A few weeks ago, Edhealrean
He messed up big time.
Who could've thinked that stealing from a high end Chemics Company would let to big fucking consequences? Well, a lot of people could make that assumption, because chems are really expensive and hard to obtain, but apparently Jason couldn't. Well, not in the circumstances he was and is right now, but it hardly matters when there are literal bullets flying around him trying to his his back.
He jumped over a staircase railing, rolling on the ground as he miscalculated the depth of his jump, but successfully using his momentum to continue his run. He climbed a few shelfs and tackled the door of an office room, closing the door and locking whatever locks he needed to make sure the thing wouldn't open, and for good measure he took the table and barricaded the exit.
The only exit.
“Fuck.”, The Jqorn said as he looked around trying to find something he could use.
Motherfuckers used a new type of rifle he was never seen before! It was a rifle that had this weird ass lever system that allowed the guards to have a immense fire rate as well as firepower! Seriously?! Explosive cartridges are fucking scary! Shit, alright, he knows he messed up, his crew probably bailed to the meeting point where the boat is… But dear Gods! It's just a briefcase with some very dangerous chemicals! Not the plans for a new gun that makes people die without them knowing!
Wait, since it's chemicals and they are usually used in medicine, they can also be used in reverse, right?
Fuck, this can kill people without them knowing.
Hell, poison is a thing.
“I am such a dumbass.”, Jason groaned.
But his pleas for a solution might need to be rushed as the guards are firing the explosive rounds to the door, and something told him that the wooden material would not hold the shots for long. He looked at something, searching an exit, anywhere he could go or hide.
Then he looked at the window.
Then he grimaced at the stupid idea.
Then another shot came.
“I see him!”, A guard screamed.
Fuck.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
Cut to the scene of Jason running full speed to the window with no knowledge of what it is on the other side, falling from a seven store building and screaming all the way down, barely holding on some wires, falling on people clothes hanging on the other side of the alleyway, and finally, crashing down a trash bin, the bags of trash thankfully not filled with broken glass or any cut-like materials.
“Ouch…”, The Jqorn moaned in pain as he slowly got up, stumbled on the ground and with sheer force of will, demanded his body to move, “My back… My back…”
Because of the explosive round were anything to go by, he was already spotted.
The briefcase was still in his hand, good. He ran towards the street, trying to use the crowd as cover, which thankfully worked out and the shots immediately stopped as soon as civilians were near him. Good, that's some time to run. He passed the crowd, still wincing as the pain didn't exactly go away as quickly as he wanted to, but enough for him to not fully stop. The boat was on the river nearby, but it was still a good chunk of distance to run, and he wasn't exactly in the best shape, both health and athletic wise.
Still, he went inside a street market where the tents covered the upper part of the buildings, essentially covering the place with makeshift roofs, enough so he could actually inspect the briefcase to see if the chems were damaged. When Jason took this job he didn't expect to be part of a crew, nor that they'd steal something so expensive, but he needed the coin, and he needed it fast. He had no idea what those chems are, but as far as his no-knowledge allowed him to tell, no visible damage was made to the vials.
He quickly close it and moved along, jogging in a fair pace, periodically checking over his shoulder to make sure no one was ready to shoot at him.
Unfortunately, the first check was exactly that, the shot cutting the air, but not as violently as before, meaning that the rounds were different now. High-Velocity rounds to be exact. He ducked out of instinct in case a second shot came, and when it did he was glad that there were more people to serve as meat shields, because that's not something anyone want to be behind. To his luck, he went inside a few stock tents and dashed away from the market street, running past a few actual Edhealrean guards that instinctively used their revolvers at the shooters.
The misunderstanding wound buy even more time. The Jqorn couldn't believe how luck he was as he definitely doesn't have nearly enough experience with this kind of gig, but enough of that, he has a golden opportunity to do something that might as well be premium backup plan. He entered a alchemist store and immediately robbed the place, grabbing a few smoke bombs and running past the vendor with a shiv at his throat, enough to get the message around, then ran back at the same Marte street when the two groups were arguing about Jason.
