Underground

--Continued from Chapter 8 "Shit Happens" Part 6, page 37--

Quote :

(Argo)
Jason, there is a new message for you. It just arrived, from outside the system, somewhere in UNSC space.

(Jason)
=That certainly piqued my interest=
Show me the message.

=In response, Argo's image was replaced with the message, and I suddenly knew who it was from=

Code:

Jason, it's me Robbie. Listen, I'm calling in that favor you owe me. Some serious shit is going on here, and I need your help to get out of it. I know that, we've never been friends, but I saved your life. Time for you to return the favor. You know where to find me.

--Robbie

(Jason)
Crap, now? Now, he calls in his marker?
=I sat there, quietly mulling over the message. Sure, if I really wanted to, I could just stay on Haven, and let my old acquaintance stew in his own shit. God knows, it was a miracle he was still alive considering the trouble he caused for himself, before I knew him. Still, I wasn't one to walk away from a debt, especially if I was the one that owed it. I turned to Miranda=

Listen, something's come up. I don't want to, but I need to go. You're welcome to come along, but I doubt it's going to be fun.

(Miranda)
When is any mystery trip of your's fun? I'm coming with you.

(Jason)
Well, I gave you fair warning.
=I got up, and headed for the lift, Miri following closely behind me. The doors closed behind us, and the all too familiar rising motion of the lift signaled we were on our way to the bridge. I couldn't help but let loose a sigh=

Dammit, what if Delta calls with new information. Worse, what is he shows up? Haven needs me, needs their Admiral, hell, if the rumors I've heard were true, needs their symbol.
=When the doors opened again, I immediately walked over to the comm terminal. It took me a few minutes, to make the necessary messages, and only seconds to send them to the right people. The Council was informed that I'd be absent, Silver Light was now proxy for both Council sessions and military matters on Haven, Molly was informed that I'd be gone for a while, and of course, I sent a message to Delta saying that some personal business had come up that required my attention. Once they were all sent, I leaned back in my chair, on hand rubbing the top of my head, fingers moving through the short length of hair on my scalp=

(Miranda)
So, what's going on, Jason?
=I sat down, over at the engineering terminal, patient=

(Jason)
=With a sigh, I got up, walked over to the navigation terminal, and punched in the proper coordinates, letting Argo handle the takeoff of the Serenity, and exit of Haven. Then, I sat down back at the captains chair, and told Miri the history between me and Robbie. For those of you hoping for a lengthy flashback, sorry to disappoint, but the event surrounding this whole, debt, is neither long enough, nor really that important to me, to really grace with a flashback. It happened, very soon after I left Vigil, almost a week after. At that time, I was still depressed, still haunted by the face of Miranda's brother, Adam, as well as, to an extent, depressed by my betrayal of my team. During that time, the only comfort I could find, was at the bottom of a glass, in a little bar out in some Outer Colony. Robbie and I met in that bar, when I stupidly tried to break up a fight between him, and some hulking muscle laden colonist, while I was drunk. I don't really remember what the fight was started over, but knowing Robbie, he probably deserved what would have been coming to him if I hadn't gotten in the way of that broken bottle. The hulking colonist may have looked like a Covenant Brute with all his muscle, but the second the jagged edges of that knife hit my gut, he turned and ran. Robbie somehow managed to slow down the bleeding, just enough to get me back to his place, which was conveniently close by. I learned later that he was a swindler and a thief, which became apparent when he used a can of military grade biofoam to seal me up. Despite saving my life, I didn't really like him that much. However, I got to know him a little, seeing as how I had to stay at his place for a few days while the wound healed. While I didn't like him, I grew to respect him. Yes, he was probably a degenerate low life swindling his way through life. But it was his life, and his choice, with no one telling him what to do. Hey, at the time, I found that kind of life very appealing. Anyway, once it was time for me to leave, I left, but not before swearing that I owed him a debt, and leaving him the communication code for my ship. Fast forward a few years, and here we are=

(Miranda)
=I sat through his story, stunned at first=
Wow. Never knew you almost died in, of all things, a bar fight.

(Jason)
=I grimaced=
Don't remind me. Hell, there are better ways to die, and I almost died drunk.

(Miranda)
So, any idea what it could be, that has him calling you for help?

