Chapter 21
"I haven't seen a good Arena battle in some time," Grok said to the group with a determined smile. "Come, I will show you the way."
"Could we stop on the way for a post-quest drink?" Ignis asked.
"Now that I think of it, I am quite parched," Flint agreed.
"One drink, no bar fights!" Evolon demanded.
"Come, you will see," Grok said, leading the group out of the Adventurers Guild and south through the city. After sunset, floating glowing orbs at regular intervals appeared across the city, illuminating the streets and establishments on the ground level. Music, dancing, and people of all kinds filled the street.
"This is crazy. It's like a block party that never ends," Pierce mused, following his friends through the bustling city.
The group turned a corner and spotted a large stone colosseum ahead, situated down a wide street lined with food and drink vendors. Winding their way up the avenue, Grok suddenly turned right and entered a door that looked indistinguishable from the others, lacking any noticeable sign or distinguishing detail that Pierce could discern. Entering the bar, Pierce was immediately greeted by a potent aroma: ale with a hint of cinnamon, freshly baked bread, and a curious blend of sweat and excitement. He could hear the crowd booing a Dwarvish man on stage, who was reciting some bizarre form of poetry that included unsettling guttural noises. The group found an open spot at the bar, and Grok ordered drinks simply by signaling with five fingers on one hand and a gold coin in the other. Soon, five copperwood tankards of a cold, spicy ale appeared before them, delivered by an old male orc who walked with a pronounced limp.
"This is our own brew, created here in Dunblag, by Clan Zotto," Grok explained, taking a long pull of the ale and joining the chorus of boos directed at the Dwarf on stage. "It was once shipped off the planet in barrels by the thousands, but unfortunately fell out of style."
"I like it! It reminds me of Christmas!" Flint exclaimed, draining the entire tankard in one swift motion.
"It's okay, but I bet Pierce is dying over there," Evolon remarked, taking a large sip.
"It's the cinnamon flavor," Pierce admitted, taking a small sip that warmed his body from the inside. "Not my favorite, but not horrible."
Evolon joined in on the booing. "So what is that guy doing? Doesn't he know this is horrible?" she asked Grok.
"The stage is open for anyone brave enough to face the wrath of the crowd," Grok explained between boos. "He will leave soon before they break his legs."
"What do you think, boys? I want to give it a shot. I wonder if they have ever heard Queen before?" Evolon asked the group.
"Oh god, is she going to pull an 'A Knight's Tale' on us?" Flint groaned, already finishing his second tankard of ale.
The red-faced Dwarf finally exited the stage, and a skinny, blue-skinned, tall man took his place. "Who wants to follow a great performance like that? Everyone give Bliznak a hand!" he announced, only to be met with a crescendo of boos.
Jumping up from her seat, Evolon bounced over to the stage, standing next to the bewildered blue man. "I'll give it a go," she declared in a deliberately affected British accent.
"What's with the stupid accent? Why do you guys keep doing it?" Pierce asked the remaining members of the party.
"When you stumble upon gold, you don't let it go easily," Ignis replied, his voice dripping with a thick, exaggerated British accent. "Besides, I think it makes us sound official, respectable, and intelligent."
The blue man on the stage looked at Evolon with a mixture of curiosity and amusement, then silently yielded the stage, stepping back a short distance as if expecting this to be a brief and forgettable interlude.
"Okay, first, I would like all of you to do something for me," Evolon requested, addressing the now silent crowd.
The crowd, primarily composed of Orcs, stared at her intently, waiting for any sign of weakness or foolishness that they could exploit.
"Place your hand on your heart," Evolon instructed, remembering that Orcs, despite their differences, possessed hearts in roughly the same location as humans and experienced a similar heartbeat.
The crowd, seemingly surprised by this unusual request, slowly complied.
"Now follow me," she said, placing her own hand over her heart and then beating it once with her fist, followed by a firm stomp on the floor, creating a deliberate, percussive heartbeat sound.
Slowly, hesitantly at first, the crowd began to mimic her actions, creating a slow, steady rhythm that filled the bar.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
“Hear the legend, Hear the name!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He stood for honor, not for fame!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
Alone he stood, against the tide.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
A thousand foes, none on his side.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He knew not fear, beneath the sun
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He stood his ground, as the slaughter begun.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
“Hear the legend, Hear the name!
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He stood for honor, not for fame!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
With blade ablaze, a fiery dance.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He fought with fury, a fearless trance.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
They fell before him, a bloody rain.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
But numbers they had, he fought in vain.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
“Hear the legend, Hear the name!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He stood for honor, not for fame!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He fell at last, a valiant sight.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
A beacon of courage, burning bright.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
His body still, his spirit free.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
A battle won, for all to see.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
“Hear the legend, Hear the name!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
He stood for honor, not for fame!
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
Though he is gone, his memory remains.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
A whisper on the wind, a song sustains
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
Inspire us all, to rise and fight.
(clap, stomp) (clap, stomp)
For Freedom and Justice, WITH ALL OUR MIGHT!
Evolon then left the stage as the bar erupted in cheers and battle chants. Approaching her beer, she took another sip while the four humans stared at her in stunned silence.
"What in the Kelly Clarkson was that?" Ignis finally exclaimed, breaking the silence.
"Guitar Hero, Karaoke, Open Mic Nights… yeah, I spend a lot of time with you guys, but not every waking moment," Evolon replied nonchalantly.
"Wait, you play Guitar Hero, and you actually go out and do things like that alone?" Flint asked suspiciously.
