As I walked over, I couldn’t help but survey my character information. Too much had changed since the last time I checked not to. A few levels and plenty of equipment changes made me gasp at the improvements.
Madi Mendoza: Level 27
Class Rank: Barbarian
HP: 17318/17318
Armor Rating 525
Vitality 37 (+7)
Strength 34 (+48)
Dexterity 22 (+8)
Intelligence 16 (+3)
Stamina 28 (+38)
Son of Mary, I was stacked. Walking, no, strutting to the arena, the sheer power of the added Strength I’d received from the armor addition was staggering. I’d given up some stats by discarding the leather vest, bracers, and gloves, but it didn’t even compare. My HP was insane, too. Each point of Vitality added one level’s worth of HP, and even though this decreased in percentage after Level 20, I felt like a freaking boss.
With Tejón at my side, the people in the street gave us a wide birth. I clinked along in my shiny red armor, gauntlets flexing, and felt a soft breeze lift the black Marduk’s Mantle cloak that flowed from my shoulders.
“What the hell happened to you, Madi?” a familiar voice called out as I entered the front of the building leading to the arena.
I turned and saw Teegan walking toward me, his sleek black leather armor making him look more himself than the traveling clothes he’d been wearing the night before. “Hey, Teegan. Like my drip?”
“Yeah, I do. I pity whatever fool gets thrown in the ring with you two. This must be Tejón.” He turned deftly and bowed to the bear. “Nice to meet you. I heard you were the strongest creature in Bridgerun.”
Tejón chuffed and seemed to stand a bit taller. I like this elf. He is a dangerous one, though. Will we be fighting him?
No, thank God. He is small but could probably drop me one on one in under a minute. He is just a friend.
Tejón walked up to the elf and nudged him in the chest with his nose. Teegan laughed and led us over to the registration desk.
“Another champion in our midst?” a scrawny man said, his face pointed and gaunt. “You’ve come just in time, too. What will you be entering, young lady? Today we have four events: The Solo Tournament, Battle Royale, Four-on-Four Skirmish, and the Companion’s Cup.”
I considered it a moment. I knew the Companion’s Cup was for us, but I felt so damn powerful in my armor that it seemed a crime to only enter one event. Making my mind up, I answered the man. “Companion’s Cup and the Battle Royale, please.”
He nodded respectfully and wrote down my name. “That’s 50 gold for the Battle Royale and a hundred for the Companion’s Cup. There are plenty of contestants today, so the prize is guaranteed to be big.”
I hadn’t thought that I’d need to pay to enter, but it made sense. How else was the town supposed to supply the rewards?
I paid the man, noting that my purse was shrinking awfully quick. I’d need to transfer more of the Marduk funds to my character. Thankfully, EO allowed players to keep their coin in a virtual vault, so they didn’t have to carry all their coin on their person. Some, like Hana, even transferred it to their real-world accounts in YD.
Feeling like I was entering the school yard on the first day of classes, I walked with Teegan and headed over to the champion’s stands.
We padded down a long hall that sloped downwards. After a few hundred feet, Teegan led me through a door that split in two directions, both marked with arrows. One arrow indicated the Arena in crude, flaking letters. Then other was labeled Champion’s Boxes.
We headed to the second and, after walking up a flight of steps, came out to find a series of private boxes, each containing ten seats and a large floor area that I presumed was for pets.
Glancing down the hall, I saw a dozen or so rooms where players could sit down.
Teegan walked forward and found an empty room for us, then sat down.
And even as I thought how nice it would be to turn and leave, a voice called out, loud and piercing, “Welcome, everyone! Welcome to another thrilling day at the Bridgerun Arena! I hope you’ve all brought a change of clothes, because today, folks… Today is gonna be a bloodbath!”
The crowd screamed its excitement, and I felt a spell of lightheadedness overtake me as I looked up at hundreds of eager faces.
I walked over and sat beside Teegan, hoping to at least avoid passing out before I even stepped into the ring.
7: “But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them.”
— Anonymous Benefactor of Genly Ai
HANA
Pachi and I were forced to abandon caution for the sake of showing up in time to make a difference in whatever battle was ensuing below.
The mist-filled air didn’t allow us to see much further down within the tunnels, so we ran along the path that wove between hot springs and around massive stalagmites. Though the cave was damp, it had a clean smell only tarnished by a hint of sulfur. Minerals permeated the air, and I was reminded of some kind of health spa. If the pools weren’t far too hot, by the look of them, they would undoubtedly be good to soak in.
But even as the thought crossed my mind, another grunt and squeal came from below. This time, however, it was much closer, perhaps only a hundred yards down.
I will go ahead, Pachi called to me as she darted forward. Don’t worry, I will be careful, but I am bigger than you now, sister.
Sprinting in her wake, I answered, That’s fine, but don’t engage until we know what we’re facing.
A handful of moments later we plunged into a massive cavern, a long pool filling one half of the room. On the far side, backed against the wall, was a short and terrified-looking creature. Scales covered its body,
