The Arena: A LitRPG, page 20
"Right," Titus said. "But I'm not a Healer, and I don't have any spells."
"But you do have an ability," Jordan said with a sparkle in his eyes. "And really it's not that much different to how a Healer would work. What does it do exactly again?"
Titus reeled off the description of his Sacrifice skill again for the benefit of Jordan and Petra.
Sacrifice
Absorb 50% of the damage dealt to an ally.
Cost: 3 Stamina
Cooldown: 10 Seconds
“That’s actually a pretty good one,” Jordan said. “You make it so we can all last a little longer in the fight, just like a Healer would. I took a new ability too, it’s Taunt, like you’ve already seen. What did you take Petra?”
“I got something called Blink Step. It looks pretty useful but I can only use it once, so I’m going to have to be careful until I get my stats up. Effectively I can disappear and reappear within a range of about five metres at the moment.”
“That’s awesome!” Jordan exclaimed. “I’ve seen that one used a few times and I’ll tell you that if you use it right, it’s a real game-changer.”
Petra frowned, not entirely sure if that was true or not, but decided to let Jordan have his moment in the spotlight. He was their resident expert after all.
The training field wasn't empty, with many other Contestants training in groups, though none of them were close enough for there to be any chance of Jordan being overheard as he spoke.
"And you've got ten stamina like us, but the ring gives you an extra five, right, Titus?"
Titus stared at Jordan for a moment, trying to figure out how he was so clued in with all of this. Especially when usually the large Defender didn't pick up on much of anything.
"Right," Titus said. "So with a little time in between, I can actually cast the spell five times. But… how long do you think it lasts? Because I only used it once when that Harbinger was sucking out your soul."
Jordan looked thoughtful, tapping his chin and staring off into the distance.
"It's probably just the damage from a single attack - and the Harbinger was only using one," Petra said, sounding very agitated. "But can we just get on with it? We don't have a lot of time as it is."
"Ok," Jordan said. “Let's try this: no weapons for the training, but Titus you can play the part of the boar. Try to get past me to land a hit on Petra. Petra, you do what you can to keep out of the way. Everyone happy?"
Titus and Petra both nodded, and then shared a bemused expression at Jordan's ability to take charge in such an effective way. Titus couldn't help but feel one day his friend might make a good Instructor.
"Alright, go," Jordan announced, and Titus sprang into action.
Petra wasn't very far away with the three standing in an equilateral triangle, about ten metres apart each, and he felt that with his smaller frame he had a good chance of reaching the Rogue before Jordan could intervene.
Five steps. That was all Titus managed in his charge towards Petra before out of the corner of his eyes he saw Jordan's huge, dark figure roll into view. And then he felt the impact.
Petra hadn't moved, but Jordan had dove a foot off the ground and wrapped his arms around Titus's legs to bring him down in a heap.
“That… wasn’t pleasant…” Titus wheezed, the air having been knocked from him the moment he'd hit the ground.
Jordan was already standing again as Titus rolled back to his feet.
"Again," he commanded. "But now you're locked in combat so you'll need to get around me."
Petra still hadn't moved an inch, and Titus could just about see the smirk on her face from beyond Jordan.
Titus remained doubled over but he could already feel he was ready to go again. He feigned a stumble away from Jordan, fake coughed, then unfolded himself and snapped away from the Defender.
It felt like Titus' soul had left his body though, when he came to an abrupt halt and turned to see that Jordan had a hold of his cotton shirt. The boy's grip strength must've been extraordinary.
"Now Petra!" Jordan shouted. "You need to deal some damage; I can't hold him forever!"
Petra seemed to awaken at that moment and ran towards Titus, who was still unable to escape.
When she reached the pair, Titus tried to swing his arms out at the Rogue but she was way too fast for him and not just by a small amount either.
Eventually, he let his arms fall in exhaustion, and Petra tapped him lightly on the end of his nose.
"Boop," she proclaimed with a smile and then danced away from him before he could retaliate.