(Jason)
Knowing him, he probably pissed off someone dangerous.
=We entered slip-space a few minutes later, having left haven's atmosphere. Argo estimated we had maybe an hour at best, before we arrived at our destination. See, Robbie was no longer in the Outer Colonies. Ever since the Covenant started glassing them, he high tailed it out of there, but not before sending me a message, saying where to find him. It was a colony by the name of Persephone. I knew of the place; it was world dominated by the richest of human society, and yet populated more by the middle class, the average joe's. I preferred the average joe's. At least they actually had to work for a living=

=The trip through slip-space didn't take long. Within an hour, the Serenity emerged from slip-space over the colony of Persephone. The planet was a special find for the UNSC. While most of it may have been an arid desert, the rest was covered in blue oceans. What was more, the planet itself housed valuable mineral resources, making it a gold mine for mining operations and businesses. Near the ocean, cities dotted the coast line, while outside the cities themselves, larger shanty towns, refugee camps, spread out from the main cities. The Serenity landed at spaceport close to Robbie's location, though the ship faced some scrutiny from officials, they soon received orders from high up the chain of command to let the ship pass=

(Jason)
=Once the ship landed, and I was sure it was secure, I took the lift down to the crew deck first, to get dressed in better attire, and then down to the cargo deck to pick up a knife, and a pistol. Miranda followed me, until I stopped her at the cargo doors=
Miri, look. I'd like you to stay here.

(Miranda)
Hell no. I said I was coming with you, and I meant it.

(Jason)
Look, I appreciate it, but this is one of those things, I'd rather you not follow me into. Robbie.....he's not someone I'm proud of knowing, and I really, really don't want you there with me.

(Miranda)
Why?

(Jason)
Because he's someone that reminds me of my darker days. Days I wanted to forget long ago.
=I don't tell her this. I want to, but, perhaps I was too ashamed to admit it. Maybe it was my belief that if I didn't say it, that feeling would go away=

I just think it would be, you know, safer for you to stay here, watch the ship. I'll be back in no time, I swear.

(Miranda)
=It was clear he wasn't telling me the whole truth, but I could tell that pushing him wouldn't do any good. I just sigh, shake my head, and walk back into the ship, the cargo doors closing behind me=

(Jason)
Yeah, that's going to come back to bite me in the ass.
=With a sigh, I walked away from the ship, and managed to hail a cab. According to the message Robbie sent me, about where he lived, he was somewhere in the shanty town, near the market district. How he ended up living there is beyond me. The cab driver himself was a little hesitant to go down there. Apparently, that part of town was something of a haven for drugs, theft, and a whole bunch of other things that made me glad I didn't let Miri come with me. Don't get me wrong, I knew she had experience with this stuff before, but I guess I was devolving into a neanderthal here when I say I wanted to keep as far away from this stuff as possible. Me over-protective Alpha Male, ungh=

(Jason)
=The drive from the port to the shanty town took 15 minutes, while the drive through the town itself, consisting of winding through crowded streets, took almost 20 minutes. The driver dropped me off in the market district, and nearly ran over some people on his way out. I guess he really didn't want to stay here. So, now came the relatively hard part. See, Robbie told me he was in this area, but not where he lived. But he said i knew where to find him, and sure enough, I knew where to find him: the only bar in the market district=

(Jason)
=The market district of the town was, despite the rumored crime rate, filled with people, and bubbling with life. People, whole crowds, moved around the place, from stall to stall. People bought food, bartered with merchants.....it was, an interesting sight. Yes, this place was most likely dangerous, and clearly dirty. But it was alive, changing, filled with people talking and moving. Trust me, it beat the uptight cities=

(Jason)
=I found the bar, which was easy enough because like I said, it was the only bar in the market district. The place was loud, and smelled like cigarette smoke, alcohol, and puke all mixed together into one fun bunch, and I was still only standing right outside the doors of the place. I was pretty sure it would be a miracle, if my nose ever managed to smell anything ever again=

(Jason)
=Against my better judgement (as well as the objections of my nose) I entered the bar. To be honest, it met expectations: noisy, smelly, and difficult to see. It was already dark inside the bar, due to a lack of windows and several broken lightbulbs, and the clouds of cigarette smoke only added to my vision being impaired. The bar itself was filed with people, but I wouldn't call it packed, maybe 20 or so people, half of the bar's real capacity. Loud music played, but the speakers must have been outdated and broken, because static could be heard as the music played. A brief look around the bar showed me where Robbie sat; at the counter, head hanging over a shot glass. He had grown his hair out, and it hung from his head like a wet mop. Amazingly, despite the overall smell of the bar, as I drew closer to Robbie I could tell that he stunk=
Hey Robbie. Long time no see.

