The Letters of D.E.A.T.H.

When I was born, on the night of the red moon, I was already being called 'different'. It didn't make since to me as I was growing up. What did different mean? Why I was considered 'Different'? What made me strange? Sure, I could toss things around the room by just looking at them, when I was three, and I could shoot fire balls out of my hands by the time I was five, but surely I wasn't that different?1

Lots of kids could do what I could do, right? ...Right? Wrong. I was the only kid in all of Litha, the city of which I was born, whom could do what I did. My parents often hid me, told me to keep my powers to myself, so that I would not be taken from them. In all honesty, I truly thought that they were just ashamed of my ‘differences’. I didn’t mind though. I seemed normal enough to my friends, but if they had found out what I could do, what I was, would they still be as accepting?2

As I often did, I walked around town, looking at some of the store tables set up for today’s upcoming event. Apparently, we had captured some of the other countries fighters and were celebrating our victory with a festival. Our festivals were a lot like the Greek and Roman cultures. We has a coliseum, larger than that of Rome’s for we had far more people then Rome had ever hoped to have. Like Rome, we also held competitions inside of our coliseum, using captured men as slaves and gladiators.3

Today’s match, that I and my family were going to see, was suppose to be special. For some unforeseen reason, to me at least, this was different than the normal fights we had seen here. As we approached the coliseum, I noticed a dark figure amongst the moving bodies. Startled, I quickened my pace, unsure if this shadowy person was out to attack or not, and lowered my gaze. In this day and time, we, being women, especially unmarried women such as myself, were not suppose to look up directly in peoples eyes unless called on.4

We arrived in the line waiting to enter the battle dome and when I looked back to see if I was being followed, the dark shadow was gone. I was quite on edge after that. Something about that shadow unnerved me. Maybe it was because, even in the bright mid-days sun, this person was still a fleeting shadow. An outcast amongst those whom know each other. A loner, someone…. Different. Shaking my head, I dismissed the thought. I was thinking way to far into this. My logic was no longer logical. Sighing, I followed the massive crowd, trying to keep sight of my family.5

It happened often. You’d see a stray child looking for ones parents or several young adults searching for another group. I’d prefer to sit with people I knew though, rather than with complete strangers. I feel very uncomfortable around strangers and even my family at some points. I’m not really sure why, but I don’t feel at all connected with this world. I feel more at peace when I dream. When I am asleep. I walked through the gates of our massive coliseum and looked around. The place still amazed me. It was still beautiful, especially in the beginning spring sun.6

As we all filed into the rows of seating, I noticed that there were people standing in a circle in the arena. They all had their backs facing the stands, but we could tell they were staring at the ground. In this circle there were people, the likes of which I had never seen before. One girl stood with large bracelets wrapped around her arm, her clothes long and baggy. Her long dark hair blew in the wind. I noticed another. A figure of a girl, cloaked in a dark shadowy coat. The cloak covered all of her skin, as if she didn’t like the sun. The only thing that gave her away as a her was the feminine shape the cloak clung to as the wind blew.7

There was a young man wearing no shirt, his pale skin looking translucent in the sunlight. His eyes were closed as he stared at the ground, but as if someone had called him, he looked over in my direction, his eyes searching. They met mine for a brief second and then he was looking at the ground again. I sat next to my parents looking at the twenty or so people gathered in a circle. Apparently, I was not the only one curious.8


“What is the meaning of this?” One of my neighbor’s asked aloud.9


“Ohh, some of the young men down there are quiet handsome. I think I’ve taken a fancy to that one…” Some of the young girls, my age, were gossiping and giggling quietly.10

“I wonder what they are planning for today’s special event!” My mother cried in excitement and anticipation.11

I sat quietly, looking at the differences in the young men and girls. They fascinated me. They were odd; unique. My lips twitched at the corners of my mouth in excitement. My eyes must have given it away because my father looked at me and spoke,12

“Excited, are we, An’ya?” He was smiling.13

“Exceptionally.” I smiled back, all my thoughts from earlier now nothing more than a quiet hum in the back of my head.14