"Nice!" Jordan said. "But he's slipping through my hands, so you'd better be ready!"
Titus took a moment to realise what Jordan had said, and when it finally clicked, he felt he was able to move again. Jordan had let him go, and Petra's eyes widened as Titus approached her like a charging bull.
"Woah!" She exclaimed as she pirouetted to one side, narrowly avoiding Titus's outstretched arms.
In truth, he didn't know what he planned to do if he got a hold of her, but that wasn't the game here.
Titus wheeled and restarted his charge at Petra. This time he wouldn't be so direct in his charge. This time he'd anticipate the dodge.
Opting for a feint and pretending to lunge toward Petra's left before quickly changing direction and lunging to the right, Titus played his hand. Petra, momentarily thrown off balance by the deceptive move had to make a split-second decision.
With some extraordinarily quick thinking, she shifted her weight and executed a low, acrobatic spin. As Titus closed in, she pirouetted to the side, narrowly avoiding his grasp once more. Her movements were fluid and graceful, showcasing just how nimble she was.
The training field buzzed with their exertions, and Contestants from nearby groups even started to pause their own training to turn and watch the trio in action. Titus's pressure to adapt and improve was clear, and Petra's agile evasion techniques were mesmerising to say the least. What they’d been learning in the Class-specific training all this time was paying off big time.
"What am I supposed to do here?" Titus wheezed. "You're stronger than me, and she's faster than me. I can't catch a break!"
"Hey!" Petra almost shouted. "'She' has a name."
"Sorry," Titus replied, still not able to breathe properly and corrected himself. "Miss Stiletto's too fast."
"That's better," Petra said. "Now, if you'd just ask, then maybe I'd slow down a little so you can keep up."
That actually sounded quite helpful to Titus. "You will?"
"Nope," Petra said. "you're just going to have to keep trying. You don't get second chances out there in the arena. Or did you want to take the easy way out like Henderson back there?"
Titus groaned.
"No," he admitted grumpily.
"Good," Petra said. "Then get back to work before I start chasing you around this place and make you squeal like a piggy."
Titus stared at Petra, trying to figure out if she was joking or not, but something about the look in her eye told him that it wasn't something he wanted to test.
What was even more annoying was the fact that even though Titus wasn't using his Sacrifice ability, his stamina pool was still dropping. It wasn't to the degree that the spell would've cost it, but he'd lost three points just unsuccessfully chasing after Petra.
"Come on you two," Jordan said. "Or do we have to get you your own room or something?"
Petra stared at Titus for a long moment, then inclined her head ever so slightly towards Jordan. Titus immediately understood the unspoken question and the pair launched themselves into a sprint directly at the large Defender.
"Woah!" Jordan exclaimed, steadying his feet. "That's more like it!"
With the distance crossed in no more than a moment, Petra crashed into Jordan before Titus arrived on the scene. Jordan managed to hold her off through sheer overpowering strength, but as she juked to the side, Titus appeared from behind her and launched himself at Jordan's waist.
Titus wrapped his arms around Jordan and although the Defender managed to remain on his feet, his ability to move had been severely hampered.
"What're you two doing?" He chuckled as he tried to shrug Titus off and simultaneously bat away Petra's open palms as they arrived to slap him. It took a minute, but eventually Jordan overreached, tried to lift a heavy foot from the ground, and having Titus attached to his waist made him trip and fall backwards in a puff of sand and dirt.
"Wait... w...wait!" Jordan tried shouting as Petra mounted the Defender and began tickling him anywhere she could reach. Titus did his best to hold on to Jordan's legs to keep him from escaping.
"I yield! I yield!" Jordan cried over and over, struggling to breathe as Petra waged her unrelenting attack. Eventually though, she heeded and allowed Jordan to catch a breath. All three of the group were well spent and turned to lay on their backs.
"And let that be a lesson to you," Petra breathed. "Never try to insult us again, or you know what'll happen."