=His head jerked upwards at the sound of his name, and he turned to face Jason. At first, he didn't recognize Jason. The silver irises, the small lines of silver coloring along his skin. But those were small features that he immediately saw past, and he recognized his old acquaintance=

*Robbie*
Jason! You made it! Come, sit down, have a drink!
=he pulls out an empty stool, gesturing for me to sit=

(Jason)
=I decided to sit down, but I wasn't here for a drink=
Robbie, what's going on?

*Robbie*
=He wasn't paying attention, and missed the question=
How did you get here so fast? I sent that message yesterday.

(Jason)
I was in the neighborhood. Now, what's going on that you asked me for help?

*Robbie*
Oh, that. Well, I got into a spot of trouble with a local gang, and they marked me for death.
=He took another look at my face=

Blimey, what happened to you Jason?

(Jason)
It's a long story, and frankly, it's not relevant. Now, what's going on?

*Robbie*
Fine, right to business then. Alright, just let me finish my drink.
=He takes one last shot, and gets up from the stool=

Well, come on. I'll take you to my humble abode.

(Jason)
=So, I followed him. Turns out, his home was, as opposed to last time, not near the bar. Which was fine with me; the less I had to smell that place, the better. We had to go through a few back alleys, during which I made sure my hand was close to my gun. Either the rumors about the crime rate here were false, or I was just that intimidating, I didn't know. I just know that during the walk, we weren't hassled by anyone. Robbie's place was situated in mid-size apartment building, covered in grime. Here and there, open pipes jutted out of the side of the building, serving as gutters for rainfall=
Wow, nice place.

*Robbie*
=The sarcasm, was not lost on him=
Yeah, it's not as good as my last place. Like I said, I've fallen on tough times.

(Jason)
That's an understatement.
=We entered the building, and climbed a staircase all the way up to the fourth floor. There was more grime inside, so much I thought the walls were actually made of the stuff. At the end of the stairs, we walked through a hall, and maybe four doors down was Robbie's room. The door was worn in some spots, with the a small, light spot on the front in the shape of a number. Hell, it looked like the wood was starting to rot. He opened the door, and we walked inside=

(Jason)
=Once the door was closed, I turned, faced him, and asked=
Okay, so what's going on Robbie?

*Robbie*
=He sighs=
Look, I ran into some trouble. Tried to con the wrong people, and now they've got me on their shit list. And these are dangerous people Jason.

=He walked over to a fridge, opened it, and pulled out two bottle of beer. He opened both, and offered one to me. I didn't want to be too rude, so I took the beer. We both took a long pull from our beers=

(Jason)
Who are they?
=Suddenly, my vision began to blur, and my motions felt sluggish=

*Robbie*
I'm so sorry Jason. But you'll meet them soon enough.
=Everything faded to black=

(Jason)
=I woke up with a start, and found that my hands and feet were bound, and I was sitting in a chair. I was still in Robbie's apartment, which should have been a good sign. It wasn't though, on account of how I was drugged and now bound. Other than me though, the room was empty. I looked around, hoping for a way to escape, but there was nothing in sight. The sound of approaching footsteps drew my attention to the door, which soon opened. In walked Robbie, followed by four men I didn't recognize, and who clearly didn't belong to this area. The lead guy wore a suit that was probably worth as much as a small luxury yacht, while the guys with him, intimidating brutes, wore suits that seemed to be pale imitations of his suit. Somehow, despite the imposing image of the cronies, the lead guy made me more nervous that them=

*Robbie*
Just like I said Mr. Harling. One Spartan, and in fit shape.

*Harling*
I'm impressed Robbie. I assumed you were simply trying to blow smoke up my ass. But low and behold, you bring a Spartan to my doorstep.

*Robbie*
So, it's a deal then? I get to live?

