Chapter Eleven: The Crucible Part One
The next morning after having a good night's sleep and breakfast Connor and Seth stood at the bottom of the large stairs to the Crucible standing behind its gate.
"This is it, remember these games are made to weed out the weak, you will wait your turn then try to pass all the 'Levels of Hell' Each one will have a different kind of enemy to fight," Seth reminded watching Connor make sure his gear was secure.
"Sound easy enough," Connor spoke looking to his friend, handing Nova to Seth, "will you guys be ok out here?"
"Yeah, we will be fine, we will be watching the big screen cheering you on," Seth reassured setting Nova in his hood for safekeeping.
"I wish we could fight with you," Roscoe spoke getting a pet on the head by Connor.
"Me too buddy, wish me luck," Connor spoke pushing open the gates and making his way up the steps with a large muscular man guarding the door with a man in a suit at his side.
"You here to fight?" the guard spoke.
"Yes, I am," Connor spoke getting approached by the man in a suit who held out a clipboard with papers to sign and began to speak very fast.
"Sign here please, the Crucible is not responsible for any injuries, bodily harm, disfigurement, disembowelment, death, death by impalement, death by flames, death by drowning, death by bloodloss, loss of limbs, sight, speaking, or hearing," he spoke as Connor sighed the legal waiver.
"Geeze! The list goes on," Connor spoke looking at another page, "really trying not to get sued huh?"
"We are also not responsible for family, loved ones, children, widows, lovers, or pets you leave behind in the event of your horrible death," the man spoke taking the clipboard and opening the doors for Connor, "Welcome to the Crucible Games."
Entering the waiting lounge Connor noticed many fighters and cameramen, in the corner of the room, was a confessional-like setup where each fighter was taking a turn to introduce themselves.
The producer of the show then turned to Connor, "OK here's the deal kid, you take a seat, introduce yourself, boast, rub your ego, say whatever you want, just avoid saying anything obscene, we don't need another Monty Potty Mouth."
"Do I have to?" Connor asked seeing the producer raise an eyebrow.
"Yes, you do, it's in the contract you signed with the waiver, make sure to brush up on the rules before you go into the arena," he sternly spoke walking away to check his cameras.
Looking around Conner looked at eight TV screens, each one having four cameras on each floor, a drone that moved around, two stationary, and one used by a man from a safe distance.
On another wall was a camera playing the interview of the fighters each going into the Crucible. Getting in line behind two other fighters Connor looked to the interview box where a very beefy fighter in the mohawk sat down.
"Sup Albion! My name is Bradly Baddie~ I've been training my whole life for this very moment! You better get your training bra on Iron Fist because I am coming for the title and that money!" he cockily grinned.
Looking at a tablet the Producer sighed, "Oh geez, Mighty Mindy just got beat on the Hobbe floor, this season Fighters are disappointing, HEY! Bradly! Your up! Get your arse in there!"
"My time to shine!" Bradly smirked picking up a large war axe, "See you losers later!"
"Arrogant prick," the producer muttered watching Bradly enter the doors, "OK, put up the voting poll!"
'Voting poll?' Connor thought spotting a monitor watching Bradly waiting in a hallway with a five-minute counter counting down and on the bottom of the screen was a live betting pool if he lived or died during round one.
"Next," a cameraman spoke at the confessional booth letting the next fight get his screen time while Connor picked up a sheet of paper with the rules.
All contenders are invited to read the following rules. If you cannot read them, please ask another challenger to read them for you. If they cannot read, please use the audio recording located near the store booth.
Rule One: The Crucible is an arena of violence, death, and family entertainment consisting of 10 rounds. Once you enter you can not turn back.
Rule Two: Each round will begin when you walk into the starting point and is made up of increasingly difficult waves of creatures.
Rule Three: Score a Perfect Round by beating the target time. You will earn extra awards for doing so. Achieve 5 Perfect Rounds and you will walk away with our highest cash reward.
Rule Four: You are here to entertain. Never forget that. Make sure you keep the crowd's excitement levels up and it is likely to reward you for your efforts. The bloodthirsty buggers are especially fond of contenders who make full use of the traps and pits some of the rounds contain.
Rule Five: Should you need to stock up your supplies, you will encounter a trader after every third round.
