Chapter 68: Chains of the forgotten - It all burns

The crowd grew larger and larger with each moment. Goblins of all hybrids flocked to the stadium. A large wooden structure that had been carved into the side of a canyon wall, overlooking a rust red pit.

Walls of the arena covered in grime, bloodstains, and filth. A smell of death hung heavy in the air, wafting from the depths of the pit. A reminder of the countless lives that had been taken here.

"You don't have to do this..." Yua spoke, looking up to her leader. Haruto's face was a mix of emotions, fear, anger, pain, but mostly resolve. His brown eyes shone with determination and strength.

"I have to. It's what I signed up for when I became a member of the guild. To lead is to protect." Haruto responded. His hand gripping tightly on the hilt of a borrowed sword. An old iron sword, chipped and cracked. Yet still deadly in the hands of a trained warrior.

The crowd began to grow louder and louder, as queen Lofai raised her fist into the air. Silencing them all at once.

"My people. Today I present to you a fool for entertainment. A man who dared to challenge our champion, Brut. For the sake of a whore." Her words were met with laughter, mocking the human, calling them all weak.

"This man claims to be a leader. I would test that claim. A battle. Man versus goblin. If they win... They get their freedom."

"HAHAHAA!" The crowd laughed, mocking the notion that the human would ever come out on top in the pit. Goblins held themselves to be superior, humans were cattle.

"But when for when we win. We will gain stronger brothers and sisters!"

"YEAHHHHHH!"

A great cheer erupted from the crowd.

A chant began to rise,

'BRUT, BRUT, BRUT.'

Haruto walked forward. His eyes locked onto the gate that was slowly opening. The loud thuds of thunderous track could be felt through the ground.

*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*

It grew louder, closer, and more intense.

'BRUT, BRUT, BRUT.'

*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*

The gate was fully raised, and a towering monster of green emerged from the darkness. The goblin champion stood well over 4 meters tall. Its muscles bulging, eyes blazing with fire, and mouth twisted in a vicious snarl. Protruding bottom fangs and a massive belly.

A malicious wink to his would-be victim. "Hehehe. You think you can defy my mother?" The voice was guttural, a deep bass that rumbled from within the creature.

"Your weak little pink flesh. Your courage will be your end."

The beast was clearly into the theatre of it all. A fact that rousted cheers from the crowd around the arena. Their cries and chants were growing louder, as if to urge on the inevitable. To feed off the spectacle that was to come. The beast stepped forward once more, its black iron club dragging lazily across the sandy floor of the arena.

"Let's get this over with, shall we? I have a female to breed."

Haruto braced with his crappy iron sword; left behind by some other unfortunate soul. He would have to fight, and hopefully; buy time for a miracle.

'Eren... Please watch over Maya for me...' Haruto prayed, thinking about all the girl he would leave behind. A sorrowful look in the eyes of a man who had accepted death.

However, the battle never came.

Haruto owed one to the ones upstairs. The stadium; one-by-one began to lose voice. Creatures of weak-willed minds began to cave to an immense pressure.

Fear. Terror. Dread.

The Queen was quick to notice this change. Her attention was drawn away from the spectacle, to the wall of the canyon, the path leading to the arena. She saw the shadows darken, twist, and move with an unnatural life. Then azure eyes appeared.

The Reaper had come to cast judgement.

"Ho ho!" The queen exclaimed, amused by the sight. "A new competitor has arrived!"

"..."

No one answered. Not the audience, nor her sons, nor the caged warriors of Silvermane. All were caught up in the fear and terror that washed over the stadium.

"Tch, very well. You may not speak." The queen sighed, her eyes narrowing at the silent figure in the shadows.

"But know this, your death is certain."

The Reaper walked forward. His long coat billowed around in the wind. His hood covering most of the features of the face underneath. All that could be seen was an unchanging mask.

The Reaper landed in the dirtied rusted sand. Azure eyes scanning the stadium. He was unfazed by the crowd, nor the goblin queen. Only the faintest glimmer of emotion was shown upon seeing Haruto and Yua.

"Leave." A single word uttered to Haruto. The healer knew what was to happen, and nodded, rushing Yua and their other team members back down into the pit.

"A mighty warrior that brings a thousand to bear terror. I will have to take you as my mate." The queen laughed, by her lonesome. Echoes of the hollow chamber filling the silence.

"Brut. Try not to kill him. He will give you fine brothers and sisters."

"Mother... I-I. Please don't make me." The giant shook in its boots. Its giant form brought to cowardice by the pressure of the Reaper.

"Aww, Brut, don't be afraid." A gentle smile from the queen. One that was full of love.

"You are a strong boy. Just do your best, and try not to kill the human. That is all I ask."

"Yes mother-" His final words; head ripped from the body in a single motion.

The bone whip cut clean. A black fountain of blood spewed forth from the wound, showering the sand and stone of the arena in crimson black.

Now, Lofia was silent. The entire stadium was silent, the only sound being the dripping of blood onto the ground. The body collapsed to the ground with a loud thud and a resounding crash in a quiet arena. The Reaper stood on the body, presenting Brut's head to his mother.

"You... things. Are a blight." The voice was cold, emotionless, and filled with malice. The mask hindered many emotions of Eren. But seeing the ruin and desecration of Alaisa and its people, this was a rage that was cultivated by the ring.

"For your crimes and your defilement of all..." The temperature began to rise. Shadows twisted, taking all brazier light away.

"...You will BURN!"

*Fwoosssshh* *Crrrrrrraaaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkk*

Fire.

The entire arena erupted into a violent inferno. Braziers expunged by the shadows turned a violent white flame, spreading rapidly across the arena. Engulfing many goblins in a matter of seconds. Others scrambled in vain to escape their fates. Exits quickly overcome with flames.

The queen looked on in horror, the screams of her people echoing throughout the arena. The white flames burned hotter than any other flame, the searing pain of the flesh melting off bones was felt from her vantage point.

"Mother... We need to get you to safety -" Her eldest son, a half dragon creature of scales and muscle was quick to act, taking her by the arm.

"Hurry! We must flee!"

From the shadows of the stands of the arena. Knights appeared in droves. Flames allowing them past without resistance. Surrounding their master; waiting on instructions.

"All goblins must burn. Any non-goblins are not to be harmed. Go." The Reaper ordered, A legion of near 60 knights, archers, brutes, and wolves moved. Weaponry alight with white fire.

"Guren make sure the Silvermane guild escape this place."

Guren departed after the guild.

"You two... Follow the queen." Crows came from his shadow. Soaring high into the blaze.

His new ability. 'Flames of white.'

A power of cleansing flame that burns hotter than normal fire. The shadows work in tandem with it. Spreading from shadow to shadow, making the flames nearly inextinguishable.

This burning hatred off a race he knew near nothing about. Was a result of the ring. An echo of a past life. He spent many days controlling the urges of the ring.

Yet this time; he let it win.

He could control the fire; he didn't want to.

He could prevent the deaths of many. He chose to let them burn.

The ring wanted the slaughter of green. Eren gave the ring what it wanted.

Everything burns.