"You'll tickle me? That's hardly fighting!" Jordan complained.
Petra let an arm fly through the air, and she hit Jordan right on his chest with a loud thud.
"Ooof!" he wheezed, clearly not having expected the strike. "Maybe..." he wheezed, "I should get some kind of chest plate."
"Oh don't worry," Petra said. "You cover up and I'll just hit you somewhere else."
"Right, noted," Jordan replied, still winded.
"Hey," Titus said, ignoring the pair as they bantered. "Able often are the fights against multiple enemies? Because I think you could take each of us on, but if you had to Defend against two or more, then you're going to have a bad time."
Jordan sat up and nodded. "Yeah, not normally in the lower ranks, but I've seen as much as a five on one out there. I'd guess the reward is in the experience for the greater challenge, but you'd have to ask an Instructor about that. And I reckon once I get a few levels, stats, and skills under my belt, it'll be a bit easier to bat away those slaps."
"Says you," Petra said. "While you're levelling, remember that we will be too so don't get your hopes up too high now, will you."
"That makes sense," Titus replied, ignoring Petra this time. "But then, why don't we get experience for training? I mean I just worked my ass off trying to catch up to Petra, and overpowering you. Surely that’s worth some kind of reward, no?"
"No, it isn't," Petra said. "Were you ever in any danger? Did you experience any risk at all? Because what's to reward if there's no risk?"
Titus frowned. It actually made sense when it was explained like that; rewards weren't given for effort. They were given for risk.
"Right, you two ready to go again?" Jordan asked, raising his large frame to his feet and taking up a ready stance.
"Ugh," Titus groaned. "But this time, I say you and I team up on Petra." Then he shifted his weight to lunge at the Rogue, who leapt out of the path of the attack having seen it coming from a mile away.
"Too slow, Spellcaster," Petra taunted. "And do you really think that this great lummox is going to be able to catch me? I mean what do you take me for?"
Then, with all the force of a stampeding rhinoceros, Jordan lowered his head and charged at Petra. This time her eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she shrieked and backpedalled, eventually having to dodge to the side when Jordan was within touching distance. He swiped out with his muscular arms, but it was no use; Petra was simply too fast for either of the boys to catch.
The group trained for a couple of hours, and once they were done, they'd each had a few turns facing the other two, as well as participating in a handful of one-on-one bouts. In the end, though, not only were they all covered head to toe in sweat, but Titus also had a newfound appreciation for how the three could work together out there in a real fight. It was obvious how a Defender, a Rogue, and a Spellcaster could make a great team, even if he wasn't strictly a Spellcaster.
"So, you think we're ready?" Titus asked as the three turned their backs on the training area. There were still more groups training that would presumably do everything they could to prepare themselves for their own bouts in the arena, though the group barely paid them any mind.
"As ready as we're going to get," Jordan said. "Just stick to the plan, and we'll be OK, right?"
"Right," both Titus and Petra answered at once. Then as a group, the three returned to the double wooden doors that led into the hallways and onto the arena prep area where they'd heard Henderson receive his ear bashing.
Walking through the double doors, Titus was shocked by the basic prep area for the Contestants. What was essentially a long hallway carved from stone with a series of small rooms on either side, it was clear that the area was designed for nothing more than an area for the Contestants to wait for a few moments before heading out into battle.
The area was lit by a plethora of burning torches, and Arena Hands were waiting by a few of the doorways. Ahead at the end of the hallway, light was spilling through the wrought iron gate that led onto the hot sand beyond.
"Titus!" A small voice that Titus recognised preceded an excitable young man bounding up to the group. It was Jacob, the Hand that Titus had first seen when he'd arrived at the Arena.
"Oh hey Jacob," Titus said. "Guys, you remember Jacob right?"
"Oh yeah," Jordan said, though Petra looked less sure. "You were with Darius right?"
Jacob smiled and nodded, happy at being recognised by a Contestant. Then he remembered what it was he was supposed to be doing.
