Grakkan's Union • Chapter Seven - Up Against the Wall

Late in the night, the collectively shared, adrenaline-induced enthusiasm wore thin. The first fight of the night was long forgotten; the next fight was just another extension to a long event. The crowd was as tired as if they had fought. The air was warm, stuffy, and congested. Several spectators experienced a spontaneous nosebleed. There were no chairs in the Glosmos Cave, and people stood for hours upon end or sat on the bare stone without a view. The view when standing was hardly better. Most of the action took place in the back. The only visible action occurred directly in front of the safety glass, which was taken down and put up after and before each fight.

Conditions for the gladiators were less than better. The spectators by the cave's opening were permitted the softest breeze to cool the air; the gladiators were sealed in a stone tomb, the safety glass preventing anything from escaping or entering the arena. The numerous bodies of the crowd absorbed the sounds that spewed forth, but in the concave arena, sound bounced from wall to wall like a trapped Aeronaut Bug. What was usually just an annoyance, a sonic attack could be quite painful or deadly in the enclosed space. But worst, above the heat and the noise and the claustrophobia, was the lack of air. No asphyxiations were ever reported, but there were plenty of gladiators who ended a match lightheaded. More than a couple gladiators feinted from the heat/limited air combination. The Glosmos Cave had been infested with a hoard of horrors until recently when portal gladiators had sucked the cave dry. This was its first season as a gladiator arena in Grakkan's Union, and based on its current popularity, quite possibly its only season.

The Kid refused to take off his new, navy-blue cloak, despite perspiring. The fatigue in his legs outweighed his interest in the fights, and he sat down amidst the third battle of the night, staring at the legs of the people around for amusement. His cloak was dusty with footprints, his pants were dusty with age, and his shirt was torn with neglect. He sighed, "When's it our turn already?"

Lady Diamond chose to stand and watch each fight. Though not the tallest there, she stood a head above everyone with dignity. Despite the close quarters, and the demonly disregard everyone shared, not one person stepped on, touched, or in any way soiled Lady Diamond's Victorian-style dress. Her hair was fixed up for a royal ball, freshly curled, and as blond as nature allowed. Without a downward glance, or any reassuring touch, Lady Diamond responded, "You should be up next."

"Why are we fighting here?" whined The Kid.

"After your incident in the marketplace the other day, you should be thankful you're still fighting at all." As an afterthought, "Magistrate Vellun is very generous."

A short distance away, lost in the masses, Johnny Alpha, Captain Impressive, and Galeforce stood, shoulders touching, observing the fighters, looking for pointers to use against them in later matches, and watching how best to maneuver within the cave. "I never fought here," instructed Johnny Alpha. "I cannot imagine it is easy in there. You have four, close walls. If your opponent likes space, if they like ranged weapons, if they like to retreat from a hand to hand battle, you are at an advantage. But if they like close fighting, you are at their mercy."

"I like close fighting," boasted Captain Impressive.

"Gail, this will be your chance to learn to depend on fist to face fighting. And legs, don't forget the kicking."

"Of course," worried Gail.

The current fight was nearly at an end. Morso, The Malignant, was done playing with the opposing team's leader, Croi, The Inescapable. Morso knocked against the safety glass with Croi's writhing body to signal they were ready to come out. The rest of their teams were already down.

The Kid rose and followed Lady Diamond to meet with the rest of his team. "This is your time," instructed Lady Diamond, "best of strategy to you."

Gentlemanly, Captain Impressive motioned for Gail and The Kid to go first. Before he followed, he was stopped by Lady Diamond's soft hand on his shoulder. "Just a moment, I have something for you."

"What is it?" inquired Captain Impressive.

"This is The Kurgunt Claw. Well, one of four. My father had acquired it. Johnny Alpha fixed it up. You may use it in battle."

Captain Impressive took the claw and looked it over. There was an open area, like a mitten, where his right hand would fit snuggly. It would make his hand look like a foot of a great cat-like beast. Specifically, the legendary Kurgunt, the swiftest of beasts known as lockjaws. Captain Impressive put it on and bobbed his arm. It was surprisingly light and well balanced.

"Thank you," his voice was humbly quiet, "but I'm not sure I need such a weapon. Maybe the Kid..."

"It takes a skilled knowledge of weapons and cybernetics to use it. You are the only one on the team."

"You'll notice the remote control is in the palm of your hand." Pointed out Johnny Alpha.

Captain Impressive nodded, looked it over, and handed the glove back to the construct. "Another time, maybe." He followed his team into the cave.

They entered first and were told to line up by the back wall. "I feel like we're about to be executed," noted The Kid. Gail shot him a sidelong glare.

The opposing team was lead in. They were primarily a bio-portal team, all of whom had worked their way down from Ophidian. Their leader was a demon that used to be an avid racist against aliens. His name was Raulcua. He was called Rac. Second in command was another portal-bio gladiator, Poiunatyu, a hard, scaly alien from the Outworlds. Portalist, but also a failed student of the mystic arts, Springboard was a yellow, long, variously pointed alien from a colony of a moon in the Justich system. He twitched and moved as it pulled by the gravity of five separate planets. Last, but not least, was a failed reinforcement gladiator from Ophidian who was simply known as Toxin, for the most obvious of reasons. His alien race of Vaccans is endangered, though scattered throughout the universe, due to their low resistance to poisons and airborne contaminants.

