One Month Before Bexter
Evening
The Pit of Keld is a location that doesn’t receive much public attention.
Most know it as a myth or overblown story, but the people who’ve visited know that it’s a place of tradition, sacrifice, and tragedy.
Visitors come from all over to watch the fights and wager money on them, while also enjoying the spectacle of murder for entertainment.
The unfortunate souls who end up as fighters in the Pit are regarded as demons that have sold their souls to even worse entities.
Whether they volunteer, or are left with no other options, all the fighters know that each day could very well be their last.
All of that is to say, today’s main event is rumored to be unlike any other.
Today is the rumored match between the only two people to be raised and trained solely inside of the Pit of Keld.
******
Ryuu leans against the wall of his small personal area.
He usually spends his downtime in a stone room with three other fighters, although the inhabitants constantly change.
After his talk with Drax earlier in the day, he had returned to his room and spent most of the day training.
Hyouma… Can I really beat him?
It’s not the same situation as when I have to fight someone who’s come to throw their life away.
This is someone I’ve grown with for as long as I can remember, but I’ve always been behind.
As he ponders over his worries, noise reaches out to him from the inner chamber.
I guess it’s starting.
I should watch the fights before mine.
He makes his way out into the Blood Hall of the Pit, a seemingly endless expanse of stone, bones, and people.
It takes a while, but he finds an open seat in the stands between two strangers.
One of them doesn’t seem to notice him, while the other makes small talk as they watch the fights.
“That appearance of yours… I take it you’re the man called Ryuuma?”
Ryuu glances at them, finding a person clad in a black cloak with a plague mask over their face.
“I guess I can’t really deny it. How do you know me? Are you a regular here or something?”
“Not exactly, but I do hear things from associates of mine that visit from time to time. I’ve heard you’re a brutal fighter who isn’t against resorting to…extreme measures in order to win.”
He shrugs, keeping his eyes trained on the fight below.
“I wouldn’t say that’s wrong, but it’s not like I’m out for blood. I just refuse to be looked down on. That means I have to show others that I mean business when it’s my time to fight. Make sense?”
“Oh yes, I find that to be quite reasonable indeed. I actually think we’re alike in that way; one must do everything they can to come out on top.”
The masked person then produces a small book from their cloak and flips through a couple pages.
“Since you’re Ryuuma, you must know Hyouma. I heard the two of you are the main event for today.”
“Yeah, I know him. Why?”
“Well, I was hoping to get the chance to speak with both of you. I was simply fortunate that you happened to sit here and humor me, but I have no idea where I could possibly find him.”
“You can’t find him. He goes deep into the Pit when he’s preparing for a fight, so he won’t show up until he needs to.”
This causes the masked person to tilt their head.
“Deep into the Pit, you say? What do you mean?”
Ryuu sighs and shakes his head.
“Exactly what I said. This place is more than just a battleground–it’s an abyss. The ends of it have supposedly never been reached, but he goes down there anyway.”
He points to a far end of the area they’re in, where fences are placed in front of a gaping darkness.
“Hahaha, he must be quite a brave man. That makes me even more excited for what’s to come.”
Ryuu warily eyes the stranger as the fight below ends.
An announcer declares a winner, and the loser’s body is dragged out of the way.
“Next up, the fight you’ve all been waiting to see! The battle between the spawn of the Pit: Ryuuma versus Hyouma!”
The people stand and cheer as Ryuu leaps out of the stands and into the dirt arena.
It’s a large circle fenced off by ropes and bones, providing no quick escape for anyone that decides they want to run.
“The first into the ring is Ryuuma! He’s twenty years old, and boasts a lifetime record of one thousand and thirty-eight wins to two losses! Truly a force to be reckoned with!”
He raises a fist into the air as the spectators continue to applaud him and shout.
Making a show out of things is a requirement for those who regularly participate, or they risk losing their crowd appeal.
“Next up is Hyouma! He’s only a year older than his opponent, but his record would make you think he’s a full-blown veteran! This man has a lifetime record of two thousand wins and zero losses!”
The stat line makes the spectators freeze in shock, then they explode with anticipation.
Ryuu simply sighs and begins stretching as a familiar figure soars over the fence and into the arena, landing soundlessly.
“Yo, Ryuu. You ready for your third loss?”
The source of the voice is Hyouma, of course.
That messy black hair that droops just over his brow, his spotless white pants and shirt–layered under a black leather jacket–and those vibrant violet eyes.
All of these are features that Ryuu has continuously questioned the significance of, as it’s like looking at the complete opposite of himself.
“Hyouma.”
“What? Don’t be so cold, you know I won’t kill you to win. I need my favorite sparring partner to keep me sharp.”
