Chapter 13-Secrets                 

We enter the large metal gates of Twin Trees. The cobble stone road is surrounded by wooden stands of different shapes and sizes. Vendors are yelling out prices while holding their products trying to sell their wares. The products range from fish, fruit, and weapons to many more small trinkets and foods. The people walking up and down the streets vary just as much as the stories.

Some people look similar to my race with a fire colored hair and olive to pale skin, while others look completely different. People with blue or pink hair walk casually down the streets. Others are tall and lanky or short and robust. Some wear brown leather and cotton like we do, but others wear metal or grass clothing. People riding large rainbow colored birds dart through the crowds. I can tell this is one of the large trading capitals of the continent.

Lucarus freezes at the entrance for a moment before speaking. ”Wow, this place is so crowded and huge! Are they having some kind of festival at the entrance?”

Aarushi Dashes forward excitedly trying to drag me along by the hand. “Why are there so many people?”

I shake my head before answering them. “This is just what big cities are like. No one will attack or hurt you, but they may try to make you buy something. If someone strange talks to you just keep walking and you will be fine.”

Aarushi points at one of the giant rainbow birds with a saddle that is tied up next to a building. “Ok mister know it all what is that?”

I shrug my shoulders and announce. “I don’t have a clue. If you really want to know ask one of the locals.” Stopping them from asking any more questions I continue. “I am going to find an inn for the night then I will be heading to the arena to check it out.” I point at a building in the distance. It has a large brown dome that reminds me of a football stadium in both size and shape. I assume it is the arena. “If you don’t want to follow me then go explore and meet me at the large domed building in a couple of hours.”

Aarushi tightens her grip on my hand. “Don’t worry I won’t leave you behind, either one of you can stay with me if you would like.”

Lucarus takes a deep breath. “I’m going to explore by myself for a little while.” He nudges me in the side and winks. “I’m sure you two would like to be alone also.”

I give him a light glare before say “Hey now! What are you talking about?” I look at Aarushi and see that her head is tilted sideways while staring at one of the rainbow birds. Good it looks like she didn’t hear him.

Lucarus laughs a little bit then disappears into the crowd. I decide to explore some myself. Still holding onto Aarushi she pulls me away from the gate and onto the stone path. Images of a robust and smoggy city with giant metal towers return from a distant past as I walk through the city. If my foggy memories are right I think in a fist life I lived in New York.

After a several minutes of searching and asking people on the street we locate an inn. It costs two silver coins a night for each room. If Lucarus and I share a room Aarushi can get her own room so the total cost will only be four silvers a night. The security is non-existent but the windows and doors lock. I step up toward the counter and voice my request. “I would like two rooms please, one that can fit two people.”

The inn keeper looks through a small book then shakes her head. “We have two singles available but no doubles.”

I look over to Aarushi for a moment. She has a large smile on her face and a strange twinkle in her eyes. I ask “what do you think?”

She looks at me expectantly. “It sounds perfect!”

“Of course you would think so. You get a room and a bed to yourself, but I have to share with Lucarus.”

Aarushi shakes her head. “No Lucarus gets a room to himself.” She sticks her tongue out in a matter of fact way. I understand the strange twinkle in her eye now. Nothing good can come of this but I guess I can’t do anything about this.

I reach into the brown bag my dad got me and hand over four silver coins. In return I receive two black keys. One of them has the shape of a flame engraved in it and the other has a crescent moon. The inn keeper points toward upstairs and announces “Your rooms will have the same shape symbol on it as your key does.”

Aarushi and I go to the room with a fire symbol and enter.  A single window looking into the streets from the second floor sits opposite from the door. A bed with green sheets is in the corner. A small bucket with water and a rag is on the floor at the foot of the bed. A plain small desk and chair also sits in the room. The stale smell of aged wood and dust encompasses me as I enter the room. The wooden floor creaks as I step on it. I drop my unneeded gear on the floor and stretch my arms releasing a groan. Aarushi does the same.

I see her glancing at me and then back at the bed. The wheels in her head turning. She tilts her head sideways for a moment before making a strange blushing face. Ever since we started dating she has been doing strange things like this. I’m not sure if I want to know what’s going through her head when she does this. I slap he shoulder and give her a grin. “Come on lets go explore the town!” She shakes the idea out of her head then nods at me with a small humph noise.  I feel bad for her since I keep avoiding anything past kissing. Because of my more experience mind I still think of her as the little girl I met ten years ago.

Aarushi and I walk hand in hand through the city aimlessly. Pointing and laughing at all the strange buildings and people. Sometimes we get angry looks other times we are completely ignored. We are nobodies in this city. It’s nothing like our home town where everyone waves at us as we pass. I didn’t realize how much I had adapted to living in a small town.