Everyone was beginning to quiet as the announcer came onto a platform.15

“Citizens of Litha! Welcome to the Coliseum!” Applause and cheers erupted from the stands. “As you all know, we have a special treat for you all today! Yes, it does have to do with these…creatures in the arena, so without further delay… Let the games… begin!”16

The cheers blasted again, making my ears hurt by the loudness. I looked at the ones captured, the ones in the arena, wondering what was going to happen. After a minute or two, the cheers died down and everyone waited in anticipation. Who would have thought it could get so quiet in a place with so many people?17

“First up, please, give a welcome to our first contestant: Athan. He’s a magic user from the country of Albana.”18

There were jabs and jeers and booing coming from the audience as the boy with no shirt stepped forward. ..Wait? Magic user? My eyes widened as I watched him. The gates off to the side opened and six men on two horse draw carriages, three on each cart, rode out, circling Athan. I watched in anticipation. Sweat beaded my face. Was he like me?19

His hands stayed limp at his sides, his eyes on the ground, his face impassive. As if he didn’t care that he was about to be killed. Two of the carriage men jumped off their carts and dashed at him. He didn’t move, he didn’t flinch, nothing. Not even when one of the men made a huge gash down his back from behind.20

I gasped, my hands flying up to my mouth as the blood oozed down his back. The second guard was coming at him and he wasn’t going to move… 21

“Oh no!”22

I jumped up, my hands in front of me, a large ball of fire blasting from my hands, hitting the guard with enough force to throw him backwards, all the way across the arena, and into the wall. My parents, my friends, the entire coliseum was watching me. I stood there, out of breath, surprised at myself for showing such courage.23

Athan looked surprised, too. Maybe his surprise was for the fact that a magic user had just saved his life… or maybe it was because I was a girl. I wasn’t sure. The entire battle arena was silent, looking at me, An’ya, the noble girl who could use magic…24

My mother jumped up as soon as my father did, but let my father pass. When Father stood in front of me, he looked huge. A whole two heads taller than I was, quiet larger than me too. His hand lashed out a smacked me across the face. It was not a light hit. The sound had echoed off the entire coliseum.25

“Put her in. Put her in. Put her in.” The crowd began to chant.26

I was confused. Put me in where? Then it dawned on me… They were going to put me in the coliseum and make me fight. I looked up at my father with wide eyes. I felt like a child again, looking up at him the way I did when I did something wrong. His was cold now though, not the fatherly face I had known growing up.27

He grabbed my arm and forced me to walk. He marched me straight to the stair steps and faced me towards the arena. The crowd was still chanting as he pushed me slightly, silently telling me to go to the arena floor. I obeyed, not wishing to be hit again. Surprised eyes followed me. I was known by almost everyone in my area of Litha and in parts of the other cities in our country of Vaiya.28

When I reached the hard, stone floor, I walked towards Athan, not sure where to go. The guard, I hadn’t blown away with a fire ball, came up and led me to the wall where the other 19 prisoners stood. I went quietly. I wasn’t planning on dying in the arena. I wanted to die a peaceful death. Or I wanted to drown. I wasn’t quiet sure. I shook the thoughts of death from my head and pressed my back against the wall.29

The mid-day sun had turned into the dusk sun now. The coliseum was now engulfed in shadows on the side we stood. I was still quiet as the announcer stated that the games would begin again. Athan was sent back to stand at the wall with the rest of us. He didn’t look at me when I looked at him. The gash along his back was deep, I could tell by the amount of blood coming from it. 30

When the next game began, with the girl in the cloak that was hiding her from the sun, I looked over at him again. This time I was taken back by a pair of deep, bright, curious green eyes. I stared back at him for a while.31

“You’re a magic used too.” He stated plainly.32

“Yes…” My voice was hoarse.33

“Like me. So why are you here?” He asked suddenly.34

I was confused, however. Did he just forget that a strange girl happened to jump up and save his life? “I…saved your skinny neck from certain death—,”35

“No, No, I know that,” He shook his head, hiding a smile, “I meant, why are you in Vaiya? Shouldn’t you be with everyone else in Albana? I mean, you are a magic user.”36

His words only confused me deeper. “I was born here…”37

His eyes betrayed his emotionless face. He was shocked. Just like everyone else, he thought I was different.