(Jason)
That's what you called me here for Robbie? I'm a bargain chip, for your life!?

*Robbie*
Sorry Jason, but if I have to choose between my life and yours, my life is second to none.

*Harling*
A noble philosophy to live by.
=From inside his suit, he pulled out a magnum pistol. The sight of it made Robbie blanch=

*Robbie*
But, I thought you said I'd live!

*Harling*
I said I wouldn't kill you.
=He tosses the pistol to one of his goons, who promptly puts a bullet between Robbie's eyes. The back of his head bursts open, blood and bits of his brain spraying outward, coating the wall behind him. he falls to the floor, limp=

I never said anything about him though.

(Jason)
=I started to fight against the restraints, jerking erratically. Yes, Robbie was a degenerate con man, swindler, and thief. But he was someone I knew, and he sure as hell did not deserve to die that way=
Son of a bitch!

*Harling*
Now now Spartan, don't struggle. I don't want any damage to come to my new property.

(Jason)
Property? What are you, a slaver?

*Harling*
Certainly not. I'm just an enterprising talent manager. And you my friend, are bound to have just the right amount of talent I need.

(Jason)
=Harling motioned to one of his goons, and they pulled an all too familiar object out of their suit: a pain collar. The mere sight of it made me start bucking in the chair, though the restraints kept me from getting lose. I still had a nightmare or two, about that collar; nerves feeling as if they were on fire, raw pain felt throughout ever centimeter of my body=

*Harling*
Ah, so you know this collar? Well, how about we make a deal? You agree, to behave, and be a good little employee. In return...
=He moved forward, and got the collar around my neck=

I promise to not fill every waking minute of your life with unfathomable pain.

(Jason)
=Whatever pride I had evaporated when that collar locked into place. I'm sorry, but the memory of the pain it caused, was too much. When all's said and done, I was still only human. They untied me, though one of them had a gun trained on me, while Harling had his hand on a remote, no doubt to trigger the collar if I didn't toe the line. Once I stood up, his goons frisked me, checking my pockets, shoes, wherever they thought I could be hiding a weapon. They took my knife and pistol, and my communicator. Then, they led me out of the building, and to a very expensive car. We all got in, the barrel of a pistol jammed against my spine, and we drove out of the shanty town, and towards the city=

(Miranda)
=While Jason was out, I stayed aboard the ship, quietly fuming at being told to stay behind. I wasn't really mad at Jason. Hell, I thought it was sweet that he didn't want me to see some of the people he used to know. But, that shouldn't have kept me from trying harder. If we really were supposed to get married, then we needed to be there for eachother. Fuck it, I was going to call him. I went to the bridge, got on the comm terminal, and tried to hail Jason's communicator. I got no response though, which was odd. Then again, he might have turned it off. Besides, it wasn't like he needed me there, he could take care of himself=

(Jason)
=We drove for maybe half an hour. I thought, we were heading to the city, but instead we took another route,that took us past the city, towards the docks of the colony. Harling noticed my confused expression=

*Harling*
It's game night, my young friend. Not enough time to train you, or get you prepped. I'll just have to hope that you're up to the challenge.

(Jason)
Game night?

*Harling*
=His eyes flashed, and I knew questions were not allowed=
Since you're new to this, I'll let that slide. But from now on, you do not ask questions. You do not hesitate. You do what I tell you, when I tell you, or I will activate that collar.

(Jason)
=I didn't want to risk saying anything, so I just nodded=

*Harling*
Good. You learn quickly. If you survive the night, you'll see that working with me has it's benefits. You'll be well fed, kept healthy, and live a life of luxury. And all you need to do in return, is win.

=It didn't take long before we reached our destination, though what it was I had no real idea. All I know, is that we arrived outside a tunnel entrance near the docks. We got out of the car, the pistol still jammed into my back, and we started walking towards the tunnel entrance. Right at the opening, we were stopped by a group of men in black suits, sub-machine guns in hand=

*Lead Guard*
Mr. Harling, welcome back. I take it you're here to do more than watch the games?

*Harling*
Yes. I've managed to procure some......unique, entertainment for tonight's games.

*Lead Guard*
=he looked at me=
Not sure if he'll last long. I don't know if they told you, but tonight's a special occasion. The champions are here.

