It was Jude’s turn, the final match of the day – yet he was nowhere to be found. As his friends looked around the stands it was as if he had disappeared. Luckily there was a small break between each match, so most of them thought it was a last minute toilet break.

In reality the young man had crept off to mentally prepare himself. As he walked the curved corridors that made up this coliseum style arena he happened upon another. Sat on a stone bench matching the style and colours of the wall, drinking a can of Alterengy, a fizzy drink that markets itself as helping the body and alternation, from a vending machine opposite.

The man could have been mistaken to be Jude in disguise. With the same height, build and even a very similar facial structure at a glance they were the same. But with markedly more tanned skin, a lip ring on the left side, slightly longer and darker hair, and emerald green eyes in place of Jude’s deep navy ones, he was different enough.

Jude nervously approached, this man waved to him. Neither thought them looking the same was strange as they were not used to seeing themselves. “Hey bro, you okay?” came a cheerful yet mature voice. Immediately shaken, the nerves hit him, yet he managed to speak not wanting to seem rude.

“Yeah. Just a bit nervous for my match. My friends did well and I’m worried I won’t.”

With a gulp of his drink he replies “What’s to be afraid of? You scared of losing or being hit?”

“Er... Both, I guess.”

“Don’t be scared of losing bro, losing means you got something to work on. Lose whilst we can. If you lose this match your team is still in the league. If the first time you lose is in a proper fight you’re going to be flattened. And if you don’t wanna be hit, then don’t get hit.”

A sigh came out of Jude. It was involuntary. It was the realisation that although what he had just heard was outlandish at the end of the day both statements were correct. Without a rebuttal he spoke anyways, “How can you be so excited?”

“I enjoy sparring. With the new guild system being put in place we can now get paid to help people out and fight monsters. So any chance I can take to get stronger I’ll take. Relish it man.”

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“I’m really going to enjoy stressing about every move my opponent makes.”

“Hey if you get to fight me, let’s agree just a fist fight. You can use your alteration but only to enhance the fight?” A smile appeared across his face. But what he said intrigued Jude. It was like a switch flipped inside him.

“Why do you think I have alteration that will help me with fighting and isn’t a projectile?”

“I ain’t trying to assume, but everything other than cloak tells me brawler. Also your legs are a bit skinny to be a projectile user. Most of them put strain on the user unless they have a strong base. Though you don’t look experienced in fighting either. I mean I’m no Bruce Lee myself but you –“

Jude cut him off “Alright. I’ll agree. Fist fight. I’m Jude by the way.” He held his hand out.

“Jarvis, but my friends call me Jay.” Jude let out a little chuckle as their hands shook, “What’s funny?”

“Sorry, just didn’t think I’d ever meet someone with a more uncommon J name than me.”

“Jarvis is quite popular”

“In the 50s.”

The two boys shared a laugh together.

“So when’s your match, bro?”

“I’m up next. So I guess I gotta prepare myself.”

“Ah. I’m also up next. See you out in the arena Jude.”

Jarvis got up and walked away. If this was any other day Jude’s stomach would have found a pit to drop into. But he surprisingly felt calm. He was almost excited. He walked in the opposite direction to his opponent and towards the gate.

He approached the entrance. Considering this was a new planet it sure seemed old. Yellowish stone with a portcullis for a gate screamed medieval, possibly Roman. Yet Jude knew that this had been built recently as the whole town they were in was only founded a few years ago.

There was a clink as the gears began to wake. The mechanism could be heard whirring away as the metal spikes released themselves from the ground. As it rose higher and higher, the waning daylight poured on Jude’s face. The cold winter’s chill had vanished from the air as he stepped forward.

The stadium was nowhere near full. But that somehow made it worse. If the seats had been free the crowd would have been hard to imagine. But here he was, able to count each person. He was able to recognise each of his course mates from here, even the ones he was not familiar with. All their eyes on him.

The thought of people watching from home on their own computers might have crossed his mind, but it was quickly taken over by the rest of the anxiety he felt. Thoughts rushed through his mind fighting to be the one he was concerned with the most at any given time.

Then his eyes locked with Jarvis. It was like seeing a spring on a forest. He just felt calm. He was here to fight someone he had befriended. Someone who had decided to fight and have fun with.

As the announcer got ready to say their names, Jude removed his cloak and tossed it outside the ring. Jarvis smiled.

He was now in a short sleeve navy t-shirt with his gauntlets beginning halfway up his forearms.

“The fight between Jarvis “Jay” Emil and Jude Zairos, will commence.

“Begin!"