I waited for hours, simply watching the guards as they made their way down the halls and through the walkways. They all seemed bored at their job, though that didn't mean they did a bad job. No, rather they did an incredible job. I didn't have more than a minute before I was being watched again. I simply laid there, fantasizing about what might happen in the future. Though I was constantly brought back to one point. I was fifteen-hundred years ahead of schedule. I need a way to either move through time or to stay alive till then. Honestly, the second option seems more plausible to me. Bronze dragons are notorious for tracking down others who abuse time, and “taking care” of them. Even if I did manage to find a way to time travel, AND evade them, there is no guarantee where or when I would end up. No, it was just better to find a way to survive.

I continued to wait in that cell, slowly feeling my brain cells rot away from the boredom, til I heard a clink as a troll woman unlocked my cage. She wasn't very tall by troll standards but she easily stood at seven feet flat, with very light purple skin and blue eyes. Her hair was braided in the back as it lay flat upon her back reaching down to touch her ass. Her face was formed into a frown that only grew larger as she looked upon me as if I was a dissatisfying existence in life. She wore a two-piece dress, covered in blue and black straps that made up the lower area, and dark blue flooding the top. Her entire midriff was exposed, however, as she showed off a small amount of jewelry with a belly button piercing holding a small golden ring. Though it showed off her hourglass figure as well as jewelry, with her bust and hips getting the perfect curves while being covered. Though her short size caused her to seem almost smaller than what she was. But just because of that, didn't make me feel any better. I felt nervous around her. As if you were next to a psychopath. You don't know what could happen next.

“Wat ya be doin here mon?” She asked, in a more feminine voice than I thought she would produce while staring at me with no small amount of confusion. “Tresspasin.” I simply replied, with a small shoulder shrug. Though that didn't seem to help her at all, as she just nodded absentmindedly. “Ya mind tellin’ me how?” She asked, trying to get a story out of me. “Sure mon, if only ya be down ta a bit o’ playin.” I smiled as lewdly as I could as i spoke, trying my best to give her the impression I was hoping for. And as her stare grew colder, I knew I gave her it. “Wat gave ya tha impression dat I would agree to dat?” She stared at me while I simply sat on my bed wearing the largest grin I could. “Why? Cause ya smell just like a wet bitch in heat.” I spat back at her, watching as small veins popped here or there on her forearms and a single one across her forehead. She let out a huff as she immediately turned around, walking through the unlocked gate once more, knocking one of the guards to the side in her anger, while the door latched shut. Thank god. I thought as I dropped all pretenses and lay back down. I don’t know how much longer I could have stayed like that. I told myself while thinking about what would happen next. If I had pissed her off enough, she would probably put me in the arena. Though I also risked the chance of being executed, though I could just ask for a chance in the arena instead. Works out in the end. I thought as I mentally shrugged.

I ended up falling asleep in the bed, only to wake up to the door unlocking once more, as two guards came in with chains and handcuffs. “Put dem’ on.” He gruffly told me, as I sat up to do so. I quickly put the handcuffs on myself, before I could do anything else however, I was already being pulled along. I was walked to a wagon outside the door and shoved in before they locked the door and began driving off. I simply sat in the back, in the dark as the slow path wound down. Though it took much longer than I would have thought, as normally it would take me a half-hour to reach the arena, the carriage took well over two hours.  I can't say for the life of me why it would take that long. But while I couldn't do so in the cart, I immediately knew once I stepped out. I saw huge gatherings of people, wrapped around the arena area like a rock submerged in water. They were all trying to get into the arena, as they were chatting quite loudly to their neighbors and family. I even saw a few children walking with their parents.

I simply nodded looking upon this, as it is better to let your children know about death and fighting early on. They would prove to be better warriors should they watch. Though a small part of me knew that they would never grow to become warriors, as the war was coming. I walked through the crowd, bearing chains, and watching as trolls split the area to let me and my guards through. Some looked upon me with pity, others watched with a hint of curiosity, though it quickly disappeared as excitement took its place upon realizing that a new gladiator had arrived.

