The dressing room was silent as Diomar Kalynx sat in the centre of the room, meditating for the past five hours, focusing his mind and his body on the challenge that lay ahead tonight. A Bronze-hued aura surrounded him, permeating every inch of the room. He finally snaps out of his trance and commences to ready himself for his try-out match. A match that may lead him to a future in the Ophidian League.
His Gemini Daggers, a pair of long daggers that sheathed each blade in the handle of the other, was placed in a truncheon sheath strapped to his right leg. His forearms were protected by a pair of molecules-bonded ceramic forearm guards while his shins were protected with shin guards made of the same material. A red shash around his waist and an indigo shash that went over his shoulder complemented his white KEV armour skinsuit and black footwear. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his glaive from the far wall to his right hand.
Diomar reflected on the events that led to his chance to impress the Ophidian Leagues. His meeting with Xandus Muir, the talent scout who left the Matricc League behind to find better talent in the planetary leagues and did when he saw Diomar in action. It's not often that one gets the chance to compete in a try-out match for the Ophidian Leagues. Especially if said Gladiator was still in the Planetary Leagues, like Diomar.
In the Dashron Leagues, Diomar, a War and Mystic gladiator were closer to reaching the pinnacle of the league's top tier. There were few who could realistically challenge the spectral, and only one willing to repeatedly challenge him again. Muir liked what he saw, and he approached the spectral. Muir made his usual pitch, the same pitch that any other scout had made before. It was simple and straightforward: Compete in a try-out bout and you'll be allowed to join the Ophidian League.
Diomar knew that nothing was ever simple or straight forward, but it was too tempting a challenge to resist.
He agreed to the terms and Muir set up the match. Muir later told Diomar that the League had chosen his opponent for the Try-out, and it was a Bio-Tek gladiator.
"You said I was not supposed to know anything more specific about my opponent?"
Muir was reassuring "I know, but the Ophidians changed the rules a few days back. You're still not to allowed know who your opponent is outright, but they'll allow a hint or two to be dropped now to better prepare a prospect gladiator. The rules haven't changed for your opponent."
Looking back, Diomar found it rather amusing at the time, as he still does now. The Ophidians were a rather eccentric race with their odd quirks and ways. They would make large books of rules and regulations for the Leagues, often to throw them out the next day without reason or rhyme. But Diomar didn't care. If the Ophidians wanted to give him a slight edge going into this try-out, then why question it?
The Ophidian Keeper entered Diomar's dressing room to let him know that it was time for the match. Diomar was ready long beforehand. Twirling his naginata into a more transportable position, Diomar made his way to the arena floor.
The walk to the area entrance was a lonely one, save for the Ophidian Keeper walking a few steps behind. None of his fellow gladiators from the Dashron League was there to wish him luck or root for him. Many of them have already competed in earlier matches in the evening. He didn't mind it, though. He was focused on the task that would soon be at hand.
It was then that he heard someone call his name. "Diomar", the voice rung clearly. But it seemed that only Diomar heard it because the Ophidian Keepers didn't react. Instinctively, Diomar turned to the right and discovered an oriental female standing next to a support pillar several yards away. She was dressed in a modified opal-coloured outfit with a katana ensheathed at her side. It didn't take him long to realize that it was Lady Lotus.
Lady Lotus, also known as Ginrei Nakamura, is a Dashron league gladiator and former mentor of Diomar. She taught him the Way of the Warrior when he first entered the league many years ago. She was also a gifted psychic with great mental powers. It was this combination of Psi and War disciplines that earned her a 4VP ranking and the reputation of being a potent force in the arena. She was supposed to be readying a team of fellow Dashron Gladiators for a special inter-league team to match against a team of Ophidian gladiators that would take place after Diomar's try-out match. But Diomar knew she was there to wish him well on his match.
"Good Luck, my friend", her telepathic voice spoke in Diomar's mind.
"Same to you, Lotus", Diomar replied with his thoughts. He grinned to himself as he continued to stride off towards the entrance area.
Diomar stepped out onto the arena floor to the cheers of over several hundred thousand fans that came out to catch the action that was about to take place. The announcer's voice rang through despite the background noise. "Entering the arena, representing the Dashron Gladiator League, he is a master of the War and Mystic disciplines! And tonight, he puts it all on the line for the chance of superstardom!! From Lantzion, The Spectral Warrior...DIOMAR!!!!"