*Harling*
=His grin faltered for a moment=
What? It's the championship night?

*Lead Guard*
Yeah...

*Harling*
Well fuck 'em. I've got a secret weapon here, and he'll make short work of the champions.
=He started walking again, and his guards and I followed suit=

(Jason)
=We walked through the tunnel, and along the way lights began to turn on, lighting a path for us. Wherever we were going, I could hear dozens of different sounds; loud music, laughter, cheers and jeers, and what sounded oddly like the clash of metal. When we entered the next room, I soon saw the cause of all the noise: we had entered a large chamber, probably an old sewer system long since discontinued. The place had been cleaned up a bit, enough for human life to gather and not contract disease. People, dressed in expensive clothing, were all grouped around a large pit, maybe three stories deep, with the walls lined with a mix between barbed wire, and a few spikes poking out here and there. I suddenly realized what I had just been drawn into=
An underground fighting tournament......shit.

(Jason)
=Whatever was going on in the pit, it didn't sound good. The crowd oohed at something, and a gong rang, followed swiftly by an announcer on a speaker yelling=

*Announcer*
And he's dead! Death by decapitation, I do not believe it! And true to his word, he is claiming the head! Winner, Headhunter!!!!!

=The crowd cheered, and suddenly, near the lip of the pit, almost directly below it, a platform began to rise up. The platform rose towards a large hole beneath the edge of the pit, and I saw a man standing on the platform, clad in loose armor, maybe leather, a helmet, almost resembling old Earth Gladiatorial helms, and most notably, what he held in his hands. In his right, he held a machete, the steel gleaming and coated in crimson blood. In his left, he held a severed head=

*Announcer*
And that ladies and gentlemen, marks the closing of the warm-up rounds for this years, "Rumble Pit!"
=They all cheered again=

And now, to help set the mood as we all get ready for the main event, some fitting music.



(Jason)
=As the music kept playing, Harling led me down to a lower level, sealed behind a locked door and guarded by two guards, also hefting sub-machine guns. They let us through, though I doubted that I'd be able to get out quite so easily. Past the door, I saw what the next room was: the prep room for the fighters. Inside, there were maybe four guys I immediately knew were the fighters, and each one was being attended to by a small group of people. Harling began to point out each of the fighters to me when we neared a vacant spot=

*Harling*
The one that just won, is called "Headhunter." He's deadly up close with that machete, his signature being a clean decapitation. He got the name because he tends to claim the heads of his enemies, like trophies.

(Jason)
No, really? I never would have guessed.....

*Harling*
That next guy, the big giant with the sledgehammer? He's called, "Juggernaut." No idea where they found him, but he's almost as strong as a Spartan. That hammer of his, is as dangerous as him. The head is a solid piece of titanium.
=I looked over at the guy he was talking about, and was shocked. Nearly every inch of the guy, was bulging with muscle. He was almost feet tall, and that hammer of his was no joke=

The next guy, is called "Oddball." He got the name because well, he's a strange one. He shaved and tattooed his entire head, as well as his body.
=The guy he pointed out, indeed had a major tattoo job. His chest alone was a collection of various tattoos, and his head was painted to look like a human skull, the lower jaw missing. He certainly seemed crazy, considering the fact that he seemed to have no armor. He wasn't wearing any, he had no armor near him=

And finally, we have the reigning champ. He was the first champion of the Rumble Pit. Slayer.
=The last one, made me nervous when I saw him. He was of average height and build, with a calm look on his face. He had two short-swords strapped to his belt, and wore a type of chainmail. He was sweeping the room with a cool gaze, as if the other psychopaths before him were beneath him. That is, until he saw me. We both locked gazes, and suddenly, I understood a bit about Slayer; he was a fighter, a warrior, like me. Oh, we may have done battle on separate fields, and for different reasons, but we both knew what the other truly was. Neither one of us moved, though it was all to clear to me that he had made the slightest of bows, and paid me a warrior's respect. Despite the fact that I had been kidnapped, and was most likely about to be forced to play in a game that could quite easily cost me my life.......I also, made the slightest of gestures, and bowed in return=

(Jason)
=Harling didn't seem to notice, and he was soon seated on a rather comfy looking chair. I was forced to remain standing, the gun no longer trained on me, but the remote for the pain collar now visible in Harling's hand. A few seconds later, a thin looking man with beady eyes, and an unshaven face, walked over to us. He and Harling seemed to know one another=

*The Bookie*
Harling, I see you've found yourself a fighter.
=He looked me over=

He looks in good shape. Might even be a challenge for our champions.