I was walked through the crowds, and into a small entrance to the side of the arena, which led downward into a cavern-like room. The first thing that hit me though, was the stench. A wave of nausea wracked my body as the scent of feces, and urine mixed with blood and infection swirled together to create a scent almost toxic, and could easily be used in chemical warfare. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized that the room was full of different weapons, armor, and other such items to be used for fighting. There were racks of spears, swords, bows, and shields that lined my view for hundreds of meters. It just goes to show. Underdeveloped doesn't mean unintelligent. I looked to the walls and saw that all the bricks were dyed red, either from blood, or that was just how they were constructed. Though I was impressed with the construction, I still could barely hold onto consciousness with the scents around me. I continued through the area, looking around at different gladiators who had obviously been here longer than I, all of which were caged. The gladiators were mostly trolls, but there were a few other races. I saw a few nagas and multiple different beasts that were kept in cages. I saw a few large cats like panthers and tigers, but there were also some gorillas and monkeys around. Some had bandages covering limbs, and a few were missing an eye, but for the most part, they simply had scarring. It was more apparent than any other injury, with some of them having so much scarring, that it didn't seem like they had skin. They held deep flesh wounds from swords and spears, along with burn marks. I narrowed my eyes at such things before I was forced to move on.

I couldn't believe just how large the arena was, as the video game did nothing to show it's beauty. Especially the underground. They didn't even have an underground in-game. I reprimanded myself for not remembering such a simple thing. I was walked through the entirety of the underground, before I came across an empty cage, and was shoved in soon after the door was opened. I quickly turned around to see the cage lock in front of me, and my jailors walk away. As I wallowed in the sights and smells around me, I took sight of what my cage contained. Just about nothing. There was no bed to sleep in, no bathroom area, or even anyone near me to speak to.  Though that wasn't to say it was silent. No, if anything, it was loud. There were constant groans, moans, and even the occasional screams that pierced the otherwise silent underground. I just listened. I didn't want to tune it out, but rather embrace it. I lied down upon the cold metal of the cage, and listened as the sounds of pain almost harmonized together as if they were crying out not because of pain, but as if to get something’s attention. It sounded rather beautiful, as the pitch slowly rose, before falling again in rich harmony. Though what made me jump was the sudden stop. The voices had fallen silent, and not a sound emerged from it all. I sat up quickly as I could, looking around in the pitch black, attempting to find any soul nearby which would herald life.

Though sadly, there was none. Or so I thought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a faint dot of red. A glimmer, that's it. But even a glimmer can turn to be a burning sun when encased in shadow. As the glimmer grew, I was reminded of something before. Though as the glimmer grew larger, I began to notice other details about it. I noticed it's rounded shape, it's consistent movement and the sound. Dun dun. Dun dun. Dun dun. A rhythmic beating that stayed at the same pitch, same consistency, and exact same bass. Over and over again. I soon noticed that the glimmer wasn't growing larger, but rather it was moving. Towards me.

I watched as the glimmer grew to become a large heart, constantly beating and thumping. It was simply floating in the air, as blood flowed through the veins, before simply disappearing. It was a strange sight to be sure, though I felt something other than curiosity. The sight of the heart caused shivers to go up and down my spine, through my ribs and vibrating through the very marrow of my bones. It was a feeling of pure terror. I watched as the previously disappearing blood began to form a body. It started with the bones, then layers of veins and muscle grew around them. All forming from the heart. The body was large, very large. Almost twelve feet tall. It grew long and thick tusks from its head and hair that lined it's back, from the top of its head to the nape of its neck. Though what really caught attention, was the color of its eyes. Unlike the rest of its body, the eyes glowed an eerie silver. The rest of the body was blood-red and had what looked like mist made of blood coming from every pore, blocking out the most prominent features, such as the face. (think of a shadow priest’s shadow form. You know someone is there, but it's harder to make out distinct features.)