Rule Six: If any of the above rules had too many syllables or was otherwise too difficult for your maltreated brain to comprehend, just remember this: kill everything and kill it fast.
"Geeze who wrote these rules?" Connor asked aloud looking up to see the fighter leave and it was his turn to enter the interview booth, "let's do this."
Taking a seat Connor looked to the camera where it flashed taking a mug shot to use for his betting poll, "ok kid, recording starts in three-two-one."
"Hello Albion, I am Connor Sw-Lionheart, but all of you will remember me as the Hero of Westcliffe," Connor spoke almost using his original last name but decided to use his true name, and while it filmed Seth and Roscoe watched on the big screen in the center of town.
"Guess he going to use this live feed to his advantage?" Roscoe asked.
"You bet your fury arse he will," Seth smirked.
"Unlike every fighter you've seen today, I am not here for the Crucible, I am here to start the revolution to save Albion from the corruption we endured! I have a message for you Lord Tirich."
In Bowerstone Castle, Lord Tirich sat at his desk watching the screen where Connor leaned in and formed an inferno fireball in one hand then held up his Guild Seal in the other.
"You keep that throne warm for me because I am coming for it! You can bet on it!" with that, it went straight to a commercial where Tirich leaned back in his seat looking over the hooded figures who sat in chairs waiting for their orders.
"If Reaver fails to collect, go and bring me his head!" Tirich spoke watching the five masked figures stand and leave.
"Geeze kid! You got a death wish!" the cameraman spoke watching Connor exit the confessional and approach the arena monitors where Bradly made it to round three only to be taken out by something moving fast that sliced off his head and made his body stumble back into the pit in the middle of the room.
"OH! Let's replay that in slow motion, shall we?" the judge and host of The Crucible spoke replaying the moment in slow motion where a female-like figure had sliced off Bradly's head, "Bradly the Baddie didn't stand a chance against the lethal desert beauties the Sand Fury! I am your host Brock Rockfield and we will be back for more bloody good fun after a word for our sponsor!"
Seeing a commercial come up Connor started to notice the other fighters were starting to look nervous, Connor didn't blame them the live feed of what awaited on the other floors would scare anyone.
"Whelp! Bradly dead! Ok! Sally Hacksaw! Your next!" the producer spoke looking up from his touchpad.
Flinching Sally quickly began coughing, "Oh dear! ACK! Oh my darn allergies! Someone can go ahead!" Sally spoke while Connor sighed and held up a hand.
"I'll go next," Connor spoke seeing the producer raise an eyebrow.
"Eh your funeral kid, get your arse in there!" he spoke allowing Connor through the door leading to the waiting room before round one.
When Connor's face appeared on the screen Seth smirked and pulled out a phone with Roscoe eyeing him suspiciously, "What are you up to?"
"Putting my bets in," Seth smirked evilly.
"Really? You gonna bet money on your best mate?" Roscoe remarked judging Seth.
"Damn right, I am!" Seth chuckled looking back to the screen.
In the hall before the first arena, Connor took a breath reaching behind him placing his hand on his sword hilt narrowing his eyes when the doors slowly opened and he drew his sword stepping into the bright light.
Shielding his eyes Connor walked onto the first floor where cheers erupted and the camera began to lock on Connor who looked around what appeared to be a small room with some stone ruins and blood staining the dirt.
"Welcome back! I am your Host Brock Rockfield and let's welcome the next fighter to the ring! He gained quite the popularity with Westcliffe and was even bestowed the title of Hero of Westcliffe by our lovely mayor! Shall we see if he is worthy of the title?" Brock announced getting cheers from the live audience, "the first round begins in three-two-one!"
Balls of light began to appear in the room where Giant Beetles began to form and launch themselves towards Connor who dodged and sliced his sword smashing a few of the bugs.
"Did you see those bug guts?! Vile! This one is quite skilled with a sword!" Brock smirked watching Connor pull out his pistol shooting several bugs as lights appeared and Rockmirtes began to form with Stingers.
Outside Seth narrowed his eyes watching Connor dispatch the bugs with ease, "Before this round was just Giant Beetles but now this round consists of the Three Bug Terrors of Albions, Beetles, Rockmites, and Stingers."
