The Pit and The Hints

As soon as the islanders arrived in the heart of the forest. They were moved inside a huge cave-like shelter.

Taki and Neil were horrified to see what's in there.

There were a lot of hounds on the first gate. The hounds are chained but if they stepped out of the red line marked on the ground, they sure will end up into a meal.

The next door was opened that led them to a room filled with different kinds of whips and chains.

All of them were chained and soon brought to another place which took them underground.

Taki and Neil broke into tears. Shocked by what they saw. Hanbin and Elijah tried to comfort them.

Even though the older ones are scared. Especially when they saw hundreds of glass coffins with bones of probably a dead person inside.

The coffins have nameplates but they barely read it because it's dark.

Hanbin was the oldest among them so he had to make sure he would be able to watch over the young ones.

He is afraid, yes. But he needs to be brave for the others.

"Stop crying Taki! Neil! We're still together okay? We're gonna make it out of here!" Hanbin yelled at them.

They were a bit far from each other when they were chained in the middle of the huge graveyard.

"Welcome! To the House of the Dead! These bones here that you are seeing right now are the previous islanders! Like all of you! They failed! But at least died trying and with honor.!" Jared spoke with no emotion in his voice.

"You will stay here all night, so you can think of why you failed your test today! And tomorrow!... We will start your training again to prepare you for the next test!" Steve announced. He had the same expressionless face like the other mentors that came with them.

"You will have to pass your next test! If you defeat your enemy, they will take your place here in this graveyard! If you return here thrice! Expect that you will find yourself in one of these coffins!" Lisa said coldly.

It hit the islanders very hard on their mind.

Grant was right. He's been moping about it for weeks. That they will die if they don't do their best on every test.

And now almost half of them are now regretting joining the game of Herus.

As soon as the mentors left them. The young ones started crying, until everyone did except for Hanbin and Seth who stayed strong for the others.

"Don't cry guys! We still have a chance!" Seth yelled to them.

"He's right! It's a little sad, but we just need to have someone replace us!" Hanbin, despite their situation, did his best to smile.

Taki and Neil did not stop crying until they all fell asleep.

They woke up when they heard a loud ring of a bell.

It was so loud that they felt like their ears were about to bleed.

They looked up to see the giant, golden bell banging on top of them.

It stopped after a few minutes and their mentors came in.

They took them to a place where it has the same ring as the Ground. Though the place is dark.

And their task was simple. All they need is to catch their mentor in just 3 minutes.

In the dark.

Everyone failed as they are still devastated after staying in a graveyard all night.

The mentors got more harsh on them. Waking them for the truth.

After a few hours, they were brought back to the graveyard with a plate of single bread and a cup of water in front of them.

After going through a harsh training, they could no longer think of anything else other than eat.

After a few minutes only they were brought back to the place they were at earlier to face another series of harsh training from their mentors.

They did not rest until they succeeded with their single goal. To catch their mentor. If they fail, they will be punished.

Meanwhile, at Castle Grim.

The leaders had no appetite to eat.

Sean and the others tried their best to cheer up the three. Especially Kylo.

But they were so devastated with the thought of their friends suffering at the pit. While they enjoy the luxury of the castle.

"Guys! Aren't Hunter and Kylo allowed to ask a crucial question?" Jasper suddenly asked, making the others turn at him.

They thought it was a better idea to have them ask their mentors. Somehow, their minds can rest from thinking about the others at the pit.

Kylo and Hunter didn't know where to find their mentors as they only appear when they want to.

They went to the cage and to the greenhouse but they didn't see them there.

When they went to the Ground, they found Niall in there and as usual holding a folder in his hand.

"I was expecting you'd come!" He closed the folder and turned to the two.

He then smiled while the two approached him.

"So... Kylo? Have you thought about your question?" Niall asked and Kylo turned to Hunter.

Hunter nodded his head and Kylo turned back to Niall.

"Sir... What do we need this training and kind of tests for?" He asked with a serious tone.

Niall grinned and asked Kylo to come closer.

He opened the folder he was holding, and the two were surprised to see an ipad which he was actually using before they arrived.

Islanders were prohibited to use any gadget so they last saw theirs like a month ago.

Niall opened a file and showed Kylo a short clip. Only Kylo is allowed to watch it as he was the one that asked the question.

It was a clip of a Diamond Tree. The tree was shining like a huge tree of light. Around it are hundreds of people killing each other.

The clip was taken a little far from the scene. So they couldn't recognize anyone from the people that were killing each other.

But even after watching the clip, Kylo is still clueless.

"I don't get it Sir!" He frowned and Niall only laughed at his reaction.

"Think carefully! I just showed you some very crucial information!" Niall bid them farewell and left Kylo confused.

"What's wrong? What did he show you?" Hunter asked while Kylo could only shake his head.

"I don't know!" He told him everything he saw from the clip. And even Hunter got confused.

"We should probably just ask your mentor first!" Kylo suggested and they went to look for Ben.

"What do you want to ask him?" Kylo asked.

"You'll see!" Hunter replied.

They went to the hill of flags. And there they saw Ben, looking at the flags.

"For a moment I thought you had no plans of coming here!" He spoke and turned to them.

Hunter approached him and stood beside him.

"Go on! Ask me!" Ben said as he averted his eyes back to the flags.

Hunter also looked at the flags and asked. "Who are you?" Hunter asked.

Ben slowly turned to him. He felt a sudden nervousness when he saw his expressionless face.

Ben then approached the last flag. Gracing its pole with his fingers. Slowly, he shifted his gaze back to his student.

"Iam Benjamin Greene... The third champion of DREAMS..."

Hunter's eyes widened in surprise.

He wanted to shout in surprise.

He had no idea that a champion was teaching him all this time.

"S-seriously... You're not playing with me right?" Hunter tried to change his mind.

But Ben chuckled and it was the first time he's seen him like this.

"I'm not playing with you Hunter! And I apologize if I do give you a hard time... I just have to..." he said as he was approaching him.

"Well... I answered your question, so I must go!" Ben then leaves them both.

Kylo approached Hunter and he flinched when Hunter suddenly started yelling. He looked very happy and amused.

"Hey! What's wrong?" Kylo exclaimed and Hunter stood in front of him with a huge smile on his face.

"Sir Ben is the third champion of DREAMS!" Hunter drawled with excitement.

After he told Kylo, both of them started jumping in excitement.

"If he's a champion! Then what if the other mentors are champions too?! I mean, they're the only ones we've been seeing here ever since we arrived!" Hunter said.

The two decided to run back to the castle to tell the others what they just found out.

I hope you liked the chapter.

Don't forget to vote and comment to share your thoughts.