A buzzing in his pocket drew a young man's attention. He was at a crosswalk, the whirring of engines and the smell of fumes filling the air. He pulled out his phone, and groaned as he looked at the Caller ID.
He answered the call and put his phone to his ear. "Hey sis..." He said flatly, preparing himself for what she was about to ask him. "John, where are you right now?" She asked him accusingly. He ran his free hand through his jet black, messy hair. "Uh... at the movies." He said cautiously, though that didn't help him at all.
"You lying little shit! I thought we agreed we'd go see that movie together!" She yelled at him, and John took it acceptingly. "Sorry, but it's been three weeks! The movie isn't even gonna be in theaters soon!"
"We were going to watch it today! It was supposed to be a surprise." Now, John looked down at his shoes. "Of fucking course I'd break on the day we were going." He muttered quietly.
"Okay, but hey, you can still watch the movie, and I'll just keep quiet while you watch." By the angry silence, he knew that deal was going to shit already.
"... I'll buy the snacks..." He accepted his punishment reluctantly, though his sister seemed less pissed by that. "You better. And I'm getting popcorn and hotdogs."
"The hell you are! You're just getting that because it's the most expensive thing they have!" He yelled at his phone, which caused some passerby to look at him weirdly. "That's the point. See you back home in thirty!" He looked at his phone to see she immediately hung up on him.
"Fucking hell." He said somberly as he tried to make peace with the eventual emptiness of his wallet. He looked back at the crosswalk sign to see it turn green. He walked over to the other side of the street, when he felt the world slow around him. He was frozen mid-step, and he couldn't move his body. He began to breathe quickly as he tried to calm himself down. He'd felt something that this happen when a kid tried throwing a rock at him. He blocked it, and then the world returned to normal speed. So, what was the rock for this?
He found he was breathing evenly now that he had something to think about. Then, a thunderous voice exploded within his mind.
"Ah, I've found you. My new Champion." A pain crawled underneath the skin of John's neck as the voice boomed. "Well, 'its time for you to be dragged here. Become my perfect weapon, and slay humanity." Suddenly, the sounds of modern life came flooding back in. The whirring of engines filled his ears, and exhaust slashed at his lungs. Then, a noise filled his mind with complete terror. A terror that only appeared when you knew what was about to transpire.
A trucks honk flooded his senses, and he didn't need to turn back to imagine the giant truck zooming at him. Then, he felt the truck crash into him, and he felt more pain than he was ever supposed to feel. He felt as if his entire body was vibrating with the strike the hunk of metal hit him with. The pain brought tears to his eyes, and he felt unconsciousness trying to drag his mind off to darkness. He bolted towards that darkness, to escape the pain. To escape the fear as he felt his body losing life. His cowardice drove him towards the darkness. And that darkness became his cage.
****
When John approached consciousness, he felt no pain. He didn't feel any warmth nor tiredness in his body either. So, when he opened his eyes, he didn't know what he expected to see. But loads of gray stone and black bars were not anywhere on his list. He quickly brought himself upright and to the bars on his apparent cage. The only thing he could see from his cage were more cages in a long hallway. And the other prisoners within. The ones he could see all had skin the color of lava, and obsidian black hair. Their eyes were a dark orange, on the verge of brown. All in all, he didn't need heating to begin to sweat when he had what were the living embodiment of volcanoes.
When he opened his mouth to try and speak, a pain seared it's way to his brain from his throat. It made his eyes water, but he held back the tears. He then looked closely at the black rods keeping him in the cage. His reflection showed he was wearing some woolen clothes and leather shoes. But what caught his eyes the most was the dark purple sprawling writing on his neck. Just looking at it gave him goosebumps, and he rubbed his hand along his neck. It gave his a bit of pain, but after taking a truck to the spine, he could handle the pain. And it was also rapidly fading, though it was replaced by an itch in the back of his skull.
