Days merged into night, time became impossible to track and the growing darkness only enticed the crowds who came to fights lit by candlelight. Both Ilioc and Torbjørn lived by only getting through the next fight, and in time they came to wonder if the animals were inside the arena or if they were the ones watching. On one occasion they had heard yelling and thrashing outside their cell and a little while later someone was thrown into the cell with them. The man who had accompanied them in the cell was of around 50 years of age. He was withered and if he was put into the arena with any kind of animal he would be ‘dead meat’. Due to this Ilioc and Torbjørn were calm and saw no threat with this man, they had watched him as he sat up and leaned against the cells’ door with great effort.

“Who are you?” Torbjørn had asked him in a threatening tone. The man spat and looked up at the Giants.

“I am Warren, I was the keeper of these cells,” Warren said. “I was before I tried to help that weak and weary boy. A crime that now I will pay for by my death watched by those who appointed me in order for them to feel that they are in absolute power.” The Giants stayed quiet allowing him to continue and Warren changed his tone. “The people in the stands are those watching for surety of themselves or for the continuation of their bloodline.”

“They’re looking for heirs?” Ilioc asked.

“That boy I was trying to help. He will spend a lifetime in here unless he is picked by a twisted hand and chosen to become a powerful leader. Years ago there was another, a woman by the name of Isana, she grew up here and it turned her cold. Her father was brought here, for being a traitor, ever he would call out for her and it shook me to my core. I think she knew that he was here, but it wasn’t long before he began to change and we had to take him away. Isana continued to grow, fighting animals and shadows. Yes, I trust you have met a shadow.”

“You speak of meeting a shadow but those things are nothing but darkness,” Torbjørn said.

“They are now, yes,” The man agreed, “As you discovered when you killed one,” At this both Ilioc and Torbjørn went quiet. “That fight was spectacular and congratulations on your victory,” Torbjørn said nothing in response to Warren’s words, but Warren continued anyway, “But those things were once men stuck in this arena fighting day after day. After years of this life, the men change and become twisted. It begins with their eyes turning completely black, becoming sharp and venomous. At this point, we take them to a different block around the other side of the arena. After this point, their physical body changes to a dark mist, like an evil spirit has become trapped inside the walls of their body. Wings erupt from their backs and their screams soon also become mutilated and unrecognisable as ever once being human.”

“And this woman you described fought them?” Ilioc asked.

“She fought them with such brutality that she managed to be picked out from the crowd and taken out of the arena. You can now see her commanding the streets of Durkan, Cirrom and Dasa. She became an agent of Ojas, who is one of the most powerful men in the North.”

“What will become of us?” Ilioc asked.

“That is not for me to say,” Warren replied sombrely. “Only men have become shadows, Giants just seem to die, given enough time.”

“That’s comforting,” Ilioc mumbled.

“You either die in the arena defeated or you become a shadow. There is no glorious death here. The prisoners say that the grim reaper itself is a shadow. No matter what end you take, you will always face...”

“En skygge,” Torbjørn finished. At this Warren's eyes lit up and he lent in towards the Giants, he reached into his pocket and glanced towards the door in one swift movement. Quickly he handed a small bottle to Torbjørn and motioned him to hide it. Torbjørn tucked away under some hay in a dark corner of the cell. They understood now that they were not alone and were being closely guarded.

“They let you eat the dragons you go up against however I doubt that either tiger or Mawon meat tastes that good.” Warren continued in a calm, normal tone.

“What are tigers doing this far North and what are Mawon?” Torbjørn asked.

“They capture tigers in the lands of Taka and Noji in the East before they transport them here for sport and also for their hides. As for Mawon, they are Giant wolves approximately 9ft in height with white fur and they are incredibly vicious,” Warren replied. “The first time I saw a Mawon,” he continued, “Ute av syne, ute av sinn,” Warren said speaking straight to Torbjørn who understood him and yet wasn’t entirely sure of why he was saying it. He knew however that it was something to do with the bottle Warren had just handed him and after these words, they all went quiet.

Outside, beside the cell door a man stepped out and fixed eyes with Warren, drawing all their attention, “I know what silence means you rats, sleep or you will all spend a night bare, beaten and tied up in chains in the arena.” The man snarled at them, wise to prisoners’ ploys. They all knew how cold the arena got at night and knew now what they needed to do, so they followed this man’s instruction.

The next day came around slowly and sure enough, men came for Warren, just as he said they would, but to the surprise of all three of them, the men also ordered Ilioc to come as well. Upon entering into the arena Warren was tied to a post and large metal weights were placed only a meter or so away from him. Then the men disappeared back into the tunnels and a gate opened across the arena and from within came a large wolf. Approximately the height of one and a half men, with white fur and claws as long as Ilioc’s fingers, Ilioc concluded that this was a Mawon. Watching from a distance Ilioc locked his eyes with the Mawon as it made a low growl and walked slowly towards Warren glancing across at Ilioc as it did so. It was very wary of the Giant yet not fearful enough to leave its course. Ilioc now faced a dilemma. Over the past few months he had been forced to fight men however now even though he knew Warren was going to die, Ilioc could defend him and give him a chance to live and gain respect once more or he could stand back and be the Giant that all the foul men wanted him to be.

He made his choice.

Ilioc started to run towards Warren just as the Mawon began to sprint. Warren closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. Ilioc hit the Mawon side on, crushing it against the metal weights. It shrieked, whimpered and turned away from Ilioc, regaining its strength. Ilioc took hold of one of the weights and picked it up off the ground. Its diameter was easily 4ft and it took all of Ilioc’s strength to lift it. Glancing over to Warren Ilioc’s heart sank as blood poured from a wound to his upper chest from the Mawon’s attack. Ilioc turned back so that the Mawon was in his sights and gathering a bit of speed, he swung the weight towards the Mawon. Unable to dodge it, the Mawon went flying as it was hit in its chest. It landed two meters in front of the fence as the weight travelled another meter and hit the fence causing electricity to jump to it. At this sound, the Mawon went into a frenzy and headed back towards Warren. Ilioc jumped into action and headed straight for another weight, preparing for another attack. He found his target to aim for. Launching the weight, it flew swiftly through the air and hit the target head-on, sending both the Mawon and Warren flying causing them to crash into the fence.

Ilioc stood in silence as he stared at the two bodies that lay on the ground before him. Both were covered in blood after being crushed by the weight and against each other. It was safe to say that they were dead, especially after being electrocuted.

Torbjørn meanwhile had been sat in the cell listening to the sounds of the fight and the roaring of the crowd with only one thing on his mind. There was no doubt they had to escape and this change in keeper was the best opportunity they had.

Ilioc re-entered the cell shaken by what had happened, where he was met with Torbjørn's discovery. He had been studying the bottle that was tiny in his hands, and it contained a few drops of almost invisible liquid inside. It had a label that read: Bwayto Bwen Anoya, which translated from Kapan as Bwayto Tree Sap.

It's poison, Torbjørn communicated to Ilioc via sign language so as to not raise the alarm.

Poison? Ilioc replied in sign language.

Yeah, I have an idea, Torbjørn replied. With that Torbjørn presented his idea to Ilioc being careful with his communication so that from outside the cell none could see what was going on. The information Warren had given Torbjørn translated as: out of sight, out of mind, which Torbjørn understood as none had suspected that Warren had had this. Therefore as long as the Giants kept it hidden they would not be in any danger of being found out.