Private Tales The Arena

[Smiling One]

Rays of light penetrated through Willis' eyelids.

The young man immediately fluttered his eyes open in response in attempt to combat the light, warm beads of sweat formed under his forehead. Willis' attempted to get up but felt a jolt of pain run through his back if felt as though he was just sat on by a Hill Giant. "Shit," the smell of stale piss and vomit prominent though Willis was sure that it didn't come from him. Rubbing his back, Willis adjusted his blurry vision wondering if he was in a tavern. It was one of the few places that can produce that sort of stench.

Willis' eyes adjusted and the first thing he saw was were a row of steel bars. "What the fuck?" the young man looked around and saw that he was sitting on a bed with pieces of straw sticking out through the white and dark yellow sheets. Willis' heart was pounding loudly was he arrested? Willis did get thrown in jail a couple of times in his life mostly on suspicion of smuggling but the young managed to avoid the gallows though there was one time he did come close.....

"All right," Willis racked his brains trying to remember the events that led him here. He was in the Spine relaxing in the Gilded Vale and Gea told him to investigate the village of Peltragow a town located 5 miles from the Gilded Vale who usually provided the Monster Hunter Safehouse with wheat and barely in exchange for cheaper rates for their Monster Hunting contracts. Gea lost contact with the village a month ago and the Gilded Vale was all out of wheat. Willis was ambivalent due to the lack of pay, but Gea said that he owed him a favor especially after Willis lost that card game.

Groaning, Willis went to the Peltagrow to investigate..... and that was all that he can remember. Back still stiff, Willis got up and looked through the bars above his bed. "It was evening when I arrived," he mumbled. "And it's still dark out, perhaps not much time has passed or maybe I slept through it."

He had a really bad feeling about all this.

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

Leonora groaned as she came to her senses.
»Ugh, what happened...are we, ugh the stench. «
Her eyes quickly darted through the room, noticing the man.
It was quite dark.
Briefly shuddering, she instinctively tried to illuminate the room.

Yet the spell.
Pshhhh.
It failed.

What was this?

 

[Smiling One]

Willis immediately turned to the sound of the voice, he couldn't make out her silhouette it seemed that they had a unusual head. The young man frowned was that horns sticking out? The voice sounded like a woman was she a Succubi? As Willis got closer, he saw the woman attempt to use a magical spell presumably to light the room but somehow it failed.

"Hey," Willis whispered. "Are you okay? Do you know where are we?"

Maybe this woman has the answers or at the very least have some new information on how they ended up in this prison.

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

The woman gazed at the man that came forth, looking as if he'd just seen some kind of demon.
It didn't cross her mind it might have been her sense of fashion that instigated such.

»If I had any clue, I would not be here. In this drenched prison-like-place.«

»And why would you be here?« She spoke a little more sharply.

 

[Smiling One]

Well the woman sounded very polite.

Willis crossed his arms sighing, there were rays of light shining through the bars. "It's starting to become morning," Willis said turning around observing the Sun's rays before turning back to the woman. It turned she wasn't a Succubi but rather a human woman who wore extravagant clothing with her skin exposed in certain areas.

"With extravagant clothing like this," Willis said. "I'm guessing you're a mage, a very beautiful as well."

The young man smirked he just couldn't help himself even if the woman words were cold and indifferent. "Last I remember," he said. "I had a contract to hunt a Monster." Willis sighed. "More like I had to do a favor for a friend to investigate a village with no pay."

It is really horrible to do a Monster Hunting contract for no pay, next time Willis will make sure not to lose a bet again. "What about you?" he asked the woman. "Why would a voluptuous woman like you be place in a dark, damp prison?"

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

For a moment she felt flattered by the charms of this man. Her hand touched her chest above the bosom, her fingers caressing it until she touched the thin collar around the neck.
It was not her's
And then the thought sunk into her.
It felt heavy, very heavy.
An Umirillium collar. A light metal that gains weight by the magical properties of those wielding it. The metal has a property of dampening, in most cases nullifying and absorbing any magics.
And she thought the location might have just been charmed.