After about an hour of exploring the town a familiar noise reignites from the roof tops. “Whooaaah hoo hooo whaaa!” The golden eyed monkey from the forest taunts us from above. People take notice and point while muttering to themselves. He is dancing and pointing at Aarushi and I. He mocks us by hollering while slapping his butt.

Aarushi’s grip on my hand tightens. “Come down here you stupid monkey!” I simply chuckle at the two of them. The monkey jumps from the roof in front of us. Aarushi lets go of my hand and dives at the monkey screaming. “I just want to love you!” The monkey jumps ten feet into the air emitting a strange wind as he does so. Aarushi falls flat on her face while the monkey laughs at her.

Aarushi stands up and brushes herself off then chases after the monkey. Ignoring the people around her she charges blindly. They both turn the corner before I realize what’s happening. If I let Aarushi out of my sight she might get lost forever.  I sprint toward their direction as fast as I can hoping to catch up to them but am pushed back as I turn the corner.

I rub my head while looking up at what hit me. Lucarus sits in front of me rubbing his head as well. A girl about fifteen years of age with blue wavy hair down to her shoulders and sharp pointed ears covers her mouth in shock after Lucarus and I collide. After a second of shock she says. “Are you ok Lucarus?”

Lucarus looks up to her with a cheeky smile that exemplifies his pearly whites. “Yeah this is nothing! I have to be able to take some hits if I am going to become a gladiator.” He stands up then holds his hand out to me “sir let me… oh wait Deadra what are you doing here?”

I grab his hand and pull myself up. “I was just walking with Aarushi when that one monkey we saw distracted us. She went and chased after… oh shit, did you see her run past you?” They both shake their heads.

Lucarus explains. “We were kind of in our own little world, kind of the reason we didn’t see you.”

I cross my arms and think for a moment. “Do you think she will be able to find the coliseum arena? Also who is this girl?”

Lucarus shakes his head while grinning. He jokingly says “She is lost forever to the streets of this city. I’m sorry but she will be dead by nightfall.” He then puts his arm on the blue haired girls back and announces. “This is Rhea. She is a year older then us and a hydromancer from the water tribe. He sister Mica told her to show me around the city.”

The girl waves and gives me a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you Deadra, Lucarus has told me a lot about you. I hope you don’t mind if I steal him for a while longer. I will bring him back to the arena when were done with our tour.”

I nod and let them pass. Hmm I wonder if that could be considered a date? Maybe I don’t need to set him up with anyone? Any ways now I should search for Aarushi.

I start to look around thinking of where to go when I see Aarushi cradling the golden eyed monkey in her arms. She pets it with one hand while walking aimlessly. I call out to here and she escapes her aimless wondering. “Look I caught the monkey!” she runs up next to me.

In disbelief that she caught the monkey I ask “How did you find the monkey?”

Aarushi replies. “A beautiful woman with blue hair just reached out and the monkey came to her. She whispered something into its ear then the monkey simply walked over to me and jumped in my arms.”

The monkey reaches out toward me and grabs my hand. What could that woman have said to make him not be scared of Aarushi? And why does he seem so attached to me? “Did anything else happen?”

Aarushi tilts he head for a moment before continuing. “She said that we should go to the arena because there is something important there.” The monkey nods with agreement. Aarushi makes baby faces at the monkey while saying. “You’re such a good monkey aren’t you?”  The monkey nods his head once more. She then sets the monkey down and says. “Ok monkey bring us to the arena!”

The monkey gives a big humph noise then climbs up a building. He looks around for a moment then jumps back down. He gestures at us to follow him then scurries off. We follow after him and after a few minutes arrive at the large domed building.

He takes the most direct route weaving through the back streets and alley ways avoiding large crowds.

I cross my arms and in amazement announce. “Well I’ll be dammed. I didn’t think the monkey would know how to get here so quickly.”

Aarushi widens her eyes and opens her mouth in amazement. “It’s so big! Is this the arena? Are we going to fight here?”

I nod my head. “Yeah this place is going to be where we work from now on!”

We enter the main hall. Large marble sculptures of great warriors tower over us on each side. Golden plates with information are displayed below each warrior. Roman pillars hold the ceiling up. I walk up to one of the front desks. The building is strangely empty. The receptionist speaks “What can I help you with?”

“We would like to sign up to fight.”

The receptionist lowers her glasses and looks at each of us. “Can I please get your names?”

“I am Deadra and this is Aarushi. We are pyromancers from a small town north of here.”

The receptionist thinks for a moment then pulls a book out. She clears her throat before speaking. “I will need to sign Aarushi up to be a gladiator but Deadra Freyfire is already signed up for a fight in ten minutes. Is that you?”

