The Arena

The sunlight blinds you as you step through the door. The ground is rough sand, and it's even louder than it is bright. "In the east corner!" A voice booms, even above the roar, "We have Eliza Dunn! She's a student of Alexandria academy, but it's her first day, and she's no spellcaster. Let's hope she's a fighter though!"

You glance around, shading your eyes, and realize that you're in a large circle, surrounded by walls, and looking farther up, you see people, in rows of seats like bleachers.

"She should hope she's a fighter too, because she's not going up against a big old spider, she's not gonna wrestle a bear, no, ladies and gentlemen, in the west corner! I! Give! You!" The announcer pauses while the crowd roars louder. "The THUMPER!!!"

The large metal doors opposite you open, and you see the thumper. It looks like a human, if humans were nine feet tall, furry, lacked visible eyes, and had fists the size of beanbag chairs. "Will she prevail, or will she be crushed and eaten? Looks like it's do or die for Eliza! Oh, and she's looking around, probably hoping for a way out! That's a waste of time, the only way out is through the thumper! But, if she manages to get past him, she might just find some weapons next to the door he came out of! Looks like she's still too scared to move, but she'd better get brave quick, because I think the thumper has the scent!"

The thumper is, in fact, lumbering mostly in your direction, arms raised above its head, ready to land on anyone who doesn't move fast enough.