Well poot.
She observed the man further, listening to him, indeed the task fits his role, the charm of a dog, arms like a bull, wit of a fox, the definition of an ox.
» I am an archmage, graduate of Academie ars Magica, I was merely investigating a series of criminal conspiracy cases, and I would not know how I happened here.«

 

[Smiling One]

Willis raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. “An archmage?” He asked. “They’re pretty rare around Arethril and they especially don’t have archmages as beautiful and lovely as you.”

It was then through his flirting that Willis noticed a collar wrapped around the Archmages neck. Frowning, Willis observed the flashing purple runes that embedded on the collar. It was written ancient Dwarven judging by sharpness of the syllables and willis wasn’t well versed in the language. He did recognize it as word magic where a person can write a spell using special magical properties. It was a difficult magical discipline to master.

“It looks like an anti magic collar,” Willis determined. “Yeah it’s often used on mages for magical prisons like Eredama located on an island down south.”

The young man frowned again. “So we’re either in a magical prison somewhere,” he said. “Or perhaps the spine has some secret areas that we don’t know. Don’t worry sweetheart I know how to unlock that collar did it a few times in the past but I’m gonna some ingredients if we get the hell out of here.”

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

The fanciful chitchat came to an end.
»Were it not for this collar I could have blasted this room into oblivion, « the sorceress sneered, taking a look through the room which was in no good condition. »And then nothing would have mattered as our captors would have burned to a crisp in the sun's shining brightness. «

»So I reckon a blacksmith's hot tongs would not suffice to get this thing off? « She responded in slight dissapoint.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis chuckled at Leonora remarks of simply blasting their captors. He wished things would be that simple but years being a Monster Hunter he knew that it usually wasn’t the case. “Honestly,” Willis said examining the collar. “No it wouldn’t that collar is magically sealed meaning that conventional tools won’t take it off. You’ll need a mage to do it.”

The young man then looked around. “But don’t worry your pretty little head off,” he smirked patting her shoulder. “I’ll protect you Leonora. You have my word.”

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»That is unfortunate, « and humiliating, however, the sorceress would not admit to so much.
As she was petted, she rose a brow, though nothing was spoken as something loudly banged against the wall.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis immediately placed Leonora behind her hearing footsteps, the clanging of metal suggested that the people were wearing armor. "Sounds like the guards," Willis whispered to Leonora as a bright light emerged from the darkness which became bigger. Two guards appeared each wearing rusted iron armor the man on the right took the keys from his belt and began opening the cell door.

"Hey," Willis frowned approaching the men. "What the fuck is going on? Where are we?!"

"Quiet!" One of the guards hissed pushing Willis back the young man staggered a bit but otherwise maintained his balance. "You two will be teaming up and fighting in the arena." the guard growled.

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»Oh goodie, « snarled the sorcerers as she tried to look past Willis.
the srceress stepped sideways as Willish got pushed back.
»Now isn't this quite bemusing, how will I fight with this collar on. «

 

[Smiling One]

Willis felt tempted to say something snarky but he held his tongue. The guards were armed and look like they were just going to kill Willis if he began talking. They reminded him of the Allirian Guard and how many of them would abuse prisoners through excessive beatings, sleep deprivation or Forcing them to sing them songs. Reports of “accidental” deaths were common.

“Fight with your fists my lady,” the guard chuckled casually tossing a rusted iron long sword in front of Willis feet. “It’ll be amusing seeing you without your magic,” he said.

The young man picked up the sword. “I fought with worse,” he said. “Once killed a Sprit Troll with nothing more than a stick.”

“Well then Ser Syphillys,” the guard rolled his eyes. “You’ll find the arena to your liking let’s go!”

“Can you fight without your magic?” Willis whispered to Leonora. If she can’t well this is going to be a long battle. Who would strip a sorceress from her magic just for their entertainment? He had a feeling he would find out very soon.

