Dragoniers (Ongoing)

Darensville

Early the next morning they woke me up to go meet their friend. We had ended up staying at an Inn they've used many times before. Barely awake I got dressed and followed them out the door. Even this early there was still a commotion on the streets. There was a crowd of people cheering and it sounded like they might be egging on a fight.

We walked right past them and headed down an alley way. Probably not the safest place to be in a city like this. Thankfully we exited the alley and they took me to a run down looking bar. Once inside they walked up to the bartender and asked for a man named Rick and the bartender nodded his head. Tyson and Wallace led me around the bar and into the back.

They knocked twice on a door and then stepped in. A burley looking man put his cigarette out and motioned for us to come in. Once we did the door closed. Tyson and Wallace took the two seats opposite the man and I was left standing.

"What can I do for you gentlemen today? You boys don't show up around here very often. Who's the brat?" the man asked. I assume he must be Rick.

"We'll let the boy explain. We thought maybe you could help him out," Tyson said plainly and simply.

"Um, Hello. I'm Zion. Long story short I've been looking for my father who went missing over 3 years ago and my only lead has led me here. This is a picture of him," I said and gently laid the photo on his desk.

"I'm sure they've told you that my services don't come cheap. Can you pay?" he asked.

"Depends on how much you're asking," I mumbled.

"It's just to get intell and not to rescue or get involved so $1,000 should cover it," He said.

"I have $500 on me. I can find a way to get the rest," I said. He studied me carefully. Sighing he looked at Tyson and Wallace.

"$500 will do, since I don't know if I can really help much. With 3 years passed, the trail could be cold by now. So, I'll take the payment and I'll need you to tell me everything you can remember about his disappearance and whatever you can about how he came here," he said. I handed him the money and then explained everything I know right now.

"Okay, give me a few days. Hopefully I can at least find out what happened to him after he made it here. Again, I hope you don't expect much though. Also, I'll need to hold on to this picture. You can pick it back up when I'm done," he said.

"Thanks, I understand," I said and bowed respectfully. The three of us left after the conversation ended. "I'm sorry my coming along has been a burden to you both. I promise I'll find a way to pay you back," I said once we were outside.

"You haven't been a burden, Kid. You really did give him all your money though didn't you? You should've told him you had less then you actually had," Wallace said.

"Yeah, but if I went less I doubt he would've agreed to help me," I said. Truth is I do have $100 left stashed away. It's money I keep hidden Incase of emergency. Like if I get pickpocketed or unexpectedly need to buy or pay for something. I didn't want to rely on them, but if I get back safe from this trip I still have to pay that Inn Keeper from before and I still have to eat. So, I'm probably a bad person, but I'll have to rely on them the next few days.

"I suppose, he is a greedy man. The only reason he even agreed to the $500 was probably because we were there," Tyson said, "Anyways lets head to the arena, it'll be starting soon." Wallace agreed and I just followed them like a lost puppy.

They got our tickets and we headed inside. Arena huh? It's more like a coliseum. We sat down somewhere in the middle of the rows of seats and waited for it all to start.

As expected it wasn't all that interesting to watch people fight, but Wallace and Tyson seemed really into it and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. It was an agonizingly long after noon, but it finally ended for the day and we headed back to the Inn to get some food and then head to bed.

The second day was much of the same and then it was the final day of the event. After the two top contenders battle it out there will be an hour long intermission so they can get the field ready to bring out the dragon. I used that time to ask Wallace and Tyson about something.

"So how does the battle with the dragon work? Do they keep going until one of them is killed or until someone admits defeat?" I asked them.

"They have to hold their own against the dragon for 30 minutes. If one of them dies within that time the battle will automatically be over. If time runs out it'll be considered a draw. But yes, the human fighting can surrender if he thinks he can't do it. That would be considered a forfeit and a loss, so that doesn't happen too often," Wallace said, "You actually seem interested this time. Is it because you'll get to see a dragon fighting?"

"I've seen a few dragons already during my travels. I was just curious how it worked," I said.

"You were worried that the dragon would kill the man if the fight was to the death right? That would be too cruel even for the people in this town. Having someone fight to be the best and then throwing them to the beast to die anyway wouldn't be very sporting. Who would compete that way? It's their way of rewarding the winner by letting him show off his strength one more time," Wallace said.

"Well, I guess I'll understand better when I see it. Still how do they keep the dragon from getting away in an open arena like that one? I feel like chaining it down might be counter productive," I mumbled. Wallace just said it's hard to explain and that I'll see once we go back in.