Page 12 of Gladiator Moon

I have not seen that. Then again, no one has ever escaped before.

Doesn’t seem so hard.

Well, the locks are magically enhanced, same with the doors, walls, and ceilings. There’s literally no way to tunnel out, break out, or climb out. There are no weaknesses in your cell. Or in this facility. Some say the Dark One himself lives far below, and that the arena itself sprang from his very body.

Dark One?

Our Devil.

Ah. And he lives below the arena?

It is said that not a door opens that escapes the Dark One’s notice. Baltazar’s, too.

They work together?

I believe so. All to provide blood for the Dark One, or so I’ve heard.

Does Baltazar drink blood, too?

Not that I’ve seen.

So, if I were to escape...

You would be caught and killed, likely by me.

What is the best way to escape this planet?

Win the games.

And if I should choose not to fight?

You would be struck down. Again, likely by me. Or Baltazar.

Is there a weakness in this arena? Is there a space that I can crawl through, run through, or fly into?

You can fly?

Yes. I think.

Because now I’m not so sure. So I decide to test my wings. I stand smoothly from my position against the wall, give myself a little space, and summon my dark wings. Once they appear, I flap them gently, lifting off the floor a few feet. I retract them and settle back down. A black feather drifts down, then disintegrates before my eyes.

Yes, I can fly. You will keep this to yourself.

Understood. How fast can you fly?

I can fly faster than I can run.

You stand a chance, then, as long as they don’t magically tether you. I have seen that before. So, if you decide to fly in battle, do it only once and surprise them, then keep on flying somewhere safe.

Where is safe?

Many miles from here. Fifty miles, perhaps more. Far away from the arena and palace. And before you ask, yes, the arena is also the royal palace.

Explain.

The upper levels belong to the royal family. They are surrounded by beauty. The finest tapestries, the most elaborate furniture, priceless rugs, and decorations from across the kingdom. The king and his family live in comfort, protected at all times by Baltazar’s magic. The warriors and combatants live on the ground level. They are housed here, near the arena, so that they can be brought into battle quickly when the Games begin. The dungeons hold some warriors, some criminals, political prisoners, and anyone else the kingdom has deemed unworthy of freedom. And below the dungeons lies the Dark One’s domain, or so I’ve heard. It is where his demons dwell, too. It is where some people are taken when the king decides a simple prison sentence is no longer enough.

Are they dead?