Content warning: Descriptions of gore and violence, spider cruelty.

With Cavilon's assault on MyleHatsu ended, Pycena walks around the city to try to assess the damage. She orders the survivors to gather the bodies of the fallen soldiers and citizens and send them to HellWell to rest. The fire was a separate issue... but fortunately it didn't seem to cause any permanent damage. The buildings were slightly scorched, but the droplets and the mages guiding them did a fantastic job. The citizens didn't get affected too much either... Maybe because Mint's mastery over flame had protected them instead of scorching them to a crisp.

But while she walks she notices a poster on the side of a building that did not exist before...

"Revenge against Cavilon! See champion of the arena "Geiger the Slammer" smash apart minions of the false god! Watch out, it's about to get VIOLENT! This evening, only at the underground arena!"

"Cavilon's minions in the arena?" Pycena thought "The mercenaries must have sought the opportunity to capture a few after the bulk were wiped out."

Later that evening Pycena had sought out the arena. To her surprise the undercity was fairly well guarded, but the crowd of people at the arena was denser than everywhere else. Charged a hefty fee too. She would walk through the crowd as her citizens would recognize her. Despite the death glares, and her, at the time visibly short stature, the bouncers would let her pass to watch the show.

Gore and blood covered the arena. Loose white teeth glistening in the mycelium. The mushrooms visibly twisted by the cycle of violence feeding them. The crowd of people would be filled by Rotstalkers and regular citizens alike. The Rotstalkers had their visage obscured. Many would lurk in the direction of the arena, hungry for the carnage to begin. Some would watch inquisitively, seemingly trying to learn more rather than entertain themselves.

The announcer rang the bell and the crowd grew silent. Loud steps echoed across the arena. A large warrior. Visibly bulky and clad in iron armor. The stench from his was both visible and palpable; a decaying presence, in all senses of the word. He wielded a greathammer, one larger than the common varieties made at the city's armory. Twenty three notches etched into the hammerhead. And a spiked helmet, visibly bent and jagged in places.

He would walk forward as the crowd began to cheer. His breath reminded me of a raging bull.

Soon, the workers of the arena brought a cage to the other side of the arena. In it, a large amethyst spider, by human standarts. In reality it was more of a juvenile. After the container was brought the gates were shut and the two opponents were locked in.

The bell was rang once more and the crowd began to shout wildly as the fight started. As soon as the cage was opened the spider ran to the sides of the arena, hugging the walls desperately. The shouting of the crowd and the sight of his opponent was enough for the spider, on a primal level, understand that this wasn't a fair fight, but a predator toying with his prey. An execution.

Geiger would steadily close in, his hammer primed for a swing. The spider would attempt a desperate swing, only for The Slammer to headbutt the spider, his jagged spikes embedding deeply into several eyeballs at once. As the spider desperately, screaming and screeching trying to shred the armor Geiger would line up a strong punch and send him flying across the room into the wall.

The spider, injured and desperate, would begin to climb up the walls, and do so rather successfully, almost entering the upper bowl. But just as he did... he would get shot by a crossbow through the neck and land smack in the middle of the arena, flipped on its back and unable to get up.

Suddenly, the crowd began to scream in unison: