Book 4: Arcane [Thor]

Chapter 14

The muscle organizing the fighters behind the scenes of the arena shoved Thor into a holding area. Once he collected himself, the god stalked back in their direction only for the gate to be slammed in his face. His fist pounded against the barrier, but it did not give way. Not only did the barber remove his long locks of hair, but they forced him to dress in different gladiator armor and painted three red streaks down the side of his face.

A bright spot light passed by. His head turned to see some small slits on the far side of the room. Large enough for him to look through and get a clear view of the arena. Maybe if he were lucky the Asgardian could stick an arm through. But he wasn't trying to escape into the ring.

The best booth that overlooked the arena was dubbed the Grandmaster's private box. Only those with a formal invitation were allowed inside. Dressed in their finest clothes and jewelry, while they enjoyed various conversations and the finest foods and drinks offered. And tonight, Loki had finally become one of those guests. Since his arrival, the God of Mischief played all his cards right to get into the Grandmaster's good graces. He was lucky to have a gift with words. Knew the right things to say. To not end up in Thor's situation. Besides, this lifestyle was almost as lavish as that of Asgard.

And as an added bonus, the rules on Sakaar were not as strict like on Asgard. Which made him free to do what he liked, so long as it was in the leader of these misfits' best interests. A servant came by holding a tray filled by colorful drinks. He scooped one off to indulge in. This was the life.

Scrapper 142's ship hovered above the stadium. Alongside many others that preferred the ariel view instead of being in closer quarters in the stands. The hanger lay open, for her to sit down and the legs to hang over the edge. The alcohol she bought sat beside her. One was popped open to chug nearly half in a few gulps.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen, this is the last fight before the one you've all been waiting for," the Grandmaster's voice echoed.

The man stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows of the box. Though a projected hologram of his form stood in the center of the arena, floating a few feet off the ground.

"Not that this contender ever lets you down."

The excited cheers that followed were a clear indication that whoever was about to enter the ring would prove to be a good one.

"She knows how to put on a show. The true opening act. You all know and love her. The fierce, the lovely, the brilliant: Arcane!"

One of the larger doors along the wall began to open and the crowd went wild. A figure emerged from the shadows. A woman from her stature. She wore a black leather low cut top, covered by a worn golden breast plate. Straps crossed over the upper chest and collarbone to hold shoulder plates that overlapped down to the elbows to protect the exposed pale skin, while a pair of lower arm guards locked around the wrists. They wore a black leather skirt, the plates cut into strips that hung just above the knees, where the same-colored trousers were briefly visible before they disappeared under worn golden shin guards. They ran down to the base of Midgardian looking combat boots, instead of the traditional gladiator sandals.

The woman's helmet didn't completely cover the head. A front plate covered the forehead and ran just over the top of the head, the leather straps securing the armor. Great for headbutting an opponent. Especially with the two sharp points on either side of the temples to further cause damage. A strip of the material ran down between the brows to the tip of the nose. And two panels covered the sides of the face and cheeks, before coming to points at the end. This left only the eyes and mouth uncovered. Which is how Thor was able to tell who this fighter was. Alongside the white blonde hair intricately braided back.