by J. B. Smith
I looked up at the crowd. Wow. They encouraged me. The n, I looked at my opponent. Was I supposed to kill him? I raised my hand in the air. But, I slowly lowered it. Then I let go of her hair and watched her body fall to the floor. The crowd cheered louder. But then they started "booing" me. I could tell they wanted to see death, but I couldn't give it to them. I couldn't take the life of a man who didn't hurt me. Both my arms flew away. I couldn't believe it! I actually won my first fight.
The "boos" slowly turned to cheers as white pedals floated to the ground. Two guards came out and took my opponent away. Then a guard pointed to the left. Two men dragged a wooden chest towards the center of the arena. Wow. Was it my booty? What was inside the safe? My footsteps were heavy as I walked towards the chest. I opened it and reviewed the contents:
Colosseum Victory Reward!
15 gold coins!
Pleasant! 15 gold coins for a fight? It was good, but I was wondering if the price would go up more and more with each fight I won? I did not know. But I was just happy to have the gold. Now I just needed to know where I could buy new guns. My thoughts were interrupted by a higher level alert:
Congratulations!
You have progressed! Open your inventory to distribute points.
I opened my inventory:
Note to the user: you have 4 points to distribute. Use your points wisely.
Walker Williamson - Level 5
Male Male - Warrior
Statistics:
HP: 18/18
Endurance: 14
Mana: 10
Attributes:
Strength: 14 (+4 added)
Persuasion: 3
Intelligence: 1
Willpower: 1
Stealth: 2
Agility: 3
Skills:
None yet
Benefits:
None yet
Capacities:
None yet
Impressive! Would I level up every time I won a fight? If so, it was going to be awesome. I stacked my strength even more. I looked at my arms and saw that they were a little bigger. It was starting to get addicting. How strong can I get? In a few moments , a guard approached me and grabbed my arm. I walked slowly with him. There was an overwhelming sense of power that came over me. Almost like the positive energy of the crowd is channeled through me. I felt powerful and alive.
The cheers continued as I left the Colosseum. We continued down the long hall as I wondered where we were going. It all seemed so strange. How did I get to this job? Finally, the guard led me back to the small room where my opponent and I had eaten our rice. He told me at the same table. I looked at my hands covered in blood. Was it my own blood or the blood of my opponent? I reached out and touched my face, then looked at my hand. There was more blood.
Suddenly a small man in a black robe entered the room. It was the emperor. "Very good," he said with both hands together.
"Thank you."
He sat down across from me and brushed the white hair away from his wrinkled eyes. "If you keep winning you will become a very satisfied resident here in Florida."
"Oh yes? How can I be happy when I am locked in a cell? "
He leaned closer to me. “You haven't been here long. If you keep winning you will get your own private home at FlatFall. You can live a life of luxury here. It all depends on you.
"Really?" I asked with surprise. "How many matches do I have to win?"
“It's not about the number of games you win. It's about the crowd. Win them and you'll earn the life you've always dreamed of. "
"How will I know? How will I know when I have reached this level?"
The Emperor stood up. “It doesn't happen overnight. You are just another new player at the moment. A quick thrill for them, that's all. But keep winning and your name will carry weight. "
I was starting to see how this place worked. If you made the Emperor's gold, you were good. If you didn't make any money, you would end up like the old man. Thrown into a hole. For that, I did not like the Emperor. Still, I must have grabbed an opportunity when I saw one. “I will continue to win. I'm sure."
A sly look appeared on his face. “Excellent. That's what I love to hear. We have no patience for losers here at FlatFall. A loser not only boils down to himself, but he also brings down the whole town .
"Where can I find weapons? And, is there a place where I can train? "
"Of course," replied the Emperor. “This is what FlatFall is. The whole city is built around the Colosseum. Once per day you are allowed to train and buy weapons in the city. There is a great merchant here who sells almost any weapon or armor you can imagine. Look for the star symbol above his shop. "
I didn't know we could visit the city. Wow, this gave me hope to live a "fairly normal" life. I could feel the motivation rising in me. It was clear what I should do now. I needed to become obsessed with leveling up, getting new weapons, and winning the Colosseum battles. I nodded. "I will work hard to earn my new life."
The Emperor walked away towards the door. He turned to me. “You show a lot of promise. Do not let me down."
I did not answer. He left and was quickly replaced by a guard. As the guard grabbed my arm, I wondered what had happened to my opponent. Did they just let him go back to his cell and rest? Or did something much worse happen to the loser? When we got to my cell, Douglas was really excited to see me. The guard pushed me inside and slammed the door behind me. "Did you see me in the crowd?" Douglas asked.
"I did not do it. I looked, but I didn't see you.
"I was there. I was the reason everyone was cheering you on. You should have seen me. I got them all turned on for you. I told them this was your first fight and that we were companions. cell.
I laughed. I appreciated his support, but I seriously doubted that he was the reason the crowd was cheering. "What did you think? How did I do?"
