Since it was a special prize fight, the arena was different as well. In the center of the arena, 90 ft. above the ground was a row of cauldrons on a platform. Inside the 15 enchanted cauldrons was a never-ending supply of lava. It was no doubt swelteringly hot in there. The downpour of lava would not stop until the fight had concluded. All the doors and exits had been magically reinforced and sealed. If you died to the lava, that was too bad for you. "Ha! I knew it!" I said from my place in our clan pile. The others just nodded at me before we returned our attention to the match. When it started, everyone was wary about the lava. It was a free for all and the 5 fought it out. I was not too impressed by them. They all were about the same level so it took a bit of time to get the first victim, the dogkin, eliminated. That was time they did not have. I knew that it was truly a race against the clock. The lava started to spread from the center to the edges. On opposite ends of the arena, 2 fighters were cut off from the others. On 1 side, it was the drider and one of the harpies. Former comrades now enemies.
The other harpy was facing off against the human gladiator. They were fighting viciously for their lives. The one in the best position was the drider. The harpies could fly in the air, but the force field was smooth and had no area to perch. I could not see them being able to attack if they needed to fly. The drider could spider climb up on the surface of the field as well as use webbing to keep himself up there while he was aiming his bow with the quiver with the arrows on his back. He also had a longsword. It was up to the harpy to stop him from climbing then. On the other end of the arena, the human cut down the harpy. He made a mad dash along the edge of the barrier. It was too late though. He was stranded by the lava and there was nothing he could do. He did not bring any arrows or spears with him. The other 2 just watched on as the lava creeped up to him. He burned alive screaming until the very end. The clever drider used that distraction to shoot a thick line of webbing at the magic barrier against the wall. He was then able to propel himself up on to the barrier and get ready to fight.
Under the circumstances, he was on good footing. The harpy took to the air. She had nowhere to land but the platform with the cauldrons. The drider could still take his potshots at her. There was nothing that she could really do to stop him. When she went for a suicide dive, he was able to clip her left wing with an arrow. She fell into the lava and died. The arena erupted with cheers and the lava was slowly cheered up. When it was gone, the master of ceremony announced the winner by name. His name was Szicut and his feminine looks and human torso belied his strength and prowess. Even the femboy driders like him were deadly. The head slaver presented his prize to him in front of the crowd. I said "If you ever have to face him, make sure that you stay away from that sword." They just nodded and stared at the bright projection on the wall. After another match of no consequence, it was time for the main fight. Alvin and Clover were brought to the center of the arena. Another barrier went up boxing them in the center as the lava began to flow again. This time, it filled up the outer edges.
