33. Strider: Gladiator

Walking back into the barracks from a wander over the island to clear my mind I saw Flux sitting upright against the wall in the exact same position he was in from when I left. The only movement from him was generated from gentle breaths occasionally elevating his chest. His gaze sat at the center of the opposing wall without any deviation in focus.

Waving a hand in front of him saw no reaction. The only change in his behaviour was a groggy blink as he continued to look out beyond what the wall had to offer. Since we found him this seemed to be all he was capable of when he had nothing to fight for. He just sat there comatose, dead even. Quickly pacing over shaking him by his shoulders saw his eyes roll up towards my disheartened face acknowledging my presence coming to life again.

“Is it time yet?”

“No. The operation is tomorrow you know that.”

“Oh…” Letting his eyes descend he began dissociating from the world again. Shaking him again regained his attention. I didn’t have time until now to figure out what happened to my friend.

“You disappear and now you look like you’ve been lobotomised. What happened to you.” His eyes shot up with a sudden burst of life. Clutching my suit he brought me closer to him as he began going over his revelations.

“It sang to me. At first I thought it was madness but all it sings are truths.”

Flux began to recount losing himself to the voices for the first time going as far as to murder our own after waking up and then leaving claiming it was to save us all from himself. Skipping over how he escaped he described what the voices tried to make him do to us. A grand sacrifice to the singularity giving it the power to expand by feeding off our very souls. His voice increased as he recounted the events he endured until I pushed him back down trying to instil some sanity into him before he calmly continued as before.

“The secrets it told me. Where to find it. Where we go when we die. It will devour us all.” Shivering slightly he brought his arms around his knees taking a moment to recover.

“You’re going to try destroy it then?” A broken smile spread over his face as he chuckled nervously.

“I’m going to find it. It’s going to fix me.”

“It’s just in your head you’ve got to fight this bullshit Philip-” With the mention of his real name I found myself tackled to the ground as Flux pinned me by the shoulders.

“Philip and Robert are supposed to be dead! Age twelve fatal shooting." Shivering which such force it rivaled a convulsion while clutching his head he went on. "The memories leak in sometimes, they made so little sense but they do now. They live on in destructive interference with each other. They should be dead. This vessel is Flux, I am Flux. It can merge the souls together it has the force to do so-”

Throwing him off me Flux rolled over the floor taking a defensive stance. He'd lost his mind. Maybe I’d be able to beat some sense into him. My chances of success were low against his skill but if there was the slightest chance now was the time to take it. I wasn’t about to lose my friend again.

Dashing forward with a jab saw itself easily evaded as Flux followed with a counter punch of his own. Juking back he threw another strike grazing past my face allowing for a decent punch into his chest sending him back. He wasn’t able to focus, there was a good chance to win after all. Leading a desperate advance saw a flurry of strikes make their mark.

With him dazed I went for a sweep to knock him down only for him to dart out of the way. Pushed back saw the tables turn with me on the defensive barely blocking savage blows meaning to quickly disable me. A kick landed in my stomach sending me back which Flux took the immediate advantage delivering another combo sending me reeling. Halting for a moment to analyze my condition I wiped the blood from my mouth chuckling with a solemn smile.

“I’m not letting that thing kill you. If one of us is going to die here it’s not going to be you.”

Launching an attack again saw limited success in driving through his defence. A few good strikes gave me a window to try immobilize him with a quick strike. Driving my elbow round delivering it into his neck saw him stumble across the room. No time to waste. Throwing my body into motion putting as much strength in a kick as I could I took my eyes off him for only a second to continue my momentum.

Looking back he was already to the side. Lifting my leg he drove me into the floor onto my back flipping me over to lock me in a hold with hands around my head ready to twist it with lethal force. Preparing for the end struggling still hoping to break his grasp I knew deep down he’d end me now he had me in his hold. Continuing to struggle he simply held me in position until I stopped resisting. Letting me go allowing me to bound to my feet he stood unafraid.

“Who you knew at first might be dead but for the years I’ve been Flux our friendship with all of you was the only genuine thing this life has had. It’s the only thing both Philip’s and Robert’s minds had in common.”

