Metsuhai opened his eyes slowly. His mind was tired and his eyesight was clouded, but from the little he managed to grasp, everything around him was black. I don't feel dead, was his first rational thought. Then came the pain. Bad, unpleasant pain from multiple wounds, bringing with it clarity. How am I alive?! Did the bastards take me captive?
Metsuhai slowly examined his surroundings without moving, and tried sensing his own state. Even before he figured out he was in an underground cave he felt the rocky ground beneath him. His muscles somewhat numb from the position he lay in. His hands weren't handcuffed, and his sword was placed by his side. Not to mention the compass and the stones still on his belt. Finally Metsuhai's eyes got used to the lack of lighting. Simultaneously the scent of freshly cooked meat made his mouth drool.
Capablan appeared from the darkness, the curve of the caves hiding him until the last moment. Metsuhai barely stopped himself from reaching for his blade. His instincts were shouting to fight but his mind told him otherwise. Capablan was walking casually and slowly right to him. He clearly knew about his whereabouts earlier. Meaning he had all the time to finish Metsuhai off when he was unconscious. Besides, Capablan was carrying a stone mug and a skewered snake. All six of swords were on his back, attached in some way Metsuhai didn't understand.
"You're finally awake."
Metsuhai couldn't really understand his situation. For a moment though he felt shame, for a touch of tiny disappointment, that rather than being in haven he was still in hell. But he needed answers.
"Why didn't you kill me?"
"Eat and drink first, you need it." Capablan handed Metsuhai the mug and meat. Metsuhai tried to read Capablan's expression but couldn't really figure it out. And he was starving. Metsuhai emptied the mug with one gulp. It was extremely sharp. It was blood! Metsuhai forced himself not to throw up. This was really bad, but unlike in the past, where he would have thought it a horrible taboo, in here it wasn't beyond his considerations. It's only a snake… He tried cheering himself up. And the meat was a lot less threatening. He ate it all fast and with no hesitation. His mood immediately improved.
Capablan was leaning on the wall, staring into nothing, in deep thought. When Metsuhai finished eating, Capablan finally spoke, frustrated.
"Those stupid crushers ruined everything. Our fight was perfect… until they rudely interrupted. I killed them all, but the damage could not be undone."
Metsuhai processed his words. Is this guy a battle maniac? And I thought Nao's love of sparring was freaky. "I expect our rematch when you recover," continued Capablan as if it's obvious, "It seems healing is your only weakness. You're healing very slowly."
This comparison to demon standards wasn't particularly fair but Metsuhai didn't care. He didn't know exactly how long he was unconscious, but knew he couldn't afford another duel with this guy. He couldn't come up with an argument to convince this six armed man of steel to let him go without a fight. He briefly considered giving him a false promise, but eventually, simply went with the truth.
"I can't promise you a rematch. I can't even wait here until I heal. There something I have to do first."
Capablan seemed to understand Metsuhai didn't mean something trivial.
"But the fight wasn't settled," insisted Capablan. At first Metsuhai didn't know what to answer. He asked, "Why does it matter to you this much, which one of us is stronger?"
"What else is there?"
"For me there is so much more. Though I understand the thrill of battle and the joy of triumph, I rarely fight only for that. There are more important things, greater things, higher goals."
"Greater than the feeling when you have to put everything into your fight, pushing yourself beyond the limit to defeat someone who was never defeated before?"
"Yes, even if it may seem hard to believe. There are many amazing enjoyments impossible to imagine from here. And when it comes to fighting, where I come from fighters can battle in the ring, watched by thousands of spectators, and their victory recorded. Those who win are respected and applauded. Those who lose usually have a chance to try again. More than you'd expect, they are also appreciated for giving a good fight."
Capablan's eyes lit with excitement. "You're human, right?"
"Yes."
"Are all humans this strong?"
"Most of them aren't, far behind. But some are even stronger."
Metsuhai forced himself to his feet. It was less difficult than he expected. Though he was still out of balance. I never had such a conversation with an enemy before.
"You are different from other demons, you know?" Metsuhai remarked, "Most would have eaten me without thinking twice, unless they are following orders."
"I was following orders once. Before I defeated Shorov and gained my freedom."
"You were part of the dark army? I was sure you didn't train inside those grey obelisks."
"I heard about the dark academy many times. But never been to one. I was created in the colosseum. Experimental Colosseum Six! Once I thought there was nothing beyond its walls."
Metsuhai knew he had to go after Chizue, but he still needed rest and his desire to understand the six- blader grew strong.
"Tell me about yourself, about your life in the colosseum and how you got where you are today."
"My first memory was in the ring. I was thrown in by one of Shorov's stewards, a beastman I believe. My opponent was a familiar. But he seemed so tall and dangerous then. I had no clue about fighting. Looking back on it, it was a horrible performance. But even though he was taller and faster, he couldn't pierce my skin. So after a very long fight I beat him to death. They even let me eat his meat.
