Over twenty-four hours had passed since we all awoke in the holding cells of the arena. I waited patiently for when we would be put into combat, though Tangerine was far more inpatient. The rest of the group more or less were nervous about the endeavor, with a few pumped up to get into the fight.

After an hour of meditation, I took note of a door opening and all the cells unlocking at the same time. The doors slid open and all of us stepped out of the cells almost instinctually. I took a quick look around the room and noticed only one door that we could go through. Behind me a rather large mare stepped beside me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. She was at least five times my size, and had muscles to match. She was a behemoth of a pegasus.

"So we meet face to face at last, Torch." The voice of Tangerine left this monster.

I nodded and lowered my hood.

She grinned. "You look just like I expected, a bit smaller though..." She commented.

I was very small for my age, but that did not subtract from the fact that she had a girth that would put 90% of the ponies in this room to shame. Her size was massive, and her muscle build impressive.

"How does such a large mare get a name like Tangerine?" I asked with a raised brow.

She laughed and ignored my rude question. "I was a cute little kid once. War changes ponies. Makes us stronger."

"War has changed me as well..." I looked down to the ground.

She smiled and patted my shoulder. "Its changed all of us, come on though, let's not keep Crazy Lyra waiting."

Looking back up I nodded and brought my hood back up. "Yes, let's see this arena."

The group slowly funneled through the only exit to find a long narrow hallway with many locked doors, but one at the very end with a light. A few of the ones in front stopped to try and open some of the locked doors, with no success. Part of me figured that we wouldn't be going anywhere until Lyra said we could.

Finally making it out of the hallway, we all covered our eyes as high powered fluorescent lights lit up the room. Once we adjusted to the light we all looked around to see a huge coliseum here underground, grandstands and all. At the very top was a throne made of junk and old metal scraps which Lyra rested upon with a megaphone.

Her voice filled the air. "Welcome, welcome combatants! Welcome to the arena! As it stands now there are seventy of you, however we will be cutting that number almost in half right away. Now allow me to explain why you're all here." She sat up and looked down at us all. "You're here to amuse me. You're here to prove your worth."

The group chattered but they quickly silenced as Lyra spoke again.

"Allow me to explain the rules. First off, there is no loser's bracket here. You lose, you die. Fights are to the death, and I will not tolerate mercy here. If you forfeit, you will be killed." This got a lot more talking in the group. "Fighting is only permitted in the arena. Anypony caught violating this rule will have their hoof broken for their next fight, effectively starting you at a disadvantage."

Tangerine laughed. "Looks like Lyra is keeping things interesting.”

"Now, obviously only 64 of you will be fighting tournament style, but the other six you shall be reserved for an all out brawl round which may give you the opportunity to take the lead if you're lucky." You could see a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke. "The winner gets to live and a special prize from me."

"Sounds like Lyra just loves surprises." I spoke to Tangerine who nodded.

"Your first fights will start right now, check the board on the back wall to see who you'll be fighting." Lyra gestured to the board behind us near the entrance.

We all turned around and looked to the board. I pushed my way to the front as I checked which fight I was in. Sure enough, I was fight number two against a pony named "Smasher". That name alone already implied to me he wasn't a pushover. Tangerine was in the first fight, so I wouldn't be able to see her fight until next round because Lyra had stated before we wouldn't be allowed to roam about until we won our first fight.

"Alright, looks like I get to break some bones first." Tangerine smirked as she readied her hooves.

There in my cell I was doing pull ups, trying to ready for my fight. If Smasher wanted to defeat me, he would have to overcome my endurance and speed first. My determination was stronger than his, I wasn't fighting just to live, I was fighting for a cause, a cause more just than his.

A stallion in a collar came to my cell and tapped on it to get my attention as he fiddled with some keys as he unlocked it. "Alright, you are up. Your opponent is in the arena, and I was instructed to get you next. Lyra and the winner of the first round will be watching you along with the other six not in the tournament brackets. Please follow me to the arena." He gestured for me to follow as he slid the door open.

With a nod I took a step out of my cell and began to follow behind him. He remained silent and so did I. I was ready to face this pony and show no mercy. I had to win, nothing was going to stop me.

With my guide stepping aside in front of the door to the arena he bowed his head as I trotted past him into the battlefield. I could hear whistling from the grandstands. Looking up, I noticed Tangerine, she had won her round, as expected. Now she was going to witness me winning mine.

"Ladies and Gentlecolts! We have a special treat tonight!" Lyra's voice boomed. "All the way from the locked city of SkyVale; Torch Fires!"

I could see Tangerine clapping as she sat there watching with a grin on her face.

"And her opponent... A stallion who needs little introduction... He has eaten many larger than Torch for breakfast, quite literally... A true killing machine..." Lyra kept building him up for dramatic effect. "Smasher!" She shouted as the stallion burst through an old wooden wall.

Standing upright, he had a good two to three feet on me, one of his hooves were larger than my whole skull. Ugly and fierce, he growled as he bore his chipped teeth. He had the crazed look that I had come to identify with cannibals.

"And his weapon of choice, his own teeth!" Lyra added.

He stepped into the ring only a few feet away from me as he waited for Lyra's signal. I lowered my hood to increase my vision, hoping it would aid me in this fight.

"Any last words before I devour you?" Smasher smirked.

