Runes - A Tale Of The Abyss 8 Chapter 8 - Do People Change?

"..." Speech

'...' Griff's inner thoughts unless stated otherwise.

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"You see this kid?"

The announcer still wearing a mask asked Griff, pointing at a door at the end of the corridor.

"It's a mana chamber. It will suck your life force while consistently replenishing it. The pain you will feel... let's just say that it is otherworldly. Losing consciousness, but consistently regaining your stamina! That better teach you how to treat our esteemed guests..."

Griff was struggling as the thought of being inflicted pain and feeling it consistently horrified him.

"That's the look I like! Show fear!"

The announcer laughed.

"I like despair, despair little friend. More!"

He kicked Griff through the large black door that was the entrance to the mana chamber.

"Somebody will bring you food. You'll stay there for a week."

The door was closed from behind Griff as nothing could be seen. He was alone in the pitch-black dark. In the abyss.

"Why..."

Griff clenched his fists as he looked at what he presumed to be the ground.

"Why is this happening. I... I only wanted to... what did I even want in the first place."

Griff could feel the chamber suck his mana, his life-force.

"IT HURTS. IT HURTS."

The pain Griff felt was surreal...

'Maybe... maybe James escaped? But he doesn't even know where I am in the first place... I'm really hopeless.'

Griff crawled towards the wall and sat there.

"No, I'm... weak... even worse."

What had happened in the death match lingered in his mind. He felt weak. He really did. The power he felt from being alive was being sucked away. His body was shriveling up. He felt something in his mouth. He touched his mouth to see blood. His nose was bleeding as well. Small cuts were on his arms. He felt fuzzy, losing consciousness slowly.

'd.a.m.n it...'

The healing factor of the chamber kicked in and started to heal Griff's stamina. He was just about to lose consciousness...

The door started to open slowly.

'Food?'

A woman wrapped in a black cloak entered the room and placed a tray with a little piece of burnt bread and a small cup of water. The figure got up and was about to leave. However, she turned to Griff and lowered her hood. From the small amount of light coming through the corridor, Griff could see her face.

"h.e.l.lo Griff... Those are some nasty wounds you got there."

"This... I'm dreaming right? T-This isn't real!"

"Oh, little kid."

The woman looked down on Griff whose cuts had healed finally. Ann grinned devilishly.

"This is no dream... It's a nightmare."

She turned to leave but stopped when Griff grabbed her ankle. His eyes were shadowed by his hair due to the darkness.

"Why..."

"Why? Because I work for them. Because they give me food, money, clothing! Because they let me do what I like! What else is there little boy?"

"... You know what Ann? I never liked you anyway. Looking at us with a smile all the time. You like seeing me like this don't you?"

"*Sigh* Little Griff, your still so much of an idiot. Don't you get it? I'm a slave trader. One who kidnaps adventurers. And most of all, I'm a master of deception."

She stepped on Griff's hand holding her ankle.

"Gr..aah!"

"But most importantly. I like seeing the fear in my enemy's eyes... The trust break... Their soul breaks!"

She started giggling like a maniac as Griff managed to pull his hand back.

"Your... the nastiest thing I have seen. Nastier than monsters. No, you are a monster. Your insides reek of waste."

Ann kicked Griff across his face.

"Shut your trap worm... no food for you today."

She kicked over the tray and exited the door, closing it while laughing.

Griff crouched over to the bread that Ann had stepped on, and he... ate it. He drank what little water remained in the cup and went back to his corner.

"Survive..."

He muttered to himself.

"I must survive... and I'll pay you all back for your... generosity."

Griff wiped off the small amount of blood on his head from the kick. The chamber started again, draining his mana once more. He gritted his teeth... He had to take this in and survive.

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The door opened once more. A man in leather armor stepped inside and grabbed Griff by the arm.

"Your time is up, boy. Tomorrow you've got a match. The audience wants you back."

'Survive...'

"You hear me boy? No excuses. The chamber healed you one final time."

'Live...'

"He's a lost cause, just take him to his cell. He'll fight anyhow."

Another guard spoke to the one holding Griff.

"I suppose your right..."

The duo brought Griff over to a cell not too far from the mana chamber, tossing him inside. As soon as Griff entered, he said nothing and went towards the rock bed in the corner and sat on it, looking at his fists.

'Survive... no matter the cost.'

He looked up at the ceiling. He was determined. Griff hadn't shown a proper expression since he had woken up, but tonight... his eyes blazed with determination.

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"Get up."

Hearing the guards call out to him, Griff got up from his bed obediently and exited his cell. It was the same guard pair. They started to escort Griff towards the end of the corridor. The one that led to the arena. The place where he had killed someone.

'It still makes me feel... dizzy.'

The iron door raised, and the guard pair pushed Griff towards the arena. As he entered, he turned around once more to see the dark corridor before it vanished behind the steel door.

'The darkness...'

He looked upwards to see a dome covering the entire arena. He hadn't noticed it before. Without those floating orbs of light, this arena would be pitch black too.

'Just like there...'

Meanwhile the crowd was cheering.

'Animals...'

The opposite door raised, and out came a man in tattered clothes. He looked like a peasant. Griff could tell that he was not a new comer from the way he stared at Griff. Not in confusion, but with a murderous intent. The sound of the crowd cheering slowly vanished as Griff couldn't hear them. even though they had started shouting louder. All he did was stare in front of him, towards his enemy.

'I said I'll survive...'

The bag full of weapons had just contacted the floor, scattering several weapons across the middle of the arena. Griff and the man dashed at the same time. Griff quickly grabbed a short knife and looked up at the man who was just about to pick up a spear.

He started to run towards the man as fast as he could.

'And I shall...'

The man raised his spear to try to stab Griff when he got close, but what happened next was shocking. Griff threw the knife in his hand after he had closed the gap by a decent amount, allowing him to be positioned in a way that he couldn't miss.

The knife stabbed right in the middle of the man's chest. Ending his life right there and there...

It all happened so fast that the crowd was shocked. They were growing fond of this new rookie. The maniacal cheering started once more, but Griff paid no attention. He walked towards the iron door, waiting for it to open. Waiting... for his opportunity.