With that he threw a smoke bomb, filling the place with a black most so thick that even Jason had to go away to not cough thanks to it.
Then he got back to the route they planned to the boat. Thanks to the screwup of Kantasa, the entire crew split, everyone going to a different direction, but they managed to get retrieve the package and leave before anything serious happened. Everyone except Jason of course. He was followed by some guards as they shot those weird rifles, the top of the line, and then we know the rest of the story.
Stuff happened so fast that it was kind of impossible to keep track of it, and Jason would not go back to confirm A or B, he just wanted to fucking leave. He went past another street and turned right to an alley, spacious enough to have deals happening there but the Jqorn passed by them without paying too much attention, running as fast as he could to the drop point. He could feel it, the weight of his purse getting filled up with Coin, the very coin that would make sure he left this fucked up Confederation, to a place he actually could do something about his situation! He felt relief knowing that the days where he needed to fight for food, medicine and safety are gone.
He felt good.
When on a job.
…
That was his mistake.
A bang echoed through the alley just before Jason reached the street, the bullet piercing his kneecaps, making the man fall on the ground, his face hitting the pavement and the briefcase sliding all the way towards the feet of someone, the same person who shot the Jqorn.
The guard casually took the briefcase from the ground as he cocked the rifle in his hand, “Funny how a bullet can start and solve a bunch of problems.”
His comment wasn't devoid of emotion, it seemed more he was amused by it and at the same time… Disappointed?
Jason couldn't really reply as he was gripping the place where the bullet was lodged in, trying to keep his blood on the inside, “Fuck!”
Soon enough, two Edhealrean guards and someone in a suit without a tie came up behind him. They surrounded Jason as the business man got to the chem guard to pick up the briefcase, inspecting the vials and nodding to himself.
“Alright, I'll kill him and you guy drop off the body on the lake.”, The chem guard said offhandedly and the Edhealrean guards seemed to nod along.
Much to Jason's despair.
The business man raised a hand, “No need to do it. He hasn't stolen anything of value, just some chemicals.”
“Sir?”, The chem guard asked unsure, giving a questioning look at the supposed boss, “He stole from our company. We should dispose him just for this act alone.”
“I didn't say he shouldn't be punished, just that killing him wouldn't be any good.”, He explained, waving his hand dismissively.
“But sir—”
“I am the owner of the project.”, He interrupted menacingly, quite pissed off at being questioned, “If I say it isn't important, then it isn't fucking important.”
“Yessir.”, He replied mechanically.
Jason just stared at the exchange, not sure what was happening or why he was being spared. He had the reputation of being an extremely lucky guy, he even joked about it, but to straight up not be killed?
“That being the case, we must do something about you.”, The attention was redirected to the Jqorn who was still bleeding on the ground.
“I only accept dates with the other gender, thank you very much.”, Jason snarked, nervous as hell, but still sardonic enough to be this dumb.
However the man wasn't as thrilled about the joke as Jason was, “The Colosseum is about to open soon. A bunch of people go there every time it opens. Be them politicians trying to grasp new voters, civilians trying to find fame and glory, slaves trying to earn their freedom or retired veterans wanting a taste of the good old days.”
“Well, I do like glory but I also kind an a fan of not dying.”, The Jqorn said with a nervous smirk.
“You remind me of my son.”, He said with a sigh, “A fool who tries to be a smartass.”
“Yeah, I've heard that before.”
“Then you will try something I haven't seen in the Colosseum for me.”, He said, now with a half smile that creeped the hell out of everyone, even the guards, “Criminals also try their luck on the Games, to clean up their record and all. Since you have one right now, how about fighting for it?”
“And if I refuse?”, Jason asked just for the sake of it. Of course he couldn't refuse it.
