, yeah, well, this guard put us in these groups, and then she told us that whenever our team is supposed to go out, she will call for us. I think one of the teams going into the arena right now needs another member. Maybe they will take you." Draigh thanked them and made his way through the room.

And to his surprise, there he was, live and in color Ravi Aldine. His back turned towards Draigh, so he couldn't see his face, only that he was talking to the person standing next to him. Now that he wasn't sitting on a floor having a panic attack, Draigh actually had the chance to look at him. His dark blue locs were tied up in a bun, and he had shaved the sides. The moles from his face reached down to the back of his neck.

"Can I help you?" the guard standing next to him asked, not bothering to look up from her papers. "Yeah, is there any chance I can be with that team? I heard they needed another member." He pointed towards Ravi and the person standing next to him. "No, they're already full, but you can be on this team; they will go up against them." He had to fight against Ravi? "Isn't there any chance you can swap me out or something?" The guard sighed and finally looked Draigh in the eyes. "Look, either you go with this team or leave because the fight starts in less than a minute." She walked off, and Draigh had no choice but to side with the other team. "So, I guess I'll be with you guys then" his newfound teammates looked him up and down before scoffing and turning around again. "Great, stuck-up elves," he muttered to himself.

"Okay, Team Z and co. It's your time to shine. In ten seconds, the gate will open." The guard told them before returning to Draigh's team, "Same goes for you guys, good luck out there."

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