Light the Way

Chapter Twelve

Photos of the arena have been included at the end of the chapter, in case the layout gets a bit lost in the writing. 

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Slowly but surely, the rest of the group made their way across. A few kids refused and sat back at the train station platform, informally handing in their withdrawal for the course. Livia Cardew managed to make it over, somehow convincing Festus to carry one of her luggage bags over his shoulder while she dragged the other one.

Lukeworn clumsily made her way to the front of the group, trying to get everyone's attention. For someone who was supposed to be heading the expedition she seemed to lack any redeeming leadership qualities.

"Everyone listen up!" She yelled, her hands on her hips, trying to catch her breath. "Under no circumstances are you to take samples of any kind. The plant life here is extremely fickle and we don't want anything impeding with it's growth. So please, keep your hands and feet to yourself! And please don't try to eat anything!" She hollered at them.

The island itself appeared lengthier than what Coriolanus first thought. Lines of thick trees expanded down both sides and he struggled to see where they ended. The sand started to transition to dirt and moss a few metres after the shoreline, fresh greenery cluttering the open space. Vibrant plants littered throughout, pink and orange leaves swirling together. Oddly shaped flowers blotted some of the rocks. Overall, it looked like a jungle.

Beyond the bridge was a gravel pathway that must have been built when they decided to turn this place into the next arena. Making it easier to bring in supplies than slopping through the sand and dirt. Lukeworn led them down the path, calling out reminders every few minutes, any time they passed an unusual looking tree or shrub, to not touch anything. For all he knew, everything was poisonous. That's what bright coloured plants usually meant didn't it? He noticed various tree stumps along the way and broken branches, outlining where a lot of the life was cut down to make way for the path, to make way for an arena that would bring even more death to the untouched earth.

Thick trees and large rocks lined the path, vines weaved around the trunks and connected them, making it hard to see what existed in the rest of the forest. Eventually they made their way up to their destination and an audible gasp made its way through the crowd.

In front of them lay thick marble steps, cut from the original stone, leading up to a pair of massive metal doors. Large, white pillars lined the stairway, surrounded by more of those thick trees and sheet rocks. There was an intimidating amount of glamour to it. Daunting to anyone who walked up. The doors towered over them, at least as high as the metal walls enclosing the arena. Tall enough so that no one could ever possibly climb out. 

Lukeworn typed in a code on the keypad to the right and they all heard a long beep. There was a brief moment of silence before the sound of gears shifting and grinding could be heard. Turning and turning, until the doors started to lift up slowly. Lukeworn entered first, waiting on the other side by the keypad to close the doors after they all entered. Walking through, Coriolanus had the anxious feeling that the doors would come slamming down onto him, crushing him. Olivia pulled him along with her, suddenly stopping when they looked at the arena in front of them.

"We'll be here for two hours and then we'll be heading back. I'll be up at the front to answer any questions you might have. Please don't touch anything!" Lukewon reminded them, choosing to stand up by the keypad, fumbling through a tablet she had with her.

The crowd dispersed, everyone pushing to get down the stairs, eager to look around. It was massive – at least three times the size of the previous arena. No longer filled with aging rubble and the smell of dust, but a mass of greenery and shiny rock.