Lowering my guard he still didn’t seem sane but not intent on harming us at least. Questioning him seemed pointless as well. He was consumed with finding the pillar. You could see the obsession in his eyes. Trying to stop him would just have him eliminate everyone along the way. Seeing no alternative I offered an ultimatum.

“When we get out, you get help. You promise us that and we’ll get you to the pillar.” With an easy smile his posture relaxed seeing him look almost back to appearing naturally alive again.

“If we make it I won’t need it. You just have to trust me.”

His face was laced with unshakable faith that this was for the best. He had absolute trust in that he’d receive what the pillar promised for him. I wished so desperately I could share his optimism but all I saw was the true descent of his madness. All we’d be able to do was protect him as he tried to penetrate the veil of darkness that shrouded his mind.

Nodding to agree trying to avoid another pointless fight Hazard burst into the room. Alerting us that Bishop went off to fight in the arena we bolted towards it in an effort to bail him out of whatever fight he agreed to participate in. With Flux in tow I tried to inquire further as to what Bishop’s motives were as we shouldered through the crowds.

“What the hell is he doing the op is tomorrow.”

“I think he wanted some extra cash to get us better equipment. Stupid bastard decided this was a good idea before I could stop him entering the pit.”

Running through the crowd and into a large warehouse we jostled through the crowd to the front. Hands pressed against bars Bishop could be seen brawling with two other pioneers with his bare hands. He was smart enough not to agree to a firefight but still risked severe injury with the complete lack of rules in the arena. Gathering at the pit entry alongside Flux and Hazard a hooded figure wearing a trenchcoat and primitive mask standing behind two armed guards greeted us.

“New contenders? What luck, the crowd is roaring for blood and today’s spectacle is quite grand. Victory payment comes to-” Interrupting him I walked forward regardless of the armed guards trying to act as a deterrent.

“Listen well you slimy fuck you’re going to stop the fight and pull him out before we break your legs.” The armed guards brought down their rifles ready to defend their superior with lethal force. The masked man stood undeterred.

“Careful son. Fights only stop here when no one's left standing on one side. I think you’d like to at least make it into the arena with your friend.” A moment of silenced past while I stood there seething as a cry went up from the crowd. Anxiety took over not knowing what the cause was which the masked man capitalized on.

“They only cry out like that when blood gets spilt. If you want to help your friend you should get a move on.”

Seeing no other alternative we moved into the staging area with the door locked behind us waiting to be unleashed into the pit. Standing anxiously another cry went up. The doors refused to budge as the crowd continued signalling the end of the fight. Giving it a kick saw no result. Preparing another saw me fall through the now open doors earning jeers from the crowd.

Walking forward through the pit guards dragged beaten pioneers from the field as a lone man stood victorious at the center. Wiping his brow with bloodied knuckles Bishop saw the three of us walking up towards him wearing a smile which faded as quickly as it formed on noticing my furious pace towards him. Grabbing him by his combat suit the masked man bellowed over the crowd.

“Today we have a strong candidate. Besting every man thrown at him he now finds himself aided by brothers in arms of his equal. The zeal of bonds forged by battle earned in blood will be truly tested in a fight that this arena has never seen before.”

A growling from below could be heard as weapons were thrown into the arena. A sledgehammer, combat knife, crowbar and machete clanged onto the ground near us as the announcer encouraged us to choose a weapon each. Bishop eagerly dove for the crowbar while Flux instinctively went for the knife leaving me the machete. Hazard claimed the sledgehammer last waiting for the announcers instructions.

“With only crude weapons the hoard swells beneath them. Their very presence defiles their territory. Alone with only their skill and wits will our heroes survive the onslaught? Pioneers, I give you a cleansing. These four men will fight to destroy the creatures that plague us all. Let loose the fallen of man and witness the greatest battle to ever take place in the pit!”

With that a great metallic crash could be heard from below seeing a swarm of fallen crawl up the walls from shafts and into the arena. Standing close by each other holding a perimeter around ten fallen took positions surrounding us. Pacing around they looked for any weakness in our formation preparing to strike at any moment. Darting forward then back as they tested our mettle gave me time to scowl while brandishing the machete.