*Harling*
=With a grin, he spoke=
He'll do more than challenge them.

*The Bookie*
Heh, pride goes before the fall Harling. But I'll humor you. So, what's his name?

(Jason)
=I was about to speak up, and say my name, but Harling's eyes flashed a warning to me, and his finger danced over the collar's remote. I quickly shut up, and adopted a look I was fairly certain resembled a dog that just got yelled at=

*Harling*
His new name, is.....well, let's think.
=He closed his eyes, deep in thought. They didn't stay closed long though. Seconds later, they opened, and he gave me a new name=

Since he's surely going to be a demon in the pit, let's give him a demon's name. How about, "Razgriz?"

(Jason)
=I couldn't believe it. Not, just that I had just been given a name, like a pet dog. But, I actually liked the name. Something about it, stirred something deep inside me, a kind of primal feeling, that made my blood flow quicken, and I suddenly felt like fighting, didn't sound like a bad idea. Who knew a simple name could feel so much like a drug. Harling must have sensed my reaction to the name, because his face broke into crocodiles smile=

(Jason)
=It was maybe a few minutes later, that the music finally ended, and the real fights started. However, something odd happened. Turns out, Harling himself was in some trouble with the people that ran this place. I had no idea what the specifics were, but it wasn't money. All I knew, was that they didn't like him, so they rigged the fights so that I would be fighting each champion one at a time, and I would be their only opponent. Great. Harling had me dressed up in an assortment of leather armor pieces; some spaulders along my shoulder and upper arm, bracers and leggings, and a type of vest that seemed to tie in with the look of the rest of the pieces. All of it was dark leather, with a few red stripes, almost like bloody gashes. It was very light, and didn't look all that protective. I knew that, Harling didn't give me this armor because he gave a crap about me. He was protecting his investment. For weapons, as if to mirror (or mock) the reigning champion, I was given a pair of short-swords which I quickly recognized as a pair of Gladius's. Believe me, I wasn't thrilled by my situation, the whole being forced into a fight that could cost me my life (heh heh, that rhymed) but the fact was, if I wanted to even have a hope, of getting out of here.......I had to play the game. The gong rung, signaling that it was time for me to enter the pit, my first opponent being Oddball. Oh joy=

(Jason)
=One last thing that I enjoyed quite a bit; Harling was worried that the managers of the competition would try and hijack the signal from his remote to my collar, so while a gun was carefully aimed at my head, he removed the collar=

*Harling*
Don't make me regret this.
=He walked away, and headed for the door. No doubt to join the crowds=

(Jason)
=Standing on the platform, I felt my heart-rate increase, and I started taking deep breaths. The platform jerked suddenly, and I was lowered down into the pit=

*Announcer*
Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, we have a very special Rumble Pit championship game for you! In twist no one saw coming, the lineup has been changed, and we have a new player!
=Some in the audience booed at the news, others cheered. A few looked down, and saw me. More people jeered at me, others cheered=

In our first match of the night, we have the third Rumble Pit champion, Oddball!!!!
=Across the pit from me, I saw my opponent. He wore no armor, except for belt of knives=

And for his opponent, the newest fighter in the Rumble Pit! His appearance is that of a demon, from the deepest reaches of space. I present to you, Razgriz!!

(Jason)
=The platform touched down on the ground, and I stepped off it, right onto the bottom of that pit. From here, within that pit, I got a better view of the arena; the walls were, like I said, lined with barbed wire, with several large spikes jutting out of the wall. I could see from here, that there were bits of flesh hanging from the spikes. Other than that, there was nothing else in the arena. At least, nothing I could see. However, my observations were cut short, when the gong rang again, and the match began=

