Book 2 Chapter 29: In the Cells of the Colosseum, part 1

Koshchei

Colosseum, unknown Elven Realm date and time

Me and my big heart… Koshchei sighed. Throughout his long life, whenever he showed magnanimity, problems arose. At his first kidnapping of a princess, a Polovtsian one, he had followed all the standard knyaz mating procedures: he chose the prettiest lass, with some cooking training—evidently—and after the kidnapping was done, he didn't lay a finger on her. Time was sure to make her fall for him. Koshchei had left a rose on her doorstep every morning and enchanted the furniture to sing her lullabies and ballads.

And how did she reward his goodness? The shrew had tricked him into allowing her to walk into the garden. A hero—a big-muscled hunter—had noticed her because what other business did they have than roam around other people's property? She complained, no surprise there, and then tchak. Koshchei still remembered the sound of his neck being cut and the rotating view his head caught while rolling on the ground. He had spent a month regrowing a head.

Should have kept her chained in the kitchen to make me borscht…

After many rinses and repeats, one way or another, he chose to live as a hut and rely on the Baba Yagas to protect him. Some he persuaded to make a pact; others were automatically drafted into his service after he killed the previous Baba. That had been the good times.

Most of his Babas were either introverted weirdos or evil, and they liked to mind their own business. The only other good Baba, before Isolde, had been an escaped serf with a family. Having a comfortable hut was like striking gold for them. For a few decades, they had cleaned and cared for Koshchei as never before, as a gesture of gratitude, giving him personal space. That had been the peak in Koshchei's life. Then the parents grew old and faded away, and the kids left.

The Baba he remembered the most fondly, though, was a powerful sorceress who had been tricked into signing a deal and was the source of those nasty stories people told. Oh, boy, she could curse, magically and verbally. Entertainment at its best.

Now, Isolde was… tiring. That was the only word he could think of. She was a restless good doer, making him rescue every mutated or non-mutated orphan on their way from Russia to Slovakia, over a hundred in all. They had slept inside him for weeks. Some kids were so young they had only a very vague idea of what a potty was, and Koshchei's collection of precious enchanted singing kettles—from his time as a man—had been fouled to much indignity. He had swallowed his pride, because it was clear that Isolde's way to cope with her trauma was through charity.

The worst part came after Isolde decided to start an orphanage near a village's hot spring. In exchange for a lease on the land, she promised to make the place a health resort and attract clients. Needing more money, she concocted a foolish plan to take part in the Colosseum races, where the prizes were huge, asking Koshchei to turn into a chariot. If not for trying to make Isolde happy, Koshchei wouldn't have turned into one. Ever. He couldn't sleep in chariot form; the shape was too tiny.

Then shit hit the fan. Tricked by a usurper and accessories to a serious crime, the team was thrown into prison. The sentence to fight in the Colosseum was, all things considered, lenient. During Koshchei's time as a knyaz, he executed people for far less.

After the arrest, they left him outside, in the Arena, near a wall. No one knew the chariot was Koshchei except Isolde. By chance, her cell was just near him. When the second night came, he sent a thought into her mind.

Are you ready to escape?

"Koshchei's alive," Isolde blurted.

"Huh?" Eliza, Isolde's cellmate, asked, raising her head from the straw that made up her mattress.

Don't reveal my presence. We have to talk first.

"Nothing, sorry… a bad dream."

"Keep the dreams to yourself, then, and let me sleep," Eliza sneered.

"You look very relaxed for someone thrown in a dungeon," Isolde snapped.

"This is not my first rodeo, girl. Just give me a day to regain my mana, and I'll figure something out. Oh, Sam, when I get my hands on you, you're so dead," Eliza yawned and returned to sleep.

I'll transform back, break your cell's bars, and then we escape. There's an overall magic dampener here, but it's no match for my powers.

"And the rest?" Isolde whispered, very low.

We can take Eliza, and that's it. It's too risky to save everyone. We'll try to find help once we're out.

"No way. I won't leave without the others," Isolde said, with weight on her words.

I can take the warg too. He's in a pen nearby.

"All or none," Isolde said. "Aren't you the mighty Koshchei? Breaking out of this place should be easy for you."

Go away from the wall; I'll break through in a moment, Koshchei said, activating his master-minion Mind Control. Nothing happened.

"I won't leave without my… friends," Isolde heaved, sweat pouring down her forehead. "I won't… leave… without… my friends," she repeated. "I won't—"

Fine! Keep your voice down.

The girl had developed Mental Resistances, and that was problematic. Koshchei was stuck there, with her as an anchor.

"What are you waiting for? Go get the others," Isolde ordered.

In a split second, Koshchei decided to part ways with her. In his long life, the one thing he did most often, to survive, was to run from danger. The idea of Isolde risking their life for strangers she had barely known for a few months was anathema to him. Nevertheless, since there was no way to dismiss their bond so easily, Koshchei swallowed his pride.

I don't know where they are kept.

"Can you go around the arena? I see cells all over."

Before we act, we need a good plan.

"Any ideas?"

First step: get more powers for myself. Second step: identify the team's location. Third step: make a sound plan and create a diversion strong enough that we can all escape at the same time.

Stolen from NovelPhoenix, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"How are you going to get more powers?" Isolde asked.

Elementary, my dear Babson. I will awaken to the System.

"What?"

Eliza jerked in her sleep, returning to snoring in a few seconds.

"I thought Sam refused to give you the interface," Isolde said in a low voice again.

He had a change of heart.

"What's your class?"

I didn’t take the potion yet. Didn't have the time; I was busy being a chariot.

"I could have won that race…" Isolde said with regret.

I know. Let me take the shot, then I'll tell you what can be done.

