For the tournament night, Tanuki cleaned himself and his clothes. Though he would not need to fight, he brought his bow and quiver of arrows to the tournament as a sign of strength. The participants may think of him as the prize for winning the game and he wanted to avoid any misconceptions. Whoever managed to get out on top of the four participants would win only one thing: a death certificate signed by him.
The portal appeared at exactly six at sundown. There was an indicator above it, showing how many people were allowed through the portal.
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Edgar decided to accompany him after he saw the fear amidst all of Tanuki’s excitement. Woodrow would have joined him too, but kindly denied the offer.
“You have done well to bring a weapon, my Liege. It shows strength and preparedness. So too will great rulership be displayed by my wise friend, Edgar’s escort.”
“Don’t call me that,” Edgar growled.
“However,” Woodrow bowed his head, “I do fear my company would benefit your appearance in no way.”
Tanuki’s back was painted blue by the portal, his cheeks orange from the setting sun. The surprise in his expression connected the two colours until a warm smile ousted the cold away. He playfully tilted his head to one side and as he did, the sun gleamed back from his glasses and cast the lenses in gold.
“I feel honoured to have you in my realm. If it weren’t for you, this place might turn into a desert.”
“Your words honour me, and I feel joyous you would bring me to such an event. However, I must put your best interest ahead of my wishes.”
Tanuki’s smile faded. “Then who do you recommend?”
“A ruler must have an army, and an army must have generals. They will know you are the head of state and the one who gives out orders. However, generals better their perceived image of you. If you arrive with a strong soldier, it will let them know powerful people answer your call, for you are mightier than first meets the eye.”
“His logic is sound,” Tanuki thought. Kings and queens of history never met with other nobles alone. They always had a small circle of powerful men and women they kept around, not only as bodyguards but as ornaments to the mighty crown.
Instead of Woodrow, Six was chosen to accompany Tanuki. The shopkeeper decided on him a while ago and made plans with the other plantfolks to properly dress their champion. The male plantfolks undressed him to shine his armour and sharpen his blade, while the women bathed him in a wooden barrel. They brushed his cape made of leaves and trimmed it to make it appear even His unhealed cuts, wounds, and damaged antlers they decorated with bands made from the growing roses, and on the top of his head, they placed an even greater flower crown.
When Six appeared in front of him, Tanuki was awestruck. Compared to the damaged minion who once accompanied him to the nestmen hive, the one belittled by his comrades and called names, he had grown to be something greater than he would have ever imagined. Plantfolks had no history prior, as the circle of death and recreation made it impossible for culture to carry on between generations. They were at peace with the knowledge their lives would not matter in the grand scheme of things, but after the King’s death and revolt against the Mad Queen, it changed. They were no longer sleeping slaves of fate, they had escaped the cycle and walked out into the sun.
Though only blood united them previously, a shared dream ignited their veins. They wanted to unite as people, get a foothold on their culture and pass it on to the coming generations. They wanted to write history and have tales so those yet unborn may remember the fallen.
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The choice of Six was not one made by the shopkeeper alone. They had voted for the man who was the first to raise a blade against the Mad Queen and draw the beginning of a new age. They respected him the most, and for that reason, they wanted him to represent them.
Tanuki looked Six down from head to toe and fought tears once he understood. “Alright then,” he said with a shaky voice, “Are we ready to enter?”
Six rested his hand on the handle of his blade. Edgar put his arms together and nodded. They surrounded Tanuki on both sides and entered the portal with him.
“Let’s do this!”
Going through the portal felt like going underwater. When they got through and their senses cleared, the sound of trumpets grew in their ears. The blue in their vision faded and the two tall stone statues became clear at the end of the hall. They resembled warriors and held a large bowl in which fire burnt. As they walked forward, the torches’ function became clear: above them, a thousand stars gleamed in the night sky.
Ahead was something unfamiliar to Edgar and Six, but not to Tanuki. Immediately, he recognized the familiarity between this place and the Colosseum, the largest and most famous Roman amphitheatre. Though there existed many places for fights, such as arenas throughout all kinds of worlds, it was this building made so perfect for fights that the game decided upon its likeness.
Despite its huge size, the seats remained empty. Not a soul could be seen around, only the statues that lit the space.
Edgar grew paranoid. He took a step closer to the two and whispered, “This is a fighting pit, right? I have heard of those. It should have people betting on the fighters. So, where is everyone?”
“Perhaps late,” Six replied in his deep, creaky voice.
Tanuki looked back up at the sky. His realm had none, but those here were not only plentiful but rather colourful. Blue, green, red, yellow. Late nights out of the city, he remembered seeing the tentacle of the Milky Way in the night sky and sometimes wondered what it must be like to be close to the centre. Now he finally got to experience it, and though it was beautiful, he valued it more understanding it.
“Oh, we got plenty of spectators,” he pointed a finger at the sky. The two followed with their head and gasped a moment later.
“Are those… people?” asked Edgar.
“Yup. Remember when I told you about the Professor? He said he would appear in the night sky as a star, and we could exchange items that way. Those stars are other people looking down on us.”
“Are they problem?” Six slowly drew his blade, but Tanuki signalled for him to stop.
“No. I don’t think they can interact with us.”
Suddenly, a fourth voice drew them back towards the bottom of the arena as the trumpets played triumphant and a small, round, pig-like creature greeted them. It wore a tuxedo, though no pants or shoes fit his tiny legs. A blue monocle was lodged between the fat in front of one of his tiny black eyes and a Victorian stovepipe hat rested on top of his head, the latter of which he nearly knocked off every time he flung his walking stick around in excitement.
“Welcome! Welcome, gods and deities! Welcome divine and unholy! But most importantly, welcome Hachiro Tanuki!”
The pig creature bowed his head (as much as he could with a ball-shaped body) and it made Tanuki wonder if the hat was glued to his head.
“My name is Kukusi and I am the ringmaster of tonight’s tournament! Come in, come, walk the stairs and approach the front row! We have a throne dedicated just to the night’s lucky deity and his followers, some come on down! Do take a seat, yes-yes! My servants will bring you refreshments, wine and bread, do please enjoy our hospitality and eat well!”
Tanuki could barely think as he was bombarded with the care of other smaller pigs that led him to a large stone throne and surrounded him with five different kinds of food as soon as he sat down. The other two were not left out of the fun, the round servants overwhelmed them with three different types of wine, of which Edgar was too paranoid to drink, and Six consumed all without a worry.
“Do not be shy and follow your friend’s example!” Kukusi pointed his stick at Six.
“My general! He is my general,” Tanuki tried to correct him, but the ball of excitement did not hear him under his own voice.
“Well then! How about we begin with the formalities? Of course, allpatricipantsareherewillinglyandweareinnowayreliableforanyharmthatbefallsthemandsotomakethingsfairandinlinewiththerulesofinvasioneveryparticipanthasbeenlockedtothecurrentleveloftheinvadeddeityandsotheyareallatthesamepowerlevelandyes, and again, while the very nature of this tourney makes it evident death is not a possibility but an expectation, all participants have the right to forfeit or spare their opponent. Now then, I know you have waited what feels like an eternity, so let’s cut to the chase and get to the good part, shall we?”
The stars glowed brighter, as if clapping and cheering.
“Then let’s get this party started!”