Chapter 8: Chapter Eight: Arena

Xull and I walked side by side, down a corridor. I could still hear the rain behind us from the landing pad.

I glanced over at Xull. She currently inhabited a carapace like when we first met, gray, with gold edges. She arrived at the penthouse and asked me to come with her to a waiting ship outside my windows. When I entered, we sat and talked very little. There was no mention of last night, and as I thought about it, there shouldn’t be a deep rehash of it. She was simply helping me with my hyper sexuality, not that I wasn’t ungrateful.

We stepped through the opening at the end of the corridor and into a massive area. I looked up to see a glass covered dome, with stadium seating. A huge field was spread out before me. It had what looked like grass, but no numbers or lines painted on it like football stadiums back on Urth   

“Welcome to the Arena. There was a fad over a hundred years ago of gladiator robot fighting, but it mostly out of style at the moment. I kept this arena as a museum piece for the populace, but the people have come to it less and less.”

She stepped forward and turned around to face me with golden eyes. “I spent the night re-reinforcing it, and adding a few upgrades to better handle your training. By my calculations, we have seven days to ensure you’re ready for the Nerth mission.”

“Seven days? Will that be enough time?”

Xull nodded. “Considering how quickly you increased your skill in a short amount of time, you should be able to train your power enough to ensure moderate to full success.”

“You have that much confidence?” I asked with a sarcastic smirk.

“I do. Your enhancement will allow you to learn much faster for your own survival. After seven days, we will go over mission parameters and begin mission launch.”

“What kind of training plan do we have on the agenda today?” I asked as I fell into business mode.

A whirling of heavy hydraulics touched my sensitive hearing. Xull stepped away, and at the end of the immense field, a red drone stepped out from another corridor. It was heavily armored. Spike stabbed out from its shoulders. It stood eight feet tall. Crimson eyes stared at me as a big, thick, heavy mace was in its right hand. It didn’t look warm and fuzzy, but I couldn’t deny the appeal of training and testing my limits a little more.

“The arena has a shield generator, so do not feel you need to hold back,” Xull said as she moved to the sidelines.

“What’s the training schedule and details?” I asked.

“I have constructed a series of gladiators, each stronger, or numerous, than the last. Each one will have different talents, abilities, and defenses. While your training, I will be able to measure your output, and offer advice on how to proceed.”

“So, you’re my coach,” I smiled.

Xull simply stared at me. “I suppose I am,” she said plainly.

I pulled up my stats and gave them the once over.

Quinn Barron

Category 1 Mana Storm

Strength Power: 25 Tons

Speed: Mach 1 (1,000 MPH)

 

Standard Abilities

Hyper Physical Durability

Flight

Regeneration

Hyper Senses

Hyper Dimensional Jump

 

Storm Powers

Element: Water

1. Aura 20%
2. Elemental Weapon or Armor 20%
3. Energy Bolts (X)
4. Elemental manipulation (X)
5. Elemental Flare (X)
6. Unique Ability (X)
7. Unique Ability (X)
8. Unique Ability (X)

 

I turned my attention to the red gladiator and flexed my fingers. “Put me in coach,” I grinned.

“As you wish,” Xull said.

Instantly, the red gladiator darted into a charge. Despite its large, tough frame, it seemed to move easily as it began to cross the field.

Not wanting to waste any time, I launched from where I was standing with my fist cocked back. I crossed the distance in a blink. The gladiator raised its mace as my fist slammed into its chest. The gladiator was lifted off its metal feet, flew back, and hit the ground, tearing it up as it rolled to a stop.

Gears whirled as the red gladiator put its open hand down and slowly lifted itself up. I slammed my boots on its back, forcing it back on its stomach. I grabbed at the mace and pulled it free. Without a second thought, I lifted the mace and hammered it down on its head, caving it in and sparks blasting out.      

The gladiator twitched and shuddered before it went limp, smoke rising up from its damaged head.

I stood on it with the metal mace. That wasn’t much of a challenge.

Three side corridors opened up. I turned to see three similar, but thinner, crimson gladiator. They flew out with thrusters and short wings stabbing out from their backs. Each one had plasma pistols in each hand as they flew up. They up about thirty feet and aimed.