I watched as the abomination of blood and bone took hold, towering over the cages, and looking right at me with its eyes of true-silver. The other inhabitants of the underground in cages seemed to pay this creature no mind if they even could see it. They all just seemed to stare off into space like zombified creatures. The amalgamation stared at me, before taking large strides to my cage. I felt my body back itself up to the corner, but I was in no position to stop it. I watched as it grabbed onto my cage with its misty red fingers, and tilted it up. I was forced to lay flat on my back, against the bars of the cage, as it opened its mouth. “Prove yourself. Spill the blood. Become my champion.” As it said those words, I saw the giant Seep through the bars and enter the cage where I sat. As it seeped through, it stopped being a solid, and it stopped being a liquid. As soon as it touched the bars, it turned to a red smoke, before twisting around me like the winds twisted around a tornado. As it slowly started getting faster, bits and pieces started to float towards me in small beads of blood. Attaching themselves to my skin and being infused. As soon as it touched my skin, I was instantly reminded of the first trial I had to go through with my mentor, and the feeling of melting flesh came back to me in full force. I felt smoke coming off of my skin wherever the blood touched, floating into the air, till my whole body was being infused with it, and smoke covered my entire being, preventing other eyes from seeing me. I continued to simply grit and grind my teeth, almost reducing them to rubble, as the process continued against my will.

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Time passed very quickly, but each second felt like a minute, and each minute felt like an hour. By the end of it, I was covered in sweat, and taking as many deep breaths as I could. But through it all, I felt myself smiling. I pulled my arm in front of my face and simply stared in amazement at it. It reminded me exactly of that giant. Large and muscled, with red mist covering it's more distinct features. I felt a chuckle come onto me, before I broke out into clear audible laughter as I felt dragged back into the real world, and as the smoke dissipated back into my body. I quickly sat up, looking around, only to notice that there were many eyes watching me once more. The other prisoners were looking towards me, no doubt wondering if I had gone insane in the hours that I had been here. As my laughter died down, and the eyes stayed, I felt a smile etched onto my face. I had seen it. What he had planned. What he wished. What he wanted from me. Should I stay with it? I found myself wondering, in the confusion of it all. I wasn't sure whether or not the plan would get me killed in the end, or if it would make me more powerful.

As I stayed in that cage, my thoughts were the mental equivalent of a swampy hurricane. Muddled all the way through, but moving more quickly than I could account them for. I felt myself grow lost in them as I planned, percieved, and scrapped each plan that was running through my head before I even finished them. I felt my own body almost rejecting my mind and soul, as if incompatible, the whole time this was happening. I felt my normally mundane emotions clogging every part of me, wanting to stop my body from continuing, so it wouldn’t have to deal with the future. But my body seemed to prove victorious, as I stayed where I was, on the floor, unmoving. Do not reject me so, for while you might find your own brawn lacking, I make up for both of us. And where I find my intellect lacking, you share. We are the same coin. If we wish to remain alive and well, we must not reject. A coin with one side has never existed, and it never will. As the words were developed a part way of me absent-mindedly drawing them in the dust that layered the bottom of the cage, I felt my mind slow. No longer was it a train off its tracks, rampaging through the lands and destroying everything, it was calm and collected. And pulling into the station. 

I felt my breath return to me at that, and my heart slowed down as the calm came over me. I let out a sigh of relief as my own forces which had just been rebelling began to compromise. What do we do now? I questioned myself once more, but as it remained the focus of my attention, I felt exhaustion begin to muddle the pond waters of my mind. Thinking and staying awake are rather hard things to do without food after all. I thought as I lay back and close my eyes. Waiting for the dark to embrace and wrap around me like so many times before. But as the moments passed, and dark did come, it was incomplete. Like the light shining at the end of the hallway leading to your room as you try to fall asleep. Endlessly bugging me with a light of no color. But regardless, even the light left me alone and I was once more, alone.

(3rd POV)

Far above the cavern of cretins and prisoners, lay a large open field, with towering walls of rock surrounding and closing off any escape, and a single booth that held a troll of light blue skin, red hair, and yellow glowing eyes. His tusks had bands around them and his ears were pierced, with claws of ravenous monsters running through the skin in his shoulder. He was wearing a neutral smile on his face showing off his mild amusement at the arena down below. There are a few gates, but the metal barriers that were so easily raised earlier, have slammed down hard, ensuring no one escapes easily. The stairs were packed full of raging crowds all screaming for multiple things, blood, death, fighting. There were three beings inside the stony prison, each special in regard to the other, but each strong in their own terms. The three were simply standing in their own areas, careful to not let one of the others take advantage of their situation. One was a large panther, standing at about four feet at its shoulder, thirteen feet long and over seven hundred pounds it was a force to be reckoned with. The second and third were both trolls, but they were still watching each other like hawks, as this was a lawless area where anyone could do anything. The first troll was a bit shorter but made up for it with his incredibly impressive muscle mass. He looked like he would weigh four hundred pounds easily, with his veins popping out of his skin like rivers pop up out of the earth on a map. He was gripping two smallish hammers that seemed to be made of bone, most likely pulled right off of a large monstrosities hip. The second troll was rather tall, with light blue skin and silver hair. He was much lankier than either of his opponents but was still muscled. He might not have been the one to bring cannons to the gun show, but he certainly brought rifles and snipers.

