Dragon seal

Chapter one: Escape

My name is Selina, and I hold the great serpent, Silverus, within me. When I was young my mother would tell me the history of my world, and how my father sealed the serpent in me to protect the village. By my sixth birthday, my mother and father had been killed. I have no memory of their death. At night I have nightmares of the night when they were killed, but when I awake I have no memory of them.

After my parents died, a man named Kane found me. He raised me, alongside a boy named Danny, and Kane's son Yuki. He trained us to be warriors and healers. After a year of training he forced me and Danny to participate in death matches, where we must kill or be killed. These death matches would contain fifty to a hundred or more people at a time, including Danny and me. Danny and I made a promise to never kill each other. Over the ten years that we have lived with Kane, we have become best friends. Although we are best friends I would never tell him about the serpent sealed within me.

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Today was suppose to be a normal day, but today was the day when everything would change.

Ten years ago today my parents died, so I woke up earlier than normal. My heart was racing and pounding through my chest, but I was use to this by now. I looked at the clock beside my bunk. It was midnight. I got out of bed, to wash my face, when I noticed that Danny was still asleep in the top bunk. I never understood how he could sleep so soundly. Does the death of his parents not haunt him?

I did not wish to wake him. The last time I did that, I nearly got my head chopped off by the sword he keeps under his covers. I sneaked out of the room quietly and walked down the hallway. I took a right at the end, to find some stairs that would lead to a locked door at the top floor. When I reached the top, I used water to make a jelly key. I placed the key in the hole, froze it, and turned it to unlock the door. I opened the door to smell the fresh air. The door led to the outside world. It was my own space where I could be alone with my thoughts and get away from life. It was still dark outside, so I sat and stared at the sky. My white, silvery, aqua hair flowed in the wind. All the stars twinkled and the moon shined brightly, for they were free in the night sky. I was not.

Kane's hideaway is deep underground and all the doors to the outside are kept locked tight. There are no windows. No light leaks in. Only candles to light the way. If it wasn't for me sneaking out, I would never be able to see the light of day.

Hours had begun to pass, as I sat there, staring and daydreaming of a time when I was free. I knew I had to go back, but I didn't want to leave. Leaving would mean participating in another death match. "You know if Kane found you up here, he would kill you." I heard a familiar voice. I turned in shock, to see Danny standing in the doorway. "So this is where you are always running off to." he said. I was silent. Danny walked over and sat beside me. "It's a nice view."

Danny might have just awaken but he looked ready for a battle. With swords on each side of his waist, long sleeve shirt with many cuts along the sleeves, cuts running along his pants legs, Armor covering his chest, Danny had all the looks of a warrior.

I turned back to look at the sky, "it is." I agreed. The sun had begun to rise, and the colors of pink, red, blue, and orange arose over the horizon.

"We should go back, you need to get ready," Danny said while walking towards the door. I stood and took one last look at the sky, before heading back. Who knows if I'll ever get to see it again?

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It was eight a.m. Danny and I stood in an arena. I was surrounded by girls of all ages. Danny stood with the guys. Everything was getting tense. Kane appeared with Yuki by his side. They stood on a stage high above the arena. I looked around at the other girls. They were preparing to attack. I had no weapons around my waist, like Danny, and I seemed like an easy target. All I wore was a long sleeved shirt, with slits along the sleeves, pants that were covered with holes, and a navy blue (almost black) scarf around my waist. I had no visible weapons. Kane always said that the best element in fighting was the element of surprise. "Those who win today's match will be allowed to stay here and become stronger." Kane shouted to the crowd. I saw many girls ready their weapons. I relaxed, this was going to be an easy match. We waited until Kane blew his whistle. Thats when I attacked. I spun, raising water arms that chopped people in half. I stopped spinning. Ten girls were dead. The rest of them surrounded me. Those with half a brain, came running toward me, with knives in hand. The water arms were still up. They stabbed straight through the girls' bodies, but some were smart; they jumped over the arms and went for a direct attack. Twenty girls were dead and three more came toward me. I sliced through their bodies with ice swords. Blood splattered on my face. The other girls became too frightened to attack. They begin to whisper amongst themselves, trying to come up with a strategy. I heard footsteps from behind; a knife was thrown and I moved my head at the last moment allowing the blade to slide right by my face. Then I hit the back tip of the handle, sending the blade flying through several people's heads. Thirty girls were dead. This was going well. Over on Danny's side, many bodies were flying up into the air. He had begun his hurricane attack. He always had too much fun with these matches.While I was preoccupied staring at the guys side of the arena, a girl, who thought she was smart, came running with a sword in hand. She tried to chop my head off, but I jumped out of the way and landed on the blade of the sword. "Tsk, tsk don't you know kids shouldn't play with sharp knives?" I asked her.