(Jason)
=From across the arena, Oddball made an animal like scream, primal in nature, no restraint. He flung one of those knives at me, and it flew across the distance between us, the glint of steel being my only warning. But I was fast to. Instead of dodging, I drew my sword, quick as a flash, and the world slowed down, my perception heightened by the sudden release of adrenaline. I saw the knife, spinning as it drew closer, and with perfect timing, I swung my blade, with an almost lazy flick of my wrist and deflected the knife away from me. The audience, cheering seconds ago, went silent=

*Oddball*
Oh, you've got some skill? Well alright, let's do it!
=He started pulling out his knives, throwing each one that he pulled. He was like a machine gun, the rate he the the knives=

(Jason)
=I unsheathed my other sword, and soon both blades moved through the air, and I started to spin as if in a dance. As I deflected knife after knife, the crowd began to cheer, louder and louder. What was more, I found that I began to draw closer to Oddball, my movements bringing me closer to him. For just a moment, as my movements had me face him, I saw a flicker of fear in his face. He stopped throwing knives, now down to his last two, and gripped them in hand. He charged me=

(Jason)
=I sidestepped the charge, and the blade in my right hand lashed across his back. His back, covered in a tapestry of tattoo's, was soon torn open, and the artwork there destroyed. Crimson liquid dripped from my blade, and I saw just the barest hint of white bone. His spine. Without hesitating though, I lunged forward, and sank my blade into his back, the tip bursting through his chest. His body went limp, and he slid off the blade, dead on the floor=

(Jason)
=There was silence for the briefest of moments. Then, the crowd above me exploded into cheers, with thunderous applause mixed in=

*Announcer*
I don't believe it! Oddball, the third year champion, killed by a first year fighter? Unbelievable!!!

*Crowd*
Razgriz! Razgriz! Razgriz! Razgriz!

(Jason)
=They kept chanting the name, even as I walked back to the platform. But when I got back on, it wouldn't rise=

*Announcer*
Hold on there Razgriz. This is the championship fight. You keep fighting until you're either dead, or the last man standing! Now let's send in our next champion, Headhunter!
=The crowd cheered again, and I turned to see the opposite platform already being lowered, the all too familiar fighter staring down at me=

(Jason)
Well, shit.

(Jason)
=I looked up briefly, back towards my gate=
Can I just get a drink of water or something?

=The second Headhunter's platform touched down, the gong rang, and he came charging right at me. I took note of his gear as he crossed the distance between us. Unlike Oddball, who only wore a belt of knives, Headhunter was wearing a set of metal pauldrons, and what looked like a motorcyclists leather jacket, with the arms cut off. He wore a metal helm, though the metal itself looked thin. He didn't raise his machete, which would have left him exposed. Instead, he kept it straight, the point aimed at my chest. I parried the blow away with another lazy flick, but he turned with his blade, in the direction it was deflected in. Faster than expected, he spun, and his blade was now parallel to the ground, and aimed at my neck. My knees bent in time for my head to dodge the blow, but he must have expected this. His knee came crashing into my face, and sent me to the ground=

(Jason)
=I could already feel hot blood on my face, and my nose suddenly hurt like hell. Dammit, it must have been broken. At least it wasn't out of place. Believe me, having to reset your own nose....is not something you mind forgetting. The sudden sound of a blade cutting through the air pulled me back to reality, and I rolled in time to avoid Headhunter's machete, coming down at me in a downward arc. It hit the ground with such force that it cut into the floor. I got up, and raised my blades in front of me, taking a defensive stance. I wasn't a true swordsman, no real training to speak of. I knew that if it came to a true sword fight, I'd be at a disadvantage against someone who's made their....living, using a blade. My only hope, was to rely on my speed, strength, and reflexes=
Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, come at me!

(Jason)
=At my words, he twirled his machete once, and rushed me again. He slowed down two feet away, and made several swipes at me. Time slowed again, and just like Oddball, Headhunter's movement looked slow, sluggish. I parried the first two swipes, dodged the third, and when I dodged his forward lunge, I made my move. With one swift stroke, I brought up the blade in my left hand in a powerful upward movement, and severed the arm that held the machete. Spinning in place, I brought up my second gladius, and parted his head from his shoulders. His body, like Oddball's, fell to the floor, while his head landed flew through the air and landed a few feet away=
Looks like I claim your head.

