The doorframe washed Akun and Storm in a bright white light. They could hear the crowd chanting and feel the energy rattling the inside of the underground walkway. Storm looked up at Akun.

  “Guess it’s time to play our roles,” Storm said.

  “I want this as little as you do.”

  “I highly doubt that.”

  Akun lifted his leg and placed it over Stormbristle, “What am I supposed to grab hold of, specifically?”

  “Just grab the tufts,” Said Storm.

  Akun grabbed the tufts and pulled. There was a lot of give in his cloud form. Enough to pull on it and create some mini reins. Storm wobbled forward, having drunk extra water to give himself some extra size. Akun kept his balance as best he could.

  “Okay,” Said Akun, “I think we’re ready.”

  “Right. Just… please try to play along. It is a team sport.” Storm strutted forward.

  “Let’s just do this.”

  Akun whipped the reins, and Storm moved outward. The light overtook them as they both stepped outside.

  The two sized up their opponent. The human from the night before who had asked for his daughter to be released from slavery was sitting atop a spider the size of a horse.

  “What?!” Storm asked, shocked. He called out to the other person, “But you got out! You won! Your daughter was released from slavery!”

  “Yeah,” The person said, “But now that she’s out… did you hear what the bloke next to me asked for? I could use lotsa gold.” He whipped his spider.

  Storm looked up at the obstacle course. When he watched the show yesterday, it was even ground with a ring around it. Now, it had boxes that were stacked up high like towers. With all manners of different ledges and balconies, as well as bridges and roof tops. The perfect domain for a spider.

  The announcer made mention of the evil monsters who were here to place to take down the hero of yesterday’s fight. The people booed when Stormbristle and Akun were announced and cheered when this competitor, Gal, was announced.

  “Enemies.” Akun said, “Enemies before they’ve even gotten to know us.”

  “Do not let them get to you. We have more important things to deal with.”

  “Yeah, kicking the tar out of that guy.”

  The rules were announced. If the person is knocked off their mount or the mount is killed or eaten, the battle is over. Stormbristle took a deep inhale as he heard that last part.

  “If the person falls off, or the mount, or the person is killed or eaten, the game is over.”

  Stormbristle walked up to the line as the announcer counted down. They did not have nearly the wit and charm of Maeve, but did an adequate job.

  “Did you catch what powers he had yesterday?” The pig asked.

  “Yeah, it’s a doozy. He may look weak, but his powers probably make him better for this game than for Floor is Lava.”

  “Really?”

  The countdown finished, and the man whipped his spider’s reins. The spider’s eight legs raced in front of each other, and it barreled toward the two.

  “Come on, Stormbristle, let’s show them,” Akun said.

  Storm waddled over. Stormbristle jumped up, floating to a balcony he could get to. The spider wasted no time; it turned around and sprayed Storm to the wall with the web. Akun was plastered against the wall with Stormbristle’s body pressing him.

  “That was quick.”

  “Do something!” Said Storm, “We’re immobilized.” Akun reached for his chain hook and grabbed onto it, “Hook! Buzzsaw form!”

  The hook started vibrating and buzzing, and it slowly worked it’’s way through the tough web.

  “What class did you think he had?” Stormbristle asked.

  “Ugh, I saw it yesterday. He’s a ranged fighter.”

  Gal took out some shurikens and flicked his arms. They soared toward Stormbristle. They punctured the webbing and entered Storm’s hide.

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  “AHH!” Cried out Stormbristle, “Get us out of here now!”

  “Why? I feel just fine.” Akun said, smiling.

  “Please.”

  “Working on it.” The buzzsaw glided through the last of the webbing, and both Storm and Akun were freed. Akun grabbed onto Storm’s foot as he fell, and Storm started drifting down.

  “A little help here!” Akun said as his feet drifted closer to the ground.

  As Akun was under the pig, his flaming head started to light up Storm’s hide.

  “Ouch! Trying!”

  “Do something quickly, pig! We’re already about to touch the ground!”

  “This will hurt.”

  “Do anything! I don’t care how much it hurts you.”

  “Not. Me.” Storm cried out, “Zip Zap Slop!” The lightning bolted behind him and launched him upward. It struck Akun badly, but they lifted higher into the air.

  Akun yelled as the shock rattled his bones. Storm then twisted in the air so his foot was above him. Akun was against the boar’s belly. He rolled along the top of the boar, attempting to get on the other side, but suddenly he felt something metal sink into his jacket. Akun looked down, some shuriken had entered his leather.

  “This is genuine leather!” Said Akun as he reached for the shuriken. Gal led the spider along the wall. Akun grabbed his chain, spun it, and tossed it directly at the spider, but just as it did, the spider jumped from one wall to the next.

