The Arena, as Marcus found out once he got there, was a massive building of steel and glass that looked like an industrial warehouse located right on the river shore. Judging by its position and appearance it probably used to be some sort of shipyard in the past, but right now it was clearly an entertainment facility. Its walls were quite literally covered by colourful banners full of stylized depictions of warriors and were lit by dozens of spotlights, statues of people in armour guarded the entrance and a billboard that had “The Arena” written on it in giant, luminous letters was mounted on the roof. Moreover, there was a huge line of people at the entrance, with many street vendors selling various Arena-themed merchandise like banners, flags and assorted trinkets.
“So... is this the Arena?” The Vex Queen asked to be sure, though it was pretty much a rhetorical question at this point.
“Yes.” Yasen replied. “Is it to your liking?”
“Yeah, it does seem like a fun place.” Marcus shrugged. “But I have to actually see the show before I can tell you whether or not I really like it.”
“Let’s not waste any more time then.”
They joined the line, and as they slowly got closer to the entrance the Vex Queen noticed a big billboard right above the ticket booth that announced the program of the evening, which apparently would have three fights in total. One fight was between someone called Titus the Titan and Yosef the Executioner, another was a match between two teams, Tina the Tigress and Yulia the Terror of Zima on blue team and Sylvia the Slayer and Katherine the Red Valkyrie on red team, and then the main event, which was written in bold characters, was between someone called the White Fang and a team of two people called the Black Rose and the White Rose.
“Colourful names.” Marcus mentally commented, as they slowly approached the ticket booth. However, just as they were a few people away from it, he also noticed something else: a small sign dangling from the booth which said: Sold out for the evening.
“Bummer.” He cursed silently, and then he turned to Yasen and said: “I'm afraid that we won't be able to visit the Arena tonight.”
“Why not?” The Aura Master asked.
“Well, apparently they are sold out.” He said, pointing at the sign.
“Oh, you're right.” Yasen said. “Well, it's to be expected really. It's the day after Toathal after all, and there is a special event to boot. It's no wonder it's sold out.”
“I guess we'll have to find something else to do this evening then.” Marcus sighed.
“Maybe not.” The captain replied. “I want to try something before giving up, if that's alright with you.”
“Fine.” The Vex Queen agreed.
They then waited in line until it was their turn, and they were greeted by a young man standing behind the booth.
“Good evening.” He said. “How can I help you?”
“Good evening.” Yasen returned the salute. “You're sold out for the evening, and I correct?”
“Unfortunately yes.” The man confirmed. “But you can still get tickets for tomorrow if you want, and we offer a fifty percent discount if you buy a weekly pass.”
“Well, what I'd really like would be to see this evening's event.” Yasen said. “Are you sure that all tickets are sold out? I don't mind paying more.”
“I'm afraid that's not possible.” The booth man replied. “We are completely sold out this evening. All seats are already taken.”
“Alright, I understand.” The captain nodded. “In that case, could I perhaps talk with Mr Gerr?”
“The owner?” The young man asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
“That's him.” The Aura Master nodded. “Just tell him that his old captain is here to see him. He will understand.”
The man studied Yasen for a moment, and then shrugged.
“Alright. I'll see if he's available then.” He said before leaving the booth and heading inside the building.
“You know the owner of this place?” Marcus asked the captain.
“Yes. We're old friends.” The Aura Master confirmed. “I'm going to ask him if he can find two seats for us.”
“That wasn't really necessary, you know.” The Vex Queen said. “I mean, we could have gone somewhere else. I'm sure that we could have found something else to do in the District. There is no reason to bother your friend.”
“Oh, I'm sure we won't bother him.” Yasen replied with confidence. “Besides it's been a while since we've last met, so it was due time to pay him a visit. And speaking of the demon, here he is!”
He turned to his right, and Marcus followed his gaze to a bald old-looking man that was limping towards them, with the booth boy in tow.
“Yasen! You damn nuisance! Must you always choose the worst moment to turn up at my door?” He cried angrily, but the big, warm smile on his face contrasted his stern words.
“It's because it's funny to see you all worked up, Dieter!” The captain replied cheerfully, and a moment later the two men clasped each other in a bear hug.
