The gates remained closed. No help was coming.

Kermit rushed to the scene and placed his hands on Arlene's shoulders. He bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Thanks buddy," Arlene said, coughing blood. "But I don't know if I'm gonna last twenty minutes."

"You will last twenty minutes," said Andy. "You can do this."

Andy was speaking this way in order to encourage Arlene, but also to comfort himself. She couldn't die here, not like this, not while there were support staff trying to get to her, held back by nothing but a steel grate.

Finally, a gate opened, but it was not the one they had entered through. It was the far gate.

A new man in familiar red robes flew on an announcer's platform, this one a bit older and less polished, and into the air above the group. The gate slammed down behind him.

"LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND ALL OUR HAPPY FRIENDS," the new announcer spoke into the amplifier system. His voice was smoother, cooler, more calculated. "I WILL BE TAKING OVER ANNOUNCING DUTIES FOR THE TIME BEING. IT APPEARS THAT OUR NEW ARRIVALS ARE IN A TOUGH SITUATION. THOUGH THEY'VE TECHNICALLY OVERCOME THEIR CHALLENGER, THE NOBLE COURT HAS DECIDED TO WITHHOLD MEDICAL AID FOR A PERIOD OF A HALF HOUR, AS A PENALTY FOR ATTACKING THE PREVIOUS ANNOUNCER."

The crowd booed almost unanimously.

"It's not against the rules!" He heard Dilgur yell from behind the grate. "They are allowed to!"

"AS YOU KNOW," the announcer continued, "THE NOBLE COURT RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE RULES OF ARENA COMBAT AT ANY TIME."

The crowd booed with more vigor. Some members began to toss food and detritus at the new announcer, who responded by rising out of reach.

"THE NEW ARRIVALS ARE NOT BEING DISQUALIFIED, THE NOBLE COURT IS REASONABLE. THEY ARE SIMPLY BEING PENALIZED TO DISINCENTIVIZE THEIR UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOR."

"They're trying to let them die!" Andy heard someone shout. "They're trying to kill the new arrival and Morwen both!"

The announcer remained silent as he circled the scene.

Kermit remained calm as he continued to intercede for Arlene.

"Don't stop," said Andy. He tore a piece of his tunic and tied it around Arlene's abdomen, pulling it tight to stop the bleeding as much as he could.

Arlene winced and gasped.

"She got me real good," Arlene said with a pained chuckle. "Real good. Morwen is a hell of a fighter," she said.

Andy smiled.

"Hang in there, Arlene," he said. "We're going to get you patched up."

In truth, he didn't know if they would or not. He didn't know how long she had left. It was bad, she was growing pale, and he didn't know if the Noble Court was just going to let her die slowly on the sand. It sure seemed that way.

He heard the grate rattle behind him. Dilgur, the frail old druid, was attempting to break through it, to no success.

"I think I'm…" Arlene began to speak. "I think I'm dying… I can't see."

"No!" Andy shouted instinctively. "Stay with me!"

"Left pouch," came Morwen's shaky voice.

"You're awake?" Andy said.

"Left pouch, there are some smelling salts," she said between labored breaths. "It will constrict her blood vessels… might buy you a few minutes."

Morwen lay on the ground, her forehead disfigured and her arms useless.

Andy dug through Morwen's belt, past several darts and a few hidden daggers, until he found the pouch she was talking about.

He opened it and was instantly hit by the unpleasant aroma. It was more powerful than anything he had ever experienced in his earthly life, causing his whole body to become much, much more alert.

Andy put the bag under Arlene's face.

"Oh my god," she said with a bit more vigor. "That reeks."

"Just hang on," Andy said.

Kermit continued his Intercession uninterrupted. He still had several minutes to go. The jury was still out on her survival.

Andy turned back to Morwen.

"What's your status?" he asked.

"Both shoulders… broken… arms useless," she said between labored breaths. "And I think I'm… severely concussed… fractured skull… possible herniation of the brain."

Andy observed Morwen's forehead. It was extremely swollen and misshapen.

"They're punishing me too," she said. "If I survive this, it will be from… pure spite."

She relaxed and let her head tilt back onto the ground.

"Stay with me!" Andy said.

Andy heard more pounding on the grate behind him. This time it wasn't Dilgur. The heavily muscled, shirtless bodyworker was now repeatedly slamming into the grate.

"I think… I think it's beginning to work," Arlene said weakly.

Kermit smiled gently as he continued praying, head bowed and eyes closed.

A wave of slight relief washed over Andy, but they weren't out of the woods yet. And Morwen needed immediate attention.

"Neither of you are going to die!" he said, shouting at Arlene and Morwen. "Do you hear me?"

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Morwen's hand formed a loose, weak thumbs up.

"Give Gar a hammer and let Gar through!" Andy heard from the archway behind him. "Gar will destroy this puny gate so that we may restore the health of the brave warriors!"

Andy was shocked. His picture of Gar turned upside down in an instant.

He couldn't help but smile. Perhaps Gar had only one single, intense focus: honor. Even Gar, the irascible berserker, could see that what the Noble Court was doing was plainly wrong.

"Help is coming," Andy said. "Hang tight and don't lose focus!"

"AAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH!"

The grate blew into pieces, scattering around the group, as Gar thrust a sledgehammer through it. Then, using his raw strength, the berserker bent the remaining edges.

The medical assistants, two men in trim, white uniforms, jumped through the grate and rushed to the group's aid.

One knelt down beside Kermit.

"Continue your Intercession while I examine her wounds," he said.

As the medic unwrapped her abdomen and ripped through Arlene's tunic, he winced at what he saw.

"Shit on a shingle," he said. "This was brutal."

"She's very pale," another one said.

"Are you conscious?" the first man asked Arlene.

