Through the Ghost

Braden led Tal to a dark back alley at the far side of the city. It turned out that if they wanted to get Anna and any gear they might need into the city then they’d have to meet some of Braden’s less savory contacts. The meeting in particular was at a Pit; an illegal fighting arena with few rules that proved popular for risk-takers and gamblers.

Braden stepped up to the door. A red light blinked on within a small black orb at the top of the door. It stared at them briefly then went dark.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Tal asked.

“Yeah, I’ve done a few odd jobs for these guys, they owe me one,” Braden mentioned.

They continued to stand in silence.

“Unless they’re still mad about that time I cheated them out of a few credits.”

“How much?”

Braden hesitated. “A couple hundred,” he admitted.

“That’s not so bad, they make almost double that-“

“Thousand,” Braden clarified.

Tal looked at him concernedly when a voice called out from the orb.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve Wulff.”

“Fel! It’s been too long,” Braden exclaimed.

“Clearly not long enough. Why the hells would we let you back in here?”

“I’ve got a fighter for ya, one of them Orothros fellas.”

“Why would I want to lose money?”

“Not if you have him fight Trog.”

No response. Tal began to second guess his decision as the door opened to reveal a bulbous faced humanoid whose robotic limb propped the door open.

Fel’s three eyes leered suspiciously between the two. Tal began to pull his hand back to the pistol strapped to his back. Then, surprisingly, Fel’s wide mouth spread into a mischievous grin.

“Welcome,” he announced before stepping aside to allow the two men access.

The moment Tal crossed through the entryway he was bombarded with the familiar scent of The Pits. Sweat, blood, and a hint of fecal matter recalled the bruises and broken limbs he’d inflicted and sustained in his time as a fighter.

It’d been before Orothros, when it was just him and Jaya. He’d had formal training in the art as a boy, but that didn’t come close to preparing him for the nightmares he’d endured during his tenure. The money he’d won had paid to get Jaya the best schooling and housing possible, but it’d sunk him deeper and deeper into debt. If Rahn hadn’t found him, he’d likely still be stuck in the endless cycle of fighting until one day his skull caved in, or his spine was fractured.

They continued down a dimly lit set of stairs. The further they stepped, the darker everything became. They stopped in front of a massive steel door. The kind built to protect vaults of valuables. The three stood in the dark, waiting for something to happen. Then the door slid open and instantly they were hit by a wave of noise as hundreds of voices cheered and booed at the fighters in the ring.

The types of fighting rings varied depending on the amount of money being pushed into that particular region, and whether or not the local Council member was interested in outlawing the practice. This particular ring was much more advanced than the crude barriers Tal had experienced in the past.

Instead of patched together barbed wire or electrified railings they had a kinetic barrier capable of giving its audience the best view possible without risking the combatants spilling into the crowd.

As Tal and Braden got closer, they could make out two Viashano thrashing and clubbing each other. Talons ripped away sections of thick scales from their broad-shouldered bodies. One roared as teeth dug into its neck. The crowd cheered with excitement. Tal couldn’t help but watch as the two continued to wrestle with tooth and claw.

The crowd volume swelled, Tal’s heart began to race at the familiar fevered pitch of one combatant gaining the upper hand. There was a crash as one of the fighters was slammed to the ground. A rush of cheers burst forth from the crowd, then the chanting began as it always did. The request for more blood to be spilled increased as the victor roared in triumph. A voice declared the match over eliciting a smattering of boos from the crowd.

It’s then that a hand tapped Tal on the shoulder, the Orothros operative instinctually gripped it and twisted so that the intruder was pleading for release.

“Woah!” Braden called out. “Let her go.”

Tal’s eyes refocused to see he was twisting the arm of a fancily dressed woman. He instantly released her. As she rubbed her injured arm, her creased eyes predatorily analyzed the red-haired operative.

“So, this is the guy?” she inquired with equal parts disappointment and curiosity.

“Yep, what do you think?” Braden asked enthusiastically.

“You’ve fought before, haven’t you?” she stated knowingly.

Tal nodded. “Not here though,” he clarified.

“I’m sure I would have remembered a lad like you,” she said, her eyes continued to size him up.

“Bella Clarke,” she introduced herself with an extension of her hand. Tal warily shook it.

“So, we have a deal?” Braden pressed.

She removed her critical from Tal and looked at the bounty hunter. “Of course we do, hells we go so far back, I’d probably have helped you out for old-time’s sake, but this will prove much more entertaining.”

“So, who’s Trog?” Tal inquired, while Braden fumed beside him.

Bella laughed haughtily. “You see that big guy that just won.” She pointed at the dark blue Viashano.

Tal looked at the fighter to which she was referring. The Viashano was a bit on the large side for his monstrous species, but it was nothing he hadn’t seen before.

“He was going to fight Trog next,” she announced, eyes gleaming with youthful excitement.

She lead them away from the ring and through the crowd, circling towards the back of the ring. Once there, Bella stopped and looked at him.

One of Bella’s entourage that escorted them through the crowd handed her a pair of dark shorts, fresh blood stains decorated them. She tossed them to Tal.

“You remember the rules?” she asked.

“Yeah, don’t die,” he replied.

“Good, follow through the door there, if you succeed you’ll get what I promised.”

“If I fail?” he inquired as she walked away.

“I won’t have to feed him,” she answered with a shrug.

Tal took a deep breath, then entered the preparation room beneath the arena.