They were keeping an eye on each other, watching to see who would make the first move. The short troll was sweating, both from the tension in the air, but also from the screaming of crowds that surrounded them calling for him to attack the others. As the tension skyrocketed, the Shorter troll charged to the lengthy troll, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the panther that watched and waited readily to pounce on any mistakes that he would make. He was atop the Taller troll within moments, who wielded naught but a long, but sturdy, quarterstaff. He swiftly bent down in the knees, getting lower than his opponent before swinging the staff with all the might he could produce from his muscles. As he swung, the shorter troll immediately twisted his body and arms to block the attack. As the two bone weapons reached each other, they let out a mighty crack before the lanky troll was blown back by the blow. Though he managed to stay on his feet, he shook his hands around in an attempt to get rid of the stinging sensations from the vibrations. These precious few moments, however, were all the moments the shorter toll needed as he descended upon him once more with a flurry of blows. Each attack knocked back the taller troll further to the wall behind him. Throughout all of this, however, the taller troll kept a neutral expression on as best he could, crinkling his eyes every time the nerves in his hands were hit with the vibrations. Before the wall of attacks could continue long, however, the lanky troll simply jumped back till his back felt the wall, at which the expression that he had been keeping melted off to the bizarre and passionate smile that ruptured from inside him. 

The shorter troll immediately stopped moving forward as he felt a sneaking feeling of dread creep up his neck like an intangible claw that slid over his neck. The lanky troll began to spin his staff at great speed around him, almost creating a solid shield of bone that mesmerized some of the trolls in the audience while he moved it around his body in some sort of bizarre dance before slamming it on the ground while jumping forward lightly. The result? His whole body was sent lurching forward toward his opponent who balanced quickly while he tried to bring his hammers up to block the attack, but it was for naught as the lankier troll was already slamming his staff down upon the shorter troll’s head.

A loud crunching sound resulted, as the eyes of the shorter troll popped out of his shattered and severely indented skull. As the blood flushed out of him and splattered his killer, it simply seeped into his skin and weapon as he licked his lips catching a small amount of blood that reached his lips and tasting it as it slowly was absorbed into his body. Though he was brought out of his ecstasy as the sound of cheers from the audience died down and instead the small sounds of gasping from younger trolls filled the atmosphere. He turned his head around to find A large black panther already mid-jump and aiming for his throat. His eyes widened as it's maw slowly wrapped around the nape of his neck, biting down with its immense muscles that fired off its massive teeth.

As the razor-sharp canines started to cut through flesh, they quickly reached the bone, where the power of its true power, came through. The bones of his neck quickly became fractured and while they didn't shatter, they certainly did send out a loud crack. The panther completed its jump with the limp body of the troll in its mouth, but though the crowd let out a collective sigh at the loss of a good gladiator, but as the troll above started to speak once more, he was interrupted by the sound of loud roaring and a collective gasp from the audience both caught him by surprise as he looked down into the pit. Though what he saw caused him to freeze up.

The troll who had just been seemingly killed by Panther had managed to shove his hands into the panther's eye while it's guard was down. It wasn't just a finger, he had managed to shove about halfway up his forearm into its brain before he slowly pulled out his arm as he was dropped onto the ground. His fingers were coated in long crimson claws that pulsed like a heartbeat, though they quickly began to dissipate into his body again. The troll’s body began to rise, slowly, and in an almost robotic manner with stiff joint movements and odd gestures. He slowly rose, walking towards the opening gate as the cheering rose in quality and quantity from all the fans. Though their appreciation seemed to go unnoticed by the troll who had a neutral expression on, eyes shining with focus. As the cheers were so focused on him, no one noticed the bodies of the panther and troll slowly drying up. Slowly, but surely. Though, who would notice such a small act?