Eternal Flame: Fire

Chapter 1

He walks this Earth as a God, as a Titan of everlasting strength and prosperity. Granting us what we ask for, as if we live under some Monarchy. Some people, as myself, stand for what we believe in and decide what we want is what we'll have.

Today is the day of the festival. The day me and other teenagers are chosen to be part of the eternal flame's gaurdians. Chosen before, I have not yet been accepted by the flame as a suitable host. The flame emits a light that gives the person of choice a power, may it be strength, speed, endurance, etc. We all live under it and worship it's great power as a God given gift, letting it do as it pleases, and no one has questioned it.

Running to the temple I notice my friends sitting around,
"Today is the day, you guys."

"Drey, this is now your fifth time trying since you began your teenage years, soon you'll be too old...let it go." Rickey says, hanging up his apron.

"I'll let it go when it's too late; until then, I'll continue trying till I am a guardian of the flame."

They join me on the way to the temple, the sounds of drums beating, get louder as we approach. Standing ten thousand feet in the air the temple roars as people inside battle it out for the gladiator event.

"You know this is pointless..right." Rickey remarks patting my shoulder to head over to the stands.

I mock him in annoyance. Fernando stands beside me waiting for me to turn back. Looking around at all the people I begin to wonder if I should try this year. Every year since I turned thirteen I've failed, not once even came close. For some reason however this felt different.

"Drey, you do understand, there's no turning back once you enter. Do you really want to be disappointed again, I'm being truthful here."

I look at him in worry, in disbelief. Do I want to do this again? Now 18 and I can barely even get past the first event.

I stop mopping. "Fernando get Rickey, we're doing this together this time."

The seriousness in my voice scared me a bit, not knowing what to do, I just stare at him. He stares back in fear.

"You are joking... right?"

"No, I am being for real. Go get Rickey, we are doing this together."

I watch as Fernando drags Rickey from the stands to plop him down in front of me.

"Drey, if what I was just told was true, you better have a very good explanation."

"We were chosen this year like every year... This time we have each other, we can make it through this. "

" Yeah, but this time we are eighteen years old, and we have barely made it past round one."

"Correction, I haven't made it past round one, but maybe together... We can all pass."

"Drey, you've had crazy ideas in the past, but this is just stupid and a waste of time."

Rickey gets pulls himself up and looks me in the eyes, I watch as disappointment emits from his glare. However it turns to nothing once he sighs.

"Fine, we'll do it. This time though you have to promise me that if we fail. This will be the LAST time we ever do this, all of us, including you. Is that a deal?"

  I look at Fernando, and glance back at Rickey. I reach out my hand slowly, looking back at Fernando to make sure I'm doing the right thing. He shrugs and nods his head, so I accept. "Fine, it's a deal."

The stadium rumbles as the match ends, and I'm ready to enter the Gaurdian trials, however this time, I'm not alone.