"You're sure it will work?"

I'm Koshchei the Immortal, a being of Old Magic, fifteen centuries old. I'll MAKE it work. Sit tight.

Deep down in Koshchei's storage was the shot Dmitri stole for him. Helping the goblin get a class had shown Koshchei it was possible. He stretched his body until the leather harness creaked and broke. Now, he could meditate.

For an hour, he absorbed the environmental Mana. It was tainted, but that meant nothing compared to what he was used to in his worst days. Pulling the awakening shot from storage, he squeezed it between two planks, breaking the vial and absorbing the liquid before it could drip onto the ground or evaporate. The sensation was pleasant. Like in times of old, when he had a beer too much. A warm energy spread through every cell. He waited for half an hour more, focusing on the sensation, cycling Mana and letting it fuse with the potion. Then, the first message came.

The Interface has finished installing the base OS. Accessing personal logs, aka memories, to identify compatible classes.

I don't need a class. I'm Koshchei the Immortal. I want the powers to expand my Interface and control other structures. Hack, as the Outworlders call it.

Detecting several evolutions and previous skills. Compounding possible class choices.

Told you, I don't need a class. Just give me hacking.

Hacking skills, magical and technological, depend on a structure called a class, or job. Considering your past metamorphosis, only one class with access to hacking is possible: GUNDAM.

What is a Gundam?

A combat machine. The Interface will show you a selection of short movies, directly into your brain.

In less than a minute, Koshchei wished he had a human body so he could gasp and feel the hair on his arms stand on end. Gundams were AWESOME. Goodbye, hut life.

Best two fistfuls of money ever spent. Hope you'll live a happy life, Dmitri…

The Interface has finished installing your class: Bespoke Gundam. Here are your stats:

Name: Knyaz Koshchei, aka Koschchei the Immortal

Species: Old Magic

Age: 1500

Level: 0

*Stats:

*One point in your stats is the equivalent to 6 points for an average human.

Physical

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 10

Constitution: 100

Agility: 10

Endurance: 20

Speed: 10

"This can't be right," Koshchei mumbled. "With all my experience, I should be level a thousand, not zero. And Strength ten? You're joking. I, who stood toe to toe with dragons and heroes?"

Query one: The levels represent thresholds on which the Interface delivers supplementary charges of nanites as Free Attribute points. The name reflects human culture, but it can be changed.

Query two: Analyzing the target's memory revealed a long period of sedentarism and severe periodic diseases (Pest, Chicken Flu, Typhus, etc.) Your Physical data is accurate. Recommendation: Physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Continuing your stats' presentation:

Mental

Intelligence: 70

Cunningness: 100

Perception: 80

Knowledge: 90

Focus: 22

Willpower: 30

TechnoMagical

*Arcane Mastery: 100

Transformation: 30

Magitech Affinity: 10

Flight: Locked

**Tech Alchemy: 10

***Partnership: Locked

*A fusion of Arcane Power, Mana Affinity, and Mana Capacity

**Tech Alchemy allows you to incorporate various materials into your body. Aside from the previous flesh and wood, you can now assimilate metal and rubber. Raise this stat to integrate composite and exotic materials.

***A Gundam works best if its pilot cooperates. A thrall can rebel, develop mental resistance, and lack the motivation to give its best. Your Mind Control skills related to your Babas were canceled.

Main Quests: To unlock Partnership, find a way to break the bond between you and Isolde, and hire her back on fair terms, or find a willing pilot. To unlock Flight, activate your thrusters and fly for at least 30 seconds.

Skills: Force Field, Force Shield, Mana Bolt, Fire Ball, Curse, Geas, Hypnotize, Identify, Multiple types of Rezz.

New Skills: Universal Translator

New Class-related Skills:

Transform: You can change form between a hut on legs, a chariot, and a Gundam. Advance the Transformation stat to change into more forms, including human.

Build weapon: You can use materials in your storage to build various weapons. Current schematics: Gatling Gun (requires gunpowder) or Chainsaw Sword (consumes Mana)

Share Skills: You can share up to two of your skills in total with your Pilot and/or Gunner, and borrow up to two of their skills.

Scan: Send a burst of Mana up to 300 feet to map a specific place.

Hack: Remotely connect to and take control of, or influence, various devices.

Gunner: Add an extra seat to your cockpit for a dedicated Gunner. While you can handle all tasks yourself if needed, we recommend assigning 2 tasks to specialized personnel. Current main tasks: Piloting, Gunner, Shields and Scanning.

Inner Shrink app: A Gundam and its crew have to be balanced. This app will periodically evaluate you and your collaborators.

What?

Summary psychoanalysis of Koshchei's personality: A timid heart yearning for love.

Albeit you did great evil during your life, most of it was influenced by the local culture and idiosyncrasies. Doing good might be the best choice for you.

I sure hope the Gatling would work better than this shrink app….

It was time to test his new powers. He expanded his senses and scanned around. Amazingly, he could hear the voices in each cell. Even from the snoring noises, he could identify who was where. A complex array of forcefields, sensors, and geases lay around, but Koshchei left them be. Some were beyond his hacking abilities; some would have raised an alarm. However, the filming crews left behind all their gear, and those were easy peasy. Soon, Koshchei had a full map of the Colosseum's layout and defenses.

It was time to make a plan. A distraction was needed; that was certain. The Warg was the first choice, because it was a powerful beast. However, he knew that the stupid, teary good doer, Isolde, would cry if Koshchei sacrificed the monster.

Things started to fall into place when a cameraman sneaked into the cell rows to deliver a message from Jane to Sam. It was perfect. All he had to do was wake up Isolde and give her a specific task.