Gods of Arena
Infiltration

The soldiers rushed down to the bleachers, ushering the Larger Figures out of the Arena. The fighters ran back into the hall, emptying the arena, quickly. The thunder rumbled, making the devastating attack a lot more dramatic.... The Arena wasn't so empty after all. Kabir's bloodied carcass laid there in the sand, getting beaten up by the heavy droplets of rain.

King glanced back at the burning seats, as they all exited. There was no way the enemies had attacked from the outside without raising suspicions. King's instincts rarely failed to give the right hints. He was almost sure someone had infiltrated and the attack was from the inside.... Or the attack is from the outside but someone is helping them from the inside. His eyes fell on an open space that had been created by the bomb. He stared closer. He could see a familiar symbol and he could feel a volcanic anger about to erupt. That feeling only came whenever he sighted the logo of an opposing Arena. "Grimm", he muttered.

He could hear the sirens blaring through the speakers. Everyone else could hear it too. He stared into the passage. He could see the narrow path and the soldiers moving around quickly. There was panic in the air. The lights turned red, blinking consistently in the hall and out there in the passage.

"What do you think that is?", Romeo asked.

"I think we are under attack", Kang muttered. Ana had once told him about it when she needed Crane to be prepared for it.

"Who's attacking who?", Romeo muttered, confusedly. "If they are going to bring down the arena, it should happens soon enough. I want to see the outside"

Kang glanced at him and swallowed. He was going to tell him just what he had heard from Ana's uncle but, surely, that would lead to a series of questions. The last time he checked, he and Ana should never have had any private meetings. Ana made that clear. "We don't know what's there. We really should be careful what we hope for", he replied and dipped his hand in his pocket.

Romeo turned. "Whatever happens, it should meet me on the bed", he said and yawned, as he walked away. Kang moved his hand in his pocket. There was something in there. He pulled it out slowly, trying to recollect how it got in his pocket. It was a small knife.

"Oh", he muttered, glancing at the pocket knife in his hand. He had taken it when he walked into the Arena. He didn't get to use it though. He dipped it back in his pocket. A hand grabbed his hand swiftly. "Come on. Let's get in the room", Gandhi said.

Kang glanced at him, turning his head back to the passage immediately. His eyes had caught an image down the narrow path. It wasn't clear but he was damn sure he had seen that exact image before. He stared attentively, taking a step closer.

"Come on!", Gandhi said, pulling his arm again.

"Let go!", Kang howled, throwing his arm out at Gandhi, with his fist still clenching on the knife in his pocket.

The knife slashed across Gandhi's throat, spilling blood all over the ground. "Oh my- ! Fuck! What have I done?", Kang muttered, quickly, staring back at Gandhi with horror written on his face.

Gandhi held his neck, gasping for breath. Kang could see a small bubble of blood explode from the hole in Gandhi's neck, as blood squirted out. Gandhi was going to die... and he would be the killer.

He stared back in the passage, as Gandhi's body dropped on the ground. The image was still there, seemingly blurred. He could see a huge man, dressed in red robes, with his rough long hair almost reaching his waist. The man turned slowly and faced Kang.

Kang couldn't see clearly. He could sense there was a message in what he saw, though he wasn't sure. He stepped closer, staring back at the man that stared at him. There was a striking resemblance with someone he knew... someone from the dream. The full beards didn't give Kang a clear view but the man sure looked like someone he had already met.

King walked through the passage. Kang stepped back, immediately, almost falling down. The contrast was so sharp that it almost seemed like he had been hallucinating.... Or maybe he was. The passage was as dark as it always was and there was no man standing there. King glanced at the body on the ground with a look of both disappointment and indifference.

"I swear it was a mistake", Kang said, as he looked down at Gandhi's body. For a second, he almost thought that was also a part of the illusion. He just realized what he had done. He was a murderer.

King sighed. "Cuff him", he said and turned his back. The soldiers walked up to Kang and seized him. They cuffed his hands and pulled him roughly through the passage, following King closely.