Now that the man called Dieter was closer Marcus realized that he wasn't actually that old, it was just that his face was such a patchwork of scar tissue that he looked wrinkly from a distance. He had no hair at all, not even eyebrows, and his skin had the pink complexion of burn scars. He also wore an eyepatch on his right eye, and judging by how stiff his right arm and leg were he probably had extensive injuries there too.
“You got fat.” Dieter said in a critical tone as he stopped hugging Yasen. “I bet you're slacking off without me to keep you in check!”
“I admit that it's a blessing to not have you constantly breathing on my neck.” The Aura Master replied with a smirk. “But still it's a bit unfair to tell me this right after Toathal. You know how many banquets I have to attend as the captain of the Royal Knights.”
“Bah. That’s a sad excuse.” Dieter shook his head. “The truth is that you've always been lazy.”
“We all have our merits.” The Aura Master laughed. “For example, yours is being a bloody stick in the mud.”
Dieter's fake stern demeanour cracked completely and he joined Yasen's laugh.
“Ah, it is good to see you again captain!” He said. “Though I wasn't kidding when I said that you always turn up at the worst moments. This is the busiest evening I've had in a while, so I don't have much time to chat.”
“I'll get straight to the point then.” Yasen gestured towards the Vex Queen. “This is my friend, sir Marcus. He and I wanted to see tonight's show but apparently you're sold out.”
“That we are. There is not even a single seat that is not taken.” Dieter replied. “However, I think I could find some space backstage. It'd be a rather spartan accommodation but you'd have a good view of the ring.”
“That sounds good to me.” The captain nodded. “How about you, sir Marcus?”
“That's perfectly fine for me as well.” The Vex Queen said. “But I don’t want to bother your friend too much. He sounds like he has his hands pretty full at the moment.”
Marcus' shrill, non-human voice was immediately noticed by the owner of the Arena, who raised an eyebrow —or at least the part of the face where the eyebrow should have been— but refrained from commenting.
“It is no bother at all, ma'am.” He said. “Any friend of the captain is welcome in my Arena. Now come, the first match is about to start, and I wouldn't want you to miss it!”
The old man then guided them inside, first in the hall, a large room filled with statues of warriors, and then through a series of corridors and then in an area that passed below rows of seats. Sound of music and the noise of a big crowd came from above them, but Dieter ignored them and led them to a metal ladder that climbed all the way up to the ceiling before disappearing through a trapdoor.
“Here.” Dieter pointed at a ladder. “If you climb that ladder, you will reach a platform above the seats. Usually we control peripheral light effects from there, but we’re not going to use it tonight. There should be a few foldable chairs in there, so feel free to use them, but don't touch anything else and please don't throw anything on the spectators below. Forgive me if I don't accompany you further but my wooden leg and hand make climbing is quite a challenge, and besides I have a lot of work left to do.”
“It's no problem. We can take care of ourselves from here.” Yasen said. “Thank you for everything, Dieter. I owe you one.”
“Ha! You owe me several at this point!” The man laughed. “But I'll just add this to your tab as usual. We'll get even next time we'll get out to drink. Have fun.”
And without further ado, Dieter walked away, leaving the Aura Master and the Vex Queen alone in the backstage.
“Well, he seems like a nice fellow.” Marcus commented.
“That he is.” Yasen replied. “He's one of the most dependable people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. He used to be a lieutenant of the Royal Knight and he saved my neck many times.” He smiled. “Good old lieutenant Dieter. Solid as a rock and twice as stubborn.”
“Can I ask how he got his scars? He looks like he had been set on fire on something.”
“That's because he was.” The captain's smile faded. “We were hunting down a fire dragon that had made its nest in Numa valley. He led a squad to bait the dragon out of its nest to give me the opening I needed to kill it.” A sombre and somewhat haunted expression flashed on his face. “It worked, but not before the damn beast burned seven knights to a crisp. Of them, only Dieter managed to survive, and to this day I don't know how he managed to do that. The condition he was in after we managed to take him out of his half-melted armour...” He paused for a moment, and then added with a rather forced smile. “Anyway, there will be time to talk about the past later, preferably after a few drinks. The show is about to begin so we better get to our seats.”