"Okay, you caught me. Once upon a time, I was in an all-girl band. We never really broke up, life just got in the way. Gigs turned into playing Rock Band at my place, or getting together for Karaoke once a month," Evolon explained to the group.
"I KNEW IT! She does have another friend group, and they're all girls, and she never once wanted to introduce us to them? Are they single, cute? How about a redhead? I bet your drummer is a fiery redhead! Introduce me to her, please, please, please!" Ignis pleaded, his voice laced with a mixture of jest and genuine interest.
"I think you're forgetting we're on an alien planet, and our town was recently ravaged by an invasion," Pierce pointed out, bringing his friend back to reality. "I doubt the Cheetah Girls are exactly lining up to date a Gastro-nerd like you, all things considered."
"Interplanetary, TimeWizard, Magical Gastro-nerd, thank you very much," Ignis retorted, puffing out his chest in a vain attempt to appear larger. "I am sure many ladies would be interested in that sort of thing."
Evolon pondered this for a moment. "Now that I think of it, I do have a redhead friend that you might like. She's had the worst luck with men. The last one actually took her tax refund and her cat on Valentine's Day."
"What's her name?" Ignis asked eagerly.
"Roxy," Evolon replied mysteriously.
"I like it. What's her number? I'll put it in my phone and give her a call when we get back home," Ignis said, already pulling out his phone and tapping away at the screen.
With a thoughtful expression, Pierce pulled his own cell phone from his inventory. The battery indicator showed 76%. He glanced at the floating orbs illuminating the street and inscribed a single rune onto the back of the phone. Suddenly, the phone vibrated, and the "Plugged in" symbol appeared next to the battery indicator, now displaying 77%.
"Well, I think I just solved our energy problem back on Earth," Pierce announced, displaying the phone to the group.
"Would never work," Grok stated definitively.
"Why not?" Ignis asked, gesturing for Pierce to enchant his own phone as well.
"These stones use ambient mana to produce light," Grok explained. "While Jusburnaxium's mana density is sufficient for magic items like this to be abundant, Earth's mana density is incredibly low. A device like that would need to store mana for years to power itself for even a few seconds. It's similar to how a person without Cadium cannot store enough mana to cast a spell within their lifetime, but bring them here, and one or two small spells per day are possible."
"That name is too long," Flint declared, slamming his empty copper wood tankard on the bar for the sixth time. "I am calling this Planet JuiceBox! But enough talkie talkie, I was promised an Arena. I WANT TO BASH SOME SKULLS!"
"How much do we owe?" Pierce asked the busy bartender who was frantically running back and forth serving the crowd.
"Your party drinks free. The lady sings a mighty tune," the Bartender barked over his shoulder.
"Good enough for me!" Flint exclaimed, pushing his way through the boisterous crowd towards the exit to the street.
"I guess we must follow," Grok said, leaving the bar.
"If nothing else, to keep him from proposing to some pretty Orcish Lady," Pierce muttered, tipping the bartender a gold coin before following the others.
The group managed to make their way to the Arena without further incident, much to Pierce's amazement. After presenting their Adventurers Guild badges, they were led to a set of private boxes midway up the arena, between the first and second levels of stands overlooking a large oval space filled with red sand. On the sand, three fierce-looking Orcs were engaged in a desperate battle against a massive bear, its fur bristling with long, bony needles that resembled a porcupine.
The Orcs were already dripping with blood from hundreds of tiny punctures. They were spread out in a triangular formation, using their spears and shields to bash the bear in the face before attempting to stab at its vulnerable underbelly. One of the Orcs, throwing caution to the wind, charged in for a powerful stab at the bear's exposed neck, but the beast retaliated with a vicious swipe, tearing open the Orc's chest exploding with blood. The Orc crumpled to the ground, defeated.
"So how does this all work?" Flint asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Warriors volunteer to fight there," Grok explained, pointing to a single stone arch where an Orc stood guard. "Bets are made there," she continued, gesturing towards multiple arches with long lines and a board displaying constantly updating odds and payouts that the humans couldn't decipher.
"What are they betting on?" Pierce asked, listening to the roar of the crowd as they cheered on the remaining Orcs in their bloody struggle against the monstrous beast.
"Who lives, who dies, first blood, really anything can be bet on. Odds are given, you pay. If you're lucky, you return later and collect your winnings," Grok explained, as if speaking to a child.
"What are the odds normally like for a first timer?" Pierce inquired.
"Depends on the first timer," Grok replied. "Fierce-looking warriors usually start off well, then the odds adjust based on their skill."
"Wish me luck, boys!" Flint declared, already standing and heading towards the registration arch.
"Should we go with him?" Ignis asked, his face paling slightly.
"No, this will be good for him. He should survive," Grok said confidently.
"Should?" Pierce echoed, his concern evident.
"Cadium users rarely die, but it happens," Grok shrugged, cheering on the final Orc as it valiantly fought off the bear. With a final, desperate lunge, the Orc flipped the bear onto its back and slashed its spear across the beast's belly, spilling its innards onto the red sand.
"If he dies, dibs on his Cadium!" Ignis exclaimed, cheering with the rest of the crowd.
Pierce stood, walked to the closest betting window and, with a nervous gulp, placed all 16 gold left in his pouch on Thor to win. His bet was registered with his Adventurers Guild badge and he was soon sitting beside his friends, watching with bated breath as a single powerful Orc went to battle against a thin black cat that could turn itself invisible for short periods of time.