The Galadrome Arena is one of the most awe-inspiring structures on the face of Dashron. Capable of holding up to half a million spectators, this arena boasts many high-tek features that even Ophidian arenas don't have yet. Among these features was a special dome that adrned the top of the arena. During the day, the dome is opaque to block out the sun. But at the whim of those in charge, the dome could become transparent, allowing gladiator and spectator alike to enjoy either the star-filled night sky or the dark clouds and lightning of a rainstorm. Tonight, the star was out in abundance in the skies of Dashron, and many spectators were looking up as often as they were looking down at the action in the arena.
For Archan Singazer, the spectacular view of the star-filled night sky was the last thing on his mind. The sedatives the keepers injected in him earlier were all but gone from his system as he analyzed his environment. The walls were made of ivory white stone with various stone carvings adorning them at measured intervals. The floor was a light dull orange and covered in a light layer of dirt of the same color. The ground was bare otherwise; no piles of skeletal remains or pools of toxic fluids. It was almost sterile, a fact that irritated Archan for some unknown reason. There was light, but there were no lamps or other visible light sources he could see. It then dawned on him: A Lumi-Field. This was one of the other high-tek features of this arena. Lumi-Fields were passive energy fields that illuminated the area they were projected in. With them, one could see everything happening with great detail all while still being able to see the night sky unhindered.
Archan shook himself out of his stupor and focused his attention back on his opponent for tonight. "Enough sight-seeing", The Fallen One muttered under his breath.
Singazer glared menacingly at his opponent. His challenger was human, or at least appeared human; a young man with short dark brown hair. His opponent's outfit was unique, almost ceremonial, with a shoulder sash of indigo and a waist sash of red over an off-white skinsuit. His weapon was an exotic polearm with a blade made of brightmetal. But there was something out of place with this boy. His eyes were bronze, and they almost appeared to glow. Singazer was more than sure of it, this boy was spectral. Singazer could barely hold his contempt, "Those snakes brought me here to test a spectral.", he muttered to himself, "and a boy spectral at that." Archan was overwhelmed with almost demonic fury. This spectral was just another "Wannabe" to the Fallen One. And tonight he was going to stain these ivory walls with this spectral, and it wouldn't take him less than thirty seconds to do so.
Diomar was still in his defensive stance as a greenish aura began to radiate from the Fallen One. Diomar knew then that Singazer was preparing to launch a bio-tek attack. Thinking quickly, he focused his mystic energies on a protective aura. Singazer threw forward his hands and a wave of bio-toxins converged on Diomar. Diomar left his stance and raised his arms in a blocking-like move just as the bio-toxin cloud converged.
Singazer wore a grin of vile satisfaction as the toxin cloud surrounded the prospect. It was only a matter of time before the cloud would turn the spectral into a pool of congealed fluid. He could almost see it now. The runt would run out of the cloud screaming bloody murder as his flesh melts and veins spill blood. But why wasn't he moving? He was standing still for such a long time.
In a sudden flash, the greenish cloud dissipated in an explosive manner, and Diomar emerges unscathed. His protective aura had held out against the cloud of bio-toxins while his mystic abilities eradicated it before it could penetrate. Diomar quickly took an offensive stance, giving the Fallen One a glance with an arched eyebrow.
Singazer wasn't too happy, to say the least. With full fury, he raised his arms to launch another Bio-Tek attack. But Diomar was already charging across the arena floor, quickly narrowing the gap before Archan could react. With power and grace, Diomar swung his glaive. Singazer barely managed to dodge that glaive strike with a quick backstep.
Singazer felt a burning sensation across his chest as he tried to put some distance between himself and that glaive-wielding spectral. Once some distance was established, Archan looked down at his chest and saw that his jumpsuit was cut across the front. upon further inspection, he saw that the glaive had left a clean shallow wound across his chest, which was now bleeding a non-human-colored viscous fluid. Singazer allowed his blood to pool up a little bit in the palm of his hand. With a sneer, he wiped his hand across the face of a wall carving. As he took two steps forward, the carving began to smolder and melt from the blood. In seconds the carving was melted, leaving a melted pot mark in the ivory stone wall.
This act didn't phase Diomar much as he reset himself into an offensive position. He may have drawn first blood, but matches were won to those who struck the final blow. And Diomar knew that Singazer had plenty of shots left in his arsenal.
And it didn't take The Fallen One long to do so. Singazer raised his arms as arcs or lightning-like energy expelled from his hands. When both of his hands were over his head, two powerful lightning bolts launched from them and collided mid-air a few yards away. A portal of swirling purple and black energy formed immediately after. The swirling mass expelled a gust of air which had a stale and wet smell to it. Then something lept out of the portal. As the portal finally closed, the creature landed mere feet away. It appeared to be a human covered head to toe in camouflage. At least, Diomar thought it was camoflauge. It was really hard to tell if the markings were painted on, tattooed, or were natural. The being wielded a combat knife in one hand while a handgun was holstered on his right leg. Despite never seeing one before now, Diomar knew right away that this being was a Drosh, a member of a Turvian commando unit employed as minions for the Ophidian league as well as a few others. Drosh were unheard of in the Dashron League due to the restrictive price of hiring them.
Immediately, the Drosh charged Diomar, unholstering its handgun and firing off a few rounds of pulse fire at the spectral. Diomar quickly sidestepped the first few rounds as he whipped his glaive around to deflect the final shot which was aimed for his face. As the Drosh came in close for a knife strike, Diomar sidestepped and swung his glaive. In One effortless motion, he made three strokes at the Drosh, which appeared to have not connected. The Drosh was stunned for a moment but then resumed to raise his gun at Diomar. It was then that the Drosh's right hand fell to the ground. Shocked, the Drosh raised his knife, only to find his left hand had also fallen to the floor. The Drosh looked at both of his arms, now bloody stumps, in disbelief. Then his eyes widened with horror for some unexplained reason. It quickly became clear why as the Drosh separated cleanly in half from head to waist. Both halves fell with a sickening thud on the ground.
Diomar didn't pay attention to what had happened. His sights were back on the Fallen One as the alien raised another portal and brought out another minion. This time it was a horror known as Flesh, an unimaginable creature that looked like a mound of liquid-like flesh. This unnatural freak shambled towards Diomar, but Diomar was already moving to engage it. As he moved, Diomar noticed that Singazer was right beside the beast, no doubt ready to use its abilities to enhance one of his Bio-Decay attacks. Diomar lept into the air, ready to strike Flesh down with his glaive and deny Singazer another minion. It was then that Singazer moved in front of the creature and lept to intercept Diomar's attack. IT was too fast for Diomar to do anything except raise his right arm up to block.
The two gladiators collided with such force that both were literally thrown back several yards. Diomar landed on his back under intense pain. He looked at his right arm and noticed several lacerations across the unprotected parts of his arm. Even his forearm guard was scratched like he struck a rough rock wall. As Diomar got on to one knee, he eyed The Fallen One, who was also getting back up. As the Fallen One got up to one knee as well, Diomar could see the rigid plate of bone through the hole in his jumpsuit. And all along his legs and arms were bony spikes that were jutting out through his clothing.
It seemed that shortly after summoning Flesh, Singazer had mutated himself with Jagged Bones. He expected Diomar to attack Flesh first so that he could intercept the attack and inflict some pain of his own on the Spectral.
And as Diomar struggled to get back on his feet, he knew all too well that Singazer's gambit paid off.
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