“Oh, alright.” Marcus immediately agreed. It was clear that those memories were rather painful for the captain, so dropping the topic was probably for the best. “Let's go then.”
He headed for the ladder and started climbing it, with Yasen right behind him. After climbing for about twenty metres, Marcus finally reached the platform and looked around. He was in a corner of the main hall of the arena, about ten metres over the highest row of seats. He could clearly see the ring at the centre of the room, which was also the only illuminated area: it looked very much like a wrestling ring, except this one was even bigger, and also for some reason there were solid metal fences placed between the spectators' seats and area around the ring, almost giving the impression of a cage. The rest of the room was left in the dark, but nevertheless the Vex Queen could easily tell that it was filled to the brim with people, whose chatter was only barely covered by the loud music coming from an unknown source.
As he kept watching, Yasen also reached the platform.
“Good. They have yet to start.” He commented, glancing at the ring. Then he turned to the monster girl and asked: “So, are these seats good for you, sir Marcus? I apologize for not getting you anything better, but as Dieter said, the arena is really packed tonight.”
“It's fine, don't worry.” The Vex Queen replied. “We do have a good view of the ring, after all, and that's all that matters. So let's just enjoy the show.”
“As you wish.” Yasen nodded.
As Dieter had promised, they found two foldable chairs leaning against the platform railing, and they had just sat when suddenly a voice started talking, sounding as if it was coming from everywhere at once.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Arena!” Said the voice, which was loud enough to be heard over the music and the noise of the crowd. “Tonight we’ve got a special event for you! First, a match between the two biggest heavyweights in our roster, Titus the Titan and Yosef the Executioner! Then, the bestial beauties from Thule, Tina and Yulia, will face the amazonian champions of our arena, Sylvia and Katherine! And finally, last but not least, the living legend herself, the White Fang, will be challenged by two fierce newcomers, the Wild Rose team!”
The crowd cheered at these last names, to the point that they almost drowned the voice of the announcer.
“I see that you are as excited as I am!” The latter said. “So I won’t keep you waiting! Let the first match start! In the blue corner, here comes Titus the Titan, the giant of the Arena!”
Lights flashed on one side of the arena, and what looked like firecrackers exploded near one of the entrances to the arena, creating a smokescreen from which a humongous man emerged. He was easily two and a half metres tall, perhaps even more, and he wore nothing but a pair of leather shorts and a rough leather mask. His bulging muscles shone as if they had been oiled, and he looked as if he could walk through a wall without problem.
“Now that's big.” Marcus commented. “I've never seen a man so huge.”
“I did, from time to time.” Yasen replied. “Usually they were augmented soldiers.”
“What do you mean with augmented soldiers?”
“Well, some nations, as well as a few of the most unscrupulous Aura Orders, have been known to meddle with body modifications and artificial augmentations. Alchemic potions, grafting of body parts from magical beasts and so on.” He shook his head. “I don't really like that kind of stuff. It's very dangerous and not at all reliable. But I suppose that some people would do anything for strength.”
“So this guy... Titus, is he a soldier?”
“He probably was once.” Yasen shrugged. “I'd have to ask him to be sure, but judging by his body I'd say that he was probably part of the Imperial Wardens.”
“Imperial Wardens?”
“Oh, they're a group of elite soldiers that serve as palace guards for the Emperor. I’ve met a few of them and they are all about as big as Titus here.”
Having his curiosity piqued, Marcus would have liked to ask a few more questions, but before he could do that Titus reached the ring and the announcer started speaking again.
“And now... standing against the Titan, here comes the Executioner from the Federation! Fear his blood-stained horns and his iron arms! Here cooomes... Yosef!”
From the opposite side of the arena a new figure made its entrance, with the same light and smoke effects that had accompanied Titus. The newcomer was almost as tall and muscular as Titus, but instead of glistening muscle he was covered head to toe in black fur. A black executioner hood covered his face, but two white bull horns came out from under it, with their tip painted red as if they had been covered in blood.
“A minotaur.” Yasen commented. “Interesting. Seems like we're about to see a match of brute force.”
