The Coliseum was a massive, grand structure located in the northern area of Yivesh. Having just visited the city center not long ago, Samantha thought to herself that it would have blended in perfectly with the striking architecture there. Here, however, the circular structure surrounded by a wide ring of open space could not be overlooked by any passersby. Currently, this ring was dotted with pop-up merchant stalls looking to make some money from those visiting the Coliseum. All manner of items were sold, from clothing, to food, to medicines, to weapons, but Samantha didn’t pay the criers asking for her patronage any mind since she already came prepared with everything she needed.
She looked up at the looming building, drinking in the 50 foot tall stone walls. They seemed more imposing now that she was about to be one of the combatants that so many people watched and cheered on. There were at least a dozen sets of ornately railed staircases carved into the rock of the walls in a spiral pattern, with regularly spaced landings dispersed throughout where visitors could walk through an open archway that led to the inside of the building. Samantha remembered from her own time visiting as a mortal that beyond each archway was a short tunnel that opened up to a row of seats that circled the Coliseum grounds. Since there was no fee to watch a duel, there was no seating that any one person could reserve–though there was an unspoken rule that the weaker a person was in cultivation the further away they would sit.
The ground-floor seating which bordered the fighting area in the center of the Coliseum was the smallest section, and generally taken by those of Mid-Bronze rank or higher. This allowed them to have the best view of the action, as well as made them the first line of defense in case of stray combat arts or debris. From there, the rings of seating gained height and distance from the fighting area similar to the inside of a bowl.
Lost in thought, Samantha didn’t notice her father’s outstretched hand behind her until it was gently placed on her shoulder. Her parents had been putting on their best fronts the whole walk over from Cray’s Creations, chatting with her amicably about nothing in particular. Unfortunately for their valiant efforts, [Prey’s Awareness] allowed her to see every crack in the façade whenever she turned away from them and they didn’t think she could see them. She wouldn’t dare bring it up, though. It was sweet that they were doing their best to put her at ease, even in this situation.
“We know you need to go and meet your Adjudicator, so your mother and I will go on ahead. We’ll be towards the back, but we’ll cheer you on loud enough so you can hear us in the fight! Good luck.” Aldon said, tousling her short hair playfully.
“You be safe too, little man.” Martha cooed, crouching down and scratching Silas behind the ears. Silas positively purred with delight as his back leg thumped rhythmically at the spoiling touch.
“Wow. So I’m no longer the favorite, huh mom?” Samantha teased, giving both of her parents a hug.
“Psh! Don’t be silly. You’re the best daughter I’ve ever had.” Martha shot back with a wink.
“...I’m the only daughter you’ve ever had?” Samantha replied.
“You’re right. That also makes you the worst daughter we’ve ever had!” Aldon added on cheerfully. “Go on now, or you’ll be late.”
Samantha waved goodbye with a laugh and made her way through an oversized front entrance that was exclusively for employees or combatants to enter the Coliseum. After asking a few helpful people for directions, Samantha found the private room that she was scheduled to meet the Adjudicator in.
The room looked like a perfect cube had been hollowed out from the thick rock walls surrounding the arena. There were no windows and only a single door leading into the room, but the space was not as claustrophobic as she would have thought. A delicately carved wooden table set with two chairs on top of a vibrant patterned rug drew her eyes to the center of the room. A qi lantern giving off a warm glow above the table did its best to make the space more welcoming, and allowed her to see the various scrolls around the room clearly. Every scroll depicted a different scene from nature, and they all seemed to be painted by the same skilled artist.
As she closed the door behind her and took a seat at the table, an enchanted script on the backside of the door lit up. She speculated that the enchantment secured the room against someone scrying or listening in, but she really had nothing to base that on.
She scooped up Silas into her lap and stroked the fur on this head absentmindedly for a moment. His warmth and softness was comforting, and helped to take the edge off her nervousness. She leaned back against the chair, closed her eyes, and let out a deep sigh.
Feeling her stress, Silas nuzzled into her palm, “We’re going to win! Don’t worry. We practiced so many strategies… there’s no way we can lose!”
Samantha could feel Silas’s own anxiety through their bond, but couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm anyway. “It’s not just that. I was remembering the last month and couldn’t help but think about how stupid I had been acting. And for what? It ended up not mattering anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Silas asked.
