Auria

Chapter 12 - The Arena

The two cloned versions of Gen helped him step into the hall.  Auria jogged down the aisle, peeking into every open door.

“There you are.” she said.  “Glad to see you, today.”
“Why was I allowed to stay in there so long?” asked Gen.  “I haven't been able to train you.”
“Gen 238 is my Master now.”
“I'm your Master.” said Gen, pushing the two clones aside and standing freely, legs still shaking.  “You don't get to choose your Master.  That would be a disgrace to anyone being called Master.”
“You can Master all you want.  I choose my own Master and I chose Gen 238.  He knows all of your best secrets, anyway.”

She crossed arms and leaned against a wall in the hallway, looking to the other side.  Bare skin shown, muscles and lean physique stood out between brown panties and bra.  Her bottom lip stuck out, revealing a serious, but cute, demeanor.

“You can both be my Master, if you like.” she said.
“I am your Master.  You can't have two.”
“What does it matter anyway?” she asked.

Gen leaned against the wall beside her, vying for eye contact.

“Because, I will be able to see everything you see while in the Arena.  I will be inside your head telling you what to do.”

He poked a finger against her temple making her mouth open in protest.  She punched back, hitting Gen in the chest, realizing too late the damage he'd already suffered from her spear.

“I am so sorry.”
“Remember.” coughed Gen.  “When you are close to an opponent, use the gift and you should win your first tournament with ease.”
“I haven't been able to use the gift since you stabbed me in the chest with a spear.”

Gen turned a shade of pale white she'd never before seen.  He remained speechless for some time, deep within a realm of thought.  She laughed and patted Gen on the shoulder.

“You wanted me to lose, remember.”
“All fighters staging now.” came a voice from the hallway speaker.
“I suppose, this is goodbye.” said Auria.
“Not if I can help it.” whispered Gen.

Auria returned down the white, marble hallway toward a set of black double-doors.  The sky opened around her as the bulging black faded into dawn's amber-blue overtone.  She turned and kissed a hand, then waved it to Gen and the two clones.

“I love you.” she mouthed before leaving.

Master Gen ran in the other direction and turned left to continue along another empty hallway.  He missed an open door, stopped abruptly and fell, face-planting, collapsing on weak legs.  Bloody lipped, he slowly stood and casually walked into the room, seeing several aliens of every shape and size uttering indescribable sounds.  They donned gray helmets and meditated, eyes shut.

He found an empty helmet marked 'Gen' and pulled it over his head.  Closing eyes, he saw the Arena coming into view.  Areas bordered in red were closed for viewing, leaving only one place.  He zoomed in - using thought controls until he saw Auria jogging along a path and into a set of tall trees.

A blue outline formed around her, then pulled Gen closer as her face began to fill the screen.  The zooming camera went even farther, entering the skull, locked signals intermittently within her mind and sparks of energy began to flow.  A forest path came into view, bouncing up and down in each pounding step.

'This is Gen.  Are you alright.' he thought.
“Yes, I can hear you.” she said.
'You don't have to speak, only think.'
“Got it.” she said.
'Think.'
'I hear you, butt-hole.' she thought.
'Don't think so much.  Baby steps.  You are new to this.'
'I hear you.  I'm going to make a spear.'
'Make a spear and use camouflage.  Find water.' he thought.
'Water?'
'For an ambush.  Stop.'

She halted and side-stepped, leaning behind a tree-trunk.

'I thought I saw something.  Peek slowly.'
'Peeking slowly.'

A shadow passed from left to right on the ground.  Suddenly, a rock fell, hitting the tree beside her and bounced twice after a heavy thud.

'Shelter, find shelter.  Wings, it has wings.' thought Gen.
'Running.'
'Stay in the trees.  Use the trees and zig-zag.'

Auria ran, turning and passing around huge tree-trunks.  She watched for the shadow in every direction, yet knew to never look skyward.

'Stick, make a spear.  Stop and use it, set an ambush.'
'Well,' she thought, 'make up your mind.  What do I do?'
'Run.'

Loof quietly passed by the aisle where Gen sat and thought.  He heard Loof's voice and hobbled about the aisles to find him.

“Disqualify my fighter... and I wager to stay execution on my behalf.” screamed Gen.
“Denied.”
“Dammit, Sot.  Give me a good reason.”
'I can hear you.' thought Auria.
“They'll kill you, and me, and everyone here.” said Sot.
“Good enough.”
'I can still hear you.' she thought.

Gen closed eyes and saw through Auria's once more.  She'd found a brush pile and crawled beneath it.  The shadow passed overhead and touched down beside the pile of sticks and branches in a cloud of dust and shadows.

'Did 238 recon?' thought Gen.
'What's recon?'
'Do you know who you're fighting?'
'The Arena?'
'Dammit, find a spear.'
'I'm surrounded by spears, but I'm deep inside a pile of limbs.'
'Hold on.'

Gen began looking around the room until he noticed a rather large alien talking and moving its appendages.  He picked up a spare helmet and threw it across the room, hitting the large alien in the side of the head.  It turned around and huffed.  Gen rushed to close eyes and return into Auria's mind.

'I think I've just distracted your opponent's Master.  Attack, if you have a spear.'
'He's just standing there looking at me.  I don't think I can get close enough before he flies away again.'

Gen noticed the gray, scaly bird-man in the distance.  He appeared to be too afraid to come near Auria, and kept looking everywhere else.  Long, slender wings flowed along the ground behind the bird.  A narrow, brown beak hung from its face to its abdomen, appearing very sharp and dangerous.

'Sorry, I am late,' came another thought.  'I've never done this before.'
'238? is that you?' she thought.
'Yes.'
'Stay out of this mind-cast.  This is Gen.'
'I am Master Gen, 238.'
'I am the Master Gen.  Remove the Helmet and slowly back away.'

Master Gen opened eyes and scanned the room, seeing the clone 238 several paces to his right.  He proceeded to pick up another helmet and throw it when a helmet struck him in the side of the head.  A large alien across the room bellowed loudly, closed eyes and resumed its duties.  Gen fell to the floor, unconscious.

'Gen?' thought Auria.  'What just happened?'
'I don't know.' thought 238.  'I'm here if you need me.'
'Don't leave me, either of you.  Gen, are you alright?'

No reply, only silence.