Suddenly, someone was in front of his cage. She had the same searing red skin and striking black hair as the other prisoners, but the way she carried herself was a sharp contrast. The others were slumped over, eyes staring unendingly at the ground before them, the despair they felt was palpable. She emitted pride and confidence, looking straight ahead just like a predator. She instantly had John's respect.
And a few seconds later, she also had his neck. A ripple had appeared around her that faintly gave of color. Then, afterwards he was pinned against the wall, being chocked out by some random woman he had never met. He really wanted to make a choking joke, but he didn't want to waste valuable oxygen on a dumb joke. And then she looked straight into his eyes, his pupils inseparable from his iris. He began to gasp under her iron grip, and he tried to grab at her wrist to wrench it away. It didn't budge at all. He could feel the bones in his neck begin to give in against her superhuman strength. Saliva began to drip from his mouth as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped forwards against her hand.
She said nothing as she slowly released her grip on his throat. Then, she blocked against a kick to her side with her forearm. John cursed as his leg was grabbed and he was tossed into the other cell wall. He did his best to protect his skull form the collision, but the scary lava lady got to him first and she slammed him against the wall once more, although this time he could breath. He was all out of smart ideas to use against the Wonder Woman from Hell, so he just leaned against the wall as she looked him over once more.
"Hmm. Deceptive, good reactions, and has a defiant look in his eye. A dagger will be your best chance at survival. Now, sleep." At the mere mention of rest, his entire consciousness caved in and he was asleep in less than a moment.
****
John woke up in another cage. Though, he still felt the sting of that she-demon's attack. He'd live though.
That thought was dashed in an instant once he realized what was beyond the bars of this new cage. Stone walls, caked in blood that had scratches that looked a lot like the terrified scrambling of someone about to be murdered. At the exact opposite of his cage was another, though it was too far away to make out what or who could possibly be inside it. And some upward glances showed that there were more lava people than the ones in the jails. And he could feel their excitement from inside his cage that was probably going to hold the last peaceful moments of his life.
John could feel his heartbeat in his fingertips as he began to look around the cage. The woman earlier said something about a dagger earlier. Maybe there was one hidden the room. But, some quick glances told him that the cage was suspiciously well lit, and that there wasn't a damn thing in there that wasn't stone. John sat down in defeat, and began to clutch at his shirt right above his heart. It was a nervous habit he picked up that wouldn't leave him alone. He tried to make his breathing even, but it quickly got out of his control as he clutched his shirt tighter.
'Is this a panic attack? Am I having a panic attack right now?!' He thought as he desperately searched his mind for his usual calm demeanor. He couldn't find any calm, but what he did find was a good alternative. Resolve.
'No. No, I'm not going to fucking die from a heart attack right before a gladiator fight. That's fucking bullshit.' He thought vividly as he forced his nervousness and fear into something he could use. 'If I'm going to die today, I want to die with at least a little dignity. If I must die, I will die how I see fit. And nothing will stop me, not even myself.' He breathed in slowly, grit his teeth, and stood upright. He walked to the iron bars, and stood with all the false confidence he could muster.
"Well, looks like both warriors are ready now!" A voice said enthusiastically. John couldn't tell where it was coming from, but he shrugged it off. He felt like a cow about to be slaughtered; resigned to his fate. He didn't care about the obvious magic being used. As the announcer began talking, the iron bars began to retract from his bars. John stepped out, to be hyped up by a stranger.
"In the Western Gate comes a new challenger. But don't look down on his scrawny form for even a second. He is the Demon Lord Akku's chosen warrior, from a realm of extraordinary combatants! He is the new Champion Of Demons!" Unenthusiastic applause rained down on his eardrums. 'Champion of Demons? Ooohhh, So that's what you guys are.' John realized as the applauses died out.
