"Who are you?" Everything was bright for Soul, the kind of light his eyes had never seen. He was distantly aware that there was more than just one person, all suddenly rigid. "Why are you the first choice?"
Soul squinted, spinning around. How'd he get there? Where was there?
His eyes were still adjusting as more bursts of warmth released, murmurs ringing out up until the last person was chosen.
"Teo-!" Soul heard rushing away, and he too was swept out of the public eye in the break.
Soul's eyes finally adjusted when he was placed uneasily in a new room, someone looking at him. Distantly, Soul remembered her to be Diosa Luna.
This had to be a dream.
"Who are you?" the female asked gently, eyes shining with confusion.
"Soul." The male signed automatically "Where am I?"
"A... Temple." Luna's eyebrows furrowed "How... How are you in the trials?"
"Does it look like I know?" Soul raised an eyebrow, but immediately regretted the attitude when Luna reached down to grab a sandal "No need to get hostile, please."
"There must be something about you though." Luna muttered "Who're your parents?"
"Birth ones are dead, but I have an adoptive mom." Soul shrugged "Look, I think I have an explanation."
"If you would, please do tell." Luna spoke as footsteps rapidly approached their location "Wait-"
The doors slammed open, in storming a tall man with fire in his eyes. He spoke loud enough that Soul had to cover his ears, and that's when Soul noticed that two more people had entered the room. They were clearly related, mother with her wings around her son. As the woman released the boy to console the only male adult, Soul watched as the wingless boy caught on that the unknown competitor was there.
The boy slid over to Soul quietly, wanting some of the warmth he produced.
"I'm Teo." Soul read from his lips, hands still covering his ears. "Why did you get chosen?"
Hesitantly, Soul removed one of his hands from his ears. Cautiously, he held his palm skyward. he didn't notice eyes outside of his new acquaintance's until a sharp gasp rang out when sun started to pool in his palm.
"Sol." Luna whispered in shock "Where have you been?"
"That is not Sol, that has to be their kid." The male was still angry, but Soul could tell this discovery now took some attention off of the matter at hand. "Even he is not safe from the games."
"He said his name was Sol though..." Luna's eyebrows furrowed. "Everyone but Sol, I need you to leave immediately. Get your child ready for the trials as I speak with Sol."
The trio filed out of the room, Soul wishing he could follow.
"You said your name was Sol, what is it really?" Luna asked cautiously, almost if she was afraid of angering the sun themself.
"It is Soul." The other signed "That is what my adoptive mother named me."
"So she knew?" Luna frowned openly now. "Even with-"
"Do not tell me what I have missed here." Soul denied "I had my hands full enough with the city I protect."
"You're barley seventeen, how..?" Luna's eyes widened "The Dead City."
"Yes." Soul nodded "My duty is to protect it."
"Because..." Luna trailed off.
"You, assume." Soul tilted his head to the side, assessing the Dios. "Why?"
"There was an Obsidian, we had to get them before they destroyed us!" Luna excused "I conversed with Sol, they said yes- !"
"Do not care." Soul wrinkled his nose "I will play, but after I will go back to normal life and you will not follow."
***
Soul stayed away from his competition. He listened from afar, and fund out where his room was after everyone was presumably asleep.
"Hey, weirdo!" Of course, some of the teens were night owls like him. Soul didn't pay them any mind though, walking away at his even pace. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"
He wasn't there to make friends, he was there to get in and out of the trials.
But of course as the first group followed him, a second group ran into him.
"Ah shit!" A tall female cursed, two other guys already sprawled out on the floor "Sorry about that dude!" She smiled, and it was clear she was a Gold just by her physique. By that logic, the other two were Jade. "Oh fuck, you're that kid who appeared during the ceremony!"
Soul nodded, reaching down to help up the two on the floor. He noticed that the first group's steps had halted, presumably to eavesdrop.
"Sol?" Soul was surprised to realize Teo was the Jade he'd first interacted with after the choosing ceremony. "You're..."
"You said Sol?" The female gasped "Like our kickass Diose???"
"No, Soul." The male signed, hoping one understood.
"Like S-O-U-L?" Luckily, the youngest male did. "That's... scary."
"But you have shit like the sun!" Teo claimed "See- show them!"
Soul tilted his head, but did as told. Tilting his palm up, sunbursts climbed his arm now.
"HOLY SHIT!" the female yelled, scrambling back "THAT'S SOME VOODOO SHIT!"
Soul's eyes crinkled, the silk still on his face. Teo watched as Soul gathered the light into a ball, removing his hand to let it float there.
"You... Knew you have this power." Teo said slowly "But you didn't tell anyone?"
"Too busy with Dead City." Soul signed to the shortest member "Did not have time."
"The Dead City." Teo breathed once the smaller translated. "It still functions?"
"Subway and all."
The girl's eyes brightened "You have a Subway?!" She fangirled "We should totally go there when all of this is over!"
"Niya, you can't just invite yourself into someone's city." Teo sighed
"She is like my friend Rina." Soul signed to the youngest, who giggled.
"What are you two talking about?!" The female- Niya -shouted playfully "Xio, tell me!"
As Niya pried the younger boy, Teo side-eyed Soul. It was like he was waiting for something. After a moment, he spoke.
"Do you want to be on our team?" He spoke quietly, bashfully almost.
He tensed as Soul gave some though, Niya and Xio's noise now drowned out. Finally, Soul nodded and Teo relaxed.
"Niya, Xio!" Teo called to the duo, who's heads snapped to him. "Soul's gonna join our team."
"Awesome!" Niya pumped her fist "We get the power of Sol on our side!"
Soul smiled, suddenly glad that his mom named him the way she did.
