The familiar scenes played out before me as I walked into the main room of the gladiator lodging; or as we liked to call it, the "War Room".  Taken from Earth's name for the circular room dedicated to planning attacks and other such actions. 

 

"Hey everyone, Hye Mi and Andy are back!" Hae Min yelled. Everyone sitting in the room snapped their heads in our direction as some were already making there way over to us. Some of the guys slapped our backs, some of the girls ran up and hugged me. 

 

"What's all this about? It's not like we saved Mato or anything." Dae Min smiled brightly and wrapped his arms around our shoulders as we made out way over to the couches centered in the middle of the room. 

 

"You might as well have in our eyes girlie. Do you realize what you did out there?" 

 

Any smirked, "Um...we won the level?" Dae Min rolled  his eyes and chuckled. 

 

"Very funny smart . But seriously, it's not just any  level that you won. You two, are the very first from our dominion to defeat the 48th level!" Dae Min jumped around in his seat, cause all three of our bodies to flop around like a dolphin on crack. 

 

"And?" I made an attempt to make his arm release my now throbbing neck, but to no avail. 

 

"AND?! Don't you hear the stories?! You guys are going to be playing in the ultimate levels of the Incedia Games! The Jugeum Levels!" he jumped up and started doing some sort of weird jig. 

 

"I had heard stories, but I never thought they were true. "Andy was sitting in deep thought. 

 

"Where do you think all the other gladiators went after beating the 48th level smart one?" Dae Min challenged. 

 

"I just figured they died."Andy said while shrugging. 

 

"No, good ball, they go to train for the Jugeum Levels. They come once every six years."

 

"So they are real?"

 

"Duh!"

 

"Ok, so how do we know we made it to these "Death Levels" then?" Andy used the Earth hand movement for making sarcastic quotation marks in the air. 

 

  "You will receive a letter within the next week supposedly." 

 

"Well, that's fantastic. But as of right now I'd really like to take a hot shower and go to bed. Stupid game stiffened my muscles up." I stretched my arms up before standing up to walk to my room. 

 

"Goodnight Hye Mi! I love you!" Andy yelled while moving his arm in a huge side to side wave, all the while smiling like an idiot. I shook my head and smiled. 

 

"Good night Andy, see you in training tomorrow." his smile got brighter as I turned the corner. 

 

  The hot water snaking down my bare shoulders felt like heaven. Every bruise ached and every cut stung, but that just proved I was alive.  My memory flashed the last memory I had of my family. It was as clear as the crystal ocean; the sound of knocking and my mother's sudden scream of turmoil, the fear in my brother's eyes as he burst through my bedroom door only to be shoved to the floor by a big man with a scar over one eye. He walked in, commanded me to pack my things, and say my goodbyes to my family. 

 

I was never gonna see them again...that's what he said. 

 

But he's wrong, I'm fighting through these games just for them. My good behavior is what sends my family money every month, and once I win all one-hundred levels ill get the ultimate prize; full citizenship for my family. 

 

No more being treated like scum. 

 

No more blood, sweat, and tears being shed for my family just to serve the upper city bastards. 

 

It will all be over soon.