The Boss loses control

You're given your double axe as you make your way through the entrance. It's been given some doteful attention after the last few fights, being well cleaned and sharpened. Just below the head of the axe, is a red sash tied around. As you reach the gate, one of the guards holds a matching red sash and ties around your arm, near your bicep.

"What's this all about?" You ask

"You'll see when you get out there with everyone else. Just keep moving." As you walk out, you see the stands filled just as it was on the opening day. Somehow, it seems like it's even more full, the crowd packed shoulder to shoulder. Red banners stream from the top of the arena, along with green, white, black, blue, and orange. The arena itself is also clearly more crowded than it's ever been. All of the remaining contestants are out at once, each with a colored sash like yours. What this all means, nobody can really say, nor could you be sure which of the countless number of fighters the attendants were all rooting for. You heard a few call out your name as you walked out, but the rest was sheer noise. The tension inside the arena itself was palpable; strong enough that you cut through with your axe. Everyone was eyeing everyone else; sizing up the competition, guessing who their next combatant was, watching for any surprises or impromptu fights. Among the glaring faces you're able to spot one that you recognize specifically; the redheaded woman from your first fight. That she would survive this long is not a surprise, and you start to wonder how long it would take before the two of you faced each other. You also looked around for that young half-elf girl, but don't see her. It could just be too crowded, but the grim realist in your mind admits that she was probably killed in one of the first rounds of combat. A shame, you think, for someone so young and so ill fit for this place to die here.

Your time for moping is cut short as grand music drowns out all else. The large horns as before, but also some group of strings and drums. As the music plays, a contingent of guards comes out, in their immaculately polished armor and sharpened weapons, forming a near perfect wall around The Boss as he makes his first appearance in the arena itself. The combatants move out of the way, although some need "encouragement", as The Boss and his men take center stage. The bright blue gem in the top of his ornate staff has a magical quality to it, allowing his voice to project all through the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, proud citizens of Traxia, it is great to see you all on this fine day, as we celebrate completing the first leg of this great Tournament of Games!". The Crowd erupted at the words. "And what a tournament we've had so far! In just the past few days, we've had the privilege of seeing some of the truly some of the best fighting and the most fearsome combatants to ever step foot in this arena. Let's hear it for the fights so far, and for our determined fighters who have made it this far!" The Boss waited for the crowd to simmer down. You hear attempts to start chanting for their favored fighter, including one for you, but it's too cluttered and chaotic for any one to make a clear victory in that regard.

"As fierce as the competition has been so far," The Boss continued "I dare think we can make this even more exciting. All of our fighters have been grouped under a colored team. Each of these colored teams will act as its own tournament for the remainder of the contest, until just one fighter remains.." Mentioning this caused an already tense group of fighters to turn downright paranoid, as each fighter looked around them to see who their "teammates" were, and who they no longer had to worry about. "When each team has only fighter left, each champion will return to the arena, and face each other in a grand melee, for who among them shall be named Champion of Champions!" The crowd was ecstatic as they wondered who would end up in the final gambit, their lust for carnage could never be fully sated.

The remainder of The Boss' oration was cut short; violently so. The crowd gasped in shock as a weapon came careening past the wall of the shields, just barely missing the ringleader of this whole affair. It was a tomahawk; that red headed tribal woman was clearly looking to start trouble, or end it, depending on perspective. As guards at the edge of the arena tried to swoop in to apprehend her, other fighters stepped in to defend her. Emboldened, other combatants began to press against the shield wall, trying to break through and get at The Boss. Some other fighters were more opportunistic, taking the fight to each other for petty grudges or to remove the competition in advance. In odd form, you just stood there, hesitated, watching the chaos unfold around you. It wasn't until someone called out to you that you snapped back to reality.

"Hey, Greenskin! You with us, or you just going to pose for a statue all day!" It was the red haired lady, having skirted through the chaos for you.

"I'm sorry, you need me for something?"

"Ya. I need your big dumb ass to break through that shield line. You get in there, or at least give me a clear shot, and I can kill that fat bastard right here and now!"

"You're crazy!" You respond, in surprise more than defiance

"Don't tell me that Kromdor the might orc is afraid after all this. Come on! This can all end now!"

"I'm not afraid of nothing..." You snort at her, accepting her challenge "Watch that I don't kill him myself" Double axe firmly in grip, you charge madly at the center of the arena. The other combatants, hearing your loud bellow, get well clear of your path. Solid muscle slams against hard iron while you also take a wild horizontal swing at the guards. They do budge back, but the line isn't broken. Fearing for their lives and worse, they dig in and manage to push you back, but not before the end goal was reached. The redheaded woman was charging behind you, and used you as a jumping point to get over the line. Shocked and pressed with no real option, there was nothing for them to do before she threw her second tomahawk straight into The Boss' back.

Taking that as success enough for the moment, she struggled to get around the guards again, them now more focussed on protecting and rescuing The Boss than apprehending her. She took just enough time to get your attention "Come on! We have to get out of here!" Finding the keys on a dead guard, you were able to open the main gates, allowing you and scores of other fighters to escape the arena, all heading their different ways. The crowds by this point had long since started fleeing the arena, the contestants milling in with them. It was absolute pandemonium outside, and in the chaos you found your first taste of freedom. For the first time in a long time, there wasn't somebody looming over you forcing you to do something.