Gwyn found himself sitting in a new, tiny room. He turned to Colton, who only nodded before closing the door.
The room itself was plain. Three of the walls looked like they might form a square, but the last wall was curved ever so slightly, preventing the shape from being formed. The walls were white, and the curved section of the wall had a rather large window covered by two long, cream orange curtains that offered the only color in the bare room. A single bench was set in the middle of the room. It was long enough to be sat on or laid on, but neither position was very comfortable.
Gwyn sat down on the bench and thought to himself. Colton hadn't offered much on their walk, though it was something of a spectacle for him. They had exited what he assumed was the castle and walked down a long street through the city. There were Aqueenians as far as the eye could see, and they all stared at the odd human being directed by a soldier. Some whispered to themselves as he passed by.
Gwyn didn't care about any of that, however. He was distracted by all the new sights and sounds as he walked through the city. The city was laid out in a way he would be familiar with on earth. There were clear streets for hovering vehicles to move along, sidewalks, streetlights, etc. At the same time, it all appeared very alien to him. Everything was made chrome or white and had a swirling and ornate design, even where it was impractical. He could make out what some things were and had no idea about others. Any attempts Gwyn made to talk to Colton were answered with a simple 'sorry' by the Aqueenian soldier. Gwyn soon gave up pressing for information when he realized he wasn't going to get any answers.
Soon they arrived at the coliseum. Gwyn imagined a roman looking place by the description, but he soon realized that he was mistaken. The stadium was a giant oval shape, but the walls seemed to curve out as they went up. It was almost like someone stuck a giant funnel into the ground with the point downward. The outward curve only got more extreme at the top and began to jut out parallel to the ground. The building seemed like it should fall on them as they walked underneath.
The inside contained curved hallways that seemed to spiral around the building. Colton guided Gwyn around the corridors until they reached the room he was now locked inside.
Gwyn stood up and pulled the curtain to the side so he could look out the window. The glass was tinted somewhat. He figured it was one-way glass since he had not seen any windows on the outside. Out in the distance, the streets were busily buzzing with Aqueenians moving to and fro.
"Well, I had a good run," Gwyn said while forcing a smile on his face. He let the curtain fall back in front of his view. The day had quickly made him tired, and his eyes became focused on the bench. He laid down and fell asleep rather quickly.
A sound in the distance made Gwyn jump. He was up to his feet and quickly spun around to face whatever he heard, but the room was empty.
Another sound echoed in the distance; this time, he was able to recognize it as rattling. It was coming from the ceiling. Upon closer analysis, there was a simple grate built in the top. Its purpose was for venting, but Gwyn wondered if they ever let things into the rooms through it. The rattling sound got louder and louder, and Gwyn took a step back from the grate in the center of the room's ceiling. His back pressed firmly against the curtains.
After a few more seconds of rattling, the sound finally stopped. Gwyn made a sigh of relief, but he made it too soon.
An object promptly fell out of the vent and landed on the floor. It made a loud thud and bounced slightly in the air before crashing back down on the ground.
Gwyn took a slow step over to the object when it suddenly sprung up and began to shake. The shape could be best described as a dragon, a wyvern to be precise. It had a body about the size of a housecat with two broad bat-like wings. The face ended in a point, and it lacked any horns or similar sharp features, except several rather large-looking talons on its two feet. The creature looked clean and smooth with a metallic blue sheen. It shook its head, then rubbed its wings over its head.
"I should have taken a right turn, I suppose," it said aloud in a silky-smooth but also mechanical voice. It began to look around the room and settled on Gwyn, who had slowly been walking to it. He froze when their gazes became fixed on one another. The creature had bright orange, mechanical-looking eyes.
They stared at each other in silence for a moment. The creature stood still while wondering what Gwyn would do, and Gwyn pondered what the beast was. His mind went back to the bird that had attacked him in the king's throne room. It had been mechanical as well.
Now faced with a similar creature and impending doom, Gwyn had no concern for any danger. He was only left with morbid curiosity.
They stared at each other a moment longer, then Gwyn lunged forward with his hands out. The creature took to the air as the human slid harmlessly underneath, narrowly avoiding getting grabbed in the process.
"Woah, hey, calm down!" the blue dragon-like beast yelled.
Gwyn jumped back to his feet and tried to grab the creature out of the air. It flew in circles around the room, avoiding every attempt as Gwyn chased after.
"What are you?" He yelled to the creature while trying to grab it.