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»Me, fight, a dainty woman of my stature. I never even so much picked a broomstick to hit a dog.« Leonora murmured to Willih.

The woman stepped near him and would walk alongside. »I can at least, stay out of harm's way, as best as I can, « she already imagined a lot of running around and falling to be involved in this arena.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis sighed this would definitely be a challenge. Still he wondered where they were? Based on the frost on the floor it looked like they might at the Spine. Winter was a ways off at Allria and it’s too far to make it at the Tundra unless it was through a Portal Stone. “Like I said before sweetheart,” the young man smirked placing a hand on her shoulder. “I will protect you.”

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»Spare me the pleasantries, « she sighed. »This can end up horribly for either of us and I doubt there's any chance we can make it out alive.«

 

[Smiling One]

Willis continued to smirk while he began to follow the guards out of the cell. He's been in worse situations as a Monster Hunter. "You're being awfully pessimistic my lady sweetness," he said. "I'd say we have .01 percent chance of making it out. But if you know me, those are some good odds."

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»Call me a realist,« the waved her arms as she followed through. » Doesn't sound good to me in the slightest.«

Seems like they were nearly at the end of the line after some winding turns.
Light shone through the grates in the ceiling, they must be close to the surface.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis could hear the sounds of cheering as they got closer to the arena. The young man frowned as he turned to Leonora. “What you just heard sweetheart,” the young man winked. “Was me being a realist, just let me protect you and we’ll be out in no time. You’ll probably find me handsome as well.”

The young man winked at Leonora. He’ll have to do what it takes to cheer her up.

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»This is no time for fanciful chitchat,« urged Leonora as they got closer.
The gate before them opned, and the guard beneath them gave both of them a boot to the arse to hurry them inside the arena.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis managed to grab Leonora before she landed on the dirt filled ground. “Now, now sweetheart,” he smirked. “No need for your lovely dressed to be splattered with dust and grime. Let me do the dirty work. It’s my job.”

The arena was smaller than Willis expected held together with wood and logs. It was hastily built and based on its age, it couldn’t be older than a few weeks. “Looks like these people are desiring an arena,” he said looking at the crowd of peasants jeering at Willis and Leonora. “But they’re expensive to build and maintain. Many villagers balk at the idea of building an arena of their own.”

The young man stared at the sky, there was a multi color filled sky masking the arena. “An aurora,” Willis said. “We’re still in the Spine. That or the Tundra since they’re one of the few places that people get to see an aurora.”

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

The woman regained balance, giving the man a nod as a thank you.
»The spine?« She almost fainted. No wonder it was this cold.
»Have these people no shame, where are they even from...« Leonora scoffed, taking a look at the rest of the arena, there was nothing else but them in it currently.

Though a few gates loomed ominously the opposite end of the arena.
What could possibly lie inside?

 

[Smiling One]

Willis frowned continuing to observe the roaring crowd. "They look like villagers," he said holding on to his rusted Iron Longsword. "Farmers, fishermen but what's an arena doing her in a place like the Spine? If you want an arena Alliria is the place to be."

The young man noticed that something was off about the villagers. They looked pale and Willis could see large blue veins pulsating through their skin and the people's eyes were wide and their pupil's dilated. "You notice something?" Willis muttered to Leonora. "These villagers.... They don't look right almost as though they're possessed."

 

[Leonora of Mirapol]

»Don't encourage their bloodthirsty desires! ... - .... « She eyed Willis, taking one more look at the villagers as the pointed out their odd behaviour.
»You're right. They're not right.«
Their cheer wasn't genuine, their expressions forced, their eyes without life, their motions as if they were ragdolls in the hands of children.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis nodded though the crowd looked more hungry to witness bloodshed then to inflict it. "Who's pulling the puppet strings I wonder?" The young man muttered. "This amount of possession this is the work of a powerful mage." he said. "Or it's possible that it could some old ritual site from the major conflicts waged by mages in the past."

He took a step in front of Leonora. "That's unlikely though," he said. "What these villagers are doing is oddly specific."