The Piztor Arena became an official arena within Grakkan's Union only half a decade ago. It was an unofficial arena for a few decades previous, serving as a backup when others were unusable for various reasons. Prior to that, it was an abandoned building where kids gathered to throw unsupervised parties. Prior to that, it was The Piztor Academy, which trained low-level Psi gladiators how to use their powers for defense. Prior to that, it was the modest estate of Uniel Piztor, who managed to retain ownership after death.
It was primarily referred to as The Piss-poor Arena, not just because of the easy rhyming, but because Uniel Piztor had implemented confining guidelines that must be followed when using it. A series of five judges must be on hand to ensure the rules are upheld. Anything that would damage the floor was grounds for disqualification. Any use of previously unapproved minions, weapons, physical enhancements, toxins, mutations, or traps was grounds for disqualification (this did leave open use of various powers, especially psi powers, not previously demonstrated). There was no alcohol or other recreational substances to be used by gladiators or spectators. The noise had to be minimal, as necessary (as deemed by the judges). But, the most confining element of the arena was the time limit. All fights had to be over within fifteen minutes. Very few fights here were over on their own accord. Some fights had only just begun.
The reason The Piztor Arena was used at all was its size. Uniel Piztor was a great manipulator of space through the use of mysticism. He maximized the available space through planar bending. One could see everything at once, though it was immeasurably miles across. In such a limited amount of time, no gladiator had ever reached a wall within a match. And yet, every viewer (there were a maximum capacity of eight hundred and twenty, minus gladiators and minions) had an arena side seat without missing any of the action. It is a spectacular architecture one has to see to believe.
Team Diamond and Kashen's Nameless Team faced off in The Piztor Arena. The third of five matches, they were the pivotal fight in the short night. They stood on the Piztor Family Emblem that was the center-most point of the arena, waiting for the whistle. The team could not see them, but the manager and trainer Lady Diamond and Johnny Alpha sat close enough to reach out and touch them (which would have been grounds for disqualification). "He's wearing The Kurgunt Claw?" asked Johnny Alpha. "That's good, he trained well with it this past week."
"It was not an easy persuasion, but they need every bit of help. I have a bad feeling about this team."
"You cleared it with the judges, right?"
Lady Diamond nodded, "Five minutes before the event." She glanced at Kashen, sitting on the other side of the arena. He was massaging his forehead, which was inlaid with the insignia of the Ophidians. He looked everywhere but the arena, though the arena was all there was to see. He gave no hint that he knew Lady Diamond was present.
In the arena, blind to the audience, Kashen's team lined up. Slice lost his suit, wearing crimson and beige swirled fabric that could be mistaken for his bare skin. Behind him was his bodyguard, who was dressed basically in his bare skin, with layers of muscle shingling over one another. What cloth he wore was lost beneath a roll. His only visible garments were four metal rings, around the thickest parts of his arms and legs, constricting him and his full strength. For various reasons, he was called Splat.
Beside Slice was a former captive of Slice's, who was now in his employment. He was called Catdemon, a misnomer by all accounts. He was of an elusive alien race, Hyperbian, regarded for their ability as thieves, mercenaries, assassins, and soldiers. He towered over Slice by a foot, taller than even Splat, with a thin, lanky, sheik physique. His skin was black, always moist due to oil glands. In place of fingers, he had opposable, non-retractable claws with an inescapable grip. His ears were atop his head and pivotal. His eyes were a green-like gold with no pupil in the light. His tail was short and hard, like a club. His feet were padded like a leather couch and had a gel that could be turned on and off which gave him better traction. He was told he could not use it on this floor. He had fangs, black like his skin, which protruded from his upper gums. His facial hair grew straight out in a few strands, though it did not serve to balance like whiskers.
The fourth team member was Sace, known as The Goddess of the Seas of Light, worshiped throughout several systems. She was only corporeal at times. She cast two reflections, as if she walked on water and below a shattered mirror, but no shadow. Sometimes she vanished completely. Often she talked to specters that were not around. She owed Slice an unspoken favor.
A whistle, that left one trying to name the tune, sounded, and the gladiators had fifteen minutes to do what they could. Catdemon wisped through the air and was on Captain Impressive before he knew what was happening. His claws searched, found, and destroyed Captain Impressive's arm blades.
Slice, with a sigh, unleashed the raging Splat, dropping the metal bands to the floor with an absurd clanking. Splat pushed Slice and Sace out of his way and made an aggressive path for Gail. Gail responded with a shot of wind that sent Splat walking backward, but still awkwardly on his feet.
Slice and Sace marched to The Kid, two bullies confronting someone spreading rumors. They made him back up and avert his gaze. "You're very cute, like a little Pumpkin," noted Sace, smelling The Kid's curly hair. "Don't doubt yourself, you can defeat us if you really want to."
Slice grinned, but his teeth remained hidden. He stared down The Kid's head, waiting for him to look up. The Kid looked up with his eyes only, his face downward. "Here comes the parlor tricks at last," screeched Slice. "What will it be? Attack my own teammates? Surrender?" He squinted just a little, "Perhaps I've underestimated you some. Your neurons are giving a message to pull out my concealed weapon..., which I'm not registered to use. Yes, that is very tempting, if it wasn't for these ludicrous rules here. Your mind is strong, I can feel it..." Slice found his hand venturing towards his ankle. "Nah ah uh, not going to do it."