“If we die here Bishop I’m making sure this ends up buried in you.” With a chuckle Bishop seemed undeterred by the odds.

“I’ve been lucky so far, don’t see any reason it’d run out now. Get into ‘em boys!”

Launching forward breaking the formation saw him fracture the skull of one of the fallen leaving it in a seizure earning a cry from the crowd. It also gave the fallen their opportunity. With six charging in to try their luck while the others held back saw us on the defensive. Swinging the machete saw it glide through the flesh of one of the fallen sending it darting back in shock.

Flux quickly moved on his two aggressors in a sudden attack. Slashing quickly and with purpose saw his aggressors reeling back avoiding the flurry of death as another flanked him. Before Flux could respond Hazard had already brought the sledgehammer round crushing through bone with a sickening crunch leaving it motionless on the ground. Another cheer echoed through the warehouse at the display of violence.

With a heavy swing the machete cut through the neck of another one of the fallen getting caught in it’s spine. Rusty piece of shit. Some decent kit would make a better fight. The crowd cheered again watching the struggle as another dove forward. Abandoning the weapon it’s scythed arms flailed furiously towards me as another two closed the distance.

Throwing the first to the side the second found itself on the receiving end of a brutal kick while the third caught a backhand. Diving for the knife ripping it free saw a fourth ontop of me. The scythes cut through the suit with ease drawing blood. Crying out a sledgehammer quickly snapped the fallen in half with a brutal strike. Getting up with my back against Hazards we fought off the vicious creatures.

Catching a glimpse further off Flux danced and parried the sequential strikes of two fallen at a time as Bishop continued to strike true knocking another fallen out of the fight. With another swing of the machete into the rib cage of a strafing fallen saw it stuck inside of it as hazards sledgehammer broke in his hands. Down to our fists Hazard continued to deal crushing blows as the scythes slipped past his defence.

With the fallen continuously wearing us down more weapons were throw into the arena with five more fallen crawling out from below. A spear and small riot shield. Calling out to Flux and Bishop they immediately set about defending Hazard as I lept forward. The fallen came in from all sides slashing and diving forward for an easy kill. Juking through the lunges and swings as scythed arms whistled through the arm I found myself at the newly introduced weapons.

Rolling forward grasping both the spear and riot shield spinning round found a fallen skewering itself on the spear I just armed myself with. With everyone moving to my position as I held my ground thrusting the spear at anything that dared approach Hazard as he was hastily armed with the shield. Slamming it into the fallen he used it to incredible effect as Flux continued to dance with the blade while Bishop took opportunistic swings at the fallen who attacked him.

Working through the remnants of the fallen the last one eventually fell to Flux’s blade. Exhausted trying to catch my breath beside Hazard and Bishop Flux stood there unfazed by the ordeal. If anything he seemed refreshed as if he relished the chaotic melee. Focus returning to the world the crowd produced deafening cheers and applause that not even the masked man could speak over.

Leaving the arena we saw the masked man standing with a heavy bag with two guards behind him. Passing it to Bishop revealed it to be laden with rubles. With a weary laugh Bishop celebrated the moment before being slapped over the head by Hazard. The masked man ignored us however turning his full attention to Flux.

“This is more than the agreed amount you’ll find. This one will need it for equipment to venture into the depths.” Taken back by his words I collected myself before replying.

“How do you know about our raid?” The masked man spoke in the same calm tone still facing Flux.

“This one knows many things as do I. We share a similar burden. With your assault there might just be a light in the darkness. What happens is not my concern. Only that you leave alive.”

“What are you talking about?” The masked man gave no immediate response then continued on offering no enlightenment.

“You will know soon enough. Maybe it will be you four who break the cycle. If you do, everything will become clear. If not, you’ll at least have the luxury of living in ignorance. All the best against Entity.”

Bowing his head he left with the two guards refusing to respond to any further questions. Walking out of the arena Bishop estimated how much money we managed to earn in the fight. With Hazard off to report to Sparrow that we’d be able to afford better equipment we returned to the barracks to hide the money and enjoy a well earned rest.