Umbra at Colossus

So he went to the Coliseum

The Coliseum is empty. The camera shows different angles of the ancient building. The stones lining the exterior are darkened by the night sky. The interior is not illuminated either, all lights are off. The only light comes from the waning moon and the twinkling stars. The original floor for the Coliseum’s pit is worn away and the undercroft is visible. Anyone who wished to fight here would be doing just that; wishing. No there was no way to fight inside the Coliseum now, not to mentions they would go to jail in Rome for assault and vandalism of national property. But there is movement in the parking lot. Two men are walking across the empty lot of the great arena. There are no cars in the lot. One is a man in a black outfit with short blonde hair. He is walking next to a long haired young adult who wears blue jeans and a flamboyant jacket over his bare chest. He leans over and asks his older companion something in Italian. But because no one here seems to understand Italian, the translations will be provided free of charge and we will hear nothing more of this Italian language from here on out.

“So why I am dressed in this ridiculous outfit sensei?” The man asks through a thick accent.

“Because its what my friend requested,” The man responded, his voice is familiar to those paying attention to this series. “He called me yesterday asking if I had any students that I thought needed a challenge. I told him that you and Viktor were my top two students. When I told him he could have a shot at either one of you he responded for me to send you both. Then he made the request for both of you to dress up like this. Something about getting in the mental state needed to do what was necessary.”

“And you think he can handle both of us?” The young man asks as he pops his knuckles.

“I was happy he asked for both of you,” The martial arts master Fabrizio Ravetto says. “He knows how to fight.”

The scene cuts over to another side of the parking lot where a man in a trench coat. He wears a white cloth mask that has something painted on it, but because of the hat over his head. He speaks in a gruff voice that imitates another comic book character.

“Strange’s journal, July 5th, called at the early hours, had to put on this outfit.” The man voicing his own noir moment spoke softly but roughly at the same time. “Was being paid for a fighting gig here in the parking lot. The costume was to keep my identity a secret in case anyone spotted the fight. We live here, it is out home, not his. Had to keep myself out of trouble. Cops were crooked, he could escape, we couldn’t.”

The man sits perched on a rail looking out over the parking lot. He is on the second floor of a building looking down at the two men walking across the lot. They do not see him.

“Trouble, there is always trouble in my town.” He says to no one. “But perhaps that’s because I cannot clean up the streets like I’ve wanted to. They won’t let me do what is necessary to make this town better. All the whores, thieves and filth that spew forth their own vomit will one day swell through the gutters and turn the streets to rivers, rivers of blood. Then when they cannot take it anymore they will look to the heavens and scream for a savior, and I will look down and say…”

“No,” Fabrizio says as he answers a question the long haired man asks. “He just said for you to call yourself that incase you were caught. So you would be able to avoid trouble.”

The camera has shifted back to the two walking away from the small building and across the parking lot. The man dressed in the mask is above them but with the lack of light in the Coliseum parking lot, he is invisible.

“Biggs,” he says, “sounds like a fake name.”

“No,” Fabrizio repeats himself, “it’s the name of one of the men seeking a chance to take him out. But that man is not his opponent coming up, no the other guy has a different name.”

“And that’s who Viktor is dressed up as?” ‘Biggs’ asks, “And why would he want us to look like his opponents?”

“To help get ready for his upcoming fight,” responds the sensei. “He wants to be prepared for what he has to do. O doubt he will hurt you’ll but that’s why there are two of you, to keep this thing under control. Don’t hold back, just don’t break any of each other’s bones. Shadow is a good man, he will take care of you as long as you take care of him.”

“And where is Viktor?” The long haired imitation asks.

The camera shifts back to the man in the trench coat. He drops down from the second floor’s railing and lands on the concrete behind the martial arts master and the man dressed like A.P.W.’s Biggs.

“These two shouldn’t be here.” Viktor ‘Strange’ says, he slowly moves along the wall, and when the wind blows by him it whips his coat back making a slight rustling noise. For a second it looks like he has wings, just like the comic book character he is named after.

The two people pause and listen as they hear the cloth coat stirring in the wind. They look around wondering where the other two people are at. Its at that moment Fabrizio turns to his pupil and says.

“It’s time for me to go.” His voice is not afraid. He just knows that Shadow asked for the two students. This was a test for Fabrizio’s boys not him.

Fabrizio shakes the hand of his student before walking away from the parking lot. The man dressed as ‘Biggs’ stands in the ‘dark light’ looking around for Shadow or his fellow martial artist. Then he walks on. His feet make soft footfalls on the pavement. ‘Biggs looks around, watching for movement as he walks. He is now in the center of this empty parking lot. Behind him, moving in the shadows a man watches him. ’Strange’ comes out of the darkness and slowly, quietly creeps towards his peer. ‘Biggs’ perks his ears up and listens. He stops walking. A soft grunt is heard as ‘Strange’ goes for a roundhouse kick to ‘Biggs.’ The violence has begun. ‘Biggs’ ducks the kick and spins around looking at ‘Strange’ finally we see his mask. Its cloth, as mentioned before, but painted on it is not a Rorschach but instead is a mask from another Alan Moore comic book. It’s the Guy Fauks image painted over the cloth. It must be hard for Viktor to see but he manages. The two begin to fight in the parking lot while the shadows sway in the wind. ‘Strange’ is on the offensive, forcing ‘Biggs’ to block and dodge everything thrown. When he gets the chance he throws an occasional punch, but ‘Strange’ is able to dodge with ease. ‘Biggs’ continues to back up as his attacker continues and onslaught. “Biggs’ uses his feet and legs to block kicks while his hands try to find an opening through the repeated shots coming at him. He feels his feet at the edge of the parking lot. There is a tree behind him now, another shadow falls across the two darkening everything. Then from above a figure comes out of the tree. He lands next to both, causing them to pause. The see this dark being looming over both of them, he is at least a foot taller than both. ‘Strange’ is the first to attack. He spins and throws a right hand but Shadow catches the fist in his hand.