“Series one, stage two, commence,” Xull’s voice came out of loudspeakers across the whole arena.

I kept the mace as I turned to the flying gladiator drones. Metal fingers pulled triggers and pistols went off.

I burst forward, flying toward one of them. A plasma bolt shot past my head. I lifted up the thick mace, parrying another plasma bolt. I was nearly to the gladiator, when my back was lit up by plasma fire. It knocked me from the air and sent me spiraling the ground. When I hit it, debris shot up as I rolled and curled my body. I pushed with my legs and launched into the air, my back stinging from the plasma blasts.

I ignited my aura, blue energy covering my body. I launched further into the air as six plasma pistols went off. I veered to the side, bolts missing me by inches. I flew a little higher and slammed into an invisible shield barrier. It flared with blue energy as I deflected off and tried to keep flying. Energy bolts slammed into me as tired to get my balance.

Water Aura: 17%

The pistols did some damage, but not like the cannons used in the desert. Still, I had to be careful. This was going to be an all-day training, and I needed to conserve what I had for whatever Xull may throw at me next.

I flew low while making a wide arc. I had enough distance between me and the gladiators as they opened fire. I poured on the speed, circling them like a super-fast shark. Mace in hand, I watched as the gladiators adjusted for my pattern and aimed for where I was going to be. That was just what I wanted as I abruptly turned and shot at them at full speed.

The shockwave from breaking the sound barrier was enough to knock the gladiator’s targeting systems off center. As they tried to compensate, I was already to one of them with my new mace pulled back.

A loud “CRACK!” filled the arena as I slammed my mace in their chest. Armor exploded into flying shards as the gladiator drone went spiraling backwards and crashed onto the ground. Smoke rose up from its body as red eyes winked out and went dark.

I turned to attack the others when I received a face full of plasma bolts. The energy surged along my senses as I was knocked from the air and hit the ground, taking clumps of grass and dirt shooting up from the impact.

Water Aura: 14%

I burst up from the ground and was back on my feet.

“You must use your abilities to get better at them,” Xull said over the loudspeakers.

I eyed the two remaining crimson gladiators as they trained their pistols at me. I was going at this all wrong. I was conserving my energy for bigger threats, but in the meantime, I was making my life harder against low-level threats. I had to end this like with the first gladiator.

An idea struck and activated my elemental armor.

Time slowed down as I felt moisture from the grass under my feet. Each plant was filled with a tiny amount, but I felt the pull of water. I pictured a shield on my left arm, and small, barely perceptible drops flew up to join with my power.

In barely a second, water formed into a hard, blue shield. It clamped onto my arm as metal fingers pulled triggers.

Water Shield: 20%

I braced myself as multiple bolts slammed into the shield. I stayed my ground, but it was good enough to keep the plasma bolts from frying my nerves.

Water Shield: 17%

I burst forward, shield in front of me. Plasma bolts slammed or deflected off of it. The gladiator drones floated in opposite directions while firing pistols. I wasn’t about to let them divide and conquer me. I pulled back my arm with the shield and whipped it forward.

I felt the strands of control as the shield went spinning through the air as several plasma bolts hit. The shield turned with my thoughts. The gladiators continued to fire as the shield arced and sliced through a neck. One crimson gladiator’s head popped up in a fountain of sparks.

The last gladiator concentrated pistol fire at me as the shield aimed for it from behind and off to the side of it. My aura took a beating as the shield came around and sliced through the second gladiator’s neck.

Robotic bodies fell and hit the ground with sparks and smoke.

I held up my arm as my shield flew to me and clamped on my forearm.

Water Aura: 11%

Water Shield: 14%

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I glanced at my stats as I turned to Xull. I took some more damage, but considering the damage the war drone was dishing out, this was a walk in the park. I couldn’t help but feel Xull was holding back.

“Excellent. You’re using your powers. As we continue training, you should be able to increase them to higher levels. Let’s continue,” Xull said over loudspeakers.

I nodded as I turned to the sound of a corridor door sliding open. I looked over as a ten-foot tall, ten feet wide, dark red gladiator. It had hammers for hands and a wicked glow to its eyes. It was armored like a tank and certainly didn’t look like a push over.

“How long is training scheduled for today?” I asked as I fell into a battle stance.