“I expected more. Most players beat another player until they are almost dead. I wanted to see a real bloodbath. This is the only part that I didn't like.
“The guy was new to the game,” I replied. “He even told me he wanted to surrender. What? Should I just start poking his head into the ground after that?
The troll's head wobbled up and down. "Yes. That would have been great.
“I was just happy to win,” I replied as I sat down. "How bad is my face? It's not too bad, is it?
Douglas sat down next to me and began to examine my face. "That one might leave a scar," he said, pointing to my forehead.
A scar? At first I didn't like the sound. But things were different now. I was on the way to becoming a highly respected warrior. Scars were cool when you were a warrior. I rubbed my head. It hurts. I looked around our cell. Man, it was boring in here. "So when are we going to go to FlatFall?" I want to buy a gun and learn new skills. "
The troll started to shake. "It will not be long. It's about that time of day. I love to walk in the sun. "
Suddenly there was a strange noise. Where does it come from? I started to look around me. It almost sounded like the beating of wings. "What is that?" I asked.
“Oh, it's nothing. Ignore it, ”Douglas replied as he stood up.
My head turned to the source of the sound. Hovering just outside the small barred window was a strange bird. His wings flapped quickly as he seemed to have trouble staying in the air. I narrowed my eyes and realized it was a pigeon.
"Hello Douglas," his squeaky voice said. "Is it just another day to be locked up for you?" I just wanted to come by and say one thing. It's amazing to be free. It really is.
Douglas threw his hands in the air. "Why don't you go."
"I think I could," the little pigeon replied with a smirk. "I have that option , don't I?"
I examined the little face of the pigeon. He didn't look like a normal pigeon. His tongue was hanging off the side of his mouth and he looked really confused. He was brown and the size of a golf ball. Why was he so small? Swinging from side to side , the pigeon struggled to stay in the air. His sharp lit
tle eyes fell on me. "This troll will pull you down if you let him." Better to be careful. His losing genetics are strong, ”the pigeon laughed.
I narrowed my eyes. what was that? Is -what this little pigeon has really come here just to verbally abuse Douglas? Did he have nothing else to do with his pathetic life? Douglas looked irritated and jumped out the window. "If you're so free, why do you live in a dungeon?" Can you answer that?
"I come here by choice," replied the pigeon. “I know the way and I know the way. Sometimes I hang out in the grassy areas and enjoy the pieces of bread the players feed me. It is a very free and fulfilling life. "
The pigeon started to fly from side to side . He slipped through bars and stole into our cell. Then he laughed as he flew above our heads. Douglas jumped up and down while doing his best to catch him. "I'm going to kill you someday," he cried over and over. "Wait and see."
The pigeon flew up to the ceiling and hovered in place. A strange look appeared on his face. Then, a little black dot came out of him. He bounces off the ground in front of Douglas. "Enjoy your little loser meal," said the pigeon. Then he flew out the window and disappeared from our sight.
Douglas stomped on the lead. I wrinkled my forehead. What a nasty little bird. Did he really appreciate seeing us locked up? Was it some kind of sick hobby that he loved? Make fun of a locked up little troll ? I had to admit that this pigeon was a little bastard. “What was it all about? I asked.
"He comes by every now and then," Douglas replied with fury in his eyes. “I'm going to kill him. It's one of the things I look forward to the most. In fact, I'll be looking for him today. I saw his ugly face in FlatFall once before. Next time that I'll see him, I wo n't let him go.
"So how did the pigeon learn to speak?" Is this normal enough in the gaming world? "
"Oh, someone enchanted him," Douglas replied irritably. "Sometimes players do it for fun."
I sighed. "I hope he doesn't come back."
“He's going to come back. He's always trying to lower my self-esteem. He's obsessed with lowering my self-esteem because he sees how well I'm doing. He watches my fights at the Colosseum, I know that he does. And he secretly knows I'm the next Grand Champion. He's just jealous. Deep down he knows he's a worthless bird, and I'm a future champion. That's why he acts as he acts.
It was bad enough to be locked up, and the last thing we needed was an enchanted pigeon laughing at us. For the next hour, Douglas and I didn't say anything. Then something shook the bars behind us. "At your feet," ordered a guard.
I got up and looked at the armored guard. He opened our door. “It's time to visit FlatFall,” he says.
We left the cell. I was more excited than ever when we started to leave the dungeon.
Chapter twenty-three
When we got to FlatFall I was pleasantly surprised. The city was much bigger than I expected. Tall stone columns held a long bridge that crossed the entrance to the city. Most of the buildings were sand colored and had red roofs. They were built with fine stones that shone in the sun. The players were busy running and there was also a wide range of NPCS. It was much better than I expected. Overall it was wonderful. Not only that, but the city itself sat on a cliff above the ocean. Even from the entrance you could hear the sound of the crashing waves if you listened loudly enough.
