Journal Entry #80

It's been five days since they released the last member of the Council of Elders. Five long, quiet, boring, uneventful days of me doing little more than pacing back and forth in my empty prison cell. Not a soul has come down save for the guards posted at the door and the guard who brings me my food, water, and oxygen pills. I've tried striking up conversation with the guards with what little I've learned of their native language, but I think they have strict orders to avoid all contact with me because they keep ignoring me. If there was something else I could do to occupy my time, I would've given up trying to talk to them days ago.

What's really eating me up inside is the waiting. I know something's going on, I'm just sick and tired of waiting to find out exactly what that something is. Whatever it is, it has to do something with the release of the Council of Elders. They serve as a symbol of the planet's old ruling class, which is exactly what the emperor has been working so hard to eradicate. So what could he be plotting? If I weren't caught up in this "star god" mumbo jumbo I'd think they might be negotiating my release from the dungeon and maybe even from the planet, but I know my luck's not that good. I'm as much of a symbol to this planet as the Council of Elders; there's no way I'm getting out of here that easy.

If they wanted to kill me, all they need to do is stop feeding me or giving me those oxygen pills. Instead, they keep bringing me everything I need to stay healthy and recover from the injuries I sustained from all those duels I was forced to fight in. My left wrist finally stopped throbbing just three days ago, and the swelling has gone down almost completely. It's still sore, but I think it should be all healed up in another week or so. My cuts and scrapes and bruises are almost completely healed up, too, so it's not like I'm not in fighting condition. And speaking of the arena, it remains empty with no signs of any duels in the near future. I imagine the people must be getting restless without their primary source of entertainment.

There's one thing that's been bugging me, too. Not sure why I started thinking about this, but there was one vision I had before I was teleported to this planet where I wasn't fighting in the arena or scouring the surface of the planet. I was running through the streets of the city, outside of the arena and the emperor's palace. But what does it mean? Will I finally escape this place and get outside the city walls? Will I finally get off this planet? Will I ever get home to see my wife and child?

Journal Entry #79

Something strange is going on. It's been nearly two weeks since my last duel, but that's not what's weird. What's weird is that my last duel is the last duel for the entire arena. There hasn't been another duel since, and it scares me. It scares me more than all the duels I've up 'til now and all the duels I've yet to have. They're up to something, and I get the feeling it's nothing good.

I've been laying low since the guards brought me back to the dungeon after my last duel. Later that night, it looked like time for the guards to rotate, but then they started talking to each other. Without much knowledge of the "Brutay" language, I wasn't able to figure out what they were talking about, but it looked to me that the guards were anxious about something. My guess now is it has to do with the stop to the duels in the arena.

Back when I first met "Madoora," she told me the emperor originally had the arena constructed in order to find and defeat the "star god" and save the people of his planet from certain annihilation, but she also said the arena stands as a symbol of the new balance of power. Since The Emperor rose from the slave class and took control of the entire planet's populous, he needed some way to subdue any retaliation against his coup. So now that the duels have been suspended, I can't imagine how his new regime is managing to maintain their control.

And to make matters worse, the guards have been gradually releasing the members of the Council of Elders who've been locked up with me. That all started two days ago, and now only three members of the Council are still locked up with me. There were twelve. And since it's been weeks since I last had a visit from "Madoora," I have no way of getting an idea of what they're up to, but I can't shake the feeling it's going to wind up being bad news for me.

Things just keep going from bad to worse.

Journal Entry #78

The last few weeks for me have undoubtedly been the worst days of my entire life. When I last updated this journal, I was living in the gladiators suite where I could enjoy regular exercise and three square meals a day with the occasional visit by some of the inhabitants of this planet. Since then, I've been arrested by the emperor's guards on suspicion of conspiracy and thrown into the dungeons. Fortunately, I'm not alone; the majority of the former Council of Elders is here to keep me company.

That happened about two days after my last entry. Since then, I've fought 4 duels in the arena, and I have the injuries to prove it. I'm beginning to get an idea of exactly what the gladiators of ancient Rome must've gone through when they fought for their independence in the Coliseum: day after day of fighting with injuries that don't have time to heal. Two fights ago, I took a spear handle to the arm that dislocated my wrist. Fortunately, I've never forgotten the first aid I learned as a Boy Scout when I was growing up, and I managed to make a makeshift brace to take the pressure off my wrist. It swollen up to the size of a grapefruit and throbbed like a beating heary during my last two duels, but I can still use it. Guess it's better than nothing.