  The hook bounced along the wall, and the spider leapt forward. Gal took out his short sword and slashed right at the Stormbristle. Akun jumped off the stormboar and landed on the spider. The shortsword slashed at Storm’s exterior. Storm twirled in the air as he was slashed, the agony of his open wound causing him to grunt in pain. As Akun landed on the back of the spider, he took his chain hook and stabbed at Gal. Gal stuck his hand up and received the point directly in his arm. Gal cried out. He took his sword and stabbed it backward. It struck Akun right in the shin. Gal pulled the spider up, so it started running directly up the wall. Akun dropped downward, still holding onto the chain. Akun pulled it tight and swung, then retracted his chain hook and landed back on Storm’s back just as Storm landed on the top of one of the towers.

  “Good Lord!” Storm said, “I’m already quite injured!”

  “Shoulda dodged that one.” Said Akun.

  “YOU SHOULD HAVE BLOCKED ON MY BEHALF! One of the ways to lose this game is for your mount to die!”

  “You gotta be stronger.”

  “What did I say?” The pig said as he wiggled his way to the other side of the bridge. He was using his tufts of clouds to close his wound, letting out gasous blood, “We are a TEAM.”

  Akun scoffed, “Like you don’t still hate me.”

  Stormbristle jumped off that ledge and floated to another one..

  “Hey!” Akun looked upward, “I’ve got an idea.” He grabbed Stormbristle by the reins and then yanked him forward. Then he pulled him upward. Stormbristle jumped and landed on a higher balcony. Akun stopped him as a blast of web hit the wall in front of them. Akun turned and saw the spider skittering toward them.

  Akun twirled his chain and launched it at the spider. Gal intercepted the hook with his shortsword. Gal grabbed his shuriken and hurled them at Akun again. Akun whipped his weapon’s length in such a way that it created a shield of his chains. The shuriken plugged harmlessly into the links of the chain as Akun drew his chain hook back. “Come on!” Akun said, “Up there!”

  Storm looked up at what Akun was looking at.

  “Ahh,” Said Storm, “Yes. I do believe that will eliminate their advantage of range.”

  Akun retracted his chain hook. He waggled. He circled it and tossed it toward a neighboring tower. The hook latched onto the balcony, “You want to see teamwork?” Akun asked, “Here’s some teamwork.”

  He wrapped his legs around the pig and pulled, causing them to fall off the balcony. They swung along the balcony, dodging blasts of spider webs and lifting upward. The pig landed on a balcony. Akun tossed his chain further up and retracted his chain, pulling him and Stormbristle up.

  The chain upward was going slower than expected. Storm waited as he saw the spider making his way up the wall, “Any chance we can go faster?”

  “No. Fast as it can go. Just keep the spiders busy.”

  “I can’t shock them without shocking you as well.”

  “Then… don’t get near me.”

  Akun let his feet unbuckle, dropping Stormbristle.

  “Not another betrayal!” yelled Stormbristle, drifting downward. He pointed his tusks at the spider and launched a lightning blast at it. The lightning struck Gal and the spider both. Gal’s body convulsed as he was badly injured by the blast, but the spider continued. Once Gal recovered, he tossed three more shuriken toward Stormbristle. Storm covered his eyes as his hide was plugged with three more shuriken.

  “Ahh!” He turned himself and cast Zip Zap Slop as Akun neared the top.

  “You can’t keep fighting like I’m your enemy!” Said Stormbristle as he was reunited with Akun. Akun closed his legs around the stormboar again.

  “Why not? Seems to be working out great.”

  Stormbristle grumbled as he pointed with his nose to the last stretch of height.

  “Come on, last leg of the journey.”

  “I can’t.” Said Akun, “They’ve already caught up to us.”

  The spider galloped up to them. Gal slashed Akun with his short sword, and Akun parried. The spider was holding onto the wall with its latter six legs, but it used the front two to swat at Storm.

  Storm shook his head, battering the spider with his tusks, “Do something!”

  With the sword in the crook of the hook, Akun twisted and straightened his arm, flinging the short sword away from Gal. It fell to the far ground, leaving Gal momentarily unarmed. Akun brought his hook down, but before he could make contact, Gal leapt up. The hook landed inside the spider’s body. The spider squealed, and Gal used his knife and stabbed Akun a couple of times in the bone.

  “Ahh!” Akun said, “Pig, THIS is what you’ve been dealing with?!”

  “Not nice, is it?”

  “Hey, pig?” Akun said, “That thing you said about working together?”

  “Yes?”

  “Sounds real nice right now.” Akun lifted his foot and pushed him and Storm off the ledge of the tower. When Storm tried to float using his air, Akun grabbed his body and told him, “None of that. We’ll need the momentum.”

  Gal pulled on the reins of the spider, and the spider leapt to follow them downward. But as they fell, Akun threw his chain to another ledge.

  “Help me out on this one!” Akun yelled.

  “AHh! What did you say!?” Storm screamed.

  The hook connected with a flagpole and swung them both forward. Akun retracted his chain to create a sharper swing upward.

  “NOW!” Akun yelled.

  “ZIP ZAP SLOP!”

  As they arched toward the sky, Storm cast his spell behind him. The lightning shocked Akun but helped tremendously with the lift off. They soared upward until they were level with the water tower.

  Akun shifted all his weight so the hook pierced the hull of the water tower, causing water to explode onto Storm.

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