We walked under the large stone bridge. It was easily a hundred feet tall and people were walking through it. The bridge itself connects two large buildings with golden oval roofs. Conversation filled the air as trolls, elves and humans roamed the streets. There weren't a ton of players, but it certainly wasn't a ghost town. My eyes turned to me as Douglas nudged me. "I have to go get some stuff for myself," he said, pulling away from me. “Our time here is limited. Get what you need and don't waste too much time. They usually only give us about two hours here. "
Douglas fled away. I was delighted to explore the city. A lot of the city's players were prisoners like me. I knew this because many wore the same basic outfit as me. Where was a gun store? I remembered the Emperor telling me to look for the sign with a "star" on it. But I haven't seen him. There were food stores, bakeries, supplies, and even a pet store. Fresh. I wouldn't mind bringing a pet back to my cell if they allowed it. But I didn't have time. I continued to walk and noticed a large fountain. Right next to the fountain, I saw a sign for a tavern. A tavern? I shook my head.
Yes, I would like a beer. I pushed open the green door and entered. There was classical music and the place was mostly decorated in red colors. Red chairs, rugs, wallpaper and even red lighting. In a strange way, it was pretty cool. Several other prisoners were seated at the bar and were busy drinking. There were also some beautiful girls. If I had enough drinks, maybe I could tell some people about it? It was something that I kept in my head. I scanned the room and got the ambience. I was wondering, however, how much was a beer. I didn't want to waste a lot of my gold on a beer, but still wanted one. I raised my hand in the air and motioned for the bartender to come closer to me. “I'll have your cheapest beer,” I said.
I sat down as the bartender reached under the counter and pulled out a rusty bottle. "It will be 0.10 gold."
It wasn't too bad. I dropped 0.10 gold on the counter and twisted the cap of my beer. I put the bottle to my lips. Man, that was good . The beer slid down my throat as a feeling of relaxation took hold. Part of me just wanted to sit all day and drink. I knew it would be fun, but I would live to regret it. No, I wasn't going to do that. I was going to have just one beer. I took a another sip and looked around me . It looked like everyone was having fun. I kept looking until I saw something that was infuriating me. It was Cosmo. Only a few tables away, he sat alone with a table full of empty beer bottles.
I also have another sip and then another. My blood was boiling. What was preventing me from smashing my beer bottle right over his head? I could do it, couldn't I? I could just walk over to him and hit him on the back of the head. I looked around. There was a guard in every corner of the room. Thin. Guess they were here just to make sure something like this didn't happen. I drank the last bit of my beer and stood up. Even though I wasn't going to use it, I still had my beer bottle in my hand. Just in case things become too complicated. Every step I took creaked the closer I got to Cosmo. Then I was there. I was right in front of his table. He looked up at me. Then he laughed. I said nothing. Instead, I just watched it. "Sit down," he mumbled.
"Screw this," I replied.
His eyes got smaller. "Are you still upset by this whole situation?" What about what happened in the bandit village?
I did not answer. He was drunk and just trying to be a smart ass. “Why don't you sit down,” he said, lifting the chair up from under the table. "Come on. I'm serious. I want to explain to you what happened.
“There is no need to explain anything. There is nothing you can do or say about it. "
Cosmo threw a bottle of beer on the table. The glass shattered and he laughed. “They have always paid me well for bringing new players to FlatFall. It was still too much gold to resist. I feel a little bad for what I did to you. But, let me do it. Haven't you ? So you really don't have anyone to blame except yourself.
"Shut up. You're pathetic."
Cosmo lowered his head. Then he raised his eyebrows. “How did you like the commitment I put into all of this? I was pretty dedicated, wasn't I?
"What are you talking about?"
“You know. I really sold the lie. I have all the weapons for your lousy army and all that bullshit. It's pretty impressive, isn't it?” He asked proudly. "I put up with you and your other pathetic friends because I've never lost sight of the prize. By the way, your good friend Johnny is a complete jerk. Sorry, I just had to say that. I was actually thinking about it. the other night How does a person get so stupid? It just amazes me.
This guy was even bigger than I thought. But, I had to admit, he went to great lengths to sell the lie. I guess that made sense too because he had just taken back everything he had bought for us. It was
only a temporary investment for him. I dominated it. He was there, and I was here. I had the advantage over him. Shit. I was trying to fight the urge. I knew it wouldn't be smart to hit him, but I couldn't resist it. I wanted to slap him. My heart started to beat faster. I tried to fight him, but I couldn't. I looked around to see where the guards were. One was having a drink at the bar, but the other had his eyes on me. Shit. It was just too risky. I couldn't do it and it was almost eating me inside.
The truth was, I would take revenge later. It was not the moment. Leaning closer to him, I spoke firmly. "I won't rest until you are dead."
When I said those words, it was almost as if he had temporarily sobered up. His head moved closer to mine. "Is it a threat?"
"It is a promise."
"You won't spend a minute with me," he shouted. "Me and you both know that."