Date: January 12th

Today's the day, and I think it's going to be the worst day of my life. 

Lunch was brought by a waitress that looked awfully depressed, a cereal bowl with milk, cheese, and oranges. Hoping it was non-poisonous, I crunched the cereal. But the thought of yesterday and today almost made me throw up.

Before watching the—TV, I knew how Nichol died. He died in the Island of Destiny. Simple as that. But I never knew there was a trial where everyone had to fight to death. Did Skylar knew this? Her sister Haruka survived from here...it wasn't surprising if she did. Though I don't think she knows that my brother sacrificed his own life for her older sister.

The thought of Skylar made my stomach churn. I'll admit it, I do have some kind of feeling towards Skylar. But knowing my brother's death to save her sister: things get complicated. I wanted to know more about Trial of Death, but at the same time I desperately wanted to run away from it.

The speaker suddenly beeped. 

"GOOD MORNING SURVIVORS, TODAY IS THE 12TH OF JANUARY, AND YOUR DAY OF TRIAL OF DEATH HAS COME! PLEASE GO UP TO FLOOR 10 BY 8:30." 

—Beep—

I glanced at the wall clock. It was 8:13. I sighed and hobbled my cereal into my mouth and got ready. I brushed my teeth, tied my shoes tightly, took out my sword and left the hotel room. The halls had few other survivors, none I know. They all looked scared, crying, anger, depression. I met Luna when I was waiting for the elevator. She was confident.

"Aren't you...scared?" I asked.

"Today is my day."

Luna was too strange. I guess she has a good chance of surviving fighting twenty people or one.

The elevator ringed as three people including Luna and I shuffled inside. A girl next to me shakily pressed "10" as the elevator door shut. 

Three...four....five........ten. The elevator open as I saw a patch of dirt across the floor. I stepped out along with Luna and the girl. Above in front, a fancy looking red curtain covering a balcony with a shadow of a fat man and a royal chair. Luna stared at the curtain with the most scary looking gaze I ever seen. She than snickered. The man behind the curtains must be King Enzo, king of Bellicor, the despot who has lead my family to doom.

A Shadow Hunter who was next to the elevator hissed. "Bow you brats."

With accustomed steps, Luna bowed perfectly like a princess. I bowed hurriedly. 

"Now move on." The Shadow Hunter who told us to bow pointed at a huge balcony that had few kids, survivors waiting horrifyingly. I saw Skylar in one of them. And also Jake.

We went away to the balcony and sat down. I took the seat opposite of Skylar without thinking. Luna sat next to me her eyes blazing.

More and more survivors came and sat as the balcony filled up. When approximately twenty kids were seated, a Shadow Hunter announced.

"Welcome to the January Trial of Death. As said in the check-in office, out of twenty four survivors, though since eighteen had made it, half of you will survive. And of course, half of you will die. We will do a one on one combat. Here are the list—,"

"Wait." Luna shouted. What was she doing now? And it was definitely not just a misbehavior of a seven year old. She hopped off the balcony and stepped in front, below King Enzo who was not seen by the red curtain. Shadow Hunters shuffled ready to kill.

"Father King Enzo..." Luna chuckled. "Oops I got it wrong, Uncle King Enzo, I hereby challenge you, along with your little Shadow Hunter competing for the throne."

"What are you saying you small idiot brat!" A Shadow Hunter spat out. "Your Princess Luna, daughter of King Enzo. You are not his niece and a small girl can never rule a country."

King Enzo stood behind the curtains and slides the red curtain away. He was fat fifty year old man with a clean beard wearing much jewelries that worth as much money ten people can live with in their entire life. "No, no, let her continue."

The Shadow Hunter that spat out nodded as his hands were ready to sheathe his sword. 

Luna smiled graciously. "Thank you Uncle King Enzo. Don't worry about your country, it won't be rules by a kid like me. Bellicor would have a new king, and that king would be my father. In other words, your brother."

King Enzo laughed humorously. "No wonder no one realized it wasn't my daughter who came to the Island...I guess you really are identical to my daughter Luna."

What King Enzo is saying...does it mean that the Luna that was standing here wasn't King Enzo's daughter Princess Luna Chambers? And if this Luna's dad is brother of King Enzo...than she must be...

"Are you?..." I asked loudly. "Are you Princess Valentina? Valentina Chambers, niece of King Enzo?"