Yosef charged at the ring, reaching it and jumping over the ropes and landing right in front of Titus.
The two fighters stared at each other from their respective corners, waiting quietly while the commentators kept speaking.
“Seems like both Titus and Yosef are ready and raring to go! So, without further ado, let's do this! Let the fight begin!”
A bell rang, and without hesitation Yosef immediately threw himself at his opponent, charging at him with his horns as if he was an actual bull. However, Titus stood his ground and grabbed the minotaur's horns with his hands. The momentum pushed the huge man against the ropes, but at the same time Yosef's charge was stopped. Then, with a superhuman display of strength, Titus suddenly lifted the minotaur by its horns and threw it out of the ring, where he landed against the metal fences with a loud bang.
“Ouch!” Marcus thought. “I guess that this is why they got those fences. If they hadn't been there, that minotaur would have flattened a few spectators.”
The impact didn't seem to have much of an effect on Yosef despite the fact that it would have broken the bones of a normal person, and the minotaur stood up and quickly jumped back on the ring, where Titus was waiting for him with a smug expression on his face. This time, Yosef approached his opponent more carefully, making a few feints before dashing and trying to hit him. The human, however, simply ignored the minotaur's moves, and simply went on the attack himself. The two then collided against each other at the centre of the ring, grabbing and trying to overpower each other in some sort of greco-roman wrestling bout. Titus was a bit bigger and his size gave him a definite advantage, but Yosef was simply relentless and he seemed to possess near infinite stamina. In the end, the minotaur was the one who gained the upper hand, as he managed to put the human off-balance with a feint and took advantage of that brief moment to trip him and get behind him to grab his neck in a lock. Titus tried to break free of that hold but despite his prodigious strength he couldn't shake off his assailant, and meanwhile his face turned from red to purple as he ran out of breath. However he wasn't done yet, and he stood up one last time, lifting the minotaur along with him, and ran towards one of the corners, slamming his opponent against the pole. Yosef grunted in pain but didn't let go of the hold, not even when Titus started ramming him repeatedly, and in the end his perseverance won, as the human, his face now blue, finally collapsed to the ground.
The crowd cheered as the commentators excitedly announced that Yosef was the victor, and the minotaur stood up and raised his fist to the air in triumph.
“Good fight.” Yasen commented. “It was a bit amateurish by my standards, but overall I'd say it was passably entertaining. Titus had an edge when it came to physique but Yosef had much better technique, so it's no wonder that he won.” He turned to the Vex Queen. “So, was it to your liking sir Marcus?”
“Yes.” The monster girl nodded. “It was... well, more real than I thought it'd be. From what you told me I thought that they would just pretend to fight.”
“Well, arena fighters do often use a lot of flashy but impractical moves at the start to make their matches more fun to watch, but they are still trying to beat each other and they tend to get more serious at the end of the fight.” The Aura Master replied. “After all, if people wanted to see pure acting they'd go to a theatre, not to the Arena.”
“Ah, I see.” Marcus nodded again. “Makes sense.”
“And here I thought that it'd be just like wrestling, with kayfabe and all.” He thought to himself. “But I guess that in a world where melee fighting is still relevant the people would recognize a completely fake fight.”
He returned his attention to the centre of the arena. Titus had recovered and was walking away on his own legs, seemingly no worse for wear though he did seem quite frustrated, while Yosef on the contrary was visibly limping but had a much more cheerful attitude.
“That was an exciting match, folks!” The commentator said. “And yet, it was nothing but the appetizer compared to what we have in store for you tonight! Now, following this match between giants, it’s going to be a match between beauties and beasts! In the blue corner, here are our household champions! Give it up for Sylvia the Slayer and Katherine the Red Valkyrie!”
Music played and fireworks erupted as two figures emerged from one of the entrances. They were two women, both pretty tall and extremely muscular. The taller one was a blonde bombshell wearing a skimpy fur bikini like a stereotypical female barbarian from a Frazetta cover, while the other, only marginally smaller, was a redhead wearing what looked like a rubber replica of roman armour, which included a muscle cuirass which greatly emphasized her breasts.
“Now this looks more like the wrestling I knew.” Marcus thought as the two women reached the ring.
