Roland's clear excitement did not make Rowen feel any better about his current predicament. The criminal that seemed ever so excited to arrive at this blood filled arena got his wish as they group started making their way inside passing tall stone pillars that seemed to hold up the coliseum itself.
Just like many other parts of the town so far there were guards placed at every corner of the coliseum watching and making sure that nothing bad happened while they were on duty.
Rowen knew that even if he had an oppurtunity to escape he would be cut down within seconds if he tried to run.
As Rowen followed the knights through the coliseums tight middle passageway they came across a set of stone stairs that led deep underground. The prisoners one by one made their way down the stairs illuminated by torches both on their left and right until they reached the bottom revealing a large group of jail cells similar to the one they had been in as they were carried here but these weren't on wheels but stuck underground instead.
The sight of these cells brought an immediate frown to Rowen's face as a stench so foul he almost threw up hit his nose the further he walked into the massive room full of cages. The reason for this smell was close by in the furthest cell on the right.
A single person lay in the middle of the cell clearly dead or so Rowen thought until one of the knights poked the man with his sword, eliciting a sharp scream as the sword drew blood on this man's shoulder.
"You act dead one more time I will make sure it really happens." The knight that poked him snarled as he led the other prisoners to the left side cages.
At this point the knights sectioned into the different cages on the left side of the wall and began unchaining the prisoners one by one sticking different people into different cells. When it came time for Rowen to have his turn he was placed with both Roland and Bergiel alongside a few others as well.
Rowen was happy to be placed with Bergiel but not so excited to be placed with Roland. The psychopath did not help this fact since he kept staring at Rowen with a smile as they were placed in the small room.
"Don't worry too much about him he won't do anything as long as I am around." Bergiel whispered to Rowen as they sat down in the corner of their new home on the opposite side of where Roland was.
'What makes you so scary?' Rowen thought to himself as he stared at Bergiel. Sure Bergiel had all of the scars and strange cuts on his body but Roland wasn't even scared of the knights that had captured them which Rowen found to be much scarier.
"Thank you again. I am sorry that you had to stick up for me." Rowen apologized. In the short time they had known each other Bergiel had already covered for Rowen with both the knights and Roland.
"It's no problem you didn't seem to understand what was going on much less how to deal with a weirdo like him." Bergiel said with a smile that showed his somehow still perfect teeth.
Now that all of the prisoners had been placed in their different cells the knights all left the room leaving only two of them stationed just outside of the prisoner area.
Rowen felt like this was the perfect time to finally understand his situation a little more, "So the tournament that they were talking about outside was the Queen's Squire Tournament right?"
Bergiel stared at him for a moment before answering, "Yes, that is why they have all gathered us here. We are not truly meant to win the tournament we are here to be killed off legally." When Bergiel said the last part Rowen's face immediately contorted into a frown.
"Killed off legally? What would be the purpose in doing that for me or even you?" Rowen asked in confusion. If the knights simply wanted to burn his village down and leave no one to tell the tale they could have easily killed him when he was back at the village.
Instead, they had intentionally knocked him out and placed him in his current predicament. Which begged the question, why was he here?
"There is a real reason for me to be here but as for you I think they are bringing you as an easy sacrifice to one of the knight family's kids. It would make sense since you obviously have no idea how to wield a sword much less kill somebody in an environment like this." Bergiel said matter of factly.
The reason he was brought here was not because of some special reason or something that made Rowen special. They had just decided he was weak enough to be an easy target.
'Did they burn my entire village down for something so simple?' Rowen thought to himself as rage began boiling in his body. It was some of the most pure and unadulterated anger that he had ever felt in his entire life. He felt such anger that he believed he really could kill somebody unlike what they had assumed.
"I see you did not like that answer but that is just the truth. Now you need to figure out how to survive." Bergiel said bringing Rowen out of his mind of rage.
He had a point.
If Rowen was to find a way not only out of this situation but also to get revenge on those that had destroyed his village he needed to make it to the next day first.
"What do I do?" Rowen asked curiously.
However, before Bergiel could answer one of the knights voices rang throughout the cell, "Now introducing Queen Claire Rothersburg the new queen of Rothersburg!" As those words left the knights mouth Rowen didn't realize but this would be the moment he met someone he would never forget.