He shrugged, “Who knows. I am a scientist, not a lawman.”
The Jqorn couldn't help but laugh in nervousness.
----------------------------------------
Local Prison, Edhealrean, The day after
“Damn.”, Allison, the human cellmate of Jason replied.
“And that's how I got a contract that said that as long as I bring profit for the next few fights, I am allowed to live.”, Jason finished his story as he laid down on the prison's bunk bed.
“So you got four fights and then you either die or get out.”, Allison hummed to himself, “Must suck be you right now.”
“Thanks for the inspiring words.”, The Jqorn said with pure sarcasm.
“Hey! That's not what I meant!”
“Sure.”
After a while, Allison decided to break the silence, since there is nothing they can do on a fucking cell in a prison aside from waiting for the next period where they can leave the cell holdings.
“So you going to fight in the Colosseum? Without an invitation?”
That made Jason think for a while. He knew that no one wasn't exactly allowed to participate in the Colosseum without a sponsor, reputation, previous participations or an invitation, for whatever reason it may be. An invitation was like someone vouched for you, saying you were qualified enough to be in that place, but Jason was just a simple small time criminal, with petty crimes to his name, and the real first heist he worked on, turned out to be a bust.
And he never even heard about his heistmates ever since.
“Apparently.”, Jason sighed, “It's not like I don't know the rules, but important people can bend them to their liking. I am not a guy that can possibly comprehend that.”
“Me neither.”, Allison agreed.
“So, what will happen there will be a mystery for me. I have no clue how the Games actually work. Shit, I just wanted to have a better life and bring my family along, but this is bullshit.”, The Jqorn sneered as he felt indignation about the whole thing.
“Well, we can strike a deal.”, The human offered as he peeked on the bunk bed.
A deal?
What kind of deal is he talking?
Seeing the confusion in Jason's face, Allison perked up, “Allow me to explain. I was imprisoned here because I avoided paying taxes.”
“Embezzlement of taxes is self defence.”
He snorted at that, “True, but taxes will be taxes. And I am sharing a place with you here, but I am actually a entrepreneur, I have businesses that take part on evaluating fighters, at least to some degree.”
“Wait, you offering me a coaching staff?”, Jason asked suddenly, putting his hands on the human’s shoulder.
“That's! Not! It!”, Allison needed to yell because Jason wouldn't stop shaking him back and forth.
“Oh.”, He suddenly demurred.
“I am saying that I have some knowledge about fighting-related stuff, so I can show you a feel documents that can maybe kind of teach you how to do it?”, The human offered, uncertain that this would be enough.
But for Jason? That's more than he could have asked for.
“For real?”, Jason said with hope in his eyes.
“Again, that's a possible offer. I need to do a few things with the tax problem.”
“Fucking taxes.”
“Yup.”, He offered with a small thumbs up.
“But why are you helping me?”
Before the human could answer, the guard came and took Allison to discuss his payment and future probation.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Jason lay back on his bunk after Allison was taken out of the cell, staring at the ceiling. The idea of fighting in the Colosseum seemed both absurd and terrifying. He wasn't a fighter—he was barely a thief, and that was obvious from the mess he'd just gotten into. And now, somehow, he was going to have to survive four fights, all for the amusement of some rich people who probably saw him as a source of entertainment.
"Man, how the hell did I get into this mess?" Jason muttered to himself, rubbing his aching knee. The wound wasn't as bad as it could've been, but it was enough to remind him that his luck was running thin.
His mind wandered back to the events that led him here—the heist, the gunfire, the insane escape that almost worked. He hadn't heard from his crew since. Not that he blamed them; everyone was out for themselves in this line of work. Still, being left alone to clean up the mess was a harsh reminder that he was in way over his head.
"And now I'm supposed to fight in some gladiator games," he scoffed. "Great plan, Jason. Just great."
He sighed, sitting up and looking around the dingy cell. Allison had said something about a deal, about helping him. Jason wasn't sure how much help some tax-avoiding entrepreneur could be in a literal fight to the death, but any help was better than none. He'd need every bit of advice, every scrap of knowledge, to make it out of this alive.
"Four fights," he whispered to himself. "Four fights, and then maybe, just maybe, I can walk away."
The idea of freedom—of finally getting out of this mess and taking his family to somewhere safe—was the only thing keeping him from losing it. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of determination.
"Alright," he muttered. "I'll fight. I'll figure it out. And I’ll make it through this. I don’t have a choice."
Jason lay back down, staring at the ceiling again, but this time with a grim sort of resolve. He wasn't a fighter, but he was going to have to become one.
Because dying kinda wasn't an option?
Like, who the hell wanted to die?
----------------------------------------
Jason woke up surprised at the sudden care of his knee. The Healer used a bit of magic, the warmth soothing the pain a bit before eventually not being there anymore. He looked in disbelief at the yellow glow of the thing, but something that did take his attention right after was that Allison and the previous scientist were there in the room. With the difference that Allison wasn't cuffed.
"Uh…" Jason grunted, blinking in confusion as he looked around the room. His knee felt significantly better, the warm glow of the healer's magic having done its job. But that wasn’t the weirdest part.
Allison stood there, casually, no cuffs, chatting with the scientist like they were old buddies. Meanwhile, Jason was still laid up like some kind of afterthought.
"Did I miss a memo or something? Since when are you allowed to just… walk around?" Jason asked, pointing at Allison with a raised brow.
Allison chuckled, giving a lazy shrug. "Turns out paying off your taxes gets you certain privileges. Who knew?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Of course. Taxes save the day."
Wait, did he pay his taxes? And how that saves the day again?
The scientist stepped forward, adjusting his glasses like he was about to say something profound. “You’re going to be fully healed soon. But more importantly, we need to talk about your upcoming fights.”
Jason groaned, rubbing his face. "Yeah, about that. I’m not exactly the 'fight to the death' type. More of a 'sneak around and hope I don’t get shot again' guy."
The scientist smirked. “I figured as much. That’s why I’ve brought some help. Allison here has some knowledge, and we’re going to equip you with the best advantage we can give.”
Jason raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Oh yeah? What kind of advantage are we talking? Because unless it’s a super spell or something that lets me disappear, I’m not feeling too confident about this.”
Allison grinned, pulling out a small, sleek device from his pocket. “How about a little tech boost?”
Jason squinted at it. "What… is that?"
“Let’s just say it’s going to give you a fighting chance,” Allison said, tossing it over. Jason fumbled with the device before catching it awkwardly.
"Right… a fighting chance," Jason muttered. "This thing isn’t going to blow up in my face, is it?"
Allison laughed. "Nah. Unless you really mess up. Then, well, no promises.”
Jason's frown was replaced as he checked the thing. It was a metallic device, with engravings all over it with various places intertwined with a bunch of Mambo Jambo he didn't really understand. But before he could even ask, the unnamed scientist noticed his complete lack of knowledge of the thing.
He scoffed, being forced to explain it, “It is a device that we are still working on. We checked and you don't have your Éter Coils well developed, meaning you can't use the simplest form of magic.”
Allison held a laugh at that, one that Jason noticed.
"And?" Jason repeated, holding the strange device like it might bite him.
The scientist sighed, clearly annoyed that he had to explain anything to someone as clueless as Jason. "And this little gadget will artificially enhance your ability to manipulate Éter. It’s not perfect, but it'll let you use some basic magic—enough to keep you alive in the Colosseum, if you don’t mess it up."
Jason blinked, staring down at the device again. "So… you're saying this thing is basically magic for dummies?"
"More or less," the scientist replied, unamused. "It compensates for your natural lack of magical ability. Just don't expect to be shooting fireballs or anything dramatic. It’s basic stuff—body enhancement, minor pain resistance. But it’s better than nothing."
