One's Ideals

"And just like always you continue to be undefeated."

"It's just another day Mikia. Nothing special."

Mikia just chuckled at the words of his friend.

"It's a normal day to you, Zalex. But to everyone else it's not."

Zalex raised his eyebrow at Mikia's words.

"How so?"

"Today some people lost their friends.

Today proves that once again we remain slaves to their rules.

That all they need to do send us up there to fight for their sick and enjoyment and we would readily kill our friends without a second thought."

Zalex simply shook his head. "You know it is kill or be killed in this place. It's either me or them and I'll continue to chose me."

Mikia then countered, "And if it was me against you, would you still make the same choice."

Zalex hesitated.

He had known Mikia for almost five years now. He was the first friend he ever made when he was first brought there as a slave.

Though the two were not blood related, Mikia was the closest thing he had to a brother.

Mikia didn't bother to wait for his answer, "I know that I would not hesitate to choose my brother.

Every single day we stay here we lose bits and pieces of ourselves, whether it's an ear or an arm, we just keep on losing.

We can't keep living like this anymore man. I can't keep going out there and killing just for some bastards sick pleasure."

Zalex simply remained quiet as he listened.

"I want to be free again. I want to see the sunshine and play around in the fields like kids our age.

We shouldn't even be thinking about our whether we will live to see the next day.

We should be worrying about the next game we're going to play, like other seven year olds."

"We both know that is never going to happen.

The chances of us leaving this place is as high as me facing a beast in my next fight."

Rodan's Coliseum was known as a battling stage for the humanoid races and the presence of a beast in any battle was nonexistent.

Mikia disagreed. "We can't just accept this anymore. We are living beings just like them.

What makes them so different from us? What right do they have to force us to slaughter each other?" Mikia asked.

"Power."

Mikia was stunned for a moment.

"What?"

"What makes them different from us is that they have power.

The right they have over us is their power.

When someone has enough power those below them don't matter. If they want to destroy a city, what can the inhabitants do?

They can't fight back cause they don't have the power to so in the end they lose.

We can't fight back cause we are weak so all we can do is slaughter each other for their pleasure." Zalex said.

"But it isn't right. It's not fair." Mikia argued.

"What is right doesn't matter in the face of power. Those with power decided what is fair and what is not."

Mikia remained quiet in the face of his brother's answer.

A few minutes passed in silence as neither of the two said a word.

"What happened to you, dude?" Mikia asked, breaking the silence.

"You used to be the bravest guy I knew. You didn't take shit from anyone, not even the guards.

You didn't care if they put you in the pit or even beat you up.

You were always ready to fight back.

No matter the odds."

"I grew up" Zalex sighed.

"I asked myself how people could wake up in the morning and an accept themselves after everything they do to their fellow man.

I asked why this happened in the first place. Did we not live in a world where everyone supposedly lived in peace and harmony.

Why must parents mourn the loss of their children? Why must children live without parents? Why must we kill each other day in and day out for their sick pleasure?"

A short silence followed.

"Because it can. That's the answer.

All that bad shit happens because those who have the power say it should happen.

The world is a shitty place for the weak and that will never change.

Dreams are for the strong whilst acceptance is for us, the weak.

When you learn that it tends to dampen your view on things."

With these last words Zalex returned to his mat and closed his eyes.

"Just because the world sucks doesn't mean you should give up.

Just because the strong bully us doesn't mean we should bend to them.

Just because the world is against us doesn't mean we should surrender.

Remember those words? Those were the exact same words you said to me the first day we met.

When I was ready to end it all you were there to tell me this.

I just hope that you come to believe your words once again."

And just like that, there was silence.

With his eyes closed, Zalex kept pondering the last words Mikia had said to him.

'Just because the world is against us doesn't me we should surrender'

And before long he drifted to sleep.

His dreams carried him to a familiar landscape.

A large green field with beautiful brightly colored flowers all around.

Children playing happily under the blue sky and bright sun.

Cheers and giggling could be heard as he could practically feel the refreshing air in his lungs.

Then far in the distance was a small but happy looking village.

He could see everybody happily going about their day.

The farmers working on their fields and tending to their livestock with smiles on their faces.

The enticing scent of the baker's delicious pastries filled the air.

The merchants in the town showing of their beautiful assortment of goods from jewelry to even children's toys.

The blacksmith's hammer continuously pounding on whatever masterpiece who was to create.

This was the landscape of his home.

He could see the small shack that his parents built at the southern edge of the town.

He watched as his mother calmly knitted with his younger sister on her lap.

He also saw his father chopping firewood with his elder brothers.

A sight he sorely missed.

But just like always this scene quickly changed.