The Colosseum

The next day Ron woke me up in the morning and remembering the event of the day I freshened up quickly.

After I had freshened up and was ready I met Ron downstairs where he told me details about the contestants and how the fight takes place.

The battle that take place in colosseum were categorised under 2 main categories a battle where you can kill your opponent and a battle where you have to make them surrender. The winner getting rewards in some form. The battle to death provided more rewards due to the greater risk.

It felt like an irony to me when I heard about the battle to death. Talk about killing the dead. But in this battle, death meant that the very existence will be erased.

I felt like a child who was about to enter a amusement park. Unbeknown to me as we neared the colosseum my speed of walking increased slowly. It would be the first time I would get to watch a fight in the colosseum. Sure there colosseum was there on earth but people viewed it as a architectural wonder not as a place for entertainment.

As I was lost in my own thoughts about how the fight would turn out I heard Ron's voice calling me from behind," Slow down will you. You are acting like a child who is about to get his favourite candy. The fight will start in half an hour so there is no need to hurry."

I felt embarrassed about may behaviour but I still felt my actions were justifiable. I mean who doesn't like fights, I mean as a spectator. It is a different thing when you are the one involved. But what I want to say is that we all like to see people taking a go at each other.

But I couldn't say these thoughts out loud.

After a little bit of walking we had finally arrived at the venue. The stadium wasn't packed with audience but people were present signifying how much people liked it.

A corner was particularly filled with people but no one was sitting there. People were coming and going. I couldn't help but become curious as to what was going there. "Ron what are so many people visiting that corner?"

"Well they are trying to earn some money while also getting entertained. Betting here is a commonplace practice. On that note let me place some bets as well." Saying this Ron started walking towards the said corner.

If I had money I would have placed the bets as well but I was jobless so I had to wait for Ron to return.

Ron returned after a few minutes.

As the time for the fight was approaching the audience also got settled in. There were less and less people wandering. And sometime before the fight the anchors had also arrived and gave the information about the fighters.

The people contesting in the fight were 2 newbies. It got me wondering as to why so many people were present to watch a fight between 2 newbies. But it wasn't a matter of my concern.

But I was about to get an answer soon enough.

A few seconds before the match the anchors started a countdown to get the audience hyped and sure enough it was super effective. The people were cheering so loud that it might make someones ear bleed.

But it all felt surreal to me. I also couldn't help but join the audience in all the hollering and cheering. The excitement continued to grow as the gates were getting lifted.

We were able to see two silhouettes approaching the arena.

"In from the left we have Flame Merchant and from right here comes Silent Monk." Shouted the anchors.

As the two combatants got closer to each other the noise started to die down. At some point it felt like there was a pin drop silence.

Of the two combatants one was wearing light clothing, a leather chest plate and carrying a sword in one hand while other was dressed in full leather armour and carrying a two sided axe. Their names betrayed the weapon they carried but who was I to judge.

Both of the fighters stopped a few steps before each other. At this point it felt like everyone was holding their breaths in their lungs waiting for someone to strike.

And strike they did. Flame Merchant started the fight with a vertical swing which was immediately blocked by Silent Monk with his axe. But the monk didn't stop there he pushed the sword back hoping that Flame Merchant would lose his footing as he followed by a swing near the abdomen. Flame Merchant dodged the slash by jumping backward.

They followed this back and forth for few more moves until flame merchant created distance between him and Silent Monk. I couldn't understand as to why he would do this. There was no point in retreating because he wasn't carrying any means of long range attack.

As I was thinking the reason as to why he did this Ron leaned closer to my and told me to watch the next move carefully.

I couldn't understand why he told me to watch this carefully when he had just retreated. But the next move really blew my mind. Flame Merchant's entire sword was on fire. It simply felt unreal to me. Sure Marcus had already told me about the existence of magic but listening and witnessing were two different things altogether.

At this moment Flame Merchant's name really did suit him. With a flaming sword in one hand he once again charged towards Silent Monk.

As I was wondering what would be Silent Monk's next move he also managed to surprise me. He was glowing in a blue aura. As if someone had applied some kind of coating on him.

Both of them charged at each other once again but this time they were more fast.

As their weapons clashed a loud sound emerged in the arena.

Flame Merchant was slashing constantly at Silent Monk not giving him a chance to catch his breath. And the result of the constant barrage of attacks soon presented itself. The double sided axe wasn't as mobile as compared to a sword and Silent Monk had to use both of his hands to manoeuvre the axe easily but it cost him some speed.

Flame Merchant managed to land his first hit on the monk. It was a vertical slash at the monks shoulder. This further hindered the monks movement. But the Silent Monk instead of retreating due to pain charged ahead and slashed at his opponents legs.

