I was startled and relieved at the same time. With his olive-green hooded poncho and brown leather hunter's outfit, no better person for a stealth operation could have aided me at this time.
"So, what, Rex? You following me or what?" I asked again.
"Nah, dude… I got word from my team that something off was happening in the crowd up in the colosseum. After they reported it, I saw a shadow in the hallway and decided to check it out. Next thing I knew, I was on your tail… that wasn't you, was it?" he said in a quiet, amused whisper.
"Of course not. I was gonna ask you the same thing. What's happening up top?"
"Not sure… but some people who left didn't come back to their seats… It's not a huge case. Perhaps they left and will come back, or some left and just went home… either way, it's happening all too suddenly, and at odd times. But why would you go home so early in the Tournament after landing a seat that costs an arm and a leg to get? Math isn't mathing…"
"You think it has anything to do with this shadow we saw?"
"Maybe… That's why I was gonna find out for myself."
"My thoughts exactly," I replied.
"Say less, then. Let's go check it out!"
"It's okay for me, but what if your name gets called in for the next match?" I asked.
"It's chill, bro! If that happens, I'll speedy my way up! Plus, I have my subordinates in the loop!" he replied as he pointed to an earpiece he had.
Stealth was his specialty—as it was for the Green Owl Knights. It's no wonder he responded just as quickly, if not quicker than I did. He was right on the shadow's tail if he hadn't run into me first.
"In fact, though I am participating in this tournament, I'm also part of security. Well, my Guild is… but they all know how I am, hehe…"
"And what's that? Incapable of staying in one place? Obnoxiously talkative? You're gonna have to be more specific."
"No, you ass! Well… when you put it that way, it sounds less cool than it had seemed in my head… but anyway, you couldn't stay put either! So, we're both incompetent!" He paused and thought about what I had just said. "And who are you calling obnoxiously talkative, huh, Dweeb!?"
"Incompetent's not the word I'd use in my situation… Come on, we're wasting time." I disregarded him.
"Hey! Answer me!—" Then, almost as if he was bipolar, he switched topics. "Hey, in the event that, whatever that thing is, it's something I can't beat… at least I got someone with me who can! Thing's 'bout to catch a fade, amaright?"
"I swear I can never keep up with your slang… Why do you talk like that?"
"Like what? Six-seven?"
"The fuck?"
"Six-seven, yo."
"What the fuck does that even mean?" I sighed. "Keeper… spare my brain from this rot."
We bantered quietly as we continued to head in the direction of the shadow.
The hallways of the place were dimly lit. The colosseum was old but kept alive; its traditional structures were not tampered with over the years. Much like the underground area where I had fought Daz. Only torches, spaced a few feet apart, lit the hall. But as we descended deeper and deeper into the colosseum, the stone floors and walls seemed to get even darker. It was as if each of the torches that were evenly spread out were getting further and further away from each other… It was like a part of an underground network that no one had ever set foot in… ever.
"Shit," Rex said. Even his whispers made an echo.
"What is it?"
"My earpiece is getting static. The further we go, the less signal I'm receiving."
"That's not good… I knew you should have turned back."
"No way, yo… I'm seeing this through… but, um…" Rex looked at me with a concerned look on his face.
"You wouldn't happen to know the way back, would you?"
I gave him a blank stare…
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me… you're supposed to be the stealth guy… You didn't mark the area?"
"Of course I did! See that mark?" He pointed to a cursive X carving he had made without my knowledge. "We've passed this same mark almost three times now…"
I pondered hard on what he said, then told him, "Flip a coin."
"Huh?"
"Just do it, airhead—and use your magic."
He threw a coin into the air, and as it went up, it flew backward into the darkness with the assistance of his magic; we both stared at it from behind as it sailed off. Then, in a few seconds, from in front of us, I heard a whirring like that of a similar object…
Then, as if it was flying back to us from the opposite direction… Fwoom! Snatch… Rex caught it in his palm. It was the same coin he tossed…
"Fuck," we both said.
When we faced back in the direction we were heading, we immediately knew what was going on.
"Illusion magic," we unanimously deduced.
"Or… something like that," Rex added.
We then heard footsteps in the distance.
It was the only sound that filled the silence as we both anticipated it.
Closer and closer it got—the echoes seemed to come from both sides of us.
Was this an ambush? Who was behind this?
Then, as the footsteps seemed to grow closer, we saw—at the far end of the long hallway—the shadowy figure of a man.
"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Rex shouted. They were masking their presence.
As the male figure stepped into the light cast by the one lit torch in the place, his face came into view. I knew who it was at first glance. Those deep, crimson eyes and brown, fixed—yet messy—hair like a combover were unmistakable. He had on a white robe with gold accents that opened down the middle, revealing his full-set black suit underneath.
"Well, it's good to see you again, Acting Captain Greed," the Vice Chairman of the Valley Magistral Parliament, Alphonzo, announced.
I wasn't sure how to feel, given our last exchange hadn't exactly been the most cordial.
"I'd say, 'likewise,' but first, I'd like to follow up on Rex's question. If you don't mind, Al," I replied.
"Right. Rex, why don't you fill him in then?" Alphonzo gestured.
I raised a brow, glancing over to Rex sidelong.
"My bad, Alphonse, thought you were someone, or something, else…" he replied, calling him by his own nickname.
"Care to explain, Rex?"
He perked and gave me a nervous laugh. "So, you know how the Green Owls are part of the security of this year's Tournament? Well, Alphonse here and his subordinate are on patrol as well, but as an outside resource. They are here as a secondary party to investigate something while the Tournament goes on. I just didn't expect to run into them, is all."
"Them?" I asked.
"Ah, yes, you haven't yet met, have you?" Alphonzo butt in as he went on, "Actually, you have, but not in this manner…"
As he said this, another figure walked up from behind me. His features were shadowed; the only thing I saw were his dim gray eyes, which appeared to droop even within the shadow he slithered out of.
When he finally came into view, my instincts kicked in, and I didn't even speak. In a blink, I was over to his face with a fist just inches away to his right eye.
"Good to see you again, too… Black Wolves Acting Captain," his lazy voice spoke in response to my violent action.
"Feeling's not mutual, Henza," I replied, tone hostile.
He didn't even flinch. I'll give him that… Or perhaps, he wanted me to hit him…
"G-G-Greed! What are you doing!?" Rex shouted.
"The fuck you think? Eliminating the threat."
"Is that so? Then why halt your strike just now?" Henza playfully asked.
I had gone with the intent to land this punch; however, when I looked to the ground, I saw my leg wrapped in a thick chain that seemed to have protruded from Alphonzo's shadow. The only other type of magic that seemed to counter or get through my ability. Was he using Tantra, too—just like Daz?
"Why'd you stop me, Al?" I asked with a hint of scorn.
He met me with that same hard, blank stare I had known him for. And he took his time to answer, looking like a fucking zombie as he said,
"Because I would appreciate it if you didn't attack my subordinate."