“And in the blue corner, here are the fearsome gladiators from the Federation!” The commentator announced again. “Here comes Tina the Tigress and Yulia the Terror of Zima!”
A different music played and fireworks were set off at the opposite entrance, and two new figures entered the Arena. One of them was a tall and thin Felid girl whose fur was striped like that of a tiger, while the other was a white-furred Ursid like Olga, Eisen’s head maid, only she was a bit thinner and more visibly muscular. Both of them were wearing shorts and sports bras, similar to those that Alya used.
The two Thulians also climbed on the ring, followed by the cheers of the public. Then, the Ursid and the blond woman got out in their respective corners, leaving the Felid and the girl in the red armour inside the ring.
“The match is about to start, and the first ones in the ring are going to be Katherine and Tina it seems!” The commentator said. “So, let’s not waste any more time and let’s get ready to rumble! Let the fight begin!”
The bell was ringed, and without hesitation Katherine launched herself against Tina with her right arm raised to perform a lariat. The Felid ducked and easily dodged the blow, but then the redhead just kept moving straight ahead, bounced on the ropes and charged back, performing another lariat and aiming a bit lower than the previous one. However the cat girl avoided this attack as well, this time jumping over her opponent and landing behind her with literal cat-like grace. With an annoyed expression on her face, the woman tried a few more charges and moves, all of which were dodged effortlessly by the Felid, which almost seemed to be mocking her opponent.
“Things are not so hot for Katherine!” The commentator said. “Tina is constantly a step ahead of her! How will the Valkyrie try to close this gap?”
That question was soon answered, as Katherine attempted another lariat that was also dodged by Tina who jumped over the Red Valkyrie. However, this time the woman spinned on herself as soon as she passed the Felid, turning around and grabbing her by the waist before executing a perfect german suplex, slamming her on the ring. Then as they were both on the floor Katherine started grappling her opponent, and though Tina fought back the human’s greater strength, weight and superior technique quickly allowed the latter to quickly overpower the Felid, putting her in a rather peculiar submission hold. The Valkyrie was on the ground below Tina, holding her arms and intertwining her legs with hers right behind the knees, forcing the Tigress to bridge backwards. This hold didn’t seem particularly painful but it was certainly quite humiliating, since it put the catgirl in a rather suggestive position with her legs open and her chest up in the air.
“Here is Katherine’s Wedding Lock!” The commentator announced. “Will Tina be able to free herself? Or is she doomed to a humiliating defeat!”
Wild cheers coming from the stands seemed to indicate that the males in the crowd really appreciated this display, and Tina struggled even harder to free herself with an annoyed expression on her face. However, while the hold wasn’t that effective, the catgirl still seemed incapable of breaking free from it, and the redhead gradually forced the Thulian to spread her legs more and more, much to the spectator’s delight.
“Quite a… peculiar hold.” Marcus commented.
“Oh, that one is just for show.” Yasen promptly replied. “They have yet to start fighting seriously. The stuff they did so far was just to please the crowd.”
“Yeah, I can see that a lot of people are pleased with that right now.” The Vex Queen said sardonically.
“Well, that’s one of the reasons why they come to this place to begin with.” The Aura Master smiled knowingly. “This is the Red Light District, after all.”
“Noted.” Marcus replied.
They returned their full attention to the ring, immediately noticing that Tina’s companion, the bear woman called Yulia, had sneakily entered the ring and was now rushing to her friend’s help.