“Sixteen hours,” Xull said over the loudspeaker.

I nodded. I didn’t lie to myself about what was expected. If we were going to help each other, and only had seven days, I needed every drop of training I could get.

The giant gladiator began taking, heavy, thundering steps as it walked into a charge. The ground shook as I stood with a water shield on one forearm and a large mace in my other hand. My aura and shield were damaged, but not enough to stop training. I grinned as I began my charge.

The two of us quickly crossed the field and I launched into the air with a defiant shout as the gladiator’s hammer hands reared them back to hit me.

***

I fell onto all fours, heaving and gasping for breath. My muscles burned. My skin was covered in blast marks and a few cracks. Arms and legs shook.

Around me and across most of the arena field, damaged, smoking, and broken gladiator drones remained. It looked like a massacre as I barely kept myself from passing out.

Despite my abilities and powers, fighting for sixteen hours seemed to be my limit. Wave after wave of gladiator drones attacked me. I lost my shield and my aura over twelve hours ago, and spent the rest of the time simply fighting for my life. Some waves had physical weapons, which were easier to handle. Other waves had plasma weapons, from melee to rifles and pistols. Those were harder, trying to dodge and fight at the same time.

Growing up, I had some form or another of martial arts training. It was almost a prerequisite because of the world we lived in. Some countries demanded military training once someone reached eighteen, but not back home in Tylerica. There were schools and centers dedicated to training how to fight, and basic weapon usage. It was not mandatory, but it was highly encouraged because of the unusual nature of our world and cities.

Over a hundred years ago, when it became more apparent that super powered people were making their presence known, many governments didn’t want a populace that couldn’t defend themselves. The Defense Training centers began appearing across all the vales, especially in Spiral City. It was said, a trained populace was better than a panicked one. It began in high school and carried on for as long as you wished to train.

I put in my time, learning different fighting styles, and some weapon training. I didn’t go professional, because I had responsibilities to my family. I knew enough to handle myself in a fight, but that was about it. With my new power, you think it would be obsolete, but it wasn’t. Every grueling hour was spent trying to fight and minimize damage to myself. Despite my new power, I still had to know what I was doing in a fight. It also helped me use my abilities in better ways, until they were gone.

I didn’t rest for the entire day, and it proved, endurance was just as important as trying to simply take down your enemies. But I was weakened to the point I couldn’t go on, but I still believed, if I needed to, I could push myself harder.

“Today’s training is over,” Xull said over the loudspeaker.

I let out a long exhale before tilting and collapsing on my back. I stared up at the dome windows, seeing that night had fallen and rain ran like rivers over the glass. My mind blanked as I stared up at the dark, rainy sky.

A shadow touched the edge of my gaze. My eyeballs shifted and I looked up at Xull’s standing form.

“You did much better than my estimates predicted,” Xull said.

“I’m…full of surprises,” I heaved.

“With rest, you should be fine in a short amount of time,” Xull said simple.

I nodded and gave her a thumb’s up.

There was some clapping in the distance. I raised my head to see several people sitting in the stadium stands. They smiled and clapped, some of them giving me a thumb’s up. When did they come in?

“Some of the surrounding towers can looked directly down into the dome. There were some communications, citizens wanting to see what was happening here. I allowed them in to observe,” Xull explained.

I kept my gaze on the different and small groups of people. When I caught the sight of wolf ears and silver-gray hair, I slowly sat up.

Hope sat toward the front of a set of stadium seating and smiled brightly. She was dressed in a black, leather looking body suit.

My body tingled. I glanced down to see my wounds beginning to close up. My energy was returning and I was feeling better by the second.

Aura increased to 40%!

Elemental Weapon or Armor increased to 40%!

It was good to know that the training was really paying off. I did wonder if it would have increased sooner if I just had a break in the middle of the training exercises?

“Hope has been here for three hours. She has shown great interest in your training,” Xull said as she lowered her hand to me.

I took it and stood up. I turned to the stadium seating and gave a small wave. The small number of spectators waved back. Hope gave a vigorous wave back with her hand over her head.

I glanced to the people again, and noticed, some of them had animal features or fur, while others looked humanoid with cybernetic implants.

