Ophidian Arenas • Chapter IV: Proposal

2341 – Justich System, Andar Prime

Two weeks had passed from Mike’s defeat from Schwartimo. His recovery was over, and he had passed that time thinking about the calling card given to him by Agent P. So, he decided to give him a chance, after all that was what he wanted in the first place.

After some unanswered calls he finally reached the Ophidian Agent…

"Hi, I don’t know if you remember me, but you gave me a calling card."

"Yes, I do remember. You’re Mike Fehr, the Gladiator named Kronnax."

"Yes, I am, but excuse me for asking, why did you give me the card?"

"Mike, I’m sorry but that’s a thing that I’d like to discuss with you in person. Can I schedule you an interview?"

"Of course, I’m available all the time; we can meet as soon as possible."

"Very well Mr. Fehr, as soon as I can I will call you to inform you about the date and time"

"I will be waiting Agent P."

And with that Mike hung up the telephone.

* * * * *

Another two weeks had passed when Mike finally got the call…

"Mr. Fehr, are you available today?"

"Yes, I am Agent P where could we meet?!"

"Come to my provisory office in downtown Andalorin Village. The address’s Sunnydale Street, 24. Be here at 17:00."

As he looked for the time, Mike thought to himself «Crap, I hate that village. », but then he composed his thoughts, «Holy Crap, that’s not the biggest crap. The sticky issue here is that I only have one hour and a half to get there. ». So, he put his thoughts away and started to get his things done.

Then half an hour later he left his quarter on Quintar´s Hold and headed to Andalorin Village.

. . . . .

When he finally encountered Agent P’s office he noticed that he still had ten minutes to relax, so he entered the office calmly. Inside there was a dark long hall, that he walked with caution.

Then at the end it had a big office with a huge secretary full of papers and some Gladiator Bios cards. And on the other side in the dark, there was a figure, a male figure. At least it was what Mike thought, as he couldn’t see very well with all that darkness around him.

"Agent P?"

"Yes, Mr Fehr. Please take a seat."

As that Mike took a chair to his side and sat.

"Mr. Fehr, I called you here because I liked your presence in the Arena. You were fighting against a Gladiator with twice your experience and skill, and you still lasted all through the four Waves." And with a small moment of silence, he continued. "I don’t get impressed too often, and yes I know you lost that match, but remember that you can’t win them all."

"I know that Agent P, but I don’t like losing."

"That’s good Mr. Fehr, because what I’m offering you is a thing that you will want if you want to keep winning."

"And what is that?"

"I’m offering you an entry to the Ophidian League."

And with those words Mike wasn’t capable of hiding his smile. And the Agent continued.

"But for that I need to have some safeguards."

"And may I ask what those are?"

"You may indeed Mr. Fehr. Those are only two conditions; the first is that you have to sign up with my managers, meaning that you’ll have to lose your current one. And the second is that you’ll have to enter the Ophidian Academy, by that you’ll have to lose your personal trainer."

"But, both of they are my friends!"

"Mr. Fehr, if you want to enter the League, those are my terms. And you’ll have until tomorrow to choose what you will do with your life. If you do accept, and I’m certain that you will, you will be relocated to the Academy in Tigbar on that very same day. There you will meet your new manager. Go now Mr. Fehr and think wisely"

And Mike left the office, but the calm that he had entered was long gone. Now he was with the feeling that he had to sell his soul to the devil if he wanted to concrete his revenge. Now he had to make the hardest choice of his life, his friends or his revenge? And for the first time in a long time, he didn’t know what to do. So, he decided to take a walk on the streets of the village.

* * * * *

He wandered the streets four hours, and then suddenly noticed that he’d stopped in front of a Cathedral. He wasn’t a man of faith, but at that moment, he felt a huge urge to enter.

And that was what he did…

Inside of it existed a huge silence and strange calm. He didn’t expect that as the Cathedral was in the middle of the village. The light inside almost obfuscated his eyes, as the walls were painted in pure white, and also had some large murals. That represented a time long gone, a time when people believed in Saints, Angels, and Gods. And he wished to live in that time because now there weren’t Saints anymore, the Angels were the Gladiators fighting in an Arena, and the Gods were the Ophidian Lords.

He looked around trying to capture all the peace and beauty of the place, but his attention was caught by an old man that was sitting alone in the middle of the Cathedral. So, he decided to approach the old man…

"May I?" Mike asked the old man if he could sit next to him.

"Of course, my son, what brings you here? I don’t remember seeing you here before."

"Well I needed to think, and then I saw myself here. It’s strange, isn’t it?"

"No, my son, it’s quite normal. You see, most of the people only realize their faith in some critical moments of their life."

"That is my point, I don’t have any faith."

"Of course, you do. You don’t know that yet, but you do."

"No, I don’t, I lost all my faith when I lost my wife and son."

"But that isn’t why you’re here today."

"No, it’s not. You see I’m a Gladiator from the Justich Federation, and my goal is to enter the Ophidian League."

"I know that, please continue."

"But for that I have to choose between losing my two friends, the ones that supported me when I lost my family and my goal in life. It’s not fair."

"Life isn’t fair sometimes Mike, but I repeat, have you to lose them?"

"I do, because the Agent that wants to make me an Ophidian Gladiator informed me that I had to have a new trainer and manager."

"And?"

"And I have to choose if I want to lose them."

"No, you don’t have to, Mike. Yes, you’ll lose your current trainer and manager, but you’ll never lose your friends. And that is what they are, and real friends always stick with you no matter what."

"Are you certain?"

"Of course, I am son. I’ve lived for time enough to learn that. So, it’s not a hard choice, isn’t it? It’s just a new path in your life."

"Yes, you’re right. But… hey, how did you know my name?"

"I’ve seen your matches."

"But I thought those religious persons would consider the matches barbaric?"

"Most of them do, but I was once a Gladiator like you."

"You were?"

"Yes, I was. I had all my time of glory, but that’s the past for me. I’ve made that very same choice a long time ago. Now it’s your time."

"Sorry, but I never got your name?"

"It’s C.V. Ostrand, but I was known as Roo who Hungers."

"Hey, I’ve seen your matches, they were amazing…" But before Mike could say anything more, the old man was long gone. He disappeared into thin air. And Mike was again alone with his thoughts…