"So, each round the bugs get stronger?" Roscoe asked seeing Elite Stingers and Rockmites appear in the ring with Connor.
"Yup," Seth spoke watching Connor having trouble fighting the Elite Rockmites.
Glaring his eyes at the armor Connor got an idea on how to wow the crowd and used the Whip Spell on the Elite Rockmite and swung it around smashing it against the wall then threw it over his head before smashing it on one of the ruins smashing the bug.
"Incredible! Did you see that ladies and gentlemen?! For the first time in all my years as host of the Crucibles, we saw real magic! Looks like this up-and-coming hero has a few tricks up his sleeves! Will he make it to the final round to take on our champion? We shall see!" Brock announced cutting to commercial and the gates to the new round opened.
Going into round two Connor battled a horde of Hobbes while Seth outside heard trucks pulling in and gasped quickly pulling up his hood.
"Shit! They're here!" Seth growled feeling Nova holding onto his neck where he quickly led Roscoe behind a building to see the Reaver Industries logo on the heavy armored Guard Patrol vans.
"What do we do?" Roscoe whispered watching Seth narrow his eyes and look up at the Crucible.
"For all these monsters they bring in there must be a back entrance, come on, stick close, and stay low," Seth whispered leading the way around the Crucible.
Once they made it to the back Seth narrowed his eyes to see a guard at an entrance who left his post when the Guard Patrol van approached.
"What are we going to do Seth?" Roscoe asked watching Seth looking around for an idea.
"Sometimes one must wait for an opportunity," Seth spoke seeing the door to the back entrance open, and then charged quickly covering the man's mouth and forcing their way in and closing the door behind them.
Struggling with the guard Seth quickly kicked the man in the back of the knee to make him fall over before getting the man in a chokehold, "Shhhh, you won't die, I just need you to take a little nap."
Holding the struggling man for a few minutes the man became limp allowing Seth to drop him to the ground, removing his keys from his person and locking the back entrance.
"We're in, now what?" Roscoe asked walking down the hall with Seth leading the way.
Turning the corner Seth had no time to react when someone grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground, "GAK!"
"Seth!" Roscoe growled pouncing and was also grabbed by the throat both being held in the air by the masked Iron Fist who turned his head.
"A talking dog? That new, you two are not allowed back here," Kyler spoke walking forward and glancing at the knocked-out guard lying on the ground, "that was quite the mistake you made my friends."
"Please, you're in danger," Seth gasped before being pulled forward.
"I think you mean 'you' are the one in danger, trying to sabotage the match for your 'hero' friend? That a low ball," Kyler spoke before hearing banging on the back entrance.
With this distraction, Nova ran out from his hiding spot in Seth's hood and bit one of Kyler's fingers making him drop Seth who gasped and coughed.
"It's Reaver! He sent his Patrol goons here to kill you," Seth panted watching Kyler tilt his head before dropping Roscoe.
"Oh, really now?" Kyler spoke walking down the hall towards the back entrance and peeking through the peephole to see Seth was right about the Patrol at their doors, "you say they are after me huh?"
Grabbing the handle to the door Kyler twisted the metal bending it to the point the door couldn't be opened without a saw.
"Can't have them meddling either," Kyler spoke turning his attention back to Seth who was rubbing his neck, "same goes for you."
Approaching Kyler grabbed Seth by the back of his shirt and Roscoe by his collar and dragged them down the hall.
"HEY! You don't have to manhandle us! We can walk!" Seth growled trying to break free.
"Do me a favor and stay put here," Kyler spoke opening an employee entrance and tossing the two into the spectator area before shutting the door on them.
"That was rude," Roscoe growled approaching where the crowd was with Seth, looking down they watched Connor finish the last of the Hobbes using the built-in traps to impale them.
"Another brilliantly perfect round! This one looking to be quite the fan favorite! However! Can our celebrity hero defeat the horrors that await him in the next eight rounds? Stay tuned!" Brock announced going to another commercial break.
The crowd then began to follow the hallway into another room that was much bigger than the first two and was filled with sand and a massive pit in the middle.