=What came next, I'm not sure I or anyone else there was really prepared for. But I guess, I wanted to cast my defiance at these people, who made a game of death. I walked over to the head of Headhunter, and looked up at the crowd above me. I saw a group of people, dressed in some of the most expensive clothing I'd ever seen. With some careful aim, I kicked Headhunter's head right at them. It flew through the air, a trail of scarlet trailing from the neck, and landed at their feet. One of them jumped in their chair, clearly caught off guard=

=The audience was stunned for a good minute, until they all suddenly cheered again=

*Announcer*
And it's Razgriz again! Two of our champions have been slain by the newest and yet clearly most dangerous fighter we have seen since Slayer himself. He challenges our own VIP's, my God he's got a pair!

=The crowd only cheered louder, and none of them seemed to notice on of the VIP's motion to one of their servants. They whispered something into their ear, and the servant quickly set off, in the direction of the fighter's quarters=

(Jason)
=I just stood there, taking the moment to catch my breath. I sheathed one sword, and gingerly touched my nose. There was some pain there, but years of experience, with dealing with pain, made my broken nose hurt no more than a mild migraine. Besides, after the alteration Silver had to do to me to save my life, I was fairly certain that any pain I experienced would pale in comparison. It wasn't long though, until the next guy came out=

(Jason)
=I heard the sound of the platform being lowered again, and this time my opponent was Juggernaut. The hulking behemoth of a human being came down on that platform, wielding his hammer, and was donned in heavy plate armor. The gong rang again, and the fucking tank of a human charged at me, bellowing the whole way=
AWWWW COME ON!!!!

(Jason)
=Right before he got to me, I dived to one side in a dodge, but one of his hands shot out faster than I could have believed, and grabbed my leg. He had a steel grip, and pulled me out of the air in an upward, then downward arc that brought my back crashing to the floor. The wind got knocked out of me, and I felt as if at least two of my ribs had cracked, and I think I tasted copper. The grip on my leg vanished suddenly. I heard another bellow from Juggernaut, and looked up to see him standing over me, and swing with both hands that massive hammer of his right down at my chest=

(Jason)
=I had no time for finesse, so I did the only thing I could think of: I kicked upwards with one leg, and got him right in the balls. He froze, a sudden choking sound coming from him. That hammer of his had slowed down mid swing, giving me enough time to get out of there, and pick myself up. He recovered, and staggered slowly towards me, a low snarl sound emanating from his helmet=

(Jason)
=It took me a second to realize that my swords had flown from my hands when Juggernaut had slammed me to the ground. My eyes took a brief look around, and I saw one of the swords to the far right of the pit. Juggernaut must have figured what I was looking for, because he moved between me and the sword=
So, we're playing keep away? Alright.

(Jason)
=Unarmed, I took a stance that left me ready to dodge any more attacks. I couldn't do a thing to defend myself against that hammer, and his plate armor made any potential punches pointless. I had to fight smart, and that meant using my environment. The bodies of both Headhunter and Oddball were still in the pit with me, as were their weapons, though Oddball's throwing knives and Headhunter's machete would do me no good here. Then, a sudden thought struck me. If memory served, there should be one behind me, one that Juggernaut probably couldn't see through that helm of his. So, I started to chant loudly, mocking him=
Torro, torro! Torro torro!

(Jason)
=My words had the desired effect. He started to snarl more, and I could tell he was getting angry. He soon broke into another charge, and I did probably the dumbest thing ever: I ran right at him. As we drew closer, he pulled back his hammer for a swing powered by the speed of his charge, and I took the opportunity it gave me. I ducked low, got under his arms, already pulled back, flung both my hands, palms open towards his chest, and used all my strength to lift him off the floor. His own momentum worked against him, aiding me lift him off the floor. Then, I flung him behind me, tipping him over so his whole body was horizontally oriented to the ground. His momentum, coupled with my throw, propelled him through the air, and right into the spike jutting out of the wall behind me=

(Jason)
=The spike burst through his plated chest, and he was, no pun intended, nailed to the wall. Shockingly, he was still alive. His hammer had fallen, but he was still moving, trying to free himself from the spike, but his arms and legs got tangled in the barbed wiring. They tore into his flesh, causing trickles of blood to seep down his legs, while his arms still had some protection, what little good it did him. He struggled for a few more seconds, then his motions ceased, and his body went limp and he resembled a dead butterfly on display=