I look at Aarushi with a confused face. She shrugs her shoulders. I ask “Yeah that’s me but I have never signed up before. What happened?”

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“You have been challenged by another fighter. Would you like to hear what the fighter’s conditions are?” Aarushi and I both nod our heads “The winner is decided by the usual arena rules. You must either kill, knockout, or make your opponent surrender. Instead of betting money the opponent has decided to bet information. The loser must reveal their true identity to whoever the winner chooses.”

What does this mean? Does someone know that I have been resurrected? Do they know who I am? How would they have known I would be here at this time? What is going on?

Aarushi bumps me out of thought as she grabs my shoulder. I looking over at her, I see her face is filled with worry. “What does the person mean when they say reveal your true Identity? Does this have something to do with the secret of yours?”

I put my hand over Aarushi’s. I need to know who this person is. Are they the one in the grey cloak that I saw in the daggers vision? Do they kill Aarushi and I? I need to gain as much information as I can. “I don’t know but I think I should accept their challenge. I need to find out who this person is, and figure out how dangerous they are.” She gives me a complex face before nodding.

“You go ahead to the fight. I’ll be there to watch you after I register myself.”

A large muscular man with a scar across his face standing near the wall motions for me to follow him. I give Aarushi a hug and do as he tells me. We silently walk down a corridor light by fire. Several wooden doors appear on both side of the corridor, but we simply ignore them and continue onward. We come to a small black gate that leads into the main chamber of the arena. The bald man with a scar commands in a deep voice. “Stay here until the gate open. When it does go inside.” He then walks away back from where he came.

After about ten minutes the gate opens up and I walk inside of it. I am greeted with sounds of applause from people in stands elevated above the ground as I walk in. The roof is open to the clear blue sky above. A single woman stands in the center of the stadium. She has the same pointed ears and blue hair as Rhea did. She looks to be around 19 years old. Her eyes are bright green. Her elegant features are exemplified by the way she carries herself. She looks like a wingless angel. Two silver short blades dangle behind her at her waist. They remind me of the dagger I have at my side. When she sees me she gives off a beautiful smile.

While patting her own weapons she says. “Nice dagger you have there.” I look down to my side. The silver dagger on my waist gleams in the sunlight.

“Are you the one who challenged me?”

She nods her head. “You can use all your strength but you will still lose. When I win you must tell Lucarus and Aarushi who you really are.” She then points toward the crowd. I follow her finger and see Aarushi and Lucarus sitting with Rhea. They are watching this fight. This means I cannot lose. I can’t tell them where I have come from yet. And more importantly I need to find out who this woman is.

Still smiling she continues speaking. “Don’t worry about those things, they are not important. I have been sent by a mutual friend.”

I scoff at her and respond. “What friend would that be?”

A devilish smile covers her face as the bell for the match starts. In a flash of speed she disappears and reappears standing next to me leaning her lips near my ear. It appears as if she teleported. She whispers one word into my ear that sends chills down my spine. “Purgatory.” Not only the word terrifies me, but the language she uses to speak it. A language I have not heard in many years, English. I fumble back a few steps before she continuing to speak in English. “There are forces outside your control in this world. You are not the only one going through this. This is not a game.”

Completely shocked by her words I pull my dagger out. “What do you know? Tell me everything!” My body becomes engulfed in flame as I charge at her. She jumps into the air and pushed down on my shoulders with her boots. I trip and roll onto the ground releasing the protective flames from around me.

I take a deep breath. I need to focus if I’m going to beat her. While I continue to gather myself she charges at me. I thrust the dagger in front of me to block to no avail. She drops to the ground and slide kicks my feet out from under me. I fall toward the ground but catch myself with my open hand. Not even one moment later my hand is kicked out from under me forcing me to land on my face. Before the rest of my body has time to fall a sharp pain is injected between my ribs as I am flung across the arena.

I skid several feet over the dirt. Looking toward the girl she is still standing calmly with her hands at her side. She broke through my defenses without using any magic or pulling out her weapons. I was using both and still got knocked down. I stand up and reignite my body and sword. My flame cloak burns hot and close to my flesh. It follows my movements and extends my reach while protecting me on all sides. If I keep this heat up there is no way she can get close to me since she is not from the fire tribe.

I charge in keeping my composure and flame cloak up. Raising my left hand and create a continuous flow of fire several feet in front of me. She runs to the right side but I follow her with my hand. My arms cross over my body to try to engulf her with fire. For a moment it looks like the flame is catching up to her but then she fades away and reappears to the left of me. I’m tangled up while putting all my fight to the right when somehow the opponent got to the left. I don’t understand how she did this. But I don’t need to worry my cloak of fire should protect me from whatever her attack may be.