What remains of the Council of Elders is slowly dwindling away. Every so often the guards arrest another member on some made-up charge, and the rest of them are sent to fight and die in the arena. Sounds more like the emperor has decided he no longer needs to uphold his end of the treaty he made between the "Brutays" and the "Seezars"--he's decided to exercise his power and do away with any potential threats to his plans for domination of the entire planet.

Shortly after I was arrested and thrown into the dungeons, I got a visit from "Madoora." Her stay was brief, but she did manage to bring me the weapons from my room and my journal. Though she was accompanied by two rather nasty-looking "Brutay" guards, she appeared to be rather unshaken by the whole experience. Maybe it's just me and how lonely I've felt since I arrived, but it seems like she's grown rather fond of me since we first met. Thinking about it, she took a great personal risk introducing me to the Council of Elders and getting them involved with me and with the prophecy; she, too, could have been arrested and condemned as a traitor. I hope she's okay.

Fighting through my injuries has been hard, but I don't really have too many other options. If I can't put aside the pain from all the cuts and bruises then I'm going to die, and then I'll never get home to see my family again. Considering the way things have been going lately, the possibility of getting off this planet and making my way back to Earth gets dimmer and dimmer with each passing day, but I can't give up hope. Giving up hope would be no different from walking into the arena and not even bothering to put up a fight. I just can't do it.

Now, more than ever, I want to see this ancient prophecy fulfilled. If I'm to make it back home to my family, I'll have to go all the way. I'll have to face the emperor in the arena, and I'll have to kill him.

Journal Entry #77

I've just been informed by "Madoora" that my next duel is scheduled for early tomorrow morning. Apparently the Council have been trying to buy more time for me to train from the emperor, but he's starting to get suspicious. He's even had some of the council members arrested and sent to the dungeons! And if he figures out what the Council have been up to, it could mean big, big trouble for the both of us.

What I need to do now is focus. If I freak out now, I'm dead; there's no second guessing that. All the extra training time with "Thok" will get me through this no matter what happens. It has to! And if it doesn't, I'll be the first and the last human to ever visit this planet.

Oh, Grace, I wish you were here with me now!

Journal Entry #76

Good Lord, where have the last couple of weeks gone?! Between my daily training sessions with "Thok," the increasingly regular visits from "Madoora" and the Council of Elders, and all the duels going on in the arena of late, I've had very little time to sit down and write.

Still convinced I'm their planet's savior, the Council of Elders come to see me fairly often--once every few days--to pick my brain and find out how and when I'll fulfill the ancient prophecy. They don't seem to understand I have no idea how or even if this is going to happen, and it certainly doesn't stop them from asking. I'm grateful for it, though, because they've been postponing my matches of late, giving me the opportunity to watch my competition and get in more training time. Turns out they still have a measure of political power after all.

I've been getting more frequent visits from "Madoora" lately as well. The more we talk, the more she seems to get drawn into this "prophecy" mumbo jumbo. I keep telling her the Council are mistaken--that I'm not fabled "star god," but she seems as wrapped up in the legend as the Council. Her visits are a welcome change from those of the Council; she asks me about my life on Earth, my family, things like that. And she's teaching me how to communicate with "Thok," their language of hand gestures. Much to my surprise, it's very similar sign language on Earth, which says a lot for communication in general. Who could fathom a language like so much like our own existed so far away from Earth?

Though these last few weeks have been exciting and insightful, I can't fight off the homesickness that tears at my heart every night. Talking about Grace and Allison and my parents and my life at home reminds me how very, very far away they are and how I may never see them again. I could die out there in the arena at any moment. Sure, "Thok" is impressed with my progress and tells me I'm his best pupil, but will it be enough to get me through all this? Am I really the "star god" the Council keeps going on about, or is this all purely coincidence? And if, by some miracle, I get through all this, how will I ever get home?

Journal Entry #75

"Madoora" just left my room with a handful of members of the Council of Elders. They were all rather elated over my victory last night, slapping me on the back and congratulating me while going on and on how well I handled myself in the arena. I must admit, I feel pretty good right now. I feel strong, powerful, confident. Who knows? Maybe I can get out of this situation after all!