The crowd went nuts like it had never gone nuts before. The chants of "DI-OH-MAR!" were deafening. Diomar soaked it all in, he couldn't help but do so. The fanfare surrounding the match was amazing, to say the least. The planet Dashron was never considered a stop for the Ophidian Circuit. The circuit usually went to worlds where the top gladiators hailed from, with the obvious exception of the Outworlds. But it seemed that the Ophidians were going out of their way to make this a special event. However, Diomar cared little for it all.
Even if the Ophidians held the try-out inside some abandoned asteroid with no one else, Diomar would have welcomed the challenge all the same. For Diomar, it was the fight that mattered. And tonight, he hoped this fight would be a good one.
Diomar looked across to the entrance where his opponent would enter the arena for their bout. He held his naginata in front of him with both hands, calmly waiting and watching.
It didn't take long for the doors on the other side of the arena to open up with klaxons blaring and warning lights flashing. An odd fog emanated from the entrance, obscuring the view inside. However, Diomar could still detect faint movement from inside. It was then that he got a whiff of the fog. It had a chemical smell to it, almost like an anti-viral spray. There were a lot of precautions set up for this Bio-Tek gladiator.
The movement got closer as shapes began to become more distinct in the fog. It appeared to be three beings coming out of the tunnel. Diomar focused more closely, trying to gain better clarity. It was then that he realized it was three beings, or more correctly, two beings dragging a third. Diomar readied into a defensive stance, ready to strike if his opponent came charging out the gates. He could sense that an odd energy field was being erected between the arena area and the stands.
When the three beings emerged from the entrance, the entire arena fell into shocked silence. Diomar continued his stance, eyeing his opponent. His muscles are tense and ready for combat.
The opponent was sitting in a hover chair, held in with arm and leg restraints. A Keeper was flanked at each side of the chair, keeping him in check. He wore a dark blue jumpsuit with white piping going down the arms and red padding on the shoulders and knees. There was stencilled lettering on the front of the suit, making it clear that this gladiator was also a prisoner. Physically, he appeared to be a bald human with a scar or some type of deformity over his right eye. Only a naive individual would be unaware that this person was really an alien and not human. He wore a mouth restraint which had a leash attached to each side of it, held by the attending keepers. He also appeared to be in a drug-induced state, and only a naive individual would be puzzled as to why he was in that state.
The two keepers commenced tinkering with the chair, readying to release the gladiator from the hoverchair. The announcer, recovering from the shock of seeing the Ophidian challenger, attempted to regather himself before continuing.
"...A...and representing the Ophidian League, a gladiator who is known and reviled throughout the known universe. A being whose actions caused the genocide of an entire planet and its people in the Garina system. A being who now must forever pay for his crimes by fighting for his very life." The announcer's voice becomes more hostile as the Keepers finish tinkering with the hoverchair and begin to run for the exit as fast as their feet will carry them. "Ladies, gentlemen, and sentient beings", the announcer continued, "I give you Archan Singazer...THE FALLEN ONE!!!"
The crowd erupted in a monstrous chorus of boos and jeers. Suddenly, Singazer's eyes widened, almost like they are about to erupt from his skull. With all his strength, he lunged out of his hoverchair and fell to the ground on his hands and knees. He soon grabbed the mouth restraint and began to remove it from his face.
Diomar watches these events unfold, all while still maintaining his defensive stance. Even though he was stone-faced and apparently unmoved by what he has seen, Diomar's mind was racing a mile a second. Was this a wise choice? Singazer is a gladiator with a ruthless reputation. Many have been simply melted into congealed flesh and blood. Others have been simply gnawed to death by any one of the horrors summoned by his portals. Diomar was hoping for a true challenge but this might be more than he was bargaining for. How could he defeat a monster the likes of Singazer?
Closing his eyes, Diomar forced out any doubt from his mind. He wasn't going to let it cloud his mind and corrupt his game. He didn't come this far to let fear end it now. He wasn't going to let fear deny him a chance at the Ophidian League, a chance at true competition. He reopened his eyes just as the Fallen One had removed the mouth restraint and regained his composure. Singazer looked at Diomar with insanely widened eyes, his lips forming an evil sneer.
Diomar simply arched his eyebrow and grinned.
He was going to enjoy this fight.
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