"Our Broken Ocean is the a very welcoming place for creatures who want to have a free life. So, in the years many inhabitants of other worlds escaped from their tyrannical rulers to our ocean." – As they went towards the west side of the city James explained some things about the so-called "worst-case scenario". – "But the fact that we receive these refugees usually isn't appreciated by the rulers of their native worlds. So, time to time they try to invade, or send some punishing expedition against us."
They turned left into a very dark alley. – "And the Ocean Lords, like our captain, are the main protectors of the Broken Ocean."
There was a massive wall in front of them. It was a dead end.
James suddenly looked ad the boy. – "Always remember. Two things are important: freedom and glory. Essentially, nothing else matters."
Alexander, seeing the seriousness of the fat man in front of him, nodded and branded this information in his mind.
"Good!" – James faced the wall and tapped some bricks. The wall trembled and separated into two parts leaving a passage in the middle.
Strictly speaking it wasn't large enough for James to pass but, somehow, he managed to slip inside.
"Did you remember the way here, boy?"
"Sure."
James nodded approvingly. – "That's a very entertaining place."
But, as Alexander wanted to ask where they exactly were, he suddenly heard some screams, roars of agony and fury, cheers, curses and many other noises. He saw a light in the end of the passage and the sounds became louder, blended together into a single roar.
The exited the long tunnel and the bright light blinded Alexander. – "Hahahahaha! Refreshing! Boy, welcome to the Scarlet Pit."
"The fighting arena of Blackwater!"
Once Alexander's eyes recovered, he saw many buildings and people, but the most eye catching was the huge circular platform surrounded by many rows for the spectators just in the middle of the underground space.
Yes, they were underground, and the illumination was provided by a shining crystal positioned on the ceiling. It was akin to a very huge artificial sun.
'Probably we're under the mountain, overwise it would be difficult to find some underground space as big as this one.'
"Come, let's register you for some fights!" – James directly went towards a barely noticeable building near the central arena.
"Ok…WHAT?! You want me to fight?"
James glanced at him. – "Yeah! You lack some battle experience so, even though I wanted to go and by some liquor for the tomorrow's trip but once you went with me, I changed my plans!" – He pointed towards the boy and some lightning snakes started dancing around his hand. – "So, if you don't want to be roasted…"
"Ok, ok, ok, lets fight a bit! Yeah! Fight!"
"That's the spirit, Lad!" – Alexander could only sigh.
[…]
"You want to register this boy for the fights into the Scarlet Pitt?"
A thin young man, sitting behind the counter, was drilling Alexander with his penetrative gaze. 'If he didn't wear glasses, he would already pierce me…' Thought the boy.
"Yes."
"Ok. That's easy, but firstly I need to ask you some questions. For the token." – He took out a piece of paper. – "Name?"
"Alexander."
"Age"
The boy thought for a second. – "Don't know…" – The man sized him for a second. – "Give me your hand for a moment." – Alexander obeyed. Suddenly some sort of energy gently entered his body. Subconsciously Alexander's bloodline activated to repel the invasion. – "Don't resist!" – The young man admonished him immediately and Alexander controlled his energy.
The man nodded and after a moment wrote something on his piece of paper. – "You're more of less thirteen years old."
"Bloodline?"
Alexander didn't understand the question for a moment, but James answered in his place. – "Awakened recently."
The man nodded and impassively continued to write. Then he went into a back room and after a few minutes he brought a black token. – "This is your token. Now you're in the Iron Tier."
Seeing the boy's puzzled expression, the man looked at James who could only scroll his shoulders and sigh. – "It's his second time in Blackwater."
The clerk nodded. – "There are five tiers: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Black Gold. After the Black Gold the ranking system changes but you're still far from that. To advance to the next tier one needs to fight. Easy."
[…]
'What am I doing here…?'
A few minutes ago, they arrived before a smaller arena. – "Iron rookies don't fight in the main one." – Explained James.
And now he was on the stone platform covered with some bloodstains and pieces of flesh that could be part of someone's liver.