“Yeah right. When’s the last time we had an actual, serious sparring match? Six months ago?”
Hyouma rolls his shoulders with a light smirk.
“That sounds about right. I hope you’ve gotten stronger since then. Otherwise, this’ll be boring for the crowd.”
They banter back and forth as people submit their bets and get comfortable.
Ryuu glances at the stands and notes that the masked person is watching intently.
Before he can get lost in thought, the announcer begins speaking again.
“Now that the two fighters are here, and the bets are in, it’s time to get this show on the road! Men, to your markers!”
They back up a few paces, starting from opposite sides of the circle.
“Everybody ready?! Then what’re we waiting for?! Let the battle begin!”
******
Hyouma dashes across the arena without hesitation and starts things off with a flying kick.
His opponent catches him by the wrists, then twists with enough force to throw Ryuu over their hip.
In response, he grits his teeth and twists himself, managing to land on his feet and push forward.
Ryuu then shoots directly at Hyouma’s nose with a headbutt.
Slap!
The dark-haired prodigy releases Ryuu’s wrists and slaps him before he can react.
He immediately takes advantage of his foe’s stunned state by burying a fist between his ribcage and knocking the breath out of him.
“Haahhhh…! Dammit!”
Ryuu stays on his feet through sheer willpower and whips his leg up in a roundhouse kick.
The kick is blocked, but the force behind it causes his opponent to stumble.
He follows up with a flurry of perfectly-aimed jabs and crosses, yet Hyouma manages to avoid or deflect all of them.
“Don’t give up on me just yet. I haven’t gotten to show off my training.”
“Shut up!”
Hyouma grins as he leans back and slips another attack.
He goes on the offensive now, pummeling his foe with powerful blows that break through their guard.
Despite being relative in skill, the older fighter’s physical prowess surpasses anything Ryuu has experienced in other fights.
Drax said I’m a genius in my own way, but even if that’s true, it’s not enough to close this gap!
I don’t know what Hyouma’s made of, but it’s not natural!
It’s like I’m fighting the main character from one of my books!
The two of them clash for a few more minutes, but the results don’t change.
Ryuu goes on the offensive and lands nothing, while his opponent batters him with counterpunches and overwhelming strength.
Eventually, he drops to a knee and struggles to breathe.
“Is that it? You’ve disappointed me. My sparring partner should be stronger than this.”
“Hah…hah… What sparring partner? All I remember is being used like a punching bag, nothing more.”
“Yeah, but you’re the best punching bag around! You actually get lucky and land something every once in a while. Everyone else I fight breaks before I have any fun.”
“…I don’t get it. We’re similar in height, build, and age. Why am I inferior?!”
“Hm? Similar? Maybe on paper, but the two of us are so fundamentally different that it’s laughable, really. I’m the strong one, and you’re the one meant to live in my shadow. Get it?”
What’s with him?
He wasn’t this much of an asshole until that last bout of ours six months ago.
Even then, he’s never gone this far…
“I’ve changed my mind, Ryuu. I think I will kill you. You’ve served your purpose in my life, so begone.”
Ryuu’s senses blare within him, screaming that killing intent is approaching.
He rolls to the side and narrowly avoids a kick that was aimed at his throat.
Screw this!
If I’m gonna die here anyway, then I’ll give him something to remember me by!
He waits until Hyouma closes in again, then wills forth his forbidden power.
White light surrounds his fist as he lets his childhood friend land a punch, before grabbing their wrist and throwing his own punch in return.
Hyouma raises his free arm to block, but the force of Ryuu’s blow snaps his forearm and pushes through to connect with his cheek.
SMASH!
The violet-eyed man is sent spiraling through the air and lands on the opposite side of the arena with a dull thud.
“Woah, what was that?!”
“He sent him flying with a punch! And that light, was that aura?”
“Get the hell up! I’ve got too much money riding on this!”
The spectators’ reactions are mixed, but all of them share surprise at this development.
Among the crowd, the masked man stands and peers down at the arena.
Ryuu catches his breath as he watches Hyouma push himself up with his good arm.
His hair hangs down around his face, and when he turns, Ryuu finds him wearing a new expression: rage.
“What…the hell…was that?!”
He climbs to his feet and stares Ryuu down.
“I said WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM ME?! RYUUMA!!!”
He charges at Ryuu without a thought.
Rage and confusion fuel his movements as he raises his good fist and cocks it back.
“Eat shit, asshole!”
Ryuu shouts back at him and throws another punch covered in light.
This one slams into his opponent’s chest, releasing a shockwave that causes the dirt beneath them to shoot upward.
“Urp! Bleugh!”