“Xull, I’ve been meaning to ask, why do some people have animal features and other have cybernetic parts?”

She didn’t waste any time explaining, “There was a conflict on Xull three decades ago. Some of the populace formed a resistance against me. They believed there needed to be a return to nature, and to reject a cybernetic world. They removed their implants, and to fool my scans, genetically modified themselves to carry animal characteristics.

“Understanding sentient nature and history, this secret resistance was needed to aid with the populace feeling alive again. Drones and scans were not run at optimal parameters, giving their rebellion a chance to thrive. I am integrated with much of the planet. There is little that happens that goes unnoticed. For a phycological need for conflict, I allowed it to happen for the betterment of society.

“The resistance carried on, raiding weapon depots and staging strikes on mainframe fortresses. They often came up with clever ways to hamper my scans, and moved along tunnels under cities in secret.

“The conflict carried on for many years. There were supporters of the resistance, and those who opposed it. I would have let it continue, until a being from another realm visited our world and brokered a peace. An armistice was made, which led to peace. Those in the resistance simply wanted more autonomy, and less hand holding. I agreed to their demands and the populace in most locations were positive about the decision.

“In current times, there are many who have learned about the resistance here on Xull Prime. Many young people stick to those core values by genetically altering themselves to an animal species that they identify. It brings a sense of purpose, and honoring of the past.

“I have reduced my parameters when it comes to assisting the populace. There are those who need help most of the time, while there are others who prefer to use very little of my assistance. It has created a new age of self reliance and lifting of society of as a whole.”

I nodded. “Who was the being that came to your world?”

“A friend,” Xull smiled.

I nodded again, understanding that she didn’t want to speak any further on it.

Xull spoke as she turned and walked away. “The arena will be cleaned and ready for you tomorrow. I would recommend getting some rest, but you may be a little busy tonight.”

My eyebrow raised, unsure what she meant, until I felt an approaching presence. I turned around to see Hope approaching me with warm eyes and smile.

“Hello Quinn,” she said kindly.

“Hi Hope. I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said, trying to be social.

“There was some net chatter of what was happening in the old arena. When I saw your description and summary, I wanted to come and offer my own support.”

Hope looked away as a sudden shyness took over. “I also wanted to say thank you again, for defending my friend, and us.”

“I should be thanking you. Your aim with a plasma rifle really helped turned the tide.”

Hope gave a small nod. “I have many underutilized skills sets. It was nice to actually help someone in real danger.”

I glanced down to see her fluffy tail swishing back and forth. I’ve seen that enough to know she was excited to be here and talking to me. If I had a tail, it would be doing the same thing.

“Since you’re finished, with what I can assume is some kind of training, I wondered if you wanted to take a walk. I can show you a little more of Dream City. I promise, it won’t take up much of your time. I’m sure you’re busy.”

“Sounds like fun,” I smiled.

Hope looked at me with wide eyes. I don’t know, but I guessed she might have thought I would turn her down. Considering how much better I was feeling with every passing moment, a walk in a new city sounded like the right medicine to help me relax a little.

I glanced down to see my clothes were full repaired and looked brand new. My skin was clear of any blast marks and cracked skin. In a short moment, I felt like I was brand new and rested. This regeneration really was effective.

“There is a great part of town, a few streets over. We could walk and talk, maybe grab a drink,” Hope said.

“Let’s give it a go and see where the night takes us,” I said.

Hope was nearly bouncing on her feet before turning slightly and pointing to a corridor at the edge of the arena.

“Xull, I,” I began as I turned my head. I stopped when I saw that Xull was long gone.

Several maintenance drones began cleaning up the arena floor. The small groups of people were now gone, leaving only Hope and myself on the arena floor.

Hope and I began walking toward the corridor. I felt lighter, in body and in spirit. My confidence grew, knowing that this training was only going to help. I just had to stay focused.

But as Hope and I entered the corridor, I caught her glance at me. Her cheeks glowed with a tiny pink hue, but my senses could detect more that what was happening on the surface. Her pulse was elevated. Her senses were very alert. Her very scent seemed to change as we walked, side by side.

It didn’t take a genius to know there was something there between us. I simply decided to ignore it, for now. In over seven days, I might be dead on some cold moon. Better to live a little today and see how the future may play out.

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