“I mean, after our fight with the brothers in the forest practically every action I took was out of fear. I snuck into town, I stayed away from my parents and my home, I hid in the slums, I concealed my identity when working with Aiden…” Samantha gave him a scritch behind the ears and continued, “If I had been bold from the start would things have turned out differently? Would Aiden still be alive? Would I never have found the hidden quest?”
Silas pressed himself closer to her in an attempt to reassure her while she pulled up the notification she had looked at countless times over the last few days.
Hidden Quest: Cull the Weak (Part 2 of 2)
Time Remaining: 17 days
Enter any ascension obelisk and begin your climb. WARNING: Failure to ascend within the time limit will result in severe restrictions to your cultivation advancement and system access.
Watching the time limit tick down each day made her stomach churn, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop looking at the message. The memories from the day she killed the Rat King haunted her–even more so with her mind meridian making any remembrance of the events crystal clear. What disturbed her wasn’t that she felt guilty about her actions, though. It was that she felt no guilt at all.
“I keep telling myself that they were evil people… that they deserved what they got. But is it really so clear cut as that? Was it my place to bring them to justice? Or, maybe I should be more honest with myself and call it what it is: vengeance.”
“Why be upset that you were stronger? That’s how it is. If you have the power, you take from others. Supplies. Territory. Life. What you take and for why doesn’t matter. Only strength matters. It is natural for things to be that way.” Silas questioned, confused about her dissonant feelings.
“Maybe.” Samantha conceded, “Maybe as a cultivator I will need to adjust my thinking some to be more like yours. Still, that entire situation put a time limit on my life here and look where it got me. I did all these crazy things, but I still ended up in the very place I was trying to avoid.
“Looking back I think it was inevitable, you know? Yivesh is big, but not that big. You’re too unique, Silas. No matter how I hid or changed my appearance, if the Braxand family really wanted to find me all they’d need to do was look for you. I couldn’t have evaded them forever. I’m nervous about how things will go today, but also relieved. At last this will be put behind me, one way or another.”
Samantha opened her eyes as the aura of a Peak Copper cultivator washed over the room.
She moved to stand, but the man waved her down. With a warm smile, he said, “Your companion looks comfortable on your lap, it’d be a shame to disturb him. I am Holt Dempster, and I will be your Adjudicator today.”
Samantha bowed her head towards him as he took his seat across from her, “My name is Samantha Cray. It’s an honor to meet you, Adjudicator.”
“Have you participated in a sanctioned duel before, Miss Cray?” he asked, pulling out some paper and a writing brush to take notes.
“No. This is my first time.”
“Would you like me to fill you in on the general process? Or are you already familiar?”
“I know a little, but if you could give me a brief overview I’d appreciate it.”
“Certainly. There are generally two categories of duels: spars or dispute settlements. You listed the duel as a dispute settlement when you rented the Coliseum space and hired me, hence why am I meeting with you before the fight. My goal currently is to get both sides of the story without one party intimidating the other into changing how they describe the situation. If this was just a spar, we’d only be meeting on the field to go over a few details like win conditions, you see.”
Samantha nodded along, nothing sounding too out of the ordinary.
“I’ve met with Eileen already to hear her side of things, but please don’t worry about me holding her words against you. I am an impartial third party, just here to record the details for my report however things play out. Once we’re done here we’ll go to the Coliseum floor to introduce you and your situation to the audience, and then solidify the other fight details there. Once things are agreed on by both parties you fight, I record who wins, and you both leave–dispute settled. Any questions?”
“Things like wagers are decided in the arena after the introductions, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Years and years ago wagers used to be decided privately before the match, but some cultivators got it in their heads to start publicly betting as a way to enhance their reputation or tear down their opponent’s–shows of wealth, proof of determination… that sort of thing. Then, that eventually became the norm. I’ve seen people bet all sorts of things in my time working as an Adjudicator! Money and spirit pearls, obviously, but also more eccentric things. Siblings or children to be married off at a later date, vows of service… I even saw one instance where two men wagered that whoever lost would need to strip naked on the spot and squawk like a chicken towards the audience!” Holt laughed.
“And everyone will be able to hear what is being wagered? During my past visits as a mortal I never had any issues with hearing what was happening, but I just want to make sure.” Samantha confirmed.
“Yes. There are some enchantments that enhance the sounds coming from the arena. That way even audience members in the back row of the Coliseum seating will be able to hear what’s being said clearly by those in the dueling area.”
“Perfect.” Samantha said, satisfied.
