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Tiso sat down on a bench, annoyed at the very least. As he had been walking miles and miles in the underground caverns he had yet to find the arena he had heard about. He grumbled to himself as he suddenly heard loud footsteps coming from the stag station to his left. He looked up for a moment but quickly saw the little bug on the stag's back knowing it was not worth looking at. He stared at his feet, still pondering which way to go when the pale thing suddenly blocked his sight. He looked up in two dead, hollow eyes. As if he was staring into the Abyss itself. He would not show his fear, of course, and decided that if they were to stare him down he could just as well ask them a question.
"Ehh, pale thing. You use these old lines?" he asked, the squib nodded and Tiso spat his next words. "Pathetic. A real warrior carries himself to combat. He has no need for such convenience." The small bug stared back as if he had said something weird. Tiso knew not to bother it, knew not to say more. The bug would find their doom outside as every bug, Tiso crossed paths with, had. What was remarkable, though, Tiso had not expected the bug to take place next to him on the bench. They were rather small and had to jump to get themself seated. When they sat they had their legs dangled above the ground. The little bug shuffled around and revealed a map they had been hiding underneath their cloak. Tiso could not help but take a quick glance at the parchment while he saw the bug scribble something down. Tiso recognized some parts of the map, but others were unfamiliar. None were pointing to the arena he was looking for so he went back to staring at his feet until the tiny bug disappeared. Well, he hoped it was that easy, but the hollow eyes stared at him again.
"Leave me be," he said, not really knowing what the pale thing wanted. "It's the arena I seek. I've already wasted far too long on these cursed roads." They looked at him waiting but finally went when Tiso waved them away. With a sigh, he stood up, straightened his back and went on his way again. There was someplace on the map the little bug had not gone to. Tiso had the feeling that that could be the way to go. He just had to find the right path.
-
Of all the places Tiso thought he could find, he did not expect to find a big blue lake. He was definitely not on the right way. It was too calm here, too peaceful. The arena was far from this place, he could feel it and it made him restless. He let out a sound of frustration, turned around to go away but bumped into a tiny but familiar creature. With a familiar dead look on their face. They looked at him, as if waiting for a comment on their surroundings. Tiso looked at the water again.
"What a calm place," he said mockingly, still meaning it, but not needing it. The pale bug on the other hand seemed to like the lake and Tiso could not help to make another comment. "It's action I want, vicious and deadly battle." The pale bug looked at him. "This serenity is a bore," finished Tiso feeling somehow relieved by that conclusion. He nodded to himself. He had not found the arena yet, but soon his legs would take him there. He was sure of that. The small squib looked back at the lake as if they were trying to say that Tiso made a big mistake not enjoying its calmness. But Tiso did not pay any mind to it. His brain was trying to think of a new route, a new way that would finally lead him to the arena. Somewhere beyond the lake, perhaps.
-
Finally, Tiso had found it. His day had come! He could hear the cheers, the screams. It sounded like home. How he had looked forward to this moment, to this very place. And here he was. Here was his dream. He took a deep breath, stretched his legs and walked in. The screams increased and so did the cheering. Tiso could not wait to hear his name called by other bugs' voices. But he knew he had to rest first to be in top condition. He had travelled a long way to get here. It was a little rest he needed, so he sat down on a bench placed next to the warrior's pit. He closed his eyes and woke to see an all too familiar face.
"Pale one. You found it too then, this perfect place," he said with a laugh. "I'll soon be entering the battle. Just taking a moment to rest first. Though few could truly challenge me, I'm hoping this arena presents the sort of brutal challenge I'm after." The pale bug nodded as if encouraging Tiso. Their eyes then went to his shield and they pointed at it.
"You think this shell a defensive arm?" Tiso asked, the tiny bug nodded. "Well I'll give you fair warning, it conceals a deadly surprise. Pray you never find out what that is." It seemed to have piqued the curiosity of the little thing as it came closer to look at it. Tiso grinned.
"I'll crush them all," he said. "Oh, and you. You'll see me at my deadly best." The pale thing nodded encouraging and struggled to get on the bench again. It made Tiso wonder how they could have survived for so long in the underground worlds. Again the legs of the little bug never touched the ground. It was endearing, to say the least. Would Tiso get the chance to fight them? Or would they die before they even got the chance? Tiso had become intrigued by the weapon the tiny bug was carrying around. It seemed to shine brighter than the last time he had seen the bug. Had they found a nail smith to strengthen it? He wanted to ask, but the little thing had already hopped off the bench. He watched them go up to the arena and could not stop his curiosity to take hold of him. How far would the pale bug go? How strong were they? Would they win the trial of the fool? Would they exit the colosseum as a winner instead of a dead body? He felt somewhat nervous as he made his way onto the balcony. The fight had just started and the tiny pale bug struggled to survive. It was not as much as Tiso expected them to struggle. They definitely had some tricks on their sleeve as they slew bug after bug after bug. The pale thing was savage and Tiso was for the first time not sure if he could ever challenge the little thing. But then it happened. A primal aspid hit them mid-air, causing them to die on the stakes. A dark shade rose out of their body causing some confused screams that were subdued when it was caught and put away safely. A new fight started and Tiso knew that he was stronger than the pale thing, so he should make it. He should survive the battle. He should become a winner. He nodded to himself, suddenly having renewed energy.
A small while later he fought where the tiny bug had fought. He faced enemies the small bug had seen. He suffered from attacks the pale thing had suffered from. But he, in contrast to the tiny bug, completed the first trial, making him glow with pride. Making his ego grow and take on the next challenge. To finally start the trial of the fool. There was a reason why it had that name, but Tiso thought it not to be for him. He would win this and go to the surface with stories they had never heard before. He would show them who was the fool! He felt like winning. He felt like he was undefeatable, untouchable. He would become the champion of the arena! But then came pain, came death, came the fall.
"Why?" was all he could think. A sad last dream, shattered. As he lay at the bottom of the pit, in pain and at the very end of his life he saw two familiar eyes.
"Why?" he uttered again as if hoping the pale thing would finally speak. They just stared back, silently but stood at his side as he finally died.