User blog:Addfire/The Floating Arena

A tumbleweed rolled through Salem. Perhaps someone raised their gun and tried to fire at it, but saw theylacked the energy. As it passed the empty bar, lacking even a barkeep, it probably would have been disappointed in the denizens of the town if it had a brain. People lounged in their houses, sleeping or simply submitting themselves to the boredom and oppressive heat.

Uli was disappointed in his people. It was easy to do so, as dissapointment took little effort. Residents of Salem, he thought to himself, ''Should be productive, not lazy. They should be entertained and entertainment! What has happened?''. But Uli knew that it was simply the lack of anything to do that had caused this sneak attack of sloth. So, in complete defiance of the fatigue that had settled over Salem, he got to work. His various tools hovering about him on their gravity-ignoring pedestals, he got to work on a project larger than any before. He worked far into the night, and when he couldn't stay awake any longer he collapsed where he was, then continued his endeavors the moment he woke up. He was quiet to- so quiet that the residents of his town weren't disturbed until the speakers that he placed in everyone's home began to blare.

"People of Salem!" Uli's voice crackled through old systems flaring to life while struggling through swaths of static. "Get off of your backsides and do something! ... Is what I would say if there was anything to do. But wait- now there is! I have constructed a project for you all, something quite wondrous! On top of the brown stone spire is a new installation into our little town. I hope you enjoy it!"

Maybe three or four people, who weren't very curious, tried to go back to bed, which was when they realized that the bed was now vertical. They went to the sofa, but there were no pillows. One way or another, each tired mass of meat found its way stumbling to the garden.

Uli stood before a massive black velvet curtain. "Now then!" He bellowed, his voice waking the town up from their haze. "In recent times we've had some amazing things happen! Demonic vegetable entities! Skeletons! Romance! I hope the new craze will be just as productive... I call it, 'The Floating Arena'!"

Someone in the crowd muttered, "Roll credits."

Uli grabbed a wrinkle in the curtain and yanked it down, to reveal, on top of the spire, a gigantic coliseum. Staircases intertwined around the spire, revealing at least twelve pathways. At ground level was what looked like a trampoline.

"Now, what I would like to see out of you fine people is some beautifully engaging fights, that will captivate us. Give the people a villain, or an underdog. Show me the beauty of war, the art of suffering! Now, not anyone can get to fight. If you can make it up to the arena by the end of the day is in the running! Everyone who doesn't make it can spectate and place bets, or run commentary."

Venera raised zer hand. "May we... Prevent others from reaching the top?"

Uli arched a brow and said nothing, but a smirk played over his face.

Desert put forth his hand.

People in the crowd - YIS and Octo, Spicy and Sondz - shared glances.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?"

The crowd pushed forward, frantic to break the monotony.

TO BE CONTINUED

Also, as a post-scriptum: Yes, there will be shipping. I haven't broke completely from my roots.