Suspicious Encounters

'We should turn back.' Leo already edged away from the staircase, the words on the sign were like a threat to his life. If it was limited to the highest-ranking fighters and staff, then this place must have been guarded in some way.

'But the way is completely unblocked,' Tiam stated with an open gesture. 'Any fighter could wander in there aimlessly. It could happen to anyone, and possibly happens daily.'

'And how would we know those fighters come back out?' Leo shook his head and stepped back. He couldn't shake it, a feeling that this place was not something he wanted to learn about. Fortifying his resolve with thoughts of Hazel, he turned away. Leo had a goal to reach, and he needed to achieve it in an honest way.

'Come on!' Tiam put their foot down one step. 'Just a peek. If there are guards or something, I'll say whoopsie.' They pushed a finger into their cheek like it made them cuter.

'I'm gonna go see Risha.' Leo darted for the way back. 'Let's ask him before we do anything stupid.'

'Fine,' Tiam said with a long-winded groan.

Together, they returned to that lounge room, but it was empty. Not Risha, nor his so-called parents were anywhere to be seen. There was an eerie silence that made Leo's neck tingle. He shook it off.

'Maybe we should ask… my first sponsor,' Leo suggested with a thumb pointing back towards the open courtyards and gardens. 'He would have to know something.'

Tiam groaned.

'What?'

'You're being boooooring. Let's go have an adventure! I assure you, there's less chance of us dying than in an arena fight.' Tiam skipped a few paces back down the hall, spinning with their hair flaying about like a pinwheel.

'But an arena fight actually promises rewar–oh fine, fine! Stop giving me the damn puppy eyes!' Leo stomped behind Tiam, forcing them to lead the way and keeping his hand on a half-drawn sword.

They returned to the staircase and descended the stairs. They quickly arrived at a large metal door with no handle or clear signage. Leo sighed, relieved to have an excuse to turn away.

Tiam slapped the door and said, 'well, go on. Bend it.'

'Wuh?'

'Just do it, Leo darling. Adventure is all about risk.'

'I can't believe this.' Without resisting any further, Leo focused on the metal door and felt its form. He realised that it lifted as a garage door would on Earth, and so gestured until it pushed into the ceiling. The way opened up to dim orange light and a long hall full of statues. Each of the statues was completely unique, and either pulling a power pose or wielding a weapon. There were five in total, and all with platinum plaques bearing their names.

'Spectacular.' Tiam walked to the nearest one and traced their name, eyes wide with wonder. 'It's a hall of fame for the highest rank fighters. I can't believe there's so few. I mean, I heard the trials to become a platinum rank combatant are rare and the deadliest, but the colosseum has been around for a long time.'

Leo ran his hand along a blank pedestal. There were many empty places waiting to be filled, so the expectations must have been set higher than what was being reached. Giant script engravings were carved on the walls, talking of heroes that would rise through the colosseum, and how the colosseum would empower greatness. But for what purpose? Was entertainment really the only reason? These thoughts were exactly why Leo wanted to avoid this place. He liked the simple idea of fighting through the ranks of an arena.

'Look.' Tiam gestured to the back of the room where another metal door waited. 'There's more.' Leo shook his head and made a cutting gesture to his throat. No more. He was done.

That same back door suddenly swung open. Leo and Tiam threw themselves behind a statue each and stared with terror in both their eyes. Someone was coming. They didn't hear anything for a time, no footfall nor echo, until a husky voice spoke just meters away from them.

'Did you leave the door open?' The voice asked. Leo nervously raised his head to catch a glimpse of this person. He caught a velvet and red suit, with a black undershirt and orange tie. The being had short black hair and dark grey skin with orange eyes, slitted like a serpent's. It was a demon for sure. Leo couldn't quite catch sight of the being he spoke to, but immediately recognised the voice.

'I didn't, I don't believe,' said a harsh feminine voice. Astaroth, the demon that he met at the gates of Hell. Both beings were so impossibly quiet aside from their speech, that Leo had to keep watching the shoes of the suit wearing demon to know where they were. 'But maybe a mistake like that isn't out of the question.' Her voice was suddenly directly beside Leo. He slowly turned his head and saw her, still wearing that black dress and searching with green eyes, but she didn't smell like death, nor look as horrid as she once did. It was like she wore her Sunday best for meeting this other demon. She didn't seem to see him, which was good, because he was shaking and cowering like a total idiot. Not the best look.

The metal door slammed shut and Astaroth returned to the other demon's side. 'I don't sense any presence here at least, my lord. I believe it was indeed my fault.'

The other demon made a low growling noise, then spoke in a roar, saying, 'you know better, Astaroth. This graveyard is the last diversion before the vault, so watch your actions.'

Leo's head spun as he thought harder about his suspicions. The vault? Graveyard? These people were dead? But people couldn't die in the afterlife.

The voices of the two demons moved through the room, heading for the exit.

'Anyway, I have a combatant I wish to see in their first arena match, would you like to come watch?' Astaroth's voice still sounded quite loud. 'I've trained them to kill an angel's protégé.'

'Why not?' The other demon growled. The two of them left the room, and the door shut behind them, sealing Leo and Tiam inside.

Tiam rose from their hiding place in a dishevelled mess, gasping and eyes wide. 'I suddenly regret coming here,' they said. 'I should have listened to you.'

'No.' Leo steeled himself and walked to the back door. He gestured to it, and it bent open at his will. 'Because I'm grateful you pushed me here. Now, we have a vault to break into.'

He had to–no… needed to know what this place was. He was far too curious, and too far gone to ever turn back.