"I'm impressed." I replied.

His stupid grin only grew. "Never seen a stallion so mighty?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm impressed you even know how to speak."

He hissed in anger as he readied himself. "Why you little shit!"

Lyra picked her megaphone back up to speak. "Alright, you know the rules. Two enter, one leaves. First one to die loses. You can not leave the arena until you kill your opponent. Winner gets to sit up here with me." She winked as she said that last part. "Alright, ready?"

I sighed and took a fighting stance to match his, except with a bit more steadiness.

"Its a shame I have to kill you now... Such a pretty little thing... Maybe if I'm lucky, Lyra will let me rape you before I kill you." Smasher chuckled.

"Tell you what... If you can pin me down, I'll let you." I replied.

He laughed. "Confident aren't you? Alright, let's do this then!"

I smiled. "You've already lost. You're overconfident."

Lyra then called out to us both. "To the death! Fight!"

Smasher wasted no time going on the attack. He lunged forward hooves ready to smash. As I expected though, he was slow and sluggish. His body was too heavy for him to move at a reasonable speed. His focus was on pure strength.

"Heh, just as I thought, you're a snail..." I mocked.

He took another swing which I dodged.

"Speed in meaningless in combat. It doesn't matter how fast you run, eventually you tire out if you have no strength and endurance." He took a bite in my direction, only for me to get out of the way.

"There is more to speed than running, its forming tactics and superior plans and techniques. Only weaklings are overcome by a barbarian like you." I lectured.

He growled and swung at me again, only to meet failure. "You should conserve your energy. Consuming so much on tactless attacks will only leave you vulnerable." I spoke.

He ignored my advice and bit at me again, and of course missed.

"Have it your way then." I grinned as I levitated an item from my bag and threw it in his direction. He groaned as it made contact.

He looked to the object to find a large needle sticking out of his shoulder. Grabbing it in his teeth he yanked it out and tossed it aside. His expression more annoyed.

"I have two hundred more of them by the way." I grinned.

"You rely on weapons to win? How pathetic..." Smasher said.

"No, I rely on tact. That was just a warning shot." I answered.

He tilted his head and I used the confusion to quickly bolt past him and throw a few more when I got behind him. A set piercing the backs of his hind legs, bringing him down to a kneel in pain. "Ahhhh!" He roared.

"You're careless. You think power is all that determines a victor. You think there's no way a small mare can beat a big tough stallion. You only think in terms of physical girth." I explained as I trotted to the front of him. "You forget so many other factors..."

He growled as he tried to move again, but the needles had him taken down to where he wasn't getting back up. "Speed, ability, and of course... Determination." I leaned in to bring my face a few inches from his as I said that last part.

"It was a pleasure fighting you, Smasher. I wish my lessons would be able to aid you, but you will not live long enough to utilize them." I sighed as I levitated another needle.

"You fucking bitch... You will die... I swear it..." Smasher hissed, still trying to inch forward to me, despite his hind hooves being taken out.

"Good bye." I replied as I thrust the final needle through his left eye, going all the way into his skull, and vanishing from sight as it entered his brain. He stopped moving and his body fell to the ground, limp. "Sorry, nothing personal..." I replied.

Sitting down to rest, I magicked all my needles back to my bag and listened to the sounds of a few claps and a cheer or two from the small group watching. Lyra spoke up again with much enthusiasm.

"Well it looks like little Torch smashed Smasher. The underdog clearly was underestimated, as promised get that flank up here little lady." She winked as she finished that sentence.

Obeying, I nodded and pulled my hood back up and jumped into the grandstands and began to ascend to the top. When I made it to her small throne, she gestured for me to sit. Shrugging, I did exactly that.

With a smile, she turned back to the stadium and shouted. "Bring in the next two combatants!"

Watching the next fight, I looked up to Lyra whom caught me out of the corner of her eye and smirked. "See something you like?"

I blinked and shook my head. "I was merely trying to figure out your angle..."

She tilted her head. "My angle?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am certain you pitted me against that brute for a reason. I am quite confident that there is something you hope to gain from these fights..."

She smiled and turned to face me. "Truth is, kid... I am placing my bets on you. I am very interested in what a pony like you is capable of. If your first fight is any kind of indicator, then my curiosity is in the right place."

So that was it, Lyra was testing me. I only hoped I could continue to pass her tests so I could get out of the arena and back on track to where I was going.

"Why does it matter to you? What reason do you have to concern yourself over my abilities?" I asked.

Lyra turned back to the fight with a smile. We sat in silence for a moment, however I decided rather than ask again, I give her a minute to think of a proper answer, as it may be the only one I was going to get.

"I guess you could say... I'm bored." She said.

Bored? Was she really doing all of this out of nothing but boredom?

"Bored?"

She nodded. "Boredom does kill you know?"

In her world, it literally did.

"Why do they call you Crazy Lyra?" I decided while I had the chance to talk to her, I'd ask all I could.

She laughed and pet my mane. "You are full of questions little Torch. Don't worry though, in due time everything will become known to you... Provided you live long enough."

"Well when you put a pony here against her will, naturally she will have many questions." I replied.

She giggled and kept her eyes on the fight. "Naturally, however you must be patient if you want answers."

I supposed that was the best I was going to get out of here, and the only justification I was given up to this point was boredom.