We landed after a long while of silence in our little vessel, on small private parking, judging from the ships already standing there. It was located on top of the biggest building belonging to a large complex which easily had a few square kilometers.
The other vehicles were much bigger, and probably way more expensive. Some looked quite fancy with elements coated with gold and some precious gems placed as decorations here and there.
Claudine was the first to leave, and his eyes for a moment rested on one of those ships. He smiled. I followed him shortly.
- What's so funny? - I asked him.
- The fact that those idiots tend to spend their money on such useless things as golden wings, and not invest in their businesses to climb the ladder and reach higher. Such small minds. That's why they will always stay here in a local league. Even if they discover a talent, they won't know what to do with it.
He then restarted his walk, heading towards a door, which would take us to an elevator. We went all the way down, and through a corridor reached a room which clearly was some registration. It was filled with aliens waiting in line to a counter where a fat, large individual with a short trunk was working. Some were holding papers, others didn't. Couples were arguing with each other, but the appearance of the Calludin silenced them all.
The two of us passed by them heading to a door, next to the counter, leading deeper. It was guarded by a few large individuals, but they stepped back, to make space for the smaller psionic. It was obvious that he was scaring them. Me on the other hand - completely not.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtI caught a few angry faces looking at me, clearly trying to intimidate me somehow, but I've already seen scarier monsters than those folks.
The doors slid open, and we went to a large massive chamber filled with many people gathered in small groups. Trainers and their fighters, usually occupying some benches on the sides. The middle was taken by an island made out of four counters, with four aliens working there. They all were female.
They were announcing something loudly in alien language from time to time, and by what was happening, I quickly figured out that it had to do something with fights.
- Follow me - said the Calludin, bringing back my attention to him.
He took me to the right edge of the chamber where a short corridor was located. It was ending with a door. After a quick glance around, I noticed a few more, and also four much bigger exits from that place. One of them was used by us to get there.
We ended up in a small waiting room, just for the two of us. There was a bench to sit on, a table, and a bathroom. I went straight to the last one after I figured what it was.
It was a nice change after simply pissing into a corner of my cell, which by the way was not cleaned up at all, but let's leave it at that.
- So, what now? - I asked after rejoining him. - Who do I fight?
- You will see when everything is ready. If you perform well, then I might even consider giving you a reward.
- I want to know what happened to the people who were with me - I said immediately.
He smiled.
- Then I want you to kill whoever will be there to face you.
For a second thought of me facing other people I knew, enslaved just like me, flashed by my mind, but If he were to send us against each other we wouldn't hurt ourselves, so it kinda lacked sens. That just couldn't be it.
I nodded slowly, and he smiled again.
It was so damn annoying. If I could I would wipe that ugly smug out of his face using my fist, but I had to keep my emotions on a leash. I had to endure. The time was not right yet. I kept repeating that to myself as I went to sit down on a bench, but sadly there was no time for me to rest, as the door slid open revealing one of the women I noticed working in the large chamber.
She was holding a stack of documents.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe had gills on her cheeks, eyes with vertical pupils, two holes for a nose, and curly brown hair despite having green skin. Instead of saying anything she quickly glanced through the documents, and only then spoke something, which I couldn't understand.
Calludin smiled yet again and said something back before turning his head towards me.
- It looks like everything is ready. Follow this lady, and give a good performance. If you do, I'll consider giving you the informations you seek so desperately.
I didn't respond, just started moving towards the alien woman. She glanced at the Calludin, and then turned around, to lead me through the chamber to one of the exits.
After a long corridor, I ended up in front of a heavy large gate. She spoke to me, but I had no idea what she wanted to say. Then the gate opened, revealing a round sandpit surrounded by a wall a few meters tall, with stands above, fully occupied by a mix of strange races. The space had a radius of at least ten meters.
Then identical gate on the other side opened, revealing a large group of armed gladiators. I compared to them looked quite small, not to mention the fact I was unarmed. As the one by one joined me in the sandpit, I started counting, to check the number Calludin send me to face. I saw junk weaponry in their hands. Jagged pieces of metal that were supposed to be swords, axes, hammers, or simple clubs with some sharp elements.
They also had some elements of armor covering their torsos, shoulders, and forearms. Not much, but always something. All were smiling, or at least that's how I saw it since some of their faces were really strange.
Seventy. That's how many of them were there.
The laughs from the stands filled the arena.
"Let's see who will be the one to have the last laugh", I thought to myself, as I clenched my fingers tightly into fists, and assumed a boxing stance.