Alexander sighed for another time.
"Alexander against the Lord of Darkness." – The conductor announced the first fight. He was visibly bored. The fights in the Iron Tier usually weren't interesting to watch.
His opponent held a spear and was grinning evilly already savoring his victory. 'Only a small boy. That would be easy hahaha.' He was already thinking about advancing into the Gold Tier…
Alexander's thoughts were less interesting. 'Such a lame name…I thought that one couldn't use invented ones…'
"Fight!"
Alexander ran towards his opponent. Lord of Darkness was considerably slower and had only time to block the first slash of the boy's dagger. 'Haha, blocked! Now I' will destroy you…'
"[BURNING SPEAR!]"
His weapon suddenly exploded with scarlet flames, but Alexander didn't care. The dagger still pressed against the spear suddenly shot up, parallel to the spear shaft and slashed the Lord's fingers.
"AAAAAH! Damn Brat! I will burn you!"
'Prepare to die!' Thought the Lord of Darkness. – "[BURING HEAVENS]" – The flame on the spear started expanding and the temperature on the whole arena went up.
'It's the end for you, clown!' Thought Alexander. '[Life IV]' His whole body was immediately covered by green flames and he dashed forward.
*BOOOM*
A huge explosion engulfed his body
"Alexander wins!" – Announced the conductor.
The Lord of Darkness was decapitated. His spear was still burning slightly. Suddenly a trace of red energy leaved the headless body and entered Alexander's token.
"Everything on his body is yours, boy." – Added the conductor.
'I wonder if it was the spear or his bloodline which produced flames…'
In any case he took the spear and burned the corpse with his flame. The conductor observed everything from the side. 'The flame was greed before and excluded a bunch of life energy…now it's purple without any particular attribute…That's some promising bloodline…'
Alexander suddenly smiled. His flame acquired a [Burning I] characteristic. 'So, it was his bloodline…' Even though his bloodline manifested as a flame it didn't have the main trait of one: it didn't produce heat.
He still took the spear.
"Do you want to continue with the fights?" – Asked the conductor politely.
As Alexander was to reply in negative, he heard a buzzing sound ad suddenly was hit by a small lightning and his back became slightly numb.
"Don't even think about it, Boy!" – He heard James's voice.
Alexander signed. – "Yeah, let's continue." – But the conductor was extremely pale, and his legs were trembling. As he saw the lighting and heard the voice he turned around and saw a huge frame of the man observing them.
"Thunder…Lord…" – He muttered. He couldn't even think clearly now. 'Thunder Lord James Markeez. Ten years ago, he already exceeded the Gold Rank!'
"Heeei, Old Man? Conductor?" – Alexander's voice suddenly brought him back to reality. – "I want to continue with the fights."
"Ah?...What…Oh, yes, sure!"
'This boy is acquainted with Thunder Lord. I need to be more polite to him.'
The next opponent stood up and arrived on the arena.
He was less arrogant, but Alexander still found the name "Slayer of Gods" a bit lame. This opponent used a short sword coupled with a large shield.
He was defending masterfully against Alexander's ferocious attacks so at some point of the fight he started waiting for his opponent to attack and open his turtle-like defense.
The strategy worked and after some moments Slayer was already bleeding from his right hand. He knew that the fight was essentially over for him.
"I concede."
Alexander, who was about to attack using his opponent's weakness, stopped and looked at conductor.
"Alexander wins!"
[…]
He fought for some hours until the exhaustion became unbearable. He won fourteen fights and his token was nearly half a way to the Bronze Tier.
"Good work, Boy."
James was happily counting money. After the fourth fight won by Alexander, he started betting with some guys on how many fights will the boy win.
It was the evening and they returned to the mansion.
Alexander, tired, went straight to his room and fell on the bed. His longing for some rest was heard and darkness filled his mind.
Suddenly a white flash made him open his eyes.
He looked around and sighed. 'The white room…another time…'
The only good thing about this was the fact that he didn't felt the exhaustion here and was even somehow energic.
He found the door handle and pushed it down.