Luna, or Valentina widened her smile. "Never knew you had a brain to know that. Yep, I'm Princess Valentina, niece of King Enzo and daughter of Prince Triston. And well, I'm here to claim my father's throne."

The king of Bellicor glared down at Princess Valentina. "It is a good plan, the security is the lowest when I come here to watch the Trial of Death far lower than when I am at the palace. And I only have five Shadow Hunters to protect me. You, I must admit, is very strong for a seven year old but I certainly do not think you can take all of them."

"Say that with evidence." Princess Valentina spat. She turned around to us, her sword sheathe. "You know how cruel King Enzo rules. And I'm not lying that I'm Princess Valentina. It'll be nice if you can help me take down King Enzo. I know you don't know my father Prince Triston much but don't you think the best option now is to take down that stupid king?"

"Is Prince Triston better than King Enzo?" Skylar asked loudly. Princess Valentina nodded slyly. "I'm with you than." 

It was strange, som many people volunteered to fight with Princess Valentina, one by one. I don't know everyone, but was it okay to estimate the survivors felt rage? Revenge?

"I'm in too." I stood up along with the others. Princess Valentina's eyes sparkled, than glared at the Shadow Hunters. She ran and aimed for one of the Shadow Hunter's leg. 

"Attack!" Princess Valentina screeched. Every survivor ran towards the Shadow Hunter's as they raged to them.

I was one of them, and suddenly I felt anger towards them. King Enzo who killed my brother and so many other lives. Was it wrong that I join the fight to kick him off the throne? And to kill him?

I was fire, and we survivors were the wild fire. Shadow Hunter's were trees, as they fought us off. But I went out of the fight, towards King Enzo, and Princess Valentina. King Enzo ran a Shadow Hunter behind his back. Princess Valentina clanged her sword with the Shadow Hunter's knife over and over. The hunter blocked every slash.

"Cam!" Princess Valentina gasped. "We need to talk, and quickly!" 

"What is it?" I asked as I watch her continue slashing her sword.

"First, Princess Luna is a very close cousin to me, and we aren't going to kill her. It's either her, or my dad who should take the throne. Next, Princess Luna is trapped by King Enzo's order. She's in this island in the southern side. You'll see a tower where she lives. Get her, and explain what's happening. She'll know what to do." Princess Valentina panted as she gave a hostile glare to the protecting Shadow Hunter. "Are you underestimating me?" 

"Maybe." The dark Shadow Hunter said slyly. Princess Valentina began attacking once more.

I couldn't believe Princess Valentina, or Luna  that I known couldn't win in ten seconds. Is my friends going to be okay if a adept fighter like her was struggling this much?

"Go!" She ordered. "Take Harley and Skylar with you." 

I turned my back against her as I ran towards the fight. I already saw three bodies, badly injured or dead, on the field ground. I desperately searched for Skylar and Harley. I found Harley first as I yowled out his name. He immediately took the message and padded towards me. Before he reached where we could talk, a sword slashed towards my way. My instinct dodged it but a second slash was coming. I didn't have time to sheathe my sword as the silver blade came closer—

Cling! Metal and metal crashed making a cling between. I saw Skylar and her katana. She panted , breath harsh. 

But Skylar wasn't strong as Princess Valentina, the Shadow Hunter put more force into his blade knocking her over. 

"Skylar!" I desperately called. My friend stood up her katana still grasped in her hand. 

"Go!" Skylar yelled as she charged towards the Shadow Hunter once more. "I saw you going towards Princess Valentina, you must've heard something from her... If she has a plan, follow it."

"You need to go with me!" I drew my sword to help Skylar. 

"I'll hold this Shadow Hunter off, I bet half of the people here is way stronger than me. Go with someone else. It doesn't have to be me." Skylar exhaled as she got ready for another attack. "If this really is a fight to change Bellicor, to get rid of so-what-called Island of Destiny, we can't fail. I'm too weak, and if Luna gave you the responsibility to fulfill her plan, go with someone who's strong."

"But—"

"Cam!" Harley slashes his sword toward the Shadow Hunter. "We need to change this country. And I don't think getting your plan that was given from Princess Valentina should be a thing that's not the first thing in mind right now."

"Go!" Skylar hissed. She climbed her katana with the Shadow Hunter's once more.

Before I can respond, Harley pulled my arm, out of the wild fire, out of the fight, and leave Sky,ar to face the Shadow Hunter.