"Withstand the effects?"
"Yes," said Dr. Althud. "I would explain more, but I don't fully understand myself, and I don't want to lead you astray if I'm wrong."
"That sounds ominous," she said.
"Let's hope not," he replied.
She shook her head, heart heavy with thoughts. "What if my relationships aren't with real people? What if they're fictitious NPCs in a game?"
"If it feels real, then your mind and body will react as if it's real." He put a gloved hand to his mask. "And I would get a job this summer. A place that will put you in contact with as many people as possible."
"I probably needed to do that anyway," said Alex, thinking of her mom's bills. "What about magic?"
"Avoid it if you can. Small amounts won't hurt too much, but nothing grand like your tumor transfer. It could awaken the tumor in ways you don't want," said Dr. Althud.
"Awaken the tumor. You make it sound like I have an alien in my head," said Alex.
"Nothing like that, but the effects might be the same," he said, motioning for her to stand.
As he led her back to the front, visions of her head exploding from runaway tumor made her chuckle under her breath.
"Come back at the end of the summer before you start school again. We'll talk more then," he said.
"Have a good trip, or something," she said, giving him a curt wave as he closed the door.
"Merlin's hairy balls, my life is weird," she said, heading back to the train station. "I have a girlfriend that isn't real, an alien tumor in my head that likes magic, and a doctor who probably plays poker with the other Old Ones on long cruises through the Realm of Madness."
Alex didn't have to be back in Gamemakers Online for a few more days, so after calling her mom to catch up on the gossip at the diner, she spent the rest of the time wandering the city. It was nice for a change not to have to be leveling up, or preparing for another battle in the dirt circle.
When she'd had her fill of doing nothing, Alex returned to the Plains of Warsong, where she would travel to the Arena of the Gods, for one last fight to become the champion.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Returning to the Bravebear camp after a few weeks away allowed Alex to see the changes that had transformed the grassy hilltop. When she'd first arrived many months ago, it'd been a loose collection of ratty tents scattered across the hillside with random cooking fires between them.
Now it looked like a small village with the tents replaced by thatched-roof huts, chickens and small children darting between them. The longhouse had transformed into a massive timber structure, pillars carved into fantastical animals. She could see the totems of the clans she'd defeated represented in the carvings.
Missing Nayiri, Alex went to the hut, which hadn't changed since she'd become the leader of the clan. She hadn't wanted to waste CPs on a frivolous expense, so she'd left it simple, but now that the rest of the camp had been improved it looked like the least of the living spaces.
Alex flung the door open, hoping to find Nayiri still nestled in the furs, but the space was empty and appeared it'd been that way for some time.
"Battleleader!" called Sophia from behind. "I thought you might return soon."
"Hey, Sophia," said Alex, running a hand through her hair. "Where's Nayiri?"
"I hope you don't mind, but I sent her to Warsong City so she could gather information about your final opponent," said Sophia.
"Good idea," said Alex with a frown.
"You are displeased with this decision?" asked Sophia.
"No, the decision was appropriate, perfect really," said Alex. "I was just hoping to catch up with her during the journey."
Sophia's eyes crinkled with a smile. "I understand. You miss your girlfriend."
"Anything I need to know before we leave?" asked Alex.
"No," said Sophia. "I have the horses and provisions prepared."
"When are we leaving?" she asked.
"This afternoon if that is acceptable to you," said Sophia.
"Yeah, let's go. I want to get this over with," said Alex, looking across the rolling plains. "It's been a long year."
A group of twenty left the Bravebear camp, including Sophia, Mancalf, Blaze, and Sorrow, along with a few other high-level gladiators and the appropriate support staff.
The journey across the plains took a little over a week. They took their time, making camp early in the afternoon and leaving late in the morning. The first few days Alex had leg cramps from riding, but eventually the soreness passed.
As they neared Warsong, the terrain flattened and the gold-green grasses became farmland, dotted with small villages. The dirt road turned to stone and their travel sped up, until the hazy outline of the city could be seen from a distance.
When they arrived in the city, Alex was surprised by its size and vibrance. While it was nothing compared to the modern cities of her world, Warsong had the feel of an early Rome.
The Bravebear banner brought gawkers, young dirty faced girls and boys who ran alongside them and touched her boots in awe. The adults usually stopped whatever they were doing—leaning on a shovel or broom—and inclined their heads with respect.
The further they went into the city, the more the streets were lined with colorful banners depicting great champions of the past. The avenues widened until they were grand thoroughfares designed to carry huge crowds to the arena.
When she first saw the Arena of the Gods, her breath caught in her throat. They'd come around the bend, a line of tall buildings blocking the view. Then the enormous structure was exposed all at once.
It was the size and shape of the Coliseum, but around the upper saddle, the crenellations had been carved into mythical monsters including manticores, dragons, and hydras. The outer grounds featured thirty-foot-high statues of former champions with names like Larius of the Song, the Death Machine, Zivia of the Heist, Olga the Elder, and Selanna Strongbow.
They dismounted when a group of priests in ochre robes flowed from the Arena of the Gods towards her. The priest in front looked like a bodybuilder, barely contained by his simple garment.