"I swear I didn't intend to do it", Kang said, crying. He kept his face down, hiding his guilt. For a second, he wished he could snap his neck. He tugged at his tied hands behind the chair he sat on. He wasn't going to do that anyway. There was no way he would kill himself for it. "I- I'm a murderer"

"Hey, listen. We need you now so you'll have to put that aside"

"Uh?", Kang muttered silently, looking up at King. They probably hadn't arrested him for murder.

"He would have died on the field, anyway. It's the same way you killed Brolly on the Arena"

"That was different. We were competing"

King laughed. "No, Kang... You might call the others monsters for killing others outside the Arena but it's the same soul you take in and out of that field... no difference. I am a monster. Killing that fighter doesn't make you a monster.... You've been a monster since you were created to battle", King said. His look changed and he was a lot more serious again. "We are under attack. I'm guessing you know that already" Kang nodded. "Yes"

"I need your help... what do you call your Shin Zhu again?"

"I don't know", Kang muttered. "I can't do anything. It just happens"

King gaped and leaned back for a second. Obviously, he was hoping for a better and more confident response. "Alright. I have noticed you always win. I need you to win this one", King said and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "I don't trust any of the people I work with anymore. There are infiltrators amidst us already so I will check on the Other Side-"

"The Other Side. What's the Other Side?"

"The hidden Dergon Arena. I will be taking Queen with me and she will be staying there while I return to take care of this mess", King said. "There is someone in here with us and you need to find who it is"

"How am I supposed to do that from the hall when the infiltrator has to be among the Larger Figures?"

"Someone I trust so little claims this is a long scheme orchestrated by fate. I don't trust him but I won't ignore the hint", King said. "The enemy could be anyone. It could be a fighter and it could be a Larger Figure... which is why I'm giving you the strap"

King handed the strap to him. 'Oops. Should I tell him I already have one with me?', he thought.

"Don't give it to anyone. Any fighter caught with the gold strap or a gun will be executed or detained", King said and stood up. "I'm trusting you with this, Blank. Don't let me down".

******

"Yea... and he wants me to do the investigation", Kang said, staring into Dan's eyes.

Dan laughed. "Come on, come on. Enough with that"

"I'm serious, alright?", Kang added. "I don't even know where to start from"

"Okay. That's a big responsibility", Dan replied. "But how can the hall be infiltrated? I think they would know if an outsider was hiding in here"

"He says it's gotta be someone that's already here. He's not sure if it's a fighter or a larger figure so he has given me access in and out of the hall" "Alright. So what are you going to do now?"

"I came to ask a few questions", Kang said and moved closer. "When you were picked up, did you see anything?"

"Well, the guy that framed me", Dan muttered. "He was in a mask. He was hiding his face for a reason.. and when he tortured me, he took off his mask and showed his face. I have seen that face before and it wasn't among the Larger Figures. It was among us" "Among us? What's the name?"

"They called him Dennis. I am very sure I saw him in the hall with us before he disappeared... I am sure he is something. If there is anyone to be investigated, he should be the first".

Kang nodded. That sounded a lot suspicious. "Alright, Dan", he sprung up. "I should take my leave now. My regards to Romeo when he gets back"

"Alright"

Kang walked out of the room. He had been given access so he was going to Ana next. "Kang?", Romeo called, immediately Kang stepped out of the room.

"I just asked about you from Dan"

"You look like you're on your way somewhere"

"Yes. King gave me a task", Kang said and held back. He shouldn't be telling that to everyone. "He believes one of the fighters or the larger figures may be helping the enemies. Fuck! I shouldn't even be telling you" "What? You don't trust me?", Romeo stepped closer. "You told Dan, right?"

"Yes, I did. I needed some information from him since he was taken up there for a crime he didn't commit"

"But he didn't say anything at all?"

Okay. That sounded suspicious again. Kang stared at Romeo. "Is everything alright? He didn't tell me anything about you"

"Oh", Romeo muttered and glanced at the door. "Alright... never mind"

Kang watched him walk back into his room. He would have to go back to Dan. From what he had just seen, Romeo might be hiding something.