Chapter Three #2
Many miles from here. Fifty miles, perhaps more. Far away from the arena and palace. And before you ask, yes, the arena is also the royal palace.
Explain.
The upper levels belong to the royal family.
They are surrounded by beauty. The finest tapestries, the most elaborate furniture, priceless rugs, and decorations from across the kingdom.
The king and his family live in comfort, protected at all times by Baltazar’s magic.
The warriors and combatants live on the ground level.
They are housed here, near the arena, so that they can be brought into battle quickly when the Games begin.
The dungeons hold some warriors, some criminals, political prisoners, and anyone else the kingdom has deemed unworthy of freedom.
And below the dungeons lies the Dark One’s domain, or so I’ve heard.
It is where his demons dwell, too. It is where some people are taken when the king decides a simple prison sentence is no longer enough.
Are they dead?
There is a hesitation before Timrick answers: No.
In my world, Hell is thought to be where the damned end up after dying.
Perhaps that is why some call this place Hell. But this is not the realm of the dead, Samantha Moon. This is a place built to punish the living.
And those people are still alive?
Some are, though I am sure many of them wish they were not.
I shake my head. A true hellscape lies just beneath my feet. Or at least that’s what Timrick believes. His knowledge of what exists below is limited, built more on rumor and hearsay than firsthand experience.
I will eventually need a safe place to summon the teleportation flame, I tell him.
I don’t know anything about that, but, you know, we have many moons that orbit our planet. Perhaps you could fly there, far away from Baltazar’s influence.
It’s a thought. Thank you.
You’re welcome.
Does your king rule all?
Yes.
Is there a way to reach him or threaten him?
None that I know of.
Well, it’s an extremely barbaric way to treat living beings. We abandoned such games on my world thousands of years ago. Perhaps it is time for Grandar to do the same.
Timrick is quiet for a moment.
The Games are not merely a pastime, Samantha Moon. They are woven into the fabric of our society. Entire families have worked around them for generations. Merchants sell food, armor, clothing, and weapons. Craftsmen build the arenas. Thousands earn their living because of them.
People profited from many terrible things throughout history on my planet. Grandar seems much the same.
True, but remove the Games, and what happens to those people? What happens to a kingdom when something that’s existed longer than anyone remembers suddenly disappears?
I consider his very valid question.
Are you planning on assassinating my liege, Samantha Moon?
I shake my head.
I don’t go around killing people. But I would like to show him the error of his ways.
But it is not simply his way. It is the way of the kingdom. The people expect the Games. Many have never imagined a world without them. They believe the Games are necessary.
Or they have been taught to believe that.
Perhaps.
How would your people react if your leader was removed and someone else took his place? Would they accept that? Or would they resist?
His elder sons are just as cruel. Perhaps worse. There is hope for the young one.
Is there another official? Someone outside the royal family who is capable of governing?
Timrick hesitates.
There are nobles. Advisors. Military commanders. But removing a royal bloodline is not as simple as replacing one person with another. A kingdom is not simply a throne awaiting someone to sit upon it.
Are there warring factions within your kingdom? Opposing parties? Religious groups?
No. We do not live in such dichotomy.
That is almost a relief. I have no desire to overthrow one government only to create a power vacuum that plunges an entire world into chaos. Revolutions sound noble in theory. In practice, they often leave a lot of dead bodies behind.
Then again, I’m getting ahead of myself. For now, my biggest concern is staying alive. And I really, really want to avoid killing someone. For now, I will have to watch, listen, and adjust. I have lived long enough to know that plans rarely survive first brushes with reality.
The arena seems carefully designed to prevent escape. The contestants are contained. The guards are positioned strategically. Baltazar and his people have clearly spent generations perfecting the system.
But after only a few minutes of talking with Timrick, I notice something important.
The system has blind spots.
A telepathic vampire like me entering a competition where opponents are constantly revealing their fears, weaknesses, and strategies?
That is almost unfair. And since Baltazar had read the vibrations of my life, surely he knew the extent of my telepathy...
or had he missed the fact that I regained it after losing it with the removal of Elizabeth? I don’t know.
I’d like to think I’m not a psychopath. I don’t kill unless I have to. Though I also suspect they might force my hand, but we’ll see. Ideally, they won’t detect my reticence for killing. How I keep that from them remains to be seen.
Do you know anything about my opponent tomorrow?
‘Tis a fierce little warrior. I would not want to go up against her.
Her?
Yes, she is a female of her kind.
What kind would that be?
I believe she is considered a wood sprite.
What, exactly, is that?
An elf or a fairy who uses nature to her advantage.
There wouldn’t be very much nature in the arena, correct?
Correct, but I believe she possess the ability to bring nature to her. Be forewarned... do not mistake her diminutive size for weakness.
Noted.
Yours will be the first fight on the card. You are considered the underdog.
There is betting on the matches?
Betting is a big part of the Games.
Who controls the betting?
The king’s official bookmasters gather all wagers and distribute the money. Citizens who come to the Games are expected to place a bet, even if it is a small one.
How much of an underdog am I?
Wood sprites are fierce warriors who generally go deep into the competition.
How about energy vampires?
Not so much.
Great. Say, would you mind terribly if I partook of your...
Energy?
Yeah.
I would be honored, Moon Warrior. Take as much as you need. I would recommend that you don’t take so much as to kill me or render me too unconscious, as both are against the rules, as you might know.