This made the crowd cheer a lot. It was a rather barbaric way of fighting but who was I to complain. It sure was exciting. With both the opponent getting injured the fight once again reached a stalemate.

The Silent Monk suddenly bent down and touched the ground. His actions surprising for many but suddenly spikes came from the ground.

Flame Merchant seeing the spikes incoming started dodging them left and right while jumping backwards but his speed was reduced during to him sustaining the previous injury.

Gahh

The spikes had managed to pierce Flame Merchant in his legs.

By now his legs were bloody. He could hardly move.

But the Silent Monk was also huffing showing that he was also tired from the confrontation. The blue coat surrounding him slowly vanished.

He was slowly approaching Flame Merchant to deliver the final blow but something unexpected happened.

Flame Merchant prepared a fireball and threw it in the direction of the Silent Monk.

The monk seeing the fireball approaching tried to dodge but it managed to him in the chest.

With that the Silent Monk lay there unconscious. The anchors also followed by announcing the winner.

"Folks we finally have a winner for the exciting match. Cheers to Flame Merchant for winning his very first match."

As the anchors were done with their announcement people had entered the arena carrying stretchers to provide medical attention to the contestants.

The fight even though bloody was really exciting. I now knew why so many people were present.

I looked at Ron and both of had smile plastered on our faces. I was suddenly reminded of something.

"So Ron who did you bet your money on?" I couldn't help but ask. To which Ron simply smirked and told me to guess.

The smirk made it clear that he had placed the bets on right guy.

This fight made me want to participate in the arena. I suddenly felt energy coursing through my body but I knew that I was nowhere near that level.

I decided to take it slow but I was simply curious so I turned towards Ron, "How can someone participate in the battles?"

To my question all he said was anyone can participate although they need to do some training by themselves and register themselves with the colosseum.

With that match still in my mind I wanted to put all this excess energy to some use. So I decided. It was time I truly get to know Vespera in more detail and not just from mouth of other people.

I decided to ask Ron about where the library was located to get to know about Vespera and all the wonders it held.

Once again Ron treated me to hearty meal. But now I was feeling a little bit doubtful as to why Ron being so much kind to a guy he had met a day ago.

I was feeling doubtful like there was some kind of catch.

I mean why will anyone help a stranger and expect to get nothing in return. I certainly wouldn't. So I thought it was better to ask Ron his reason behind why he was helping me.

"Why are you being so much kind to me?" Even though it sounded rude I couldn't help but ask. After what had happened with me in the past I was feeling somewhat hesitant to completely trust strangers.

"You had a bad experience with stranger in the past I presume. So you being cautious is totally ok. And Yes I did approach you for a reason as well."

"I want to enter a new business field where I invest my resources in people people like you who are new to vespera. Ill give you food, place to live, instructors to train under and in return I want you to fight for me in the colosseum.You had already shown your interest in fighting when we were leaving. And the reason why I helped you also has to something with that."

You now have a favourable opinion of me so I would be your first choice when you are looking to get some training. It is a win-win situation. For both of us."

"So what do you think Austin. Are you interested in this offer. Also I don't need an immediate answer. First go around the city once again by yourself take a look at other peoples lifestyles get to know them."

"I will not force you to make a quick decision about this. After all there is a chance that your existence could get erased. So take your sweet time."

"But why me?" I couldn't help but ask out loud.

"Well you were the first person to approach me and something about you just stood out."Saying this Ron turned around and left.

As for me I was left with a lot of time to think about what I was going to do in the near future. Till now I was trying to ignore my present situation by focusing my mind on other things but I knew that it was time that I come face to face with my present situation.

I didn't had a place as my shelter, no money to eat food as well. And I was new to everything in here.

I now regretted my decision of enjoying my time. Sure it wasn't like I regretted having fun but survival was more important.

There was another thought that was bugging me but I had ignored it since yesterday.

It was bout my wife did she also end up here. I had hoped not. I wanted her to rest in peace. And even is she ended up here there was no way for me to know unless I had gained some reputation for myself.

There was also what Marcus had said about getting strong. All of this were pointing towards what Ron had suggested earlier but I was also feeling hesitant. Because there was always the chance of me losing my life.

I felt like I was at a crossroad. One path which was filled with thorns but led me to getting answers to my question where as other was like walking on flowery bed but led to me getting lost somewhere.

The face of Ragnar and Josh flashed in my mind and I had gotten the answer to my question.

I had already died. There was point in persevering my life if it meant I couldn't get a chance to see Josh and Ragnar.

I headed to Library to get answers to my questions and how I was going to tread this thorny path that lay in front of me.

There was also the thing about Ron's offer but decided to think about it later wards.