"Greetings, Champion Alexandria Duke. I am Altarius Coldhammer, High Priest of Warsong. We welcome you to the Arena of the Gods," he said with a flourishing bow.
"Greetings, Altarius," said Alex, returning his bow. "Thank you for your welcome, it's been a long journey."
"Which is why we wanted to make sure we got you settled in right away. My priests can take your horses to the stables, while I will lead you to the apartments that you can reside in during your stay," said Altarius.
They gathered their things while stern-jawed priests led away the horses. Alex saw many scars on the priests, suggesting that joining their order was more than a religious experience.
As they passed the statues, Sorrow paused at one with a lute on his back and a gladius in his fist. Her dour companion looked up at the visage, his face wracked with consternation.
"Don't worry, Sorrow, I'm not going to make you fight in the Arena, but you should at least be proud that bards can become champions too," she said with a smile, putting her hand on his shoulder to lead him away.
He kept glancing behind them at the statue, but Alex got distracted by what Altarius was explaining as they climbed a flight of stairs that led them higher into the Arena.
"...fights twice daily, more during festival weeks. The caverns beneath the Arena are almost as large as the city, which we use for a huge zoo beneath that holds all manner of creatures. We're quite proud of the brood of Behemoths that we use on occasion in the Arena, though only for the greatest of warriors. Even one is a challenge for a fully prepared group."
As they walked past an archway, Alex got a glimpse of the fighting grounds. They'd never had enough money to go to a sporting event, not even the Kentucky Derby, so she had nothing to judge it by, except that her breath seemed to hold in her chest when she looked at it. It wasn't just the vastness of the space, but the number of seats in the Ar
ena.
"Five thousand four hundred and thirty-four," said Altarius from her side, guessing at her thoughts. "And every one one of them will be filled when you fight down there. Don't worry, Alexandria, there will be an appropriate audience for a warrior such as yourself. Your exploits have reached us here in Warsong, and we are quite excited to see your agile mind pitted against the Crimson Scourge's lethal grace."
"Lethal grace," Alex repeated, shaking her head. "What's the pillar in the center of the fighting grounds?"
"A safety precaution. In fights against the menagerie, it keeps them from entering the stands and injuring our viewing audience," he said as he led her away.
"Are the restrictions on death not present here like in the battle circles?" asked Alex.
"They remain as they are in the outer regions, but at times our gladiators, especially those that come from outside Warsong like yourself, wish to fight high-stakes matches. The pillar can change the arena so it's not safe like the areas that surround our humble lands."
"Like the Warped Forest," she said.
His eyes crinkled with thought. "Yes, like the Warped Forest, a dangerous region from which we stay away."
As he led her away from the arena, her thoughts went to the mention of those that come from outside Warsong. It suggested that not all that had visited the zone had attempted to become champion. It was possible that previous members of Gamemakers Hall had come to the Arena of the Gods solely to fight one of the creatures in the menagerie to complete a high-level quest. Alex wondered what sort of rewards, besides hitting level 40, came with Champion of Warsong.
"What kind of rewards?" asked Alex, interrupting Altarius from explaining the way the voting stones worked.
"Excuse me?" he asked, folding his hands together.
"The rewards for high-stakes matches? What kind are there? And are there other rewards for becoming Champion of Warsong?" she asked.
"Ahh, yes. We have items of great power that travelers wish to acquire, or keys to other locations in this vast land. But the greater the reward, the greater the challenge," he said.
"And becoming champion?" she asked.
"They are great rewards that you will no doubt enjoy," he said.
"I see," she said, motioning for him to continue his explanation. Eventually he led her to the apartments where Alex and her friends would be residing during the tournament.
After two years of living in camps, the apartments at the Arena were a pleasant surprise. A dozen rooms split off a large central area. Alex was led to the largest room, which had a bed the size of Texas in the middle of it. She felt like royalty as she ran her fingertips across the gold filigree on the washbasin sitting atop a marble table.
"There will be priests stationed outside your apartments, they can be sent to fetch you anything you might need. Food, drinks, men, or women," said Altarius.
She must have made a face because Altarius added, "We have no slaves or prostitutes in Warsong. These are men and women for whom it would be an honor to sleep with a champion. Some hope to have a child from such warrior stock."
"I guess that's no different than the celebrities of my world," she said. "But you can have them stand down. I'm not here for such carnal delights."
"As you wish," said Altarius, bowing his head. "Is there anything else you desire?"
"What's the schedule? Tell me more about my fight," said Alex.
The twitch of a smile formed on Altarius' lips. "Nothing but business. I should not be surprised, given your reputation. The contest to become the Champion of Warsong will be unlike what you've experienced in the plains. Rather than a head-to-head fight, you will battle against a creature or creatures from the Warsong menagerie. You and four other members of your clan, along with the other champion and four of their clanmates, will be pitted against a common foe. It is a reminder that in the end, we are not enemies, but this competition makes us stronger."
"When the clan bleeds," she said idly.
"It bleeds as one," he replied. "You understand completely then."
"How will the winner be determined if we're fighting a common foe?" she asked.