"Calm down, Netzian!" The creature flew to the ceiling and hung upside down from the grate. It was just high enough that Gwyn could not reach it even as he jumped in the air. That did not stop him from making several tries before he gave up and sat down on the bench. "Hahahaha," the creature laughed while pressing the tips of its wings to where the hips would be located, "You thought you could best me, but I am far mightier than that!"
"Whatever, it doesn't matter anyway," Gwyn said while crossing his arms and looking away from the creature. The dragon-like creature finally settled down from its laughter. It swiped a wing under its eye as one would with a tear, though there was nothing to wipe away.
"So, what are you doing here anyway. Never thought I'd see a Netzian in the Aqueenian arena," the creature asked.
"I think I'm waiting to die."
"That's a given; I meant, how did you get in Quenth?
"Some portal energy thing."
"Oh, so you are the other worlder! That's amazing!" The creature let go of the grate and fluttered down to the bench. It did not make a graceful landing on the bench, stumbling a little and having to catch itself with its wings, but both the creature and Gwyn decided not to bring it up. "I go by the name Persistent Memory; what name do you go by?"
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"Gwyn Black."
"Fascinating! Tell me, what do your parents go by?" Gwyn gave a confused look to the creature that seemed to have an eager expression, despite being some mechanical creation.
"If I'm answering questions, then shouldn't you as well?" The creature nodded to confirm, and Gwyn continued, "James Black and Himari Black. Now tell me...." Gwyn pondered his next question; he had many but probably didn't have enough time to ask them all. He settled with a, "What are you?"
"Ah, I guess you would be confused. Ahem," the creature called Persistent Memory stood up straight and appeared to make a motion as it coughed into its wing. "I am a Needaimus; we are an artificial support created by the Ancient Ones to enhance society!"
"That just gives me even more questions, Mem."
"I suppose it would; I like the nickname, though, well each was created with a different ability meant to aid a partner. When partnered, my ability can do things like change a liquid to solid and back again! No heat required!"
"Why?" Gwyn asked.
"Why, you ask! Just picture the uses! Metal could be switched into a liquid without needing to heat it, reshaped, and turned back into a solid! Making castings becomes safer and easier with an ability like mine!" Mem seemed rather proud of his ability.
"Why are you here and not in a factory then?" Gwyn asked.
The Needaimus tapped the tips of its wings together slowly as it gave the reason.
"Well, I got in a bit of trouble, and I'm sort of on the run, so I don't get melted down," Mem said softly. Gwyn laughed. "Don't laugh at me! You don't seem to be in a great situation either!"
"Sorry, I guess we're both in trouble, huh?" Gwyn said.
"Well, one of us is more in trouble than the other; I can escape through the vents!" With that comment, Mem fluttered back up to the grate and pushed its way through the holes.
"Wait!" Gwyn called out. He had gotten a sudden and likely lousy idea. Mem answered by poking its head out from the vent.
"I can't stay too long; I need to run!"
"If you have some sort of power, maybe you can help me?" Gwyn stood up as he asked. "The king said I'd be a citizen if I won, so maybe I can vouch for you afterward?"
Mem began to laugh so hard it fell out from the grate. This time, Gwyn caught Mem before contact could be made with the ground. The Needaimus was surprisingly light, despite the metal-looking exterior.
"I'd hate to tell you, but when that king offers that, there is no way the fight will be fair," Mem said through laughter. Gwyn set it on the bench and sat down again.
"Perhaps, but if we are both sentenced to die, maybe we can work together to get out of it?"
Mem stopped laughing and shook its head.
"Let me tell you what will likely happen; you're going to go up against some vicious beast you have no chance of beating. Then it will eat you. If I go with you, I will end up eaten as well!"
Gwyn thought to himself. He had thought he would have some gladiator-type opponent, but the chances of winning were slimmer against some animal.
"Well, maybe..." Gwyn started.
"It won't work; why do you want my help anyway?" Mem interrupted.
Gwyn thought to himself for a moment before giving his answer.
"I thought I was doomed, but with some power, I might be able to fight back."
Mem sighed.
"So, you think you would have a chance with my ability?"
"I don't know, but perhaps our meeting today was meant to be!" Gwyn happily said. He wasn't convinced of that himself, but he hoped it was enough to persuade Mem.
"I'd hate to tell you, but I just ended up in the vents by a powerful gust...." They stared at each other for a moment longer; then Mem shook its head. "Fine, if you can find a way to sneak me into the arena, I'll help. Beats being on the run and getting melted down later anyway...." The Needaimus said.