"I've brought you these," he announced as he handed over a small hessian bag to each of the Blue-ranked Contestants.
Titus frowned and reached into the bag to find three small glass vials. One was a red liquid, one yellow, and one blue. He saw that Jordan and Petra each had the same in their hands.
"The red's Health, Blue mana, and the yellow's Stamina," Jacob said when he saw their bemused looks. They'd seen Health potions before, of course, but the rest had been a mystery.
"Can't go out into a fight without being at your best!" Jacob said, then stepped aside to allow an elderly woman to approach.
She hobbled towards the group and pawed at their sweat-soaked and dirty clothes, muttering to herself.
"Sorry," Titus offered with a grimace. "We were training just now, and…" he didn't really know what to say, so just gestured to himself animatedly.
The old woman took a step back and waved her hands a few times.
"Cleaning's not too hard but fixing them's harder," she announced under her breath, and it took a second for Titus to realize what was happening. Then he looked down and saw that his, along with Petra and Jordan's clothes, had all been cleaned.
"The anywhere box is over there," Jacob said, gesturing to the small wooden box along the hallway. Petra and Jordan had weapons to retrieve, but Titus was already wearing his stamina ring and had nothing else to his name.
"Well, this is it," Jordan said as the three faced the sands from behind the iron gate. "I hope we put on a good show."
And as Jordan finished his statement, the gate at the end of the hallway began to clang loudly and disappear to somewhere above.
Chapter 28 - Betrayal
"Are you Titus?" A boy sporting a Blue armband asked loudly as he ran towards the group a second before they took a single step through the open gateway and onto the arena sands.
Titus turned with a bemused look on his face to see the Blue-Ranker approaching, his short dark hair matted with sweat and his eyes wide.
"That's me," Titus said without missing a beat.
"Thank The God of Balance I'm just in time! Miss Kane said she needs you right now; it's important!"
"But I'm about to head out there for our fight," Titus said.
"She said to send out Petra and Jordan, but to bring you back to her… It sounded really important. She said there’d be time, that the crowd would wait."
The boy was clearly flustered, most probably having sprinted to catch the group before they began their fight.
Titus frowned and turned to his friends. "If it's important…" he started. "Just wait for me, don't let them start without me, alright?"
"Go," Petra ordered. "But you better run. You know not to keep a woman waiting."
"Or me," Jordan said.
"I was talking about you," Petra said.
Jordan frowned.
Titus didn't have time to argue about whose feelings were being hurt and turned to follow the boy, who he discovered was called Ferris upon further inspection.
"Where are we going?" Titus asked as he started to run behind Ferris, following his lead.
"Just this way, it's not far," Ferris replied. "I don't know what it's about, but Miss Kane said you'd know and to bring you as quickly as I can!"
Those words sent a shiver down Titus' spine. There was only one thing that he and Miss Kane shared that nobody else was supposed to know, and that was the existence of his special, secret Capacitor Class. If someone else knew about it, then he was about to be in for a very different time in the Arena. Of course he couldn't ask Ferris if that's what it was about, instead choosing to keep his mouth shut now until he was alone with the Grandmaster.
The pair ran through the catacombs below the arena sands, through hallways, down stone steps, and past hundreds of doors and after just a few minutes Titus had no idea where he was.
Titus felt like he recognised at least some of the rooms as they ran, though many of them were almost identical. But he did get the impression he'd been here before at one point or another.
It was when he was at the bottom of a long stone staircase did he remember that he had, in fact, been to this place before, because it was the dungeon that Henderson had taken him and Petra to where he'd almost been gored by the Deadlands Boar.
"Hey, this is…" Titus called out to Ferris, but only then did he realise that since he'd reached the bottom of the staircase, he was no longer able to see the boy through the darkness.
"Ferris! I can't see you!" Titus called out into the growing darkness that he knew signified the monsters' cells before him. "Miss Kane?" He tried weakly.