Hyouma vomits blood as his chest caves, then he hits the ground hard.
His limbs weakly twitch as he struggles to take in whatever air he can.
The bloodthirsty spectators immediately erupt with cheers and more shouts.
An announcer chimes in, announcing Ryuu as the winner, but he doesn’t register it.
His senses are drowned out as a buzzing noise begins overwhelming him, and his eyes can’t seem to fully focus.
He slowly trudges toward Hyouma.
“Hey, Hyouma? You’re alive, right? …Say something, you smug bastard!”
The only response he gets is a weak curling of fingers and a slightly forceful exhale.
Shit, I screwed up.
I don’t want to kill him, I just couldn’t let him walk all over me anymore!
Now what?
I used my power and hurt him.
CRASH!
FWOOSH!
“AHHHH!”
“WHAT THE– WHERE’D THESE FLAMES COME FROM?!”
“SOMEBODY HELP ME!”
Countless screams ring out as flames suddenly engulf the entirety of the Blood Hall.
Confused spectators swarm toward the exit as rubble falls from the walls, and bodies begin piling up.
What is this?!
What’s happening to the Pit?!
Mid-thought, a particularly large chunk of the ceiling falls over Hyouma, and Ryuu smashes it away with a punch of light.
He resolves himself to guard Hyouma from the devastation, but after a few minutes, his stamina gives out due to the fight.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Ryuu looks up to see a figure walking toward him through the flames.
He squints his eyes and makes out a flowing cloak and elongated face, which he recognizes as the masked person from before.
They now walk with a sleek black cane, the source of the tapping sound he’d heard.
“Well well, what do we have here? Who would’ve thought that a clueless kid like you could wield that much power? I doubt there’s a Master around here to teach you… So, how did you do it?”
“…What? What are you talking about?”
“No matter. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later. For now, you’ll be coming with me.”
The figure reaches out their hand and comes within inches of Ryuu’s face, before another person leaps from the flames and crashes into them.
“Ack!”
“GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BOYS!”
The masked figure slides several feet away as Drax lands between everyone, staring them down.
“Drax?! What’re you doing–”
“RYUUMA!”
Ryuu’s voice is silenced.
“Get out o’ here! I’ll be damned if I run away while yer in danger!”
“What’re you saying?! I’ll stay here and fight with you!”
“Don’t ya get it boy?! Yer what they want! Now pick yer ass up and get goin’, I won’t tell ya again!”
Ryuu hesitates for a moment, then steels his resolve and picks up Hyouma’s body.
He pushes through his exhaustion with the help of adrenaline, stepping over burning bodies as he moves.
He makes the mistake of glancing back once and watching Drax’s body get bisected by a jet of flames.
After climbing out of the Pit, Ryuu moves into the treeline with Hyouma in his arms.
Most of the spectators and fighters have either dispersed, or died, leaving the two of them alone in their escape.
Where do I go?!
I’ve never ventured past the trees!
Drax is dead, and I couldn’t do a damn thing!
What the hell is this power for if I can’t save him?!
Endless thoughts tumble around in his brain as he races through the snow.
After what feels like ten minutes of running, he slides to a stop, propping Hyouma against a tree as he catches his breath.
Thirty seconds pass, then a nearby branch snaps and pulls his attention.
“Did you really think you could escape me? Me?!”
The masked person appears from behind a nearby tree.
They take their time strolling toward the two young men, one of whom is only barely conscious.
“Where did you think you could go? You don’t know anything about the real world, nor what kind of value you hold.”
“Like I care! Who are you, and why did you destroy the Pit?!”
They stop a few paces away and let out a low chuckle.
“Who am I? You’ll never know. Not unless you come with me, that is.”
“Fat chance.”
Ryuu takes a deep breath and summons forth his strange light.
“I’ll knock your head off myself if I have to!”
He charges at them, swinging both of his fists repeatedly and hoping for a single connection.
The figure dodges as if it’s the most simple thing in the world, then slams his cane into Ryuu’s forehead.
Tears instantly well up as he falls backward into the snow, a searing pain spreading through his head.
“Bold, but stupid. If I wanted you dead, you would’ve died a hundred times by now.”
Ow… I have to run.
I have to get away from here.
This person… They’re too dangerous!
The figure raises their cane for a knockout blow, but a voice causes them to stop.
“…Run. Run, Ryuu!”
Hyouma’s weak voice calls out to Ryuu, spurring him into action.
He climbs up and sprints through the treeline without looking back.
He doesn’t spare any time to question why he isn’t pursued, doesn’t give his thanks, just runs.
He runs and runs, far past the world he knows, and into a new world.
Into the real world.