She kicks her leg into my side but it is weakened by the flames wrapped around my body. Even saying this however pain still shoots though my entire body. I do not get sent flying this time but instead drop the ground. The flames around me die out and I drop my dagger. A flash fills my vision and I am sent flying backwards with a kick to the face.

She slowly walks over to me with a smile on her face. “I broke your ribs with my first kick to them. That assured my victory and will allow me to beat you without using magic or my weapons. I can beat you with nothing but my feat. I would tell you to give up but I know you won’t. You never give up.”

My vision is blurry from the last kick she gave me but I can see her figure approaching me so I raise my hand to engulf her with flames. She appears right in front of me and kicks my hand to the side as fire begins to escape from it. She then kicks at my ribs once more causing pain to erupt through me. My vision begins to fade as I lose consciousness from the over whelming pain.

…

Dreams ,illusions, and memories flash through my mind. I see tall sky metal buildings around me. Its New York. The last few hours of my first life play before me reminding me of who I was before all this. Before I was ever brought into purgatory. Slowly I remember bits and pieces of my life, but I wish I didn't. It was nothing good. I was a pathetic person who never fell in love, never had real friends and never accomplished anything. I drowned my sorrows with booze and women like some disgusting perverted pig. It makes me wonder why I was chosen to be reincarnated and not just left to fade away. 

Slowly it all slips away but the memories stay. 

...

I wake up inside of an old wooden building with a single window. The light of dusk seeps through the open window. The sheets are green and a desk sits on the other wall. It appears I am at the inn. Aarushi grabs onto me from the side of the bed. “Gosh you made us all so worried!”

I look to my side to see Aarushi Lucarus and Rhea sitting on chairs next to the bed. I guess they brought me back here after I lost the match. “What happened after I lost?”

The blue haired girl Rhea explains. “My sister Mica went a little over board when she was facing you in the match. I ended up having to heal you and Aarushi and Lucarus brought you back here. Luckily I have a room down the hall and was able to guide everyone here after Aarushi showed me the keys.”

So Rhea is the younger sister of the person who knew about purgatory.  I have lots of questions I need to ask her. “Where did your sister go? I need to get answers from her!”

Rhea shakes her head. “I don’t know where Mica went. She just disappeared after you lost. Kind of the reason I had to heal you instead of her. We were in too much of a rush to heal you and lost track of her. Oh but before the match started she gave me a message to give you.” Rhea pulls a piece of paper out from her sleeve and hands it to me. “I don’t know what it says because it’s in a different language but she said you would understand.”

I take the paper and open it up. The words are written in English from the world I originally came from. This means Mica is also resurrected from earth. Earlier before the match started she said there were more people from purgatory. Does this mean she is also from purgatory? I won’t get any answers staring at this paper.

The paper reads “Deadra, make sure to keep fighting and getting stronger. You lost the fight so now you have to tell your friends and my sister everything you know. Also while you’re at it can you take care of my sister Rhea for a little while too? I have something important and dangerous to do! Thanks from Mica!”

After reading the paper I look up at everyone. They are anxiously waiting for what the paper says. Reluctant to tell them the truth I start with the fact of watching Rhea. “First it says she wants us to take care of Rhea for now until she returns.”

Lucarus gets a big smile on his face. “Don’t worry, I will take care of her! Does it say anything else?”

Rhea nods her head. “That sounds like her, she has been trying to get rid of me for some time now. But why would she write that in another language?”

Lucarus scratches his chin. “More importantly when did you learn to read something like that?”

Standing up Aarushi pipes in. “Yeah I think you need to fess up! No more secrets, tell us everything you know!”

I know Mica set all of this up, forcing me to tell my friends the truth. But in reality I have always been wanting to tell them. I always wanted to get closer to them and stop hiding my past. I guess I can’t hold back now.

 I motion Aarushi to sit back down before taking deep breath in and telling them everything.

…

The sun finished setting and the sky becomes dark when I finish my tale.

Rhea having the least impact by the story tries to summarize what I said to her. “You have been reborn into this world, you believe Mica and possibly several other people have also been reborn into this world, and the thing that connects you guys is purgatory. Is that right?”

I nod my head and scan the other people’s reactions. Lucarus has his hands buried in his face so I can’t read what he is thinking. Aarushi has her head tilted sideways like she always does when she becomes confused. Rhea simply scratches her chin while thinking about what I said. How will every one react? Will they still be my friends? Will Lucarus still be willing to fight by my side? Will Aarushi still love me? Or will both of them simply cast me aside for lying for so long?

It feels like we sit in silence for almost an eternity.