“If that’s everything you wanted to ask, why don’t you tell me what started this feud with the Braxands.” Holt said with his brush poised to write, gesturing for her to begin whenever she was ready.
Samantha obliged.
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The day was unusually cold, especially with the sunlight shining directly down from overhead. It was not enough to truly bother a cultivator, but Samantha could see many mortals in the Coliseum’s stands dressed in winter garments and drinking hot beverages as they watched the fights. Her parents were no exception, huddling together under a blanket as they watched her with obvious worry. As the last set of severely bloodied duelists left the arena floor to make space for her upcoming fight, Samantha could see her parents noticeably paling. Thomas--along with some of the owners from the Southern Business District who were interested in watching her fight--sat near her parents and looked to be trying to encourage them.
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Samantha and Eileen stood before an Adjudicator in an empty space near the perimeter. Eileen looked as bored as she had when she had originally challenged Samantha.
“Let us go over the final details that I will be writing in my report–please speak up if anything I say is incorrect. This fight will be categorized under dispute settlement on my report, not a spar. The Challenger, Eileen Braxand, accused the Challenged, Samantha Cray, of dishonorable acts against her kin that resulted in injury and loss of a family artifact. The Challenged Samantha Cray has protested this claim, and counterclaims that Eileen’s kin were the ones who behaved dishonorably and she was acting in self defense. The winner’s claim will be regarded as truth, and their honor will be upheld. Any objections so far?” the Adjudicator confirmed.
Eileen shook her head at the question, but Samantha spoke up, “I do, actually.” She turned to Eileen and addressed her, “Eileen, are you the one accusing me of shameful acts? Or are you just standing in for my real accusers, who are too weak or cowardly to confront me directly?”
“I am the one accusing you.” Eileen said, a spark of confusion showing in her expression.
For her plan to work, she needed the three brothers to be directly involved with the duel. If Eileen took full responsibility for the accusation and the results of the fight, it insulated the trio from any consequences if Eileen lost.
“In that case, I decline your challenge. You were not present during the event, and thus have no real stake in the fight. Let those who were involved step forward and challenge me for their honor, or let them remain silent and I will accept that as an admission of their wrongdoing.”
The crowd began murmuring at her words. The whispered cacophony of conversations sounded like the crowd had a fair mix of intrigue and displeasure at this turn of events.
“Decline? You’ve already accepted! This behavior is utterly shameful.” Eileen protested, irritation lacing every word.
“When I accepted the duel a week ago there were four challengers. Now I see only one. Did the other three lose what little dignity they possessed on the way to the Coliseum? Can they not bear to even stand face to face with me? Do they cower in the shadows hoping that someone else will scrape together the remains of their honor for them?” Samantha said with obvious scorn.
“I am the one who will be fighting you. Non-combatants have no place on the Coliseum’s arena floor.” Eileen countered.
“While you may be the one fighting, this dispute is a matter of honor, wouldn’t you agree? You have chosen to participate based on the testimony of your family, yet they will not even show their faces to take accountability for their claims? I would argue that their behavior is utterly shameful, not mine.”
The mood of the crowd slowly shifted at this exchange. Samantha could feel the audience's curiosity growing at what she was angling for and how this would play out. Eileen looked to the Adjudicator in hopes that he would step in, but Holt gave no indication that he would interfere at this time.
“Enough. We will not tolerate you slandering us any further!” a male voice shouted as the trio of brothers stood from their place near the halfway point between the front and back row of seating.
Samantha could see that Eileen was positively fuming, her teeth audibly grinding at the outburst from the brothers.
“We do not cower behind anyone. Let it be known that I, Liam Braxand, do accuse you.” Liam declared.
“And I, Anthony Braxand.” Anthony agreed.
“And I, Darryl Braxand, accuse you as well.” the gruff, scarred brother said.
At least I finally know all of their names now.
The Adjudicator nodded sagely at their words and announced to the audience, “Let it be known to all that Liam, Anthony, and Darryl Braxand have officially added their accusations to Eileen’s. In doing so, they have made themselves an involved party in the outcome of this duel. In my report, the Challengers will now be listed as Eileen, Liam, Anthony, and Darryl Braxand, with their champion being Eileen. Do all parties agree to this change?”
“Yes, I agree!” Samantha quickly affirmed.
“We agree!” the brothers cried out in unison.
Eileen looked exasperated, but eventually shook her head in disbelief, “Fine. I agree as well.”