"By the crowd," he replied. "After the battle, everyone in attendance will be given a voting stone, which they will place in one of two bins."
Alex bit her lower lip. A fight for the crowd's favor would be to her opponent's advantage since they were "lethal grace," especially since that was an aspect that she'd never worried about. While she'd been a sometimes streamer, it'd only been for proof of victory, not for self-promotion. Alex was unused to performing for others.
She realized Altarius was staring at her expectantly. "Yes?"
"I almost forgot one thing. The payment," he said.
"Oh yes, please, anytime you're ready," she said.
Quest Complete: Earn 50,000 conquest points to qualify for the Champions Competition
You have gained experience: 750,000 XP
You have reached level 30!
You have reached level 31!
Quest Chain II: Win the crowd's favor in the Group Battle (Champion of Warsong / Unknown Reward)
After Altarius left, a priest with messy blond hair, who stared at her like she should know him, appeared in the doorway to her luxurious room. He had a stern jaw marred by a jagged scar. She was about to tell him to leave when he produced a dagger from his robes.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
"I have no need for your services currently," said Alex, hoping there was a misunderstanding. "You may return to your duties."
As the grim-faced priest approached, Alex realized her whip was hanging outside the room on the wall. She was about to hit her potential assassin with a Cloud Taunt, when his facial structure shifted into a familiar female one.
"Nayiri!"
The knot in Alex's shoulders released as Nayiri shot her a sly grin.
"Were you worried?" asked Nayiri.
"A little, though I was sure I could still take you."
Alex threw herself in her girlfriend's arms, cupping her face and pressing her lips against hers until tingles reached down her spine to the backs of her knees.
"How I missed you," said Alex as she ran her fingers through Nayiri's blonde hair. "Trying on a new look?"
She pulled away, shaking her head until the jet black returned. "I forgot."
"How is the city? I assume you've been spying on my opponent," said Alex.
"Trying to," said Nayiri. "The Crimson Scourge is a very private person. I don't even think their companions know them well. It's a stark contrast to how you run the Bravebears."
"Maybe that will be to my advantage in the zoo fight," said Alex.
"Maybe," said Nayiri, her lips curling downward. "I know people can be prone to exaggeration when it comes to the fights in the battle circle, but the stories I've heard about your opponent are concerning. They sound as fast and strong as Tormane, but with your tactical skills."
"That is concerning," said Alex, leaning against the cushy bed as she put her hand to her mouth. "What fighting styles do they use?"
"All of them," said a wide-eyed Nayiri. "Supposedly, they can watch another fight in the arena, adopt their styles in the next fight, and by the fight after that, be better than a master."
"Wonderful," said Alex. "Magic?"
"Some. The Crimson Scourge prefers to win with melee, but the few magics they've used have been elemental in nature," said Nayiri.
"That's good information," said Alex.
"You're going to need any advantage you can get," said Nayiri.
"Then you should work the crowds instead of the Crimson Scourge, find out what will get them to vote for me," said Alex.
"Way ahead of you," said Nayiri with a wink. "The gladiators that do the best know how to tell a story in the arena, with big, flashy finishes."
"A story? Who am I supposed to be, Steven King?" she asked.
Nayiri squinted as if she were trying to figure out if she knew the name, but eventually she shrugged and nodde
d.
Alex was about to tell Nayiri to close the door, but Mancalf leaned his enormous frame into the room.
"Hey, boss," he said with an expression on his face that suggested he'd seen something he didn't understand. "There's a talking bird outside that's asking for you."
"A Great Raven?" she asked.
Mancalf scrunched his forehead and held his hand up around his waist. "About this high? Curses more than a bandit with crotch rot?"
"That's the one," she said. "Take me to her."
Alex found Ethel Stormfeathers the Third perched atop a balcony in one of the side rooms. The Great Raven stretched her feathers as she hopped on the railing.
"What a pleasant surprise to see you out this way, dearie," said Ethel.
"Didn't think I'd make it to the final battle?" she asked.
"You seem to be a resourceful adventurer, but even the best run into challenges they cannot overcome," said Ethel.
"I'm glad to see you," said Alex, reaching into her Handysack to pull forth an item she'd taken in the battle circle.
When she handed it to Ethel, the black bird cackled with raspy laughter.
"Oh, you are a clever one," said Ethel, laying the Fallen Phoenix banner on the stone to admire it. "How did you know?"
"A great and powerful being like yourself must have a great and powerful enemy. The largest clan in the Western Plains took the Fallen Phoenix name, which suggests it's a powerful foe. Plus, it's an avian like yourself, and the fallen part seems to suggest a loss of grace," said Alex.
"Well done," said Ethel, snatching up the banner and shoving it into her belt pouch.
Quest Completed: Bring Ethel Stormfeathers the Third her fallen enemy
You have gained experience: 20,000 XP
+400 reputation with Great Ravens
You have gained an item: Ring of Expansion
The black bird tossed a silver etched ring with her beak, and Alex promptly caught it and examined the magical item, holding it to the light between forefinger and thumb.
Gladiators of Warsong Page 26