"Yes," she said. "Thanks to Kermit."

"Truly," said the medic. "You wouldn't have survived more than a few minutes without him. But we need to accelerate your healing, stat. Can you eat?"

"I can try," said Arlene, her mouth and chin still stained with blood.

The other medic knelt beside Morwen, casting some sort of healing spell of his own. The swelling in her forehead reversed itself moderately, though it remained misshapen.

"That should stabilize her," he said. "But we need more juice. Morwen, are you awake?"

Morwen mumbled.

"Do you have any salts?"

Morwen tilted her head slightly toward Andy.

Andy tossed the bag of salts to Morwen's medic, and he held it under her nose as she wakened a bit more.

Arlene's medic reached into his bag and pulled out a handful of dates.

"I know this is going to be hard," he said, "but I need you to really, really enjoy these. So first I'm going to wash out your mouth, ok?"

Arlene nodded.

The medic produced a flask of water. And poured some in her mouth.

"Swish and spit," he said.

Arlene swished the water around and turned her head to spit the red liquid from her mouth onto the sand.

"Great job, great job," the medic said in a reassuring tone.

"I'M NOT SURE THE MEDICS HERE ARE ACTING UNDER PROPER AUTHORITY!" the announcer said from high above the stadium. "WE WILL SEE WHAT THE NOBLE COURT HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS."

The crowd booed intensely.

"Shut the fuck up, you vulture!" he heard Bertha yell.

The medic placed a date into Arlene's mouth.

"Now chew. Really savor it, ok? If we can get you a little boost here, then your teammate's intercession should carry you through."

Arlene nodded and winced as she struggled to chew.

"Do you like it?" The medic said. "Walnuts and honey stuffed in there."

"It's very sweet," Arlene said, clearly trying to find her concentration.

"Really savor it," the medic said.

Arlene closed her eyes and chewed slowly, finally swallowing.

"It's very good, actually."

Color returned to her face.

"Ok, she's improving," the medic said, "but do not stop the Intercession. Keep it going until it's done."

Kermit nodded without breaking his prayer.

Both medics then concentrated on restoring Morwen.

Andy looked across the arena at the far gate. It opened and Knight Omega emerged.

"You are violating the will of the Noble Court!" the knight said as he rapidly approached the medics.

Then Andy heard large footsteps approaching from behind.

"Gar does not care about the will of the Noble Court! 'Tis a court of cowards!"

The berserker walked around them, standing between the medics and Knight Omega.

The crowd gasped as the Knight stopped in his tracks.

"Gar knows that Knight Omega can destroy him," the berserker continued. "Gar challenges you to kill him. And if you do, you and all the nobility will face the wrath of the berserker guild."

The stadium fell into complete silence.

"You can surely defeat Gar," he continued. "Even I, powerful berserker, know that Knight Omega is strong. Strong through combat and cowardly magic. But even your strength is no match for my horde!"

Andy noticed dozens of people in the crowd stood up and disrobed down to loincloths, Men covered in blue paint, with necklaces of skulls around their necks and in their beards. They all began to yell, joining in a stereophonic chorus of rage, intimidation.

"There are hundreds more in Cresthaven," Gar said. "We will not hesitate to MAKE WAR!"

The berserkers in the crowd all raised their fists, chanting rhythmically.

The knight stood still.

The far gate opened again, but this time, it was not a knight, nor another announcer. It was a man, pale with black hair, small in stature, dressed in fine blue silk.

"That will not be necessary," the man said in a polite voice as he approached.

Whoever this guy was, it was clear that he was noble. Could it be…

"It's the duke," Andy heard a medic whisper.

"Our new arrivals have fought valiantly," he said, almost cheerfully. "I commend you!"

He stepped up side-by-side with Knight Omega.

"At ease, Omega," he said.

The knight took a step back.

"Gar, we appreciate your service to the city of Cresthaven, and we in no way wish to jeopardize our treaty with the berserkers by conducting ourselves in a way that you may deem dishonorable. But you must understand, this arena is a difficult challenge, intended to root out the weak and allow the strong to rise to the top. Sometimes the stakes are high."

Andy thought about cutting in, but decided against it.

Arlene remained reclined, still in some pain and not concerned with the drama happening around her.

Morwen seemed to be regaining some amount of consciousness, however tenuous.

The duke seemed to take note of Morwen's recovery and began speaking more quickly.

"The new arrivals have more than proven themselves, so they will progress to the final round," the duke said.

The gates began to open, but the crowd remained silent.

Finally, Kermit finished his Intercession.

"Aaaaaaamen," he said as Arlene propped herself up and began to rise to her feet.

"Thanks bud," Arlene said to him, smiling.

The crowd cheered exuberantly, combining their applause with the celebratory chanting of the berserkers.

"Omega, if you will, please follow me," the duke said before turning around to face Gar. "And you," he said to the berserker. "We will overlook your threats… for now. Do not push your luck, berserker."

Gar huffed and furrowed his brow, but he remained silent.

That seemed to be enough agreement for the duke.

The nobleman then looked at Andy, Kermit, and Arlene.

"Well done, new arrivals," he said. "I look forward to what you accomplish in the third round."

He quickly walked through the far gate, followed by the knight.

"What'd I miss," Morwen said, coming back to full consciousness.

"You almost missed a berserker riot," said one medic, chuckling.

Morwen looked up knowingly at Gar, who knelt beside her. He placed his hand on her cheek.

"It made Gar's heart happy to see you fight with honor," said the berserker. "Like old times."

"Like old times, good friend," Morwen said with a smile as she rose to her feet with the help of the medics.

Andy and Kermit helped Arlene up slowly.

The crowd's cheering intensified into a frenzy as the group dusted themselves off and made their way back to the shattered gate, leaving the blood-soaked sand behind them.