"Thanks a lot mate", Martin enjoys the drink and looks around the pub more carefully from where he is sitting, to see if there is anything of interest in the pub...

There are some round wooden tables in booths with lots of people talking and laughing. It seems like a very friendly atmosphere.

Martin stays where he is and continues to finish his drink, wondering where Naru and Andrew may have gone and contemplating how these villages could possibly float

The bartender, while cleaning a mug, eyes Martin.
"You look far too deep in thought for someone so young. You need to drink more."

Martin nods to the bartender, "You are so right, mate, but I'm only here for the one drink. I'm on a job at the moment, I can't get too intoxicated", Martin laughs, "and I've got a couple of friends that I left behind, I've got to find them again before we get to our destination. I'm curious, would you happen to know how these villages float, they don't seem to use any engines or wings and I see nothing that are keeping these villages in the air..."

"I don't really understand it much, but those big metal things on the bottom have something to do with it. I did learn a thing or two the last time we saw the engineer you're going to.
Short answer: The planet is like a magnet, and the metal things are the same pole as it, so they get pushed off the ground.
Long answer: I have no idea, but he said something about metals beneath the sand making the magnets work much better than normal. That's why they use buses outside of the desert, 'cos the metal thingies don't work that well out there."

"Oh ok, that sounds very interesting", Martin finishes his drink, "Thanks a lot for the drink mate, I'll be off now", Martin gets off the bar stool and heads out of the pub...

As he tries to exit the pub, his arms feel very weak. He can't push the door open, and his limbs feel very heavy.

Martin is confused and doesn't understand why he feels so tired, he decides to sit down on the nearest chair to take a breather and try and get some energy back, he takes a drink from his water bottle...

The feeling of tiredness intensifies, and his vision blackens and distorts, until he passes out, unconscious.

He awakes in a small pit filled with sand. His weapons have been taken off him, and his armour has been replaced with simple ragged villager clothing.
The pit is too high to climb, with metal circular walls around it. It is about five metres wide. A man stands at the top of the pit, his face hidden in shadows.

"What do you want from me?" Martin yells at the man in the shadows

"Nothing big, just participate in three fights with a couple of other suckers, and we let you go. All in good fun."

"I'm not going to fight, let me out of here now"

"Oh yeah, forgot to mention, it's compulsory."

"Fuck", Martin says as he sits down in the corner of the pit

Your first fight is with another chump who wanted a lift across the desert. Knock him out and you are one step closer to freedom. The fight starts in a few minutes.

"Shit"

He laughs.
"Yeah, that's normally the reaction."
Someone's shouts are heard from above the pit.
"Hey let me go! Where are you taking me?" A man is tossed into the pit next to Martin.
The man in the shadows looks down at them both.
"Now don't start yet, give the new guy some time to get ready. We start in five minutes."
Talking sounds grow louder above the pit as more people appear.

"We don't have to fight", Martin says to the man thrown into the pit with him

"Yes we do! How else do we get out of here?" He pushes himself back against the opposite wall than Martin, then puts his head in his hands.
The man yells from above.
"Two minutes!"

"I need a cigarette", Martin says to himself

"Fight!"
A crowd has gathered around the pit. The other man trapped with Martin gets to his feet.

Martin attempts to throw sand into the guy's face, he then quickly gets up and attempts to punch the guy in the face...

The man is blinded momentarily by the sand, and Martins punch sends him stumbling into the wall. He recovers quickly and delivers a heavy punch to martins stomach.

The air is taken out of Martin from the heavy blow to his stomach for a moment, but he recovers quickly and raises his arms in a defensive stance, he moves from side to side and waits for an opening and then attempts to throw a few punches at the guy's face, followed by an uppercut into his stomach...