As promised, Kiel soon challenged Nero to a fight, doing so officially through Koal, who had no choice but to agree. After that, Kiel posted notices all over town that read:
"Come and watch me crush yet another unbeliever and unworthy worm. Tuesday, two hours before sunset in the Thirteenth Arena.
Signed: Kiel!"
The handwriting was surprisingly clear and neat, suggesting that Kiel had someone else write it for him. Nero had a precise understanding of Kiel's mindset. Kiel wanted to demonstrate his superiority to everyone, and the more spectators there were, the better he would feel about his victory. He would feel more validated in his delusion if the spectators believed him that he was indeed a chosen one of a god.
He needed the cheers, the recognition, the attention from all those he considered beneath him.
Nero had been to the arena a couple more times to train, but he knew that a week of training wouldn't make much of a difference. He preferred to spend his time researching Kiel himself, studying reports of his past fights, and trying to get inside his opponent's head. Then, finally, the time had come. Koal and his entire family accompanied Nero; on the way, they discussed a whole host of different arena rules that Nero might be able to use.
Unfortunately, however, the rules were very difficult to exploit, as they had been refined over decades and thousands of battles.
"Your only chance of getting out of there alive is to hold out for five minutes," said Koal.
Nero looked at him, "I thought killing was forbidden?"
Koal sighed heavily, "It is, but only intentional killing. So if he hits you with his sword and you die, he can always just claim afterward that he thought you were dodging or something. Most of the time, Kiel doesn't even let it come to that; he seems to hate you more than the others."
Nero nodded thoughtfully, "So if I kill him, will I get punished?"
Koal nodded, "Yes, a very severe one. So try to avoid it." He laughed at the thought. "You're faster than him; you have to use that to your advantage. He'll come at you in heavy armor and with a sword, as usual, but you should choose a light weapon and no armor. That way, you'll get away with it."
Nero agreed with Koal; that had been his intention anyway.
"As a weapon, I might recommend a short sword or even a shield, after all, you won't win in a direct fight anyway. You want to be light on your feet but still able to defend yourself if necessary. Christina told me how skilled you are with a sword, but this isn't a fair fight; your sword skills won't be enough. You're weaker, probably only half his weight; one blow from Kiel will disarm you, another will kill you, so avoid any open confrontation. If you attack, always aim your strikes at weak points in his armor, like the neck, under the armpit, or the joints of his arms or legs, but in my opinion, you shouldn't even get within two meters of him."
Koal gave Nero many tips, most of them very sound, which showed that Koal had combat experience. Nero looked at the old man again, unable to shake the feeling that there was more behind his facade. Finally, they arrived at the arena, in front of which a considerable crowd of mortals was milling about. Apparently, this was one of the only breaks the mortals got from their work, so these arenas were highly sought after far and wide, despite the admission price. Many used their hard-earned credits to attend even the smallest spectacles, but Kiel was already widely known. Many people wanted to finally see Kiel get beaten, since his fights were always so unfair.
Thanks to their status, Koal and his family didn't have to wait in line and were politely greeted by a short man who was the head of the thirteenth district.
Nero, on the other hand, was led through a side entrance by a few other mortals, forcing him to walk past the crowd, all of whom were watching him with a mix of curiosity and sympathy. But Nero could also make out a few bloodthirsty glances from people who were here to watch the brutality. Nero recognized that look from his former subordinate, but he didn't react; he simply stared back at them all coldly. The men led him into the arena, which was actually significantly smaller than the one in the Second District. But it would have to suffice for what Nero had in mind. Kiel grinned at Nero with a bloodthirsty grin when he recognized him.
"So?" Kiel called out to him halfway across the arena, "With or without weapons?"
Nero looked at him coldly, not letting himself be intimidated by the muscle-flexing giants, which predictably irritated and angered Kiel.
"With weapons," Nero replied monotonously. Kiel laughed, "Just like every one of you worms. None of you dares to face me in an honorable fistfight. Well, it won't make any difference either way."
A small, chubby mortal led the two of them to a tunnel on the side of the arena that led beneath the crowded stands. Kiel walked beside Nero and literally towered over him, nearly a meter taller and three times as broad.
Kiel looked down at Nero, a smug smile on his lips. "You're putting up a brave fight, little man," he said in a deep voice, but Nero didn't even look at him. Kiel snorted. "Many have done the same as you, but in the end, they'll all be trembling and begging for mercy when my power overwhelms them. I'm already looking forward to seeing your face when it's twisted with fear and panic." Nero still didn't react. If he had glared at him defiantly, or even said something back, it wouldn't have been so bad, but Nero simply ignored him and didn't say a word, didn't even look at him, as if Kiel weren't worth it. But Kiel was one of God's chosen ones; how could anyone think they were above him?
Kiel growled angrily and was about to provoke him further, but just then, they arrived at the armory.
"Each of you may choose a weapon and a suit of armor of your choice. Only weapons and armor from the armory are permitted; anything else counts as cheating and will be severely punished. May the better fighter win," declared the little man in a voice that showed he had repeated this hundreds of times before.
Kiel immediately went to a broad sword, which he lifted with ease; he also chose heavy but restrictive armor. It was his usual choice, the one he always made. Nero looked over the remaining weapons. They were, in fact, exactly the same as in the second arena, though of course with different qualities.
Nero, of course, already knew which weapon he would choose, but he pretended he couldn't make up his mind. Kiel glared at him grimly. "Pick your weapon, servant. It won't make any difference anyway. In the end, you'll be on your knees begging for mercy, and if I'm feeling generous, I'll grant it to you." Kiel grinned maliciously, but Nero didn't even glance at his opponent. Hesitantly, he reached for a weapon, a long, blunt sword that would actually be too heavy for him. Kiel smirked to himself when he saw this, but at the last second, Nero seemed to change his mind and opted for a long spear. Nero weighed the weapon briefly in his hand, then nodded to himself in satisfaction and turned around. "I'm ready!" he said.
The chubby man looked at him, frowning. "Don't you want any armor?" he asked, confused. Nero shook his head but didn't explain his reason. Without exchanging another word, the two warriors were led back out into the arena, where the crowd was already talking loudly among themselves. The stands were almost completely full; several hundred people had gathered here to witness the new spectacle. When Kiel stepped out, sword raised high in the air, the people booed him, shouted insults, and made gestures. They hated him and wanted to see him fall; for too long, he had chosen only weak and smaller opponents, yet he still called himself god's chosen one.
When Nero entered the arena, the mood of the crowd shifted. The people were actually cheering, though their cheers sounded rather half-hearted. No one seemed to truly believe in Nero's victory, no matter how much they wished for it.
"He took the spear…" Koal murmured from his elevated seat in the stands.
"Was that a good choice?" Christina asked anxiously.
Koal nodded, "Probably the best choice he could have made. If he plays his cards right, he can keep him at a distance with it, but I'm afraid Nero still doesn't stand a chance."
Christina sighed, "Why did he have to bump into Kiel of all people? There's nothing more I can do except pray to Cosmos that he'll at least survive."
Koal sighed heavily, but said nothing more. He watched as Kiel and Nero faced off against each other. The little man stepped forward. He raised both hands; a symbol glowed on his neck. "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen," his voice echoed throughout the entire arena. "Today, there is something exciting in the Thirteenth Arena: a duel between a renowned warrior, Kiel the Chosen, and Nero Davis, the…" The man hesitated briefly. "Nero Davis the PALE ONE!"