The Ursid quickly grabbed both fighters from the ground as if they weighed nothing, separated them and then proceeded to throw Katherine against the pole of her corner, which she hit with a loud impact that left her concussed and dazed. Losing no time, her teammate Sylvia immediately tagged her and jumped into the ring, while Tina also let Yulia take her place and returned to her own corner. The Ursid now faced the barbarian woman, but she didn’t seem particularly phased and just taunted her opponent with a “bring it on” gesture. The bear woman's confidence didn’t seem out of place since Sylvia, despite being pretty tall for a human, was still tiny compared to her. The barbarian woman also seemed perfectly aware of her disadvantage and cautiously kept her distance and circled around her opponent like a wolf stalking its prey. Seeing that Sylvia wouldn’t fall for her taunt, Yulia sneered and just went on the offensive, trying to grab the blond woman, but the latter dashed away, dodging any attempt to reach her. This chase went on for a little while, until the Ursid, who clearly had had enough, threw all caution to the wind and just focused on trying to grab her opponent, running after her with surprising speed for someone so large. However, that only meant that she fell completely for the barbarian’s trap. Just as it seemed that Yulia had been able to push Sylvia into a corner, the latter jumped on the corner pole and used it as a trampoline to launch herself against the Ursid, who had no time to slow down before being hit square in the face with a well placed dropkick. The impact made the bear woman stumble backward, but surprisingly even that blow wasn’t enough to take her down, though it did manage to stun her momentarily. Sylvia wasn’t finished though, and as soon as she landed back on the ring she proceeded to sweep at Yulia’s legs, tripping her and finally making her fall down. Then, before the dazed Ursid could react, the barbarian woman grabbed her in an arm bar, with her legs around the bear woman's neck while she held her left arm. Yulia struggled to free herself, but Sylvia’s hold was too firm to be broken. Then, with a display of superhuman strength, the bear woman stood up, lifting her opponent along with her, but Sylvia simply increased the pressure on her arm and the bear woman fell back, growling in pain.
From her corner, Tina entered the ring to help her companion, but before she could reach her she was intercepted by Katherine, who this time managed to hit her with a lariat and made her tumble on the ring’s floor. The Valkyrie then proceeded to once again grab the Felid into a hold, this time a more conventional chokehold that quickly managed to subdue the catgirl. Meanwhile, seeing as no help was coming her way, Yulia also started tapping the ring floor to surrender, her face distorted with pain as her arm was almost bent backwards.
That was the end of the fight, and the bell rang to announce the winners.
“And here it is!” The announcer cried. “The fight is over, and our household champions have won against the two menaces from Thule!”
Cheers erupted from the tribunes and Katherine and Sylvia beamed as they bathed in the adoration of the crowd, while the defeated Thulians quietly left the arena, looking rather frustrated, with Tina wobbling a bit and Yulia massaging her arm.
“Mh... interesting fight.” Marcus commented.
“Quite so.” Yasen agreed. “ It was a skill versus natural strength scenario, with the former coming out on top after a hard battle. It’s plenty enough for most people to enjoy it.”
“And all the eyecandy probably didn’t hurt either.” The Vex Queen smirked under his mask. “Seeing the lock that the redhead woman used in the middle of the match definitely made the crowd happy.”
“Katherine knows how to please the crowd, that’s for sure.” The Aura Master convened. “She’s a professional after all.”
“You know her?”
“Yes.” Yasen confirmed. “We went out together a couple times.”
“You dated her?”
“Not really.” The captain shrugged. “It was just a fling, nothing more. Neither of us was interested in pursuing a more serious relationship.”
“Ah, I see.” Marcus nodded.
Meanwhile, Katherine and Sylvia also left, and once the ring was vacated the lights in the Arena started slowly dimming, until the entire hall was left in the dark.
“And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for!” The commentator loudly announced. “The special event of this evening, which will see the White Fang face the Wild Roses!”
A luminous sphere that looked like a miniature moon suddenly appeared from the ceiling, floating above the ring and illuminating the Arena with its pale light. At the same time, artificial fog rolled down from the tribunes, filling the space around the ring. The music also changed, becoming wild and rhythmic.
“On the blue corner, we have the three time winner of the Great Imperial Battle Royale! The undefeated champion from Thule, who makes every other fighter quake in fear at her very mention! The white beast that stalks the night! The one! The only… Whiiiiite Faaaang!”
A large figure made their entrance in the arena. It was impossible to tell the details of her appearance since she was hidden behind a curtain of fog, but it was still pretty clear that she was a huge and muscular woman, almost as big as Yulia the Ursid. Then the so-called White Fang effortlessly jumped five metres in the air, emerging from the fog and landing right in the middle of the ring on all four before suddenly standing up and letting out another powerful howl.
Even at that distance, Marcus immediately recognized her.
It was none other than Alya Vilka.