Chapter Nine: Undone

Mayor Wilson pulled a lever, and the Heroes couldn't help but notice that none of the doors opened. There were only four doors: one where the Hobbes came from, one where the Highwaymen came from, one where the White Balverines came from, and one where the heroes came from which was now sealed by a massive stone wall.

The grown began to spark with electricity, causing the Heroes to jump with surprise. It didn't hurt, though the entire Arena became dank and muggy. A dense fog began to form and soon the Heroes could not even see the audience surrounding them, nor could they see them. This was no longer a "challenge," under the guise of entertainment this was an attempt at the Heroes lives plain and simple.

Through the fog a bright blue light shined, and Michael squinted to see what it could be. A second light joined close to it, and another pair close by. Two more appeared, and two more and two more until the Heroes were surrounded by these tiny blue lights in the distance of the fog. The lights began to draw closer, slowly but surely and the Heroes drew their weapons, even Michael who had no choice but to draw his father's sword now that the one he was using was broken and discarded in the last round.

Thought the dense fog, a long bony arm reached out, and that's when the Heroes realized what they were truly up against. It wasn't a 'boney lanky man,' "Hollow men!" Michael shouted out and the battle began. The swarm of hollow men advanced on the Heroes, one after another they attacked only to be struck down by blades hammers and arrows. The zombies were slow, but increasing in number. Soon it wasn't just one or two hollow men attacking at once, it was 5 or 6 and the Heroes had to double their efforts just to keep them at bay.

The hollow men weren't just increasing in number, but size as well as lumbering masses of bones and rotted flesh lumbered towards them with massive cleavers in their hands. These were the bodies of the challengers who fell before them, and the Heroes were determined not to join their unholy ranks.

Speer noticed a crackling noise in the air, and while battling a wave of the hollow men he looked up to see the larger ones in the distance. They weren't yet making their way into the fray, but staying back instead. He saw a blue sparking in their eyes and noticed what it was immediately.

"THEY HAVE LIGHTNING POWERS! LOOK OUT!" Speer tried to warn the others, but it was too late. Four of the larger hollow men unleashed lightning spells on the Heroes and all four fell to their knees from the attack. It was all the hollow men needed, and they piled on top of the Heroes like an avalanche. The Heroes fell to their backs, kicking and fighting back with all their strength, but they might as well have been fighting the world from spinning as soon the pile was stacked seven hollow men tall.

"Well, looks like this is it!" Shunt admitted, doing all he could to keep most of them off of his friends.

"No! I'm not going down like this, I don't care if the Mayor knows, we don't have a choice anymore! We're Heroes! And it's time the world knew!" Michael shouted out resolutely. His runes began to glow, and though no one in the audience could see through the fog they could see a deep red glow emanating from the center of it. The others nodded and followed suit, their runes glowing blue as they focused their energies and unleashed their magic. Plumes of fire, lightning, wind and shockwave energy erupted from the pile and bones scattered everywhere.

The Heroes were free from the pile and now were on the offensive, they used their magic to clear the Arena of any and all hollow men, tearing them to pieces with ease with all of their powers now at their disposal. Soon there was none left, and with the hollow men gone the fog too began to fade. The audience looked on as did the Mayor to see if the hollow men had did their job, and what they saw was neither challengers nor zombies.

They were Heroes.