"And in the Eastern Gate comes our reigning victor of the Slave Duels! A Titan of an Orc, with impossible strength and a sword that cuts through everything! We have Luke, The Green Goliath!" The crowd gave Luke a standing ovation, with whistling and cheering all around. And John saw the beastly creature walk out of his cage, and his mouth went agape. He had bowling balls for shoulders, and his muscles rippled underneath his skin. John half expected his skin to tear from the mass of pure, untamed muscle under the surface. And he had a deep olive complexion, with ears shaped like hunting knives. But his giant sword drew John's attention completely. He held up what looked like a giant clump of blue metal with the most defined edge he'd ever seen. And when he tried to hype up the crowd even more, he swung the sword so hard John felt the gust from the other side of the arena.
"God, why do I have to be killed by a giant meat cleaver?" He asked sarcastically, when the applause suddenly stopped. And the itch returned to his skull, although this time there was an added pressure to the air. John glanced to the side to see someone he immediately identified as the Demon Lord Akku.
His charcoal skin gave off wisps of pure darkness, and what didn't evaporate in the light looked the exact same as the darkness he gave off. He wore a long, elegant cape of gray fabric, and even from all the way down in the arena, John could feel his yellow eyes burying themselves in his skull. The distance and the constant emitting darkness made it hard to make out any other details about him, but he was already intimidating enough.
The demons up in the stands had all bowed forward, staring straight at their feet. "All hail Akku! God of Darkness and Sin! Master of Illusions! Lord of Demons!" The salute was waved off, and they were given permission to rise.
"Alright, My Champion." His booming voice pierced John's ears, though he was already used to the auditorial abuse by this point. "Your first challenge. Defeat this Orc, and claim you place as my weapon. Ah, and here is the dagger you were so desperately searching for." Akku moved his arm a bit and before John knew it, he had caught a flying piece of shadow that had been aimed at his neck. He was stunned at his own reflexes, and he turned the dagger over in his hand. It was made of the same black iron as the bars, and was double-edged. He held the dagger's leather hilt and assumed a natural stance in front of the Orc.
"Now..... FIGHT!" The announcer ordered the two combatants. John looked at the Orc, and saw his lack of movement. He was waiting for him to make the first move.
"Uh, hey.... Luke? Why don't we not fi-" John tried to reason with his opponent, but he suddenly kicked off the ground and slashed at his position. The dagger-wielder quickly dodged the strike, but was surprised with the second slash at his side. He had expected the Orc would send his sword straight into the stone, not perfectly adjust for John's speed. So, he quickly kicked out his own ankle with his right foot as he sent himself toppling to the ground. He felt the blade graze his arm, when suddenly the Orc kicked him in the gut before he could reach the ground. John heaved the little that remained in his stomach as he went tumbling into the stone wall behind him.
Luke had a crooked grin on his face, showing his jagged teeth at the human struggling to breathe. "Wow, So you're from the 'Ultimate Warrior Dimension' I've heard so much about? Hell, you can't even take a kick."
John gathered his strength, and went for a mad dash at the Orc. 'If I could catch him off guard-'
Everything slowed down as John saw the sword rocket towards his undefended side. His eyes widened and he felt death's scythe prick his neck. It an instinctive move, he tried to block the blow with his arm, and light flashed in the corner of his eyes. A deep but narrow cut formed on his side as he was sent hurdling to yet another wall. He felt burning pain in his side, the kind that increased exponentially over time. As he struggled back up, blood began to spurt out of his side. Even if he somehow defended from most of the giant Buster Sword's cutting edge, the mere force seemed to crack one of his ribs.
All in all, he was fucked. But, he stood again before his extremely sadistic opponent. "Wow kid, I didn't expect a Mage to be able to take most of Slicer's attack." Slicer obviously referring to the sword currently dripping with John's blood. "But, how about I put it into terms a Mage can understand. Slicer is enchanted with Separate. So, it can cut through mana." John's eyes lit up a bit, but the light died in an instant as Luke raised the blade once more.
