Inferno Ascended

As Glax already guessed, the location of the rift was a shanty town far from the eyes of the authorities.

Lais complained, but Glax thought it wiser to take her than to leave her alone in a town neither of them knew.

The couple of siblings followed the recruiter boy, and after dark alleys and almost impassable paths, they arrived at a clandestine small stadium!

Glax laughed at the sight of the wooden building imitating an amphitheater, which attracted a considerable number of people. The building didn't look the safest in the world, but it was big enough to hold at least a thousand people. 

There weren't that many, he supposed. But the organizers of this clandestine fighting championship were pretty sure the Imperial Guard wouldn't bother them.

Scalpers sold places for upcoming fights, and bookmakers touted the betting exchanges. There was food of dubious provenance being sold around the rickety building.

Cheap whores tried their luck with almost every passerby. A trio of them spotted Glax and came towards him, but soon they spotted the female figure beside Glax. They glared at Lais with hostility. Glax glared back at them in his best Batman impersonation with a Mors face, and they turned and walked away with terror in their eyes.

But of course, there would be none of that if there wasn't an audience willing to pay. 

Glax noticed many people wore masks, and obviously this was supposed to avoid being recognized. He was sure nobles and civil servants were there, betting their money in revenants and other forms of the undead.

The boy had explained that the revenants were just the most interesting fights for the 'quality of the fight' as they were 'smarter', according to the boy. But there were also good fights between 'the most rudimentary reborn'.

"Minotaur Kaeremon versus Trojan Temenos," he repeated the battle cast, turning to the boy. "Are these really revenants?"

"Yes sir. But there are fights that are of alive men against them. That depends a lot. They are the best fights, actually," the mini-specialist explained. "These names are chosen by their owners, it doesn't mean they are a revenant minotaur, but that he has the strength of a minotaur." 

"Owners? Are they slaves?" Glax must have guessed that.

The boy nodded. "Only highly skilled necromancers can revive fully functional warriors! The League has criteria, sir! If you want to bet, rest assured that your money is guaranteed," he recited some commercial litany from memory.

Glax didn't like knowing that necromancers had a 'League'. That was a worrying degree of organization.

The Valosian bought seats in a VIP area, where he had a good view not only of the fight in the sand arena, but also of the audience. Lais could pick the snacks and drinks. They discovered with curiosity that all foods were vegetarian, and Glax wondered why.

Auxiliaries were cleaning the arena at that time, and Lais kept cursing her brother for bringing her to this horrible place.

"That pulp is… pieces of a human body! I can't believe it! Where are the gods who do not punish this atrocity? And how can you do this to me?!" She swung the food toward him, dramatizing as always.

"What are you talking about? Those fried eggplant skewers are fine. Eat while it's hot." Glax pretended not to understand, and gnawed at the vegetable on his skewer.

Someone approached too quickly and grabbed Lais' wrist while discreetly pointing a pistol at Glax.

"You come with me!" the commanding voice said to the teen girl.

Glax was going to use his power to turn back time for a more appropriately fast reaction, looking up at the newcomer.

"Ahh, Get off me... Uncle Laerte!" Lais exclaimed, first surprised and frightened, then happy.

Captain Laerte? There?! Glax also needed to talk to him and Malko, and he was grateful for the good fortune of finally finding him ashore. But, the Pharysian was aiming a gun at his stomach.

"Hey, uncle," he waved with his mouth full.

The captain of the Medea smiled slightly, staring at the man with a slice of eggplant in his mouth. "I'm sure she's not here willingly. She has a family… Glax?!?!" He blinked in surprise as he somehow recognized Glax. "Uh…" Glax spat out her food. "I'm glad you recognized me, Captain Laerte... And at the same time, how bad." Was it how he spoke or his Valosia accent?

The man who had known them since they were children put his gun away and sat down beside them. "For a moment I thought something really bad had happened to Lais."

"At least someone cares!" The girl pouted, glaring daggers at her brother.