"Sneak you in?"
"I'm not large, but I'm not small either," Mem spread out its wings as if to show Gwyn, "They will not let me enter the arena with you, so you have to hide me somewhere." The task would be difficult, and Mem knew that. It did not plan to accompany Gwyn, and even if the Netzian could find a way to hide it, Mem planned to run at the first sign of trouble.
Gwyn rubbed his chin and looked around the room. His eyes settled on the orange curtains.
"Do you think they care about those curtains?" he asked with a grin. It was a grin that gave Mem a brief second thought. The kind that made the Needaimus want to see where things might go out of morbid curiosity.
"They might, but I want to see what you have in mind," Mem answered. If it could grin, it would have as well.
*****
Fiona rushed through the halls of the coliseum with Colton just barely keeping up with her.
"Wait, princess!" the soldier shouted to her, but she ignored it. She had found out what room they had Gwyn in, and she didn't have much time before he got carted off for the fight.
I don't know what you intend to do when you get there; a voice rang in her head.
"We won't know until we try, Sun," she shouted back at her mechanically covered hand.
"Princess!" Colton cried.
Fiona reached the door and began to bang on it.
"Gwyn, Gwyn, I'm coming in!" She wasted no time after unlocking the door. It smoothly slid open as Colton finally caught up. He put a hand on the princess's shoulder as he was breathing heavily.
"Princess, please, there is nothing that you can...." Colton's voice trailed off as the door finished sliding open. Gwyn stood in front of them. He had torn the curtain off the wall and had it draped around himself like a cloak. At least, that is what Gwyn had intended. Instead, the curtain wrapped around him and hung down from his neck to his knees. It looked more as if he was keeping warm with a blanket. On the top, he had torn it, so there was enough of a tassel to tie into a knot.
Both the princess and the soldier stared at him with a dumbfounded expressions.
"What are you wearing?" they asked in unison.
Gwyn coughed and cleared his throat; then, he put his hands on his hips.
"I figured if I was going into battle, I should wear something a little cool!" he said with a red face.
"I think that would just make you get overheated," Fiona answered; she shook her head, "Never mind that your fight's about to come up. Don't worry, if we run, I think we can escape. I have prepared a boat at the dock that will take you as far as Nun."
Colton shook his head.
"Princess, the guard presence in the city, is exceptionally high due to the conference. Even with your Need, you won't be able to escape so easily."
"We won't know until we try," she balled a fist and swung her arm in a motion to show that she was ready to go.
"We do know, Princess, people have tried escapes around the conference many times thinking security would be lax. You would have to be exceptional or have support to get past all the guards. Plus, as a guard, I am obligated to stop him as well."
"You aren't going to help me, Colton!" Fiona was shocked.
"Of course, I'm not!" Colton snapped back.
Gwyn cleared his throat to get their attention.
"As much as I appreciate the idea of help, I've already talk– thought over the idea of escaping, and it won't be possible."
"But Gwyn!"
"I do appreciate it, Fiona. Don't worry, though; I have a plan!"
"And that plan entails wearing curtains as clothing?" Fiona asked with her head tilting slightly.
"Something... like that."
Fiona opened her mouth to protest some more, but Colton gently pushed her away from the door.
"I just got word from the king that his fight is ready; I've been ordered to take him to the arena."
Gwyn nodded and stepped forward out of his room. The curtain he had draped around him fluttered dramatically as he walked. Colton held back a laugh at how dumb it looked and waved for Gwyn to follow.
"Maybe the curtain wasn't the best idea," he muttered to himself quietly while his head fell low. He shook his head and looked forward. He intended to carry on with his decision, no matter how he looked.
Fiona was left standing in the room. Her expression grew cold, and she sighed.
"Well, if he had escaped, that would have put all the officials in quite a huff," she said as she sat down on the bench.
It's for the best; I don't think your parents would have tolerated his escape. Even if you called it a prank or joke after the fact, her Needaimus said.
"That's fine by me. Maybe they'd disown me," Fiona sighed as she stood up from the bench and walked out of the room. She took one last look at the window that had been stripped of its curtains. As she pondered if Gwyn was intelligent or not, she took no notice of something, flying far in the distance, which was much larger than a typical city bird.
She walked away from the room and down the hallway. It was long, open, and empty. She paced around for a while until an official spotted her and called out her name.