Most of my time was either training or in the cage. I trained alone, because the other 'experiments' were scary. And no one told me how to. I watched others, and bashed my fists against the rocks. My training wasn't effective, but I was growing. Soon enough familiars were no match for me and I began challenging more serious opponents. Firestarters were hard. Even though I withstood their magic mostly, they had the brains to keep their distance. I had no ranged attacks then, it was much before I learned any form of magic. I started using fire attacks, trying to match them, but with only partial success. It was decided by stamina almost every time. But I was winning, and it made me happy. But Shorov's stewards were not impressed. I now understood their words. Failed experiment, they said. He only has defense. Ratmen were easy. They used weapons and tricks but without much power behind them. I only had a little satisfaction beating them. Things began to change a bit when I faced the beastmen. They were more manageable then the firestarters, and their fighting style was more like my own. I was instructed not to kill them, so I had to observe their condition and learn control. Once when I messed up and ended up killing, I was whipped for hours. There was only one clear rule in the colosseum, don't argue with Shorov. He was the boss, and when someone made him angry Shorov skinned him alive.
Some of the beastmen used martial arts. I copied them until I was better than their best. I wonder if having more arms helped. I'm sure it did. Then I was facing crushers. I lost again and again and again. It was so frustrating. They weren't just mountains of muscles, they had it all- boxing, wrestling, martial arts. Surprisingly the few who watched me spar were disappointed no more. But I wanted to go further. I couldn't accept losing to crushers, the most common of the Inferno creatures.
Once in a while there was an inspection. Some guys even Shorov respected came to watch, and the fights became a spectacle. Closer to a battle for one's life than a spar. These times were the most dangerous and bloody, but also most exciting. Yet the inspectors paid no attention to my efforts. They looked only at the strongest 'experiments'. Sometimes they took the winners away. I never saw them returning, but apparently they were taken to one of the dark academies. I didn't really want to be chosen. I wanted meat, and I wanted them to know my strength and how hard I worked for it.
I thought it would never happen, but I defeated my first crusher. The way I felt then was my greatest motivation moving forward. I began paying more attention to the strongest 'experiments' in the colosseum. Most of them were using weapons, I realized. After watching one of them fight, I challenged his opponent. It was a blood fencer. I was no match for him. I couldn't go around his shield. This was a bitter defeat. I faced him twice more in the days to come with similar results. He said to only challenge him again after I am much stronger and think I can win.
I decided I needed weapons. I tried using a spear a lizardman once left behind, but it broke. I forged six indestructible blades out of my own blood, working with fire and steel day and night. Usually I wouldn't have so much time for myself, but when others saw me at work, they didn't bother me. I wielded my swords in battle. It changed everything. Crushers were no longer a threat. I rushed to face the blood fencer only to be defeated again. I decided to watch the blood fencer, learning his fighting style. As I engaged a ratman I realized my sword skill was lacking. I'm not sure how long it took. But when I decided to challenge the blood fencer again, I won. It was a hard fight. I thought this was the peak. And my inner exaltation was accompanied by attention and respect from all. I began sparring against the strongest of the other experiments, standing my ground and improving further. Shorov's men gave me meat every day, more than I could imagine once, perhaps.
It was then when I met my ultimate opponent. I had seen him before briefly, demolishing a powerful foe in battle. I was still too inexperienced at the time to really understand how powerful he really was. I realized when I faced him… Leon outmaneuvered me as if I were a child, as if I never trained at all. I thought facing a powerful opponent could only make me excited, yet I felt nothing but frustration."
…
Capablan leaned on a flat rock, breathing hard, his six swords laying at his sides. He looked up, staring at the half lion half man towering above him. There wasn't even a shred of tiredness in him, no sign he just faced a fight. He simply stood there, tall, pound, yet relaxed, his molten- steel covered spear confidently held in his right arm. It was as if he was guarding something, something great which no else could see.
"How did you beat me?!" demanded Capablan with a broken voice, "I trained so hard…"
For a moment Leon was quiet. His manly voice was simple, yet filled with dignity. "What do you fight for?"
Capablan looked at him with a blank stare. "To win."
"For what purpose? What's the point of winning?"
Capablan didn't have an answer. While he hesitated, Leon began walking away.
"Can I challenge you again?"
Leon stopped but answered without turning back. "Any time you want."
…
"I began watching Leon fight. He was undefeated. The most powerful being I ever met. I even thought he could beat Shorov, maybe. I learned as much as I could from his fighting style, yet he remained a mystery to me. I mainly learned that he was holding back almost all the time. His moves were graceful and powerful. His skill with the spear was unmatched. He faced the strongest experiments one after the other and never lost.
I couldn't imagine beating him… and then a thought crossed my mind. How come he wasn't recruited already? Why did he never fight during an inspection?
I began asking around and found out Leon was not an experiment. Neither he was one of Shorov's men. He was an anomaly. And he only fought when Shorov commanded him or when someone challenged him. I challenged him repeatedly, and I knew from my fights with others I was becoming stronger. But I just couldn't cross the gap. And whenever I asked him the really important questions, he would answer with questions of his own. Until that one time.
