Legend of the Shards || A Journey's Beginning

Gore!

Gore!

Gore!

The thick stone walls of the coliseum did little to mask the fanatical crowd cheers inside. At all hours it seemed the coliseum active drawing in people from all over the realms to witness the brutal sport of arena combat. The same went with the many other venues showcasing fighters from every possible existence imaginable.

This particular venue was one of the smaller ones. Chiseled brilliant white stone arches circulated the whole exterior and climbed two dozen stories up. It had no roof, letting the artificial and starry lights from the perpetual night shine in. One might have even forgotten there wasn't a sun in this part of the realms as the lights were deceptive, yet the starry sky above showed otherwise.

The area was a dense urban area with warehouses and stores on the ground floors with housing and hotels layering on the top, all built of the same stone as the arena, all a different color. Some buildings were blue, others red. There was no rhyme or order to the color other than being vibrant. Beings of many different species and existences passed through cobbled streets, going to or from a fight, but others invested in their work at the various logistics required to maintain the sport of the realms. Food being the primary resource moving through the city.

The crowd of the nearby arena erupted in cheers. The fight featuring a creature named Gore had ended with the obvious champion winning. The streets were going to be full soon as being filed out of the arena, retiring for their day, while others making their way to attend the next match.

Food and drink vendors were wheeling out their carts and the whole area permeated with the various aromas that one might find appetizing or disgusting. The wide streets were now packed as well, nearly shoulder to shoulder as beings and creatures moved about.

It might have been overwhelming for a first timer and you always had to be careful who you bumped into. Thankfully there was one, the Always Fan, Zetz who one would never mind bumping into.

Zetz:

An eight foot tall, massive insectoid being. He was one of many in a hivemind, all similar in appearance. There were tens of thousands of variations of him, all working under a single mind. His only want in life, to view every fight that the Realms would offer. As a result, he became a library of knowledge about fighters and abilities. The best part was, he was friendly to all and willing gave information should any ask of him. Bumping into him was probably the best thing that could happen to an up and comer.

Speaking of, Zetz backed away from the drink seller with two large mugs in hand. Full of a sweet, fermented honey drink that he liked. He hadn't seen where he was going and backed right up into a furry little thing.

"Oh sorry there!" Zetz turned glancing down to the figure he had nearly crushed. "Ah what a treat! Felix! Come with me, boy-o! I've got an extra ticket for the match if you wanted to view." He took one of his four arms and ushered the lad along as he walked them into the arena.

Felix Vulpini had traveled many, many miles across Gaia to reach the city of Tsubar, where stood the great tree and the Sovereign Realms Wrestling league. During that long journey, he had met many different people, some kind, some hateful, but none had been as...unique as Zetz. The food vender was...an odd fellow. Excitable, extremely knowledgeable, and luckily for Felix, a kind man.

When Felix had first arrived in Tsubar, he was completely and utterly lost about where to go in the big city, and bumping into Zetz...or one of his many other Zetz's...and the kind giant instectsoid had given him a ton of information on the city, the league, and the matches, and seemed delighted to know that Felix was joining to wrestle himself.

Today, Felix wasn't scheduled for a match, and had been wandering about when he saw the familiar bug and went over to him to say hi, the pup clad in just a tunic and his usual shorts, and, after nearly getting stepped on by the massive creature, he soon joined Zetz as they walked towards the arena.

"Thanks Zetz! That's really nice of you. I uh...I'm short on funds right now...I'm...not sure the leagues actually paid me since I started fighting...so anyway, what's the fight tonight?"

"Hahaha!" The large insectoid man bellowed a laugh at Felix's timidness. "Playing true to character, just like the matches I've seen ya in!" Zetz adjusted the pints in his hands to leave one of his four free. That hand came back and slapped Felix in the back. Hard, but to Zetz it was a light, friendly tap.

Seeing the young pup stumble, Zetz swiftly brought around one of his tankards and held it out in front of the Vulpis figure, making sure to keep his arm wrapped around Felix incidentally insuring that there was no refusual to Zetz's generous invitation. "Here, drink it up lad! We are in for a doozy of a match! A swineman named Gore has dominating this section of the Waygates. Some say he may even be ready to enter the Grand Circuit and offered an open challenge to any who dared. I suspect this is likely his bid to prove he is the best here..." Zetz hollered as they crossed through the threshold of the Ampitheater. The noise of the crowd growing louder as their cheers and jeers carried in the vaulted halls of the concessions. Zetz's now the loudest among them.

The pair were quickly shuffled through the meandering crowds in the concessions and into the lower section of the Ampitheater. They were several rows down, Zetz moving the pair quickly, fast enough that even Felix might have lost his footing had it not been for a massive hand to pick him back up before he could tumble. They managed to reach a determined row and Zetz shuffled in, gripping Felix by the collar of his tunic, practically dragging him along in an all too friendly manner until he finally reached their seats.

A massive hand pushed Felix down as the big man fell back into his seat, stone bleachers rather, that caused the local area to shake as his collapsed onto his rump.

"Whew, boy-o! This is it! This is IT!" He boomed with a buzz, lifting one of his tankards to his mouth and chugging, mead froth attaching his facial hair as he pulled the drink away. They were great seats, almost right down on the dirt of the arena where the aforementioned Gore postured. A humanoid man lay at his feet, defeated badly as a few personal came out to lift the man up to carry him away. Gore was all too proud as he gestured to the stands, fans cheering.

Gore:

"IS THERE NO ONE ELSE? IS THERE NO ONE ELSE?" Gore yelled, his arms wide as he circled about the arena. He had defeated every challenger so far, remained undefeated through his previous fights, and claimed just about every arena this side of the Realms. He was unstoppable! "YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SEE GREATNESS! I AM THE BEST!" He flexed and hawed, believing himself for the moment that there really was no one else that could challenge him....



A sudden wind swept up, howling that drowned out the nose of the Ampitheater, even GORE couldn't shout above it. The wind swirled, evidenced by the debris that circled the arena and flew out of the open-aired top. Anyone that watched the trash leave would now see a figure, clad scantily in a white as she decided down. Her blonde hair flowing as she lounged on her staff, seemingly bored already. She lowered herself down to nearly waist height, a meter off the ground. An elbow propped her head up in a casual lay about, one leg dangled swinging back and forth idly.

"One more?" She airily taunted, the slightest smirk forming on her face as Gore turned to look at her, huffing out his nose ready to take on a new challenger...