“Who are you?” ‘Biggs’ asks as he catches his breath.

Shadow shoves the fist in his hand back sending ‘Strange’ stumbling. Then both men attack Shadow. He is silent as he blocks a few punches before getting caught by a kick to the gut. There are no howls of pain, no cries for help, just the sounds of flesh colliding with other flesh. Shadow finally catches the leg of ‘Biggs’ and spins around, still holding the leg throwing him across the lot. ‘Biggs’ shifts in the air and lands facing Shadow and ‘Strange’ his feet spread as he slides back across the cold pavement. He puts his hand down when he stops to balance himself as Shadow fights ‘Strange’

“Challenge my ass,” ‘Biggs’ says as he charges back into the fray.

Shadow is busy with a leveled playing field. He does not notice ‘Biggs’ closing in. Then at the last second, Shadow ducks and ‘Biggs’ sails overhead. Shadow grabs one cuff of ‘Strange’ and then catches the other fist in his free hand, he slips his hand to the cuff of that sleeve as well. Shadow kicks hard, landing a blow to the man’s stomach sending him flying back, the coat ripping down the spine as hiw hat comes flying off. Shadow tosses the remnants of clothing down and turns to Biggs who is back to his feet. He comes in and Shadow ducks a swinging right arm, then blocks a knee to chest. Shadow hooks the leg, pulls ‘Biggs’ in close and tosses him up and over his head. The long haired martial artist hit’s the concrete with a thud. He does not get up. ‘Strange’ is back on his feet though. He marches forward with intent. He is not going to be made a fool of. Shadow begins to block every shot thrown. Others he dodges. ‘Strange’ is getting irritated he cannot land a single hit. Finally, ‘Strange’ lets go. He begins to fight dirty, grabbing Shadow’s arm and pulling him closer to land several quick kicks to the legs. Shadow drops to a knee as ‘Strange’ goes to finish him with a roundhouse kick. But Shadow lowers his head one more time then leaps back to his feet turns and hit’s a powerful side kick to the ribs of ‘Strange’ Then he spins and hit’s a spinning back kick. The man tries to stay standing as Shadow charges in and lands a full STO driving ‘Strange’ to the concrete. Shadow slowly pulls himself back to his feet trying to catch his breath. He leans his head back and exhales into the cool night air. Both of the other men are down, but still breathing. They are just stunned, not severally hurt. ‘Biggs’ rolls onto his back as in the distance we hear the faint sound of a siren. Then Fabrizio comes back into view. He has been watching this thing from his car parked across the street. Shadow turns to his friend.

“We have to get everyone out of here.” Shadow says as he wipes a little blood from his mouth.

He walks over and scoops up Biggs and hands him to Fabrizio who slings him over his shoulder. Then Shadow walks over and lifts ‘Strange’ by his arm into a fireman’s carry. Then Shadow follows to Fabrizio’s car where the put ‘Biggs’ in the front seat and ‘Strange’ in the back. Shadow turns to his friend.

“Thank you for this man,” Shadow says still a little out of breath. “I needed a warm up fight before Test for the Best. I just hope I didn’t hurt your boys too much.”

“No,” Fabrizio responds in English, his accent thick as hell. “I expected something along these lines. I didn’t know they’d rough you up as much as they did.”

“You did say they were good,” Shadow says with a chuckle.

The sirens in the distance are growing closer. Shadow turns back to his friend and shakes his hand quickly.

“Thank you for everything Fabrizio.” Shadow is very happy, his voice seems calmer. He turns and walks towards an alley his hand going to his pockets his head lowering so he blends in with the darkness a little better.

“Anytime,” Fabrizio says.

He doesn’t say it loud though, he whispers it as Shadow walks away then he gets in his car and drives off taking the boys somewhere they can get cleaned and patched up after the brawl. As the cops arrive on scene of what someone had said was a mugging they find nothing, just a torn trench coat and a hat. They look at everything puzzled and begin to search the area. In the darkness Shadow watches before turning down the alley and heading for the hotel. There is a new air about him, like a lot of frustrations have been released. Many would ask what was the point of that, it was Shadow’s way to silence the nagging voices of the REAL Biggs and Strange in his head. Biggs running his mouth for the past few weeks and Strange’s two sentences over the past month about their match were now quelled. Shadow was able to end the noise and now he could focus on the real people. Of course the only one he was really focusing on is Strange, Biggs didn’t seem to be stupid enough to step beyond the pointless trash talking. Strange was the challenge and Shadow was going to meet him. But first, he has to pack, because Shadow has a plane to catch.