Of course, the elders kept going on and on about the prophecy, about how I'm "the chosen one" and "the star god" and the like. And you know what? I think I'm starting to believe them.

Journal Entry #74

When I said there was no way luck would carry me through another victory in the arena, I had no idea I wouldn't wind up eating those words. Four stab wounds and a handful of cuts and bruises later, I'm alive and a tad high on my second victory. And to top it all off, I didn't black out this time!

It was late in the evening when I was called out to the arena for my duel. The light from both the red and blue suns was low on the horizon, and the sky was a dark shade of violet. A smattering of light dotted the sky, a tiny handful of stars that decided to stay up late and watch the show. With my head held high, I walked with a purpose into my side of the stadium and slammed the flat end of my spear into the soft, spongey soil, doing my best to look strong and confident. It took all my willpower to keep my knees from shaking hard enough to knock me over.

My opponent came out shortly after, a tall insect-like man that stood on foud legs and brandished a heavy axe. A heavy axe that looked surprisingly like "Thok's" axe. Strange globes along the walls began to emit a cool yellow light from the walls, revealing my opponent's features. It looked like a man-sized preying mantis, standing roughly ten feet tall on four skinny leggs with large eyes and even larger arms. And then my knees started shaking.

But instead of charging me and undoubtedly killing me on the spot in my pertified state, it galluped around the outskirts of the arena, swinging its axe high over its head as it went. At first I couldn't move, too scared to budge, but then I was simply bewildered. Why was this huge monster trotting around and wasting its energy when it could take the fight to me? Surely, it could have ended the fight in seconds.

That's when something clicked in my head: attack now while it's defenseless! Waiting until it turned its back on me, I crouched low and sprinted forward with all my might, clutching my spear in both hands and holding it out in front of me like a battering ram. I covered a lot of ground in just a few seconds, and before I knew it I was thrusting my spear into its unguarded abdomen. It threw its head back in what I can only assume was a scream of agony and frustration, and then it spun around and swung its axe right at my neck.

Missing by less than an inch, I countered and thrust again, catching it in the upper arm. This caused it to drop its weapon and back away, which forced me to press my advantage. It lashed out with its arms and legs, catching me a few times and knocking me back but not enough for it to gain any leverage. When it turned to pick up itw weapon, I swung hard and severed one of its legs. In the spray of blood, I was momentarily blinded, and that's when it got me. I felt the cold sting of metal piercing my stomach, and as I looked down, I saw the long blade at the butt of its axe turn blue. Caught off balance, it stuck me again, this time in my shoulder, and then it pulled back for the big swing. It was going to finish me off.

As the blade swung down, I dove for cover and rolled, stabbing my opponent in the same spot it stuck me. Again it howled silently, and again it kicked and knocked me down. Rolling onto my stomach, I felt the long blade pierce me in the back twice before I could get to my feet. With my back on my opponent, I had little chance of surviving its next attack. So instead, I spun on my heels and threw my spear with all my might at where I could only assume its head was. And when the blade of its axe missed me again, I could see I'd struck home: out of the top of its head was the point of my spear.

Okay, so I did collapse after that, but it wasn't as bad as my first duel. I think I passed out more from lack of leftover oxygen in my system than from anything else. And now I'm back in my room, drinking "Madoora's" strange tea and tending to my wounds.

Two down, God knows how many more to go.

Journal Entry #73

Life here has been pretty much the same since my recovery. "Thok" has resumed our regular training schedule--all day, every day. But I seem to be getting better at this hand-to-hand combat thing, and I'm getting to the point where I can really hold my own when we spar. And even though we can't communicate, "Thok" seems pleased with my progress.

I had more visitors last night. "Madoora" came with more members of the Council of Elders to see me and to talk about the "prophecy." Once again, I was adamant I'm not the one spoken of in their ancient legends, but the councilmen seem convinced otherwise. The discussion went back and forth for almost an hour before the councilmen excused themselves from my room and returned to their own chambers. And then "Madoora" told me I would have my second duel in two days. That's tomorrow.

Now I'm throwing myself into my training routine. Luck got me through my first duel, but I've never been a very lucky guy. I'd much rather rely on my skills and wits. There's no way luck will get me through this to the end.