“Are there any additional conditions anyone wishes to place on the outcome of the duel?” The Adjudicator continued, filling in some official looking forms as he spoke.
Eileen pulled a clinking satchel off her waist and placed it on a nearby table, “I suggest a wager of 50 gold.”
“I decline the wager.” Samantha said, and Eileen looked over to her in surprise.
“The value of my honor cannot be matched in gold alone. I have taken incredible offense to the blatant lies you have spread about my character, and demand a cost that is equal to the insult. I propose something else. Let the losing parties be subject to such shame that even their presence on this floor is a disgrace to their family name. Those that lose must banish themselves to the second floor within the next month.”
The entire coliseum–including the Adjudicator–seemed to breathe in a single gasp of shock.
While it was not strictly forbidden for cultivators to ascend to the next floor, such a fate was usually reserved for only the most heinous criminals among them. As far as anyone knew, to ascend to the second floor was certain death, since none who passed through had ever returned to say otherwise. This wasn’t for lack of trying to obtain the knowledge either.
In the past, many adventurous cultivators were offered wealth, lordship, and treasures for the simple act of ascending and immediately returning to relay their experience. It was determined after many unsuccessful attempts that it was either impossible to return, or the ascendants died before they had a chance to do so.
To prevent more needless loss of cultivators in Yivesh, this practice was discontinued. Furthermore, Samantha discovered during her research in the Athenaeum that future ascensions in general were heavily discouraged by the city outside of punishments. The City Lord’s Palace was expanded to surround the ascension obelisk and information about the ascension process was locked away in rank-restricted areas of the Athenaeum, making the knowledge lost to all but the most curious cultivators. Despite these barriers, the City Lords could never truly stop ascensions. The right to ascend was sacred and protected by the System itself. If a willing cultivator declared their intent to ascend at the Palace gates, none would dare stand in the way or else they’d risk the System’s wrath.
“Outrageous! This cannot possibly be allowed.” Eileen exclaimed, looking to the Adjudicator to back her up.
“Outrageous? Perhaps. Allowed? I’ll need to confirm. Let me consult with my peers for a moment–this is a first for me.” Holt admitted, then quickly made his way into a nearby door that led into the Coliseums walls.
Everyone was shocked into silence for a brief period as they watched the Adjudicator depart, processing the gravity of Samantha’s wager. As if signaled by some outside force, the audience burst into a thundering racket of speculation and conversations. Couriers and messaging arts were rapidly sent out of the Coliseum, spreading the word about the duel with ascension on the line. As the minutes passed, more and more people flooded the stands until there wasn’t even any standing room left. Even the front rows where only the strongest were seated filled to capacity.
I’ve got you now.
Holt returned as promised after a few minutes, his expression placid and giving nothing away. The audience quieted, awaiting what came next with palpable anticipation. “I’ve spoken with the other Adjudicators present, as well as sent out some external inquiries. As you both know, the Coliseum is a place of combat, but not death. It’s not permitted for a duel to purposefully end a life, either inside or outside the arena grounds.”
“Obviously, this isn’t allowed then!” Eileen said smugly, her tense posture relaxing.
“However…” Holt continued.
Eileen’s smug expression shifted into one of grave concern.
“While it is speculated that only certain death lies beyond this floor, that’s something that has never definitively been proven. Thus, I’ve determined that this bet will be a valid one–but with one caveat. A blood price of 50 gold may be paid by those who do not wish to ascend on a loss, similar to how reparations are paid for deaths caused. Is this agreeable?” he asked.
“Yes!” Samantha immediately agreed.
Eileen hesitated before asking, “May I consult with the head of House Braxand, who is in attendance today?”
“You may not.” Holt denied. “This decision is a matter only for the involved parties in the duel. You of course may always decline the wager or refuse the duel entirely.”
Eileen–who had been so confident not long ago–now radiated uncertainty. Samantha imagined that this entire situation was much more than she had bargained for when she initially agreed to duel in lieu of the Low Copper brothers. Samantha could tell Eileen was considering declining as the woman cast her gaze over the packed Coliseum, weighing the loss in reputation to herself and her family name if she backed out now. Even if she only declined the wager, it would reflect incredibly poorly. Samantha was putting her life on the line to uphold her honor–at least to the eyes of the public–and for her opponents to lack that same resolve was telling.
“We accept!” Liam, the eldest declared. The two brothers nodded in agreement with his words.
Eileen spit out an expletive under her breath.
