They didn’t follow the old man for too long, but the tunnel they traversed was well lit and fairly wide. Despite his age and crooked back, the old man kept a quick pace. Judging by his figure and his unusually pale skin, Kre estimated that he spent most, if not all of his life down in these tunnels away from the sun. He wondered just how many of the citizens of Yahaestra lived this way. Judging by the sheer extent of these tunnels, the city of Yahaestra was far more expansive than he had originally thought.
If it weren’t for the presence of Barry and the old man, he would have asked Beleg about the true size of the underground portion of the city that grew stranger day by day. Looking at his large friend though, he suddenly wasn’t sure if Beleg really knew that this part of the city existed. The massive fighter appeared to be looking around with just as much curiosity as Kre was, though he was more surreptitious about it. Barry on the other hand, seemed nervous judging by the way his hand was clenched around his sword, but he kept his face mostly unreadable with only a hint of disdain visible in his eyes.
“Right then,” the old man called back as he gestured to an opening just ahead of them. “Go through there and wait with the others.”
The three did as bade and found themselves in a roundish chamber with nine others. Two were mere children, younger than Kre by a few years at least. The others were obviously the other fighters, each of different shape, size, and even color.
“Two more,” called out one of the taller, thinner men. He was deeply tanned with scars all across his muscular bare arms and back. “More number two place competition for rest of you.”
The shorter man next to him, dressed similarly in a patterned skirt down to his knees and nothing else, waved his hands about quickly and shook his head.
“What’d he say?” asked a short man who seemed more fat than muscle, but still with enough of the latter to make him seem dangerous.
The first man laughed, “He say he and me fight for number one and number two. Rest of you fight for what we drop on floor.”
The silent man shook his head and waved his hands a few more times, using sharper almost angrier motions than before.
“Now he say he so good that he win number one and number two by his self.”
“What he said was that you’re full of it for not translating his words correctly and he hopes he takes you out in the first round,” Beleg said. “The first time he spoke he said that it is anybody’s game and there is no telling who will come out on top until the battle is met.”
“You understand that hand talk?” Barry asked. “Never mind… of course you do. I bet you learned it while working on the side for some orphanage.”
The first man eyed Beleg with narrowed eyes full of menace, “Your help very much appreciated. I hope to return favor. Soon.”
“Quiet now,” snapped the old man, returning to the room with another five competitors. “This is all of you, so now we move to the arena for introductions.”
“I thought we was to pick our weapons in the armory,” one of the new competitors snapped. “What’s all this about introductions?”
The old man shook his head, “I just know what I’m told, and I’m told to deliver you to the arena for introductions. You don’t like it, drop out.”
Hmmmmm… methinks a plot is afoot!