Allison finally let out a snort. “Magic for dummies. I like that.”
Jason glared at him. “Yeah, laugh it up, Mr. Tax Fraud. You’re not the one who’s gotta survive gladiator deathmatches.”
Allison smirked. "True. But I gotta say, watching you try to figure out magic is almost worth my whole situation."
Jason rolled his eyes and strapped the device onto his arm. It fit snugly, locking into place with a soft click. "Alright, so how do I use this thing? Do I just… wave my hands around and hope something happens?"
The scientist pinched the bridge of his nose like he was dealing with a toddler. "No. There’s a trigger mechanism. Focus on what you want to do—defend yourself, push something away, whatever—and the device will respond accordingly."
Jason nodded, trying to take this all in. "So… think about not dying, and it’ll help me not die. Got it."
"Essentially," the scientist said dryly. "Just don’t overdo it. The device isn’t exactly stable, and overloading it could—"
"Blow up in my face?" Jason interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes.”
"Great. Just great. Magic for dummies that might blow me up. Fantastic."
Allison patted him on the back. "Hey, better than nothing, right? Besides, this whole thing might turn you into the next big Colosseum legend."
Jason gave him a flat look. "Or the next big Colosseum disaster."
"Eh, either way, you'll be famous," Allison said with a grin.
"Gee, thanks for the encouragement.”
“However.”, The scientist readjusted his glasses for some reason, “Mere power won't get you far, you need actual experience, and a fighting style to actually perform.”
“That's where I come in!”, Allison pointed at himself with both his thumbs, “As I said before I have documents and people that can help you out in this situation.”
Jason was about to thank him, but then thought slightly at the overall situation, then finally spoke, “Why are you helping me? What is to you in this deal? You want to play test a weird ass device and watch me fight on the fucking Colosseum? Is that it?”
“He is capable of thinking, who would've thought.”, The scientist said amusingly.
“Fuck off!”
"Well, if you have to know..." Allison began, scratching the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. "There’s a little more to it than just helping you out of the goodness of my heart."
Jason folded his arms, already suspicious. "Yeah, figured as much. So, what’s the catch?"
Allison sighed, giving a half-hearted shrug. "Look, I’ve got some debts. Big ones. The kind of debts that the government isn't involved with. And let’s just say certain people aren’t too happy about me being stuck in here, not making them any money. If I can get you to win a few fights, they’ll cut me some slack. You win, I get out of my mess. Simple as that."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "So I'm your meal ticket, basically?"
Allison grinned, pointing finger guns at him. "Exactly! But hey, it’s a win-win, right? You get a fighting chance, and I don’t end up at the bottom of a lake with a pair of cement shoes."
Jason groaned, rubbing his temples. "Unbelievable. So, I’m not just fighting for my life, I’m fighting to keep you alive too?"
"Pretty much," Allison said, still grinning like this was some grand plan. "But don’t worry, I’ve got some good people lined up. They’ll help train you, give you some pointers. You’ll be fine. Probably."
"Probably," Jason repeated, deadpan. "That’s super reassuring."
The scientist, clearly done with the back-and-forth, stepped forward. "Whether you like it or not, you don’t have much of a choice. You need the training, Allison here needs you to win and I want you to test the device. So, I suggest you start focusing on surviving, because time’s running out."
Jason sighed, looking between Allison and the scientist. "Fine. But if I get blown up by this magic-for-dummies device, I’m haunting both of you."
Allison chuckled. "Deal.”
“Unlikely.”, The scientist scoffed.
----------------------------------------
Colosseum, Present Day
This is all too much to take in. The place is filled with people that have probably seen way more danger than whatever Jason could even call dangerous. Veterans, Politicians, criminals, slaves and… civilians? Right, they also want the coin they can get here. But that… that kind of made everything that the Jqorn fought for pointless? He could at least take the role of civilian and fight in the Colosseum without the whole survival stuff! Not be a criminal!