And now, you’re the ones who’ve sprung my trap.
Eileen glared openly at the trio, who looked down on her from the audience with arrogant confidence. She shook her head again in disbelief, before bringing her shoulders up in a shrug and barking out a laugh. “Fine. You already have my blood price there, Adjudicator.”
Holt nodded to Eileen, “and you, Samantha?”
“This duel will either end with my victory or my ascension, Adjudicator.” she replied respectfully.
“Very well. And you, Liam? Anthony? Darryl? Will you pay the blood price or will you ascend in the case of a loss?” the Adjudicator inquired.
Like all the blood had drained out of their bodies, the trio went as white as sheets. Anthony was the one who spoke up this time, “Does the gold paid by our Champion not cover us as well?”
Holt shook his head, “As I said, a blood price of 50 gold must be paid by those who do not wish to ascend. Eileen has paid 50 gold for herself. Will you offer payment, or will you ascend?”
“Will you accept a payment slip from our house?” Anthony asked, desperation tinging his words.
Holt turned towards a man sitting in the most prestigious section of the front row. Despite the coliseum being packed to the brim, no one crowded this man as they stood near him. He looked older, perhaps in his mid 60’s or early 70’s, but was in incredible shape. His muscles maintained their wiry definition and his eyes were sharp and calculating. His long, white hair was tied back in an elegantly styled low ponytail, and his neatly trimmed beard enhanced his statesman-like appearance. He was richly dressed in vibrantly colored robes, multiple luxurious layers gracefully flowing over shining jewelry.
“Master Braxand, will you offer up the blood price for these members of your house?” The Adjudicator asked, bowing deeply to the man.
The man turned his shrewd gaze to her and met her eyes before looking her over once. He seemed to be evaluating her, and once he was finished he nodded to himself and beamed a smile at her. Samantha was surprised to see that there were gaps where some of his teeth should be. It didn’t match with the perfectly manicured appearance he maintained everywhere else.
Suddenly, Samantha’s eyes widened in recognition as her enhanced mental acuity kicked into overdrive. If not for her recently opened mind meridian, there was no way she would’ve been able to connect the drastically different appearance of this man to the one she had met in the slums. The smile gave it away though. She was certain that she had just found Ol’ Man Whisper once again, as unlikely as it seemed.
“I will not, sir Adjudicator.” Ol’ Man Whisper asserted cheerfully.
Liam pushed his way through the packed crowd until he was close enough to jump down to the arena floor. Upon landing, he prostrated himself in front of the master of his house, pressing his face into the dirt before him. “I beg you, Master! I know that you are generous, and this amount is but a pittance to your vast wealth and power.” Liam pleaded.
Ol’ Man Whisper laughed lightly, as if he hadn’t a care in the world and a man was not actively begging to him, “The young Miss Cray said it best, no? True honor cannot be matched with gold alone. Did you think Eileen hesitated in accepting these conditions for herself? She knew exactly what would come to pass due to your hotheaded foolishness. You cannot complain now, as you were the ones who authored your own fate this day. All you can do is pray that your champion can extricate you from the expertly laid trap.”
He paused and looked at Samantha to directly address her, “This is the second time you’ve impressed me. Well done.”
If Samantha had any doubt in who she was dealing with before, this comment would have sealed it for her.
The crowd whispered in curiosity again. Even Eileen seemed confused by Master Braxand’s words, wondering how Samantha’s and his paths had crossed before.
“Please, master!” Liam cried.
The killing intent of a High Bronze weighed down on the Coliseum, causing most of the mortals to faint immediately. Only those shielded from the onslaught by nearby cultivators’ aura managed to stay conscious. Many cultivators bowed under the weight of it as well, even Samantha falling to her hands and knees as she felt his indomitable aura tighten around her very soul.
“Beg once more and you and your brothers will be dead to this family. I have spoken. Now, face your fate with dignity.” Ol’ Man Whisper commanded, his voice thundering through the space like the word of a god.
As suddenly as it had appeared, his killing intent was drawn back to himself and every person took a few moments to regain their senses.
“W-well then.” Holt announced shakily, doing his best to keep proceedings moving smoothly, “As commanded by Master Braxand, the three brothers will not offer up the blood price.”
Liam dejectedly pulled himself up from the ground and made his way back to his brothers.
“Combatants, the conditions for the duel have been set. You fight until surrender or incapacitation with no other restrictions. Please take your positions.”