"If you're talking about what she did to her face, I think it's temporary. Or rather, I vehemently hope for it." For the first time, the certainty that it was temporary was shaken, and Glax regretted choosing the face of Mors for himself.

"You said it was beautiful." The teenager was shocked at her big brother.

"I just didn't want you to take any longer," he shrugged.

"Oh?!!!" She snorted.

"I thought Lais had grown up too fast. But at least I could still recognize her. And it could only be a bad thing to find her here in the company of such a strange guy," Laerte commented.

"Uncle Laerte! He brought me to this filthy place!" Lais took advantage of the cue to some drama time.

"Calm down, li'l wasp. Glax, what's going on, anyway? And what are you two doing here? Where is Adrastos? Damn kiddo, what are you up to this time?! And before anything else," he lowered his voice, "what did you do to your face?"

Lais took the floor before her brother could gather air to reply.

"Let me see: Glax doesn't want to let me marry the Archigeos' son; he took me on a train ride that was attacked by giant armed 'robots'; he made me fly on a boat; then got in trouble with a goddess of Underworld and I was almost kidnapped, separated from my poor dear daddy… And now he brought me to this filthy place…"

"Sheesh, what a lie." Glax shook his head and crossed his arms, with a sigh.

"She's here, so the story has some truth in it..." Laerte pondered, patting the girl's hair paternally.

"Exaggerated. All of this happened, but that's not how she's talking. For now we are following divine guidance and we had to come here. Which might be convenient for some things I have to do. And that disguise is part of the plan. By the way, it's good to see you, Captain Laerte! I just didn't expect to find you here! Do you… come here often…?"

Laerte showed some embarrassment. "Oh well, it's a long story…"

Their attention shifted as the master of ceremonies announced the start of the next fight.

"Dear Patrons! This is one of the most expected fights of the week, after the challenge made right here! Spindharos "Ajax", 16 fights, 2 losses, 14 wins VEEEEERSUS Malko "Typhoon", the challenger with 3 wins!"

"Malko?!" Glax didn't know whether to look at the challengers' entrance into the arena or face Laerte with his question.

"Uh, there's a reason behind this. We find a necromancer has a Valya's Cauldron in his possession. Malko is trying to buy it from him... Even though he's a slave to the empire I…"

"I think I understand." Glax didn't want to let the soft heart of a man who looked so tough be exposed in words. "I didn't know what this artifact was until days ago."

"Ahh… the emperor ordered the removal of the cauldron that was installed in Medeia as soon as he received news about Sillabot. Looks like he finally remembered having it put in my ship. He also had Malko collected and… Malko ran away."

"Hmmmm... But he's here. I can assume you made it easy for him?"

"Don't go around saying such nonsense. We meet casually and I have no obligation to report him."

"Any explanation for the Emperor's act? Why did he go back on the vselys and Prometheans who are slaves to the empire?"

"Not. I just find it all very suspicious."

While they had this brief conversation, the two gladiators entered the arena, each coming from a corner. Malko was, like his countrymen, tall and slender, and he wore only a light tunic and a stick. He was less blue than Glax remembered. 

What would be the reason?

The other opponent was even taller than Malko, although still a human. He was a mountain of muscle, and he had a face completely slashed and stitched back together. Her purplish skin was heavily stitched too. 

Glax immediately thought of Frankenstein. Maybe 'Ajax' wasn't part of many people, but it was impossible not to know that he had been resurrected and brought to his feet after a very botched taxidermy job. Or maybe this was the result of repeated reconstructions. 

Ajax dressed the same way as Malko, but in different colors.

He really regretted bringing his sister to see that.

"That... Is there a soul in there?" he asked his family friend.

"I don't know, Glax." Laerte smoothed his beard. "But Malko is raising the money. This is one of the best revenant fighters in this arena."

"There must be another way to get the cauldron back," he commented. They watched as Malko looked for Laerte in the crowd with his eyes, and was surprised to see that he had company.

But the vselys in the arena had to look at his opponent quickly when the gong rang and the fight began.