"So, why don't you act like the warrior you pretend to be, and die with honor!" He yelled as he went to swing the blade once more, and John could see it would cut straight through his torso. He felt all Hope drain from his body as he watched the blade slowly arc at him. Time was slowing almost as much as it had back on the crosswalk.
'Guess it's time to die with honor, huh?' He thought as he sighed. He expected to feel more at ease with his death. But, he tightened his grip on his dagger. Something was eating at him right as he was supposed to die. And he soon realized what it was. It was his survival instinct. He grit his teeth as he whispered a curse. Then, he went to stab straight at the center of Slicer's edge.
"Except I don't give a shit about honor!" He yelled in response as the blue and black metals clashed. And as they did, John could see light being emitted from Slicer. But, he whispered a simple word that changed everything. "Gather."
As he said the word, he could see lights coming from all over the arena converging where his dagger met Luke's sword. And, as he looked back at Luke, something clicked in his mind. He wasn't going to die peacefully. If he dies, he's taking his killer with him. Even if he has the most inhumane tactics, he'll struggle on. Because that's what it means to survive.
As he reached that conclusion, the light show finally ended with Slicer being shattered upon contact with John's dagger. And he saw the secret to Luke's amazing slashing speed in the shattered remains of his sword. The fact that it was made mostly hollow.
The Mage immediately pressed his advantage, and quickly slashed at Luke's side, creating distance after the attack. Luke, having lost his main advantage, turned and tried to swing at John. He ducked and countered with a dagger into his side. And after that, he began to attacked like a wild animal. No attempted attack met the agile target, and each attempt was paid back in kind. But then John severed the Orc's Achilles Tendon, the muscle near your heel. Luke fell like a house of cars, and John looked over him as he began to plead for his life, while laying on his back like a flipped crab.
"P-please don't kill me..." The Goliath begged him, which John laughed at. It was cold and sharp, like a knife's edge. "Fine. Just scream out for forgiveness, about how you'll give your life to me and how sorry you are for all that you've done." Luke hesitated, then complied. He began to scream what John assumed was an apology, but before the Orc said anything decipherable, the human plunged his dagger straight into his throat.
"Sorry, I just wanted you to expose your neck." The Orc looked at him with shiny eyes. He didn't want to feel bad for doing what Luke had planned for him, so the Mage just twisted the dagger violently, ending his life. He then turned towards the apparent God and raised his bloodied blade into the air.
"For the glory of Akku!" He forced as much loyalty into that shout as he could. Apparently, it fooled most of the Demons, and they all cheered for his victory. Akku smirked at him from above, and raised a single hand for silence.
"Fantastic battle, My Champion. For such an overwhelming display of strength and bloodlust, I bestow upon you a gift, and a name. From now on, you shall have the name of the kind you fight for. But first, you must receive a gift."
Suddenly, he was behind John and turned him around with a tug of the shoulder. He also subtly pushed him down, which John took as his queue to bow, which he did. "Now, Champion, which sin do you wish to receive?" He asked, which sent a curve to how John imagined it all going down. He thought for a while, then answered. "Greed." He imagined it would be an ability to steal anything he could see. It could be useful for his eventual escape. He could feel a cold finger on his neck, exactly above his throat, in one of the many blank spaces John's tattoo held.
He felt nothing, but Akku removed his finger which told him that the whole 'gift' thing was bullshit. Then, he felt a huge icy palm be placed on his forehead.
"Now, you have received my gift. And thus it is time for you to rest. Now, Azoth, sleep." John quickly fell asleep, his consciousness snapping shut. And Azoth would awake the next day to take his place.
[Hello! I'm the guy who's really bad at writing. That's why I'm an Amateur. In any case, you already know everything about this being a Remake/Remaster of the story I barely knew how to handle. So, I ask for a chance to do my absolute best in this story. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next chapter. Oh, and for the ones who came from the original, lots of one off characters are going to appear more in this story. So, look forward to it.]