"Is there harm in humoring the poor little Pumpkin?" asked Sace, looking at neither Slice nor The Kid. "You might be better off with that one little act."
The Kid reached towards the amulet hanging around his neck. "Enough of this," exasperated Slice, "you're not worth my time." Slice held out his hand to The Kid, fingers outstretched. Starting with his pointed nails, and running down to mid-forearm, his flesh and clothing became solid steel, a multi-bladed appendage. As it was just his body, and done through the art of mysticism, the judges would be hard-pressed to disqualify him over it. He wavered and teetered after the transformation, apparently, this was not easy. He plunged it into The Kid's chest, making five separate entries at once. He twisted clockwise, and then counter-clockwise. He removed it, dripping the life of The Kid all over the floor.
The Kid went peacefully into unconsciousness and intended to keep going. His hand was still reaching for the amulet. Slice, using his mobile hand, grabbed the amulet and cut the tie that bound it with the armed arm. He turned and walked away, queasy but victorious.
Sace stood so her feet would have crushed a sensitive area on The Kid if she weighed anything at all. She cocked her head and let her rainbow eyes take in the bloody rag. "Poor little pumpkin. Let she that loves you plant you in the fog garden." She reached down a luminescent hand, sticking a finger into each open hole in his chest. She twisted her hand counter-clockwise and then clockwise. With a gurgle, The Kid was back, awake and alive, though he wished he wasn't. His new cloak, though none of his clothing could really be called new, sponged the blood from his torso, mouth, and floor.
Captain Impressive at one point had Catdemon down on the floor in a stranglehold. Catdemon had freed himself, and stood with a vengeance, picking up Captain Impressive. Captain Impressive maneuvered just right, dropping behind Catdemon, going for another stranglehold. Catdemon slipped through, backflipped over Captain Impressive, and held him in a vice grip from behind. Captain Impressive was unable to shake himself free.
Captain Impressive swung with the left, cybernetic fist with a useless fury. When this failed, he looked at his right, and the weapon he wore on it, The Kurgunt Claw. Captain Impressive punched upwards, launching the claw from his hand. It landed behind Catdemon; he paid it no attention. It slowly grabbed his leg. Catdemon kicked, but never lost his hold of Captain Impressive. When it was safe, at the will of Captain Impressive, the claw climbed some more. At the waist of Catdemon, it received a barrage of beatings from the stubby tail. The claw held strong and continued the ascent. It had trouble on the back, slipping and sliding, back down to the waist on several tries. At last Captain Impressive fell to his knees, forcing Catdemon to lean forward, and giving the claw the chance to run across a flat surface.
The claw, like a living hand, grabbed Catdemon's throat and held on with abnormal might. Catdemon let go of Captain Impressive and focused on the imposed collar. He knew sensitive parts of the hand, places that caused involuntary loosening, but the claw did not respond. Free, Captain Impressive set to work pounding on Catdemon.
Splat had finally figured out how to push himself against the wind, and despite Gail's best efforts, would not retreat. He paused when the wind stopped, confused by the change, and then moved again. Gail shot an intense burst of air at his feet, tripping him with surprise. He fell without a sound, though he shook a small area around the epicenter. Gail kept the wind coming down on him. His strength, though great, was insufficient to push his weight against the air pressure and the force of gravity. He did not stop trying.
Sace, with the satisfaction of reviving The Kid, now saw her team member in trouble. She shined her light in Gail's eye, filling the space around her with a shimmer. The air became still, like a dead man's breath. Gail struggled to breathe, feeling as if she was in a vacuum. Splat was again surprised by the surrounding conditions, as the wind vanished into nothing. He pushed down with more force than was necessary and threw himself backward. Then he righted himself, a bit too slowly, and finally stood. "Sorry, Muscles," Sace pleaded to Splat after he had teetered back and then forth. Splat went to pound on Gail, at last.
Slice tried to cut the amulet with his arm. It was counterproductive, as not only did it do nothing to the amulet, it stirred up the mist inside, a call to the Doombringer. Slice threw the amulet to the floor. His leg, through much pain and suffering, became a hammer. Slice stomped on the amulet. The amulet was none the worse, but unfortunately the same could not be said of the floor. "Disqualified," shouted a judge.
"Oh for the slender form of..." whomever Slice was thinking about remained a secret to everyone but him. "If you can't beat them, eat them." Slice caused a double disqualification by going for the amulet, technically an opponent of his, again. He picked it up and threw it in his mouth like a kernel of popcorn. He started the long walk out of the arena.
The whimsical tune of the whistle sounded again. Fifteen minutes was over. Captain Impressive quickly called off the claw from the still-breathing Catdemon before he incurred a disqualification. Splat was in the mid punch at the whistle, and could not hold back. Gail was momentarily blinded. The judges let this attack slide.
Points were awarded to Kashen's team for the death of The Kid (the revival not affecting the scoring) and for the permanent removal of the Doombringer. Team Diamond received points from Slice being disqualified twice. All totals considered, Team Diamond came out slightly ahead.
"Well, we did win..." worried Johnny Alpha.
"At the loss of a vital member," concerned Lady Diamond. "We have to see what can be done to retrieve him."
"Otherwise?"
"Otherwise, you're up next, reinforcement."
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