Once the five-minute break was over Connor was allowed into the next arena where Brock began, "Boy those Happy Sailor Chips do sound good don't they? Make me hungry for more bloodshed! As of this season, no one has beaten the third floor, can the hero beat it? We shall see in three-two-one! GO!"
Looking into the pit Connor winced at the bodies below drawing his sword when he saw beams of light form in the sand but nothing emerged.
Waiting Connor saw something in the sand dart at him and emerged swinging a sword that he blocked coming face to face with a Sand Fury, using his free left hand he punched the Fury back looking around to see more of the creatures emerging from the sands.
"What are those things?" Roscoe asked looking up to Seth having not seen these creatures before.
"Sand Fury, they seem like beasts but they are humans, very fast, agile, all women, most commonly found in the deserts of Aurora and Samarkand, picture them as those countries' Bandits and Highwaymen, they ambush, kill, then steal whatever poor soul falls into their trap," Seth explained watching Connor dodge a few swings of the Sand Fury.
"This tournament has you fighting humans too?" Roscoe asked seeing Seth nod.
"Yup, these cutthroats get paid quite a large sum of money to make sure no weak make it to the next round, a bonus if they can win a season with no win on their floor," Seth said watching a Fury trying to sneak up on Connor who was blocking swings from another.
Sensing an attack from behind Connor kicked the fury in front of him away dodging the surprise Fury attack and shot her in the head, then used her body to catch another fury stab and shot another dead chucking them both into the pit.
Seeing more approaching Connor formed blades in one hand and shock in the other charging them up for a combination spell.
"Oh, what is this?! The hero seems to be casting a spell of some sort! How exciting!" Brock spoke watching Connor collide his hands together and combining the two spells he launched into the air above him creating spinning swords surging with electricity.
"Shock-Blades!" Connor yelled pointing a finger and sending the swords flying each impaling a fury and electrocuting them to death.
"BLOODY HELL! Did you see that?! The Hero fused two spells! Is that even possible?! Well, it must be because we saw it with our own eyes! The first victory of the fourth arena! Shall he be as lucky with the foul creatures of the next arena? Stay tuned!" Brock spoke turning on another commercial.
"Whew," Connor sighed putting away his pistol and headed out of the arena and up the stairs to the next floor.
Entering the next floor Connor stepped into what looked like a swamp, with dead trees all around him he heard a mechanism above dropping down a lantern full of glowing balls of lights.
"Welcome back! Are you ready for the next round against the undead!? Looks like some of the fallen warriors of this season want a second chance at glory! Better watch out hero! The match starts in three-two-one! GO!" Brock announced as the lantern opened and several Wisps flew out and landed on the ground some in the bodies of the fighters who died on the other floors whose bodies were thrown into the graveyard.
Watching some of the bodies twist and move Connor spun around when a rotting corpse emerged from the ground and roared with glowing blue eyes.
"For those watching at home, you may wanna look away because some of these Hollowmen look NASTY! Let's see how the hero fares!" Brock smirked watching Connor draw his sword when more undead warriors began to rise.
In his private room, Kyler sat and watched Connor swing and smash several of the Hollow Men using his Inferno spell to take out others from a distance.
"Wow, he is good!" Kyler heard his father say who approached, "Two spells? I think I read somewhere in a history book as a lad about only the Hero King and his heirs able to perform such a feat."
"Come on father, you can't be buying that he could possibly be a real hero, are you?" Kyler asked seeing his father shrug.
"Why not? Why go through the trouble to fight you? Surely, he sees something in you too, of course, I always knew you had the potential to be a great warrior and hero," his father spoke using his cane to keep his balance.
Staying silent Kyler turned his head back to the TV watching Connor charge for a powered-up version of Inferno, slamming his hands on the ground and sending a wave of burning flames in all directions to destroy any Hollow Men that lingered in the swamp.
Pulling out his phone Kyler looked at an article from Bowerstone about the Resistance destruction and saw the active wanted posters of Seth and Connor, noticing the difference in appearance Connor had, blue eyes and Will markings, and this aura that seemed to draw people to him.
Standing up Kyler picked up his hammer and made his way over to his father, "Come on pops, let's get you to the VIP booth, my match will start soon at this rate."
"You are right about that son! This will be an unforgettable fight!" Mr. Blade grins following his son.