With the safety glass up, the match was officially underway. Rac started things off by tearing open the fabric of time and space and producing a Windook, a horned, furry creature with hooves like steel. Poiunatyu beat it with a Gaes Stick, the bark of which imbedded itself within the minion's skin, whipping it into a furry, giving it a slight burst of strength, but significantly reducing its expected life span.

The Kid jumped at Springboard, making the banana slug of an alien think it was under attack. He leapt back, ricocheted off a cave wall, hit the ceiling, hit another wall, the floor, another wall, the back wall, the floor again, and stopped the bouncing when he hit the safety glass, which moved just slightly. He hid behind Rac, and teetered back and forth, making "come get me" eyes at The Kid. The Kid did not pursue.

Captain Impressive made to tackle Rac. Rac vanished in a portal and moved back out of harm's way. Captain Impressive switched targets, landing a hearty, cybernetically enhanced, left-handed punch in Poiunatyu's stomach. She recoiled, dropped her club-like tail, peppered it with some lingering after effects, took another punch from Captain Impressive, and then retaliated with a devastating clout to his thigh.

Rac created a Pomparian Rorso, a four-legged, two-armed, two-pincered lizard-like beast with a mouth like a spear. He mounted the beast, and together they advanced on Gail. Gail put up one of her hands, as if to say, "Stop," and expected the winds to enforce her command. Rac continued to advance. Gail put her whole spirit into it, imagining up a whirlwind that could lift the cave through the top of the mountain. Stillness. She flung herself out of the way, but a passing pincer grazed her arm.

Captain Impressive stood tall, but his attacked leg was numb. It played with his balance. He was floored by Springboard leaping onto his back, but shook him easily, and stood on the numbed appendage once more. Poiunatyu had recovered from her tail whip attack and was ready to strike again. Using preventative offense, Captain Impressive unsheathed his arm blades and buried them in her scaly armor. His arms returned weaponless; the blades had broken free. They were not without their effectiveness, though. With each move Poiunatyu made, she hurt a little more. In a last-ditch effort, she dropped to her knees, and pulled out a glass sphere. She crushed it in an acidic pop. It hurt her and Captain Impressive equally. She was done for; he had a bit of life left in him. He turned his attention on the thus-far forgotten Toxin.

Gail tried to defend herself against Rac and the minion he road, but there was no wind, despite her best efforts. After a couple more grazes, a gouging, and a near miss, she retreated to converse with her nearest teammate, The Kid. "There's no air current in here."

The Kid was staring down the Windook. The animal growled like a Chronic Chainsaw but did not advance. The Kid had halted him with his thoughts, and the reassuring, "Stay, stay, good boy." Without taking his eyes from the Windook, he wiped the trickle of sweat beneath his brown curls and responded, "No kidding. That's why it's so freaking hot in here. And probably why it smells like mould."

"But that's the source of my power."

"If you don't mind," The Kid fought the urge to step back from the Windook's bark, "I'm trying to concentrate. Just use your fists like Johnny Alpha said to."

Captain Impressive watched Toxin with his cybernetic eye. Toxin was coughing, and for good reason. Captain Impressive’s eye detected some things suspended in the air, nearly microscopic. They moved just a bit as Toxin swiped at them, but otherwise they were concentrated around his body. Toxin started to gag.

While Captain Impressive watched what would have been comical, he listened in on Springboard and Rac’s conversation. He did not need enhanced hearing for this, their voices carried off the walls. Springboard huffed, "Oh, oh, I know, a Lecherous Wfal, that'll wipe them out. But I can't do it alone."

"Yes," agreed Rac, still mounted on the Pomparian Rorso. "We'll each open a portal, and then combine them."

Gail approached behind Captain Impressive, calling his attention away from the conversation. "There's no draft in here, I can't use my powers of wind."

Captain Impressive thought out a plan so quickly, it was nothing short of impressive. "I've got it," he snapped. Without taking his cybernetic eye off of Toxin, he pointed at Rac and Springboard. "They're about to open two portals at once. If you can create a wind current between the two..."

The Kid was still playing with the Windook, apparently oblivious to the rest of the fight. He balanced his crystal amulet on the animal's nose, the black smoke inside circling impatiently. "Steady, steady," commanded The Kid. "Now!" The Windook snapped, trying to eat the amulet on its nose. The Kid snatched it away. The smoke inside stopped swirling and streamed out.

The smoke solidified into a dark demon that looked to be caged in such tiny surroundings. "I am the Doombringer. When I pass, nothing remains. Where I've been, nothing survives. Where I go, fear proceeds." The Doombringer gripped the Windook firmly and ate him like a sandwich. The Kid laughed one quick, humored laugh.

Rac and Springboard actioned their plan. There was a refreshing, though eerily warm breeze connecting the two oblong holes. Gail acted quickly and stirred up a soft, but effective wind. The previously stagnate poison that had crippled Toxin, now spread throughout the enclosed arena. None escaped it; all the gladiators and minions breathed it in. One was immune to it.

After the coughing and gagging, and finally the collapsing, only the ravenous Doombringer remained upright. He and his team won by annihilation.