The Arena

Confrontation

Alera didn’t dare to look back, almost afraid she would jinx fate and something horrible might happen to all of them. A small giggle almost left her lips. She felt stupid as fear already began taking roots inside her mind and her heart. Fear of never leaving this place. Fear of losing to Baruing again. Fear of never seeing Tellor or Asendriel again. And fear of seeing them again, but dead. She gritted her teeth and sped up. If she manages to reach the tower and take the gryphon, she will get help from Kargath in time! She will reach it in time - she repeated it in her mind, almost like a mantra.

She did her best to be as quiet as possible. The last thing they needed were some extra guards alerted. She moved swiftly, but in the shadows, with her sword at the ready. If she were to encounter anyone, she would have to be as deadly as possible and fast. The lack of guards though, alarmed her with each step. While she was used to Baruing having at least one or two at each door, now there were none in sight, at least in this part of the building. If they are not here, where are they? Had Baruing gathered them somewhere else?

And as soon as this thought rooted in her mind, she was taken back to the arena, when six of them tried to stop Asendriel, in the battle royale. Is that where they were? Were they all trying to capture him again? And if the guards succeed, Baruing will surely kill him. She clenched her sword as she tried to banish the thoughts of him dead.

After running and taking so many turns, she finally found the entrance to the east tower, just like the human guard said. Truth be told, without him, they probably wouldn’t have a chance to escape, she thought. And she didn’t even know his name. She pushed the massive door slowly, peeking inside the tower, but, as with the path until here, there were no guards in sight. There was, however, a stairway made of stone, going up, round and round, built directly into the tower’s walls. Hay and big bags with unknown contents filled the base of the tower. 

She climbed two or three steps when she heard a commotion, close to her. It sounded like someone talking in a hushed tone and running her way. She jumped behind some bags and waited in silence. As the noises came closer, she could make out bits and pieces, like ‘fools’ and ‘plan’ and ‘escape’, but what caught her attention was that the voice and tonality were familiar. She slowly rose from behind the bags and stepped in the middle of the tower, with her weapon ready. Her hands were trembling slightly and she couldn’t help but wonder if it was from fear...or excitement.

The door was pushed to the wall and Baruing froze in the doorway with four guards behind him. Whatever words he was spewing, seemed to have been caught up inside his throat as he laid eyes on her. And Alera almost let a small smile escape her lips as she saw something else running across his face, beside confusion. It looked like fear.

‘My dear!’ he said, after a small pause, as calm as he could. But Alera sensed a small tremor in his tone. ‘What a lovely surprise! Forgive me, but your presence here caught me by surprise, since last time we saw each other, you were locked away.’

‘You need better locks, my lord.’ she said, stressing his title and pointing her sword at him.

‘Now, now. I’m sure we can make some arrangements to fix this...more peacefully.’
He put his hands up defensively and stepped back, closer to his guards. Alera followed him and pointing her weapon to one of the guards said, ignoring Baruing:

‘You four. This is the only chance I am offering. Leave or die in this miserable place, right here, right now.’

They all took a single look at her, then at each other and then at Baruing and then, almost in sync, they turned around on their feet, running.

‘Come back, cowards!’ Baruing yelled after them.

‘You seem to need better guards as well.’

Alera walked slowly, closing the distance between them a bit more, but not enough for him to reach her. She wasn’t sure what he could pull next.