Fuck!
He glanced at the stands, the people awfully unaware of what can happen here. Hell, not even he knows what happens here. And there is this group that is all too calm beside him talking about tutus and ballet? What even are these guys?! Jason wished he could just leave this place, but the weird ass bracelet he now has is the constant reminder that he is in a tight leash that won't let go, at least not soon.
Another thing was that… despite the training he did, he wasn't confident. One thing was preparing for battle, having the know-how obviously helped, but to be absolutely sure he will win and call it a day? That simply didn't exist. And yet there are people around him, even among the slaves that are looking to the future as if they were guaranteed to be in there!
How the hell did they do it?!
“And now, for the modalities everyone will partake in…”, The announcer started, catching the attention of everyone, “There are in total, six Games the Colosseum has selected for this year's edition, although the slaves and criminals will participate only in four of them.
The participants nodded.
Jason felt his stomach drop as the announcer's voice boomed over the Colosseum. Four Games? He could barely handle the thought of one, and now he had to survive four? Not to mention the fights! His heart raced as he glanced around at the other participants. Most of them looked calm, even excited—like this was just another day at the office for them. Meanwhile, Jason was fighting the urge to bolt out of there, bracelet or not.
He stole another glance at the group beside him—the ones chatting about tutus and ballet. Seriously, what the hell is their deal? Here he was, sweating bullets over life and death, and these guys were talking like they were about to perform in the middle of the arena. It was so absurd, it almost made Jason laugh, but then reality hit him again. He wasn’t here for some twisted version of entertainment. He was here to survive.
He could feel the weight of the weird bracelet on his wrist, the damn thing practically buzzing as a reminder of how screwed he was. It was a ticking time bomb, tethering him to the Games, to this death trap, to some scientist’s twisted experiment. The thought made his skin crawl.
Jason exhaled sharply, trying to calm his nerves. Focus. He couldn’t afford to lose his head now. He had trained—sort of—and he had the device to help him, even if he didn’t fully trust it. But confidence? That was still MIA.
“How the hell do they do it?” Jason muttered under his breath, watching as the other participants, including slaves who had every reason to be as freaked out as him, stood tall, looking like they were already planning their victory lap.
He didn't even have the rune in his neck, and yet those who did were there.
Imposing.
One of the guys next to him overheard and chuckled. "They don’t," he said, giving Jason a sideways glance. "They fake it till they make it. Or till they don’t."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "And you? You faking it too?"
The guy shrugged. "Nah, man. I just don’t care anymore. You either die or you don’t. Might as well enjoy the show."
"Right. Real comforting." Jason rolled his eyes.
The announcer’s voice cut through the chatter again. "The first Game will be a test of agility and endurance. A race through a labyrinth filled with various… obstacles. Those who complete it move on to the next round. Fail, and—well, you know how it goes. Anyone can participate, but Slaves and Criminals are mandatory.”
Jason groaned internally. A freaking labyrinth? Of course, it had to be something straight out of a nightmare. He was barely keeping it together as it was, and now he had to run through a death maze?
The gates to the arena started to creak open, revealing a dark, winding entrance to what Jason could only assume was the labyrinth. He swallowed hard. Fake it till you make it, huh?
"The Games shall begin tomorrow. For now, enjoy the stay. Edhealrean salutes you all.”
----------------------------------------
“A labyrinth?”, Choi-Hwang asked as her confusion was shown.
The military woman chuckled, “The first game is usually used to wipe out the criminals and slaves. Y'know, so the legal system isn't involved and all. Easier to deal with the scum and all that.”
She nodded at that, even though it was kind of a disappointment that the first thing was a… lame excuse for execution. She was a Martial Artist, she wasn't here to watch people get murdered. Not even the official rules of Colosseums nowadays allow people to be killed just for the sake of it. There are so many good prospects that it was a waste of potential to just kill those who failed at the first mistake, so allowing them to continue and improve later on was now a norm, not an exception.
