A Colosseum, large enough to house a small suburb on Earth, sat on hundreds of acres of land, stretching so far that the normal human eye couldn’t capture its entire size in just one position.
To put the building into a more fathomable scale, it would take a human approximately a full day of walking to circumnavigate around it...from the outside at least. And that was if one wasn’t taking into account the insides of said facility.
Mostly made from a gray metal alloy, the building shone with a Scrap Punk-like aesthetic, making it resemble something close to a fantasy movie. Its meticulously complicated designs, shapes, and details further enhanced this look; that and also its mega structural size.
’What the hell are they going to make me do this time?’ standing at the entrance of a large field with a large, arched gateway on her back was Cherry Underwood, the newly ranked Crimson Knight.
Oddly, the young woman was escorted to the field by Cyclitharan soldiers who, by the Grand Duke’s orders, were instructed to leave her alone on the field for her to "demonstrate" something. What something? She didn’t know yet but was soon about to find out.
"What exactly...are you going to have me do?" since not many understood what Cherry was saying, Lilly took it upon herself to translate to her best which led her, Cherry, and the Grand Duke to conversate a little.
"WE ARE GLAD YOU ASKED, HUMAN," Lilly, translating the Cyclitharan’s words, made sure to capture his enthusiasm while she too shouted into an audio-amplifying mechanism. "I, THE GRAND DUKE, WAS ESPECIALLY AMAZED AND AT THE SAME TIME TERRIFIED AT THAT STUNT YOUR TWO SUPERIORS....
"...PULLED OFF EARLIER. IF IT WEREN’T FOR YOUR ABILITY, I WOULD BE DEAD AND MY PEOPLE WOULD BE GOING TO WAR WITH THE GRANIANS." He laughed while glaring at the two higher-up Granians standing by his sides. "YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED BUT WE CYCLITHARANS ARE EXTREMELY CURIOUS INDIVIDUALS. OUR CURIOSITY HAS DRIVEN US TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THINGS AND HAS ALSO LED US TO DISCOVER, SEE, FEEL, AND EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THINGS BUT NONE CAME EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT YOU JUST DID.
"I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT EVEN THOUGH IT FELT LIKE MY LIFE WAS ABOUT TO END. FOR THAT REASON, I ASKED YOUR LORDS TO PERMIT ME TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO. I DESIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR SPECIAL...SKILL SETS. SO PLEASE, SHOW US WHAT YOU HAVE."
While standing still on the field, Cherry tried her best to pinpoint the Grand Duke’s location in the ridiculously large and spacious amphitheater. She wanted to see what type of look this being had while demanding her to "show her abilities" against her will.
This, of course, started to agitate Cherry who didn’t feel like doing as the Grand Duke commanded. She wasn’t some type of machine that would do as told 24/7. She was human and could withhold who she wanted to show her abilities to. Although.... Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝘯𝘦𝘵
’Despite this proud guy’s demands...this can be a good time for me to try out what this Crimson Knight rank can do.’
Curiosity, the same behavior encircling the Grand Duke, found its way to Cherry who also wanted to see what she could do. Ironically, the girl wasn’t fully aware of her Blood Abilities and Skills in this new rank.
It had barely been more than a day since she got it but already her body felt stronger, her power felt more incredible, and her strength...well that was up to her to find out.
"What...what exactly do you have in mind?" Cherry spoke out loud, wondering how those present were able to hear her. "Do you just want me to drain blood or..."
"There’s more?" some of the Cyclitharan officials who were present in the Council Chambers murmured amongst each other and just like their Grand Duke, they too became curious and expectant of what else this pink-fleshed binocular-vision creature could do.
"I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED!!" Lilly, translating the Cyclitharan’s words, clapped her hands and together with the others, and Cherry, watched as all the gates in the Colosseum leading to the field shut almost instantly.
The loud sounds of thick, impenetrable steel slamming into the ground boomed across the spacious rooms within the Colosseum, followed by a gentle shockwave traveling with clouds of dust rising slightly.
All the doors, except one, were closed and the one door was the one directly in front of Cherry even though she couldn’t see it clearly.
Instead of remaining in one place, the Crimson Knight walked towards the center. Navigating her way through the field gave Cherry an idea of what this place was used for and why it was so large.
Thousands of bones, rotting carcasses, carnivorous animals, and piles of crushed skulls were scattered all over. Not to forget the volumes of dried blood stains on the sand and the walls.
The field, not entirely plain, had a few mounds, upward extensions, and holes with the bodies of victims who were hiding—more specifically trying to hide—from whatever or whomever it was that was responsible for all these bones.
One particular skeletal frame that shocked Cherry belonged to a Cyclitharan who was in a crawling position with one hand stretched out and the rest of its lower body crushed. All the bones starting below its mid-section were crushed into thousands of tiny pieces, showing that this victim was running away from something large.
"This Colosseum is quite the structure," Grim, choosing to stand while the Grand Duke and Lord Gravax remained seated. "Quite large."
"And expensive to build," the Grand Duke chuckled while pressing his thumb on top of his fingers in a fisted pose. On his fingers were rings with expensive stones that he liked to rub occasionally. "The structure was inspired by one of the cultures we house.
"If I may ask," Grim asked a more important question, one that was sparked by his worry for the Blood Mutant," why is this Colosseum so large? We both know that you don’t intend for the locals to come and watch, right?"
"To house some of our largest beasts of course." The Grand Duke, the same person who scoffed at the Granians and their "use of beasts", grinned as the gate directly in front of Cherry opened even wider, followed by the heavy thuds and steps of a leviathan shook the foundations of the Colosseum.