…
Capablan tried a new way of attacking – he rotated his body exceedingly fast, using his six blades like a tornado. Leon dove into the assault with no fear, grabbing him by the hand, and drove him into the ground. The powerful slam knocked three of Capablan's swords out of his hands and Leon tapped his neck with the spear.
"You win," admitted Capablan with no shame, but couldn't stop himself from asking "What makes you so strong?!"
"Honor. It will make you invincible."
"What is honor? How do I get it?"
"Honor is a state of being from the realization of your value to yourself. It's in your heart. One of the key Values that give you purpose. Beliefs that keep you going no matter how bad it gets. Its faith in that you have a reason being here. Reason why you exist. Even if you don't know what it is. Keep training hard and fighting the baddest of opponent until you find it. And maybe, just maybe your life will bring you to what you seek."
…
"We started talking after every fight. After every training together. I was still always losing, I still mostly didn't understand his answers, but I enjoyed his company. In fighting and in words, he always had the answers. When I tried blasting him with energy, he used 'energy fist', deflecting my attack. When I tried slashing him with all my swords with different timings his spear blocked three of them, pushing them onto the others. I asked him about body hardening- he had his own unique method which I learned from him. I asked him where did I come from. He explained I was created with dark magic, but it didn't matter. For I had the choice of my own fate. Only one question he never answered. "Where did you come from?"
Leon simply looked down sadly.
But the most important thing I learned from him was that there was life outside the colosseum. Great things waiting for us both to see and to experience. We only needed to go beyond the walls.
We began planning our escape, as Leon trained me harder than ever. The walls weren't the real obstacle. Though they were high and impressive both of us could easily get to their top. But there was an invisible barrier violently burning anyone trying to leave the colosseum. It was bound to Shorov's life force. The only way out was through Shorov.
When we decided we were ready, we made our move."
…
Shorov, the great Minotaur lay dead at Leon and Capablan's feet. And what a hard fight he gave to these two top- tier fighters. Both Capablan and Leon were breathing hard. Thousands of other prisoners cheered behind their back. All guards were destroyed or on the run. Then everything went wrong. Someone must have leaked about the plan, and a demon lord came to subdue the rebellion. A dark gray phantom covered with rags with an inside of steel- Dungeon Lord. On top of his trapezoid- like head expanding up were two crimson eyes with incredibly powerful presence. On his belt, behind his back were two twin medium length swords. He was slowly floating through the air.
At the sight of him, all escapees froze in terror. Many threw away their weapons. Some bowed all the way and asked for mercy. One 'experiment' with particularly sharp ability to sense energy fainted. Capablan looked at Leon, expecting the same expression he had when they challenged Shorov, but the look on his face was one he could not misunderstand. He had seen it many times before, but never imagined seen it on his instructor's face. Leon was afraid. "Leon…"
But what happened next was most shocking. Leon's fist glowed yellow, and he landed his devastating energy fist on the back of Capablan's head, knocking him out. Leon hid Capablan behind a rock. Capablan only got to hear one exchange of words before his consciousness faded. "Who is responsible for this?" asked Dungeon Lord, his voice reaching everyone, "Who leads this rebellion?"
"I am." Leon stepped forward. When Capablan woke up, half of the prisoners were on spears and Leon was gone.
…
"I wondered through the land, searching for a new life and for Leon. Leon was nowhere to be found and all I came across were rocks, sands, and streams of lava. I was deeply disappointed, fighting the occasional strong foe here and there though none like Leon. Until I bumped into you. You clearly don't fit in here. A riddle I may say."
"I wish I could have met this Leon. I think he and I could have understood one another. Like him, I too have my values guiding me forward and giving me strength. I fight to protect my home…"
"…I come from a beautiful world with trees and flowers. Do you know what they are? They have colors you've never seen here. And you should see the sunsets over the stormy sea. I can't quite explain it. The sea is like one of those lava rivers, except its entirely made of water. It's transparent, but it reflects the blue sky… The mountains, the music that makes you feel hot, and tasty food, and much more… and now our home is invaded by bloodfirsty demons who want to destroy all this and turn it all into… this."
Metsuhai gestured around him.
"This is amazing. I wish I could see the things you say. I feel like I kind of understand, but also I don't. What a wonderful reason to do battle."
"I wish I could show you, even if only for a moment."
"I too would have liked to see this, even if only out of curiosity."
Metsuhai lifted himself off the stone wall. "Now you understand why I must go. There are beautiful things in my world, things worth fighting for, killing for, suffering for, and even dying for. So with all due respect, our rematch has to be postponed."
"Then I will tug along until it's time. Tell me what must be done first."
For a moment Metsuhai hesitated. But there was no reason to deny him the truth.
"Chizue, she is also human. Someone from Inferno has her captive. I am going to bring her back to my realm. If I don't, she will die, and my world will too."
Capablan nodded, thinking. "I think I may have saw her… though I am not sure where she is now. She looked asleep or unconscious."
Metsuhai practically jumped from excitement. Then he forced himself to calm down. "I can find her. Let's go."