Choi-Hwang sighed, leaning back in her seat. "So it’s basically a death trap for the unlucky ones?"
"Pretty much," the military woman shrugged. "Only the strong or the clever make it out. Or the really lucky."
Choi-Hwang couldn't help but feel a bit irritated. She came all the way here expecting to see true skill on display, not some mindless bloodbath. "It feels like a cheap way to thin the herd. Where’s the honor in that?"
Her friend smiled knowingly. "Honor? In the Colosseum? You’ve got the wrong place for that. Here, it’s about survival, spectacle, and money. The nobles don’t care about a fair fight. They just want a good show."
"Great," Choi-Hwang muttered, sipping her mediocre tea. "I came for art and I got a slaughterhouse instead."
Still, she couldn’t help but be curious about the labyrinth. There had to be someone down there capable of more than just brute force. She scanned the competitors, looking for anyone who might be worth watching. Maybe, just maybe, one of these so-called criminals or slaves would surprise her.
"Guess I’ll stick around," she said, setting her tea down. "But if this turns into a bloodbath for the sake of it, I’m out."
"Don’t worry," her friend smirked, "I’m sure something will catch your interest. It always does."
Speaking of interest, Elisha Nyëthilhand, the one responsible for the entire event appeared just as the announcer told the participants to leave. The She-Elf Countess appeared, hugging another man, to be precise the Duke of the Northern County, Bhagavad Gopinath, her arm interlaced with his. A nod of acknowledgment was given to Choi-Hwang as she looked, managing to hide her baffled emotions.
“It is an honor to have you in the Colosseum, Master Choi-Hwang.”, Elisha said in the very aristocratic tone Choi-Hwang was used to hearing. But something told that the voice was more happy and genuine than… ever.
“Lady Nyëthilhand. Are you sure it is wise to high another man while you are a married woman?”, The Canardian woman inquired with honesty, but it could be interpreted as an audacious comment.
The High Elf smiled devilishly, “Please, it is just a reunion between business partners.”
“Don't talk like I am not here.”, Bhagavad said with a chuckle, “Besides I need to set the Arena for tomorrow. The Games shall be more interesting than our close relationship.”
Both noticed the emphasis of that word, and immediately settled in not interfering with whatever was happening. Choi-Hwang was here to waste her home land's time, not to deal with political wars. Especially in the Vyzar Continent.
"By the way- oh sorry for intruding.", The military woman raised her only arm apologetically, "But since it's a labyrinth and it will obviously be closed and filled with traps, how exactly are he going to witness the Game?”
Elisha turned her gaze toward the military woman, her smile never faltering. "Ah, an excellent question," she replied smoothly, as if she had anticipated it. "We’ve ensured that the labyrinth is equipped with... let’s call them viewing crystals. They’ll allow us to see everything that happens inside, no matter where the competitors go. Every trap, every turn, every alliance or betrayal—it will all be visible to us as if we were walking beside them."
Bhagavad chimed in with a chuckle, "Think of it as a live performance, except instead of a stage, we have an ever-shifting maze. It adds a bit of... unpredictability to the whole event, don’t you think?"
The military woman nodded, seemingly satisfied, but Choi-Hwang couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. "So we're spectators to a death trap," she muttered, crossing her arms. "Convenient."
Elisha gave her a knowing look. "Convenient, yes. But also necessary. After all, how else could we ensure that the best rise to the top? This isn't just a test of physical prowess. It's about survival of the fittest, in every sense of the word."
Choi-Hwang suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Survival, sure. Let's just hope there's something left to watch by the end of it."
"Don't worry, Master Choi-Hwang," Elisha said, her smile never fading, "you won't be disappointed."
The Canardian woman just sighed.
Might as well enjoy while she can.