The Female Combatant watched as the opposing groups of fighters formulated plans for the upcoming trial. She turned back to the Heroes to get started and realized they had their backs to her, already figuring out their next move. She puffed her cheeks in frustration, then pushed her way into the huddle. Eager to be a part of the team, she wanted to make sure she could contribute to the plan.

Pushing in between the Jester and the Woman, the Female Combatant tried to figure out what their plan was. The Heroes glance among themselves, not saying a word. They look at the Female Combatant, staring directly through her. She nervously begins to open her mouth to speak, but only an empty breath escaped. She realized she had no plan. So much for being a part of the team.

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The Heroes follow their attendant off of the stage and into a small, marked area near the interior wall of the arena. The female combatant followed right behind them happily, much to the disdain of the Heroes. They were directed to stay within the marked area, and as the Jester tested this the attendant quickly slapped him across the face with a small folding fan seemingly pulled from nowhere.

The Jester hardly reacted, though he put a hand to his face to wipe a thin line of blood away. The attendant handed the Swordsman Hero a small tablet, smiled at the Heroes, and quickly walked away. The Female Combatant bounced in place, eager to fight alongside them. She turned to the center of the arena, looking at the opposing groups of fighters as they prepared.

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The man continued to address the crowd, explaining what the competition would be. The combatants would be split up into different areas of the arena. Each group would be given a small stone tablet with a marking on it. There were two versions of these tablets, and the combatants would battle it out to find the opposite version of the tablet to theirs before making their way back to the central platform. 

A small number of individuals made their way onto the stage and grouped together various combatants. The Heroes slowly stepped away from the Female Combatant, but their attendant cheerfully grouped them back together. The Swordsman Hero felt as though he saw her crack a smile and giggle to herself, but surely she hadn't seen through their annoyance that easily?

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The fantastically dressed man held his hands up, inviting the audience to cheer even louder. They roared their approval, and the man reveled in it. He turned in place, allowing himself to bask in the noise. When he had his fill, he motioned for the crowd to silence themselves. He waited for the noise to recede, and began to speak. He played to the crowd, speaking promises of action and bloodshed. The crowd reacted to each statement with a cheer.

He excitedly proclaimed that the combatants would be fighting for glory, as well as the potential to win the grand prize. He pointed directly toward the large red jewel. He explained that the jewel was straight from the treasures of the King, and would make any fighter wealthy enough to live a life of pleasure. The Heroes knew they needed to make it theirs.

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The combatants grouped together atop the central platform, turning around to view the entirety of the arena. The crowd roared with excitement, ready to cheer on the violence that awaited the opening horn. The Heroes gazed into the stands, spotting a larger seating platform likely reserved for royalty. They noticed a display featuring a large red jewel, presumably the reward for the victors. It would presumably be worth a hefty weight of gold.

As they stood around, a lone individual dressed in a white jeweled outfit approached the center of the arena. He twirled around, waving to the crowd as he moved about. The Jester looked at him as though annoyed that his flamboyant appearance had been upstaged. The man came to a stop in the center of the raised platform, glancing around at the many combatants. His eyes stopped on the Jester, and for a brief moment his smile disappeared. Before anyone could realize it, he flashed a large grin again and turned to speak to the audience.

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Stepping out into the arena, the Heroes wait for their eyes to adjust to the sunlight. The thunderous roar of excitement from the crowd sent electric bolts of energy coursing through them. As the brightness cleared, the Heroes gaze up into the crowd, their eyes passing across the faces of thousands of excited onlookers. Audience members of all ages screamed in delight as they watched the combatants enter the arena, waiting for the bloodbath to begin.

The combatants were led into the center of the arena, where they quickly realized that the walled structure was in fact a large platform. They climbed up the stairs, and found themselves looking out over the remainder of the arena. Opposite the entrance they had used, they could see a number of small covered cages. The Heroes surmised that these likely contained the creatures they had spotted previously.

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The Heroes sat up and turned toward the female combatant. The Jester - though grinning as always - was annoyed at her arrival, pointing at her and emitting a slight hiss. This alone was enough to cause a number of the room's occupants to slowly shift further away. The Woman had stopped aiming her bow around the room and held it directly at the female combatant, as if daring her to justify her arrival. The Swordsman Hero simply frowned, aware that it was too late to say anything to alter the circumstances.

Before they could do anything, a loud array of horns sounded from the arena. All of the fighters turned their attention, preparing for what lay ahead. The Swordsman Hero gave a disapproving shake of his head to the female combatant, and then readied himself. The gate slowly slid open, allowing the combatants to enter the arena fighting pits. As their eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight from the creeping darkness of the holding cell, the Heroes heard the enormous roar of applause and cheering from the crowd.

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With the group of combatants around them looking on in frustration, the Heroes had decided to make themselves comfortable. The Jester had stretched out across the bench, and begun to take a nap with a large grin across his face as he slept. The Swordsman Hero had gone through multiple pieces of bread, an apple, a small fry pie, a few pieces of jerky, and some leftover chicken from their meal the previous night. The Woman had been knocking her arrows, and taking aim at various individuals in the area, as though practicing her targeting.

As they waited, another combatant entered the holding area. The female combatant walked into the room, donning a large smile upon seeing the Heroes. She walked over to them with a particular pep in her step, eager to join them. The Swordsman Hero looked up at her, clearly not amused that she had arrived after they had explicitly told her they would not be allowing her to join them in participating.

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The Heroes find a place to sit down and prepare to wait until the beginning of the events. A gruff looking warrior gave an uncertain look of worry as the Jester sits down beside him with a wide grin. When they had entered, the Heroes were simply newcomers to the space. Now that a moment had passed, they felt the eyes of everyone upon them. They were an odd bunch, to be sure.

They looked around at the many faces around them, aware that they were now the center of attention. They could feel the ire of the many combatants they were looking to show them defeat in the games to come. The Swordsman Hero happily pulled out a small piece of bread and began to snack on it, causing a number of the individuals around to stare with anger in their eyes. The Woman casually checked her arrow reserves, with the Jester simply smiling at those around. The Heroes had made enemies with everyone around.

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Walking through the back entrance, the Heroes pretended to act surprised as they saw familiar individuals and creatures. Their previous escapade into the arena had already prepared them for what awaited them in this area, though they had never been able to get a clear picture of what trials would await them in the main arena. They continued forward, making their way back to the hallway leading out into the arena's battlefield. Rounding the corner, they were somewhat surprised to see about 50 other combatants.

The other combatants ranged from young to old, large to small. Some were big, bulky individuals wielding large axes and spears, while others were smaller, more frail-looking fighters with short swords and shields. Some shivered in fear, trying to hide their nervousness. Others glanced around eagerly, clearly waiting for the opportunity to leap into battle. The Heroes could surmise that some of the more nervous combatants were likely forced into the event at the behest of their lords, and would most likely do all they could to avoid actual combat.

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