“Do you even know where it’s at?” Sally said.
“I’m sure we can ask along the way.”
“Fine.” Sally sniffed and began walking away, then stopped and turned. “Well, do I have to lead the way?”
Breeze grinned at Ray. “Can’t argue with the lady now, can we?”
Ray grunted, and together they caught up to her.
Along the way, Breeze told them what he saw and experienced in his vision from the winged creature: the exploding ships; the pitched battle; the man pointing down at a planet. They listened intently without a word.
“It’s strange that your vision didn’t involve anything about your background,” Sally said, “but instead showed some sort of a future. The way Raza reacted to you afterwards was also weird; she couldn’t wait to get away from you, from all us.”
Before Breeze could respond, Ray, who had listened to Breeze tell his story with a look of discomfort written on his face, loudly interrupted. “Let’s ask for directions now, ‘cause this part of town is starting to get kind of rough.”
They asked a passerby for directions who grunted at them and pointed down the street.
They continued on and merged with a flock of pedestrians heading in the same direction where just ahead lay a brightly lit venue.
“There, that has to be it.” Breeze pointed.
“Yeah, the big lighted sign that says Hammer Jack’s was probably the clue,” Ray snorted
“Come on, Ray, stop being sarcastic. This should be fun, get in the spirit,” Breeze said.
Sally walked between them and pulled them close to her. “Guys, these people are weird.”
A crowd had gathered at the entrance and soon they were surrounded by a motley mix of characters. Gigantic men and women chatting and joking with dwarves, along with people dressed in leather jackets with weapons attached to them. In the background, hover cars and air bikes streamed in and parked in the front and back of the building.
The line moved slowly forward where at the entrance, menacing bouncers with glowing eyes scanned everyone as they walked through and confiscated weapons when they found them. Another bouncer was repeating an announcement, but they couldn’t hear it clearly above the din of the crowd. As they drew closer, they heard him say: “No fighting, no assaults amongst the audience. Absolutely no displaying or using of powers. None.” The bouncer declared with a heavy bass voice.
Breeze pulled up the hood of his jacket over his head. Ray and Sally followed his lead.
After being scanned by the bouncers and paying the entrance fee, they stepped into Hammer Jack’s. The venue was an indoor stadium with row upon row of seats lining the interior and stretching up to the ceiling. They jostled with the crowd until they found some empty seats and sat down. Sally made a point of sitting between them as she looked around nervously.
Breeze nudged her in the ribs. “Stop doing that, you’ll attract attention. We’re locals, nothing to see here.”
She leaned into him. “Didn’t you hear what that bouncer outside said? No use of powers, he kept saying. Are there others like us?” she said and began scanning the crowd.
Breeze grabbed her arm and puller her close. “Sally, in this town I think it’s safe to say you can find anything here. Matilda suggested we come here and we’re about to find out why.”
People continued to stream in looking for seats when the lights dimmed and a spotlight lit the arena floor. The crowd immediately roared and thrust their fists into the air.
The announcer stepped out and held his hands high in a bid to quiet the unruly crowd. “Fighting fanatics, welcome to the temple of the martial arts. The dojo of war. The church of destruction. Welcome….to Hammer Jack’s!”
The crowd rushed to their feet and cheered as spotlights swept across the arena revealing the masses of humanity that had gathered under one roof. Breeze followed one of the spotlights as it briefly illuminated the faces of the crowd as it zipped around the arena. He saw women with eyes that glowed alongside men with gigantic bodies and shrunken heads while all around were dwarves that jumped up and down in their seats. The cacophony of noise grew until the announcer held up his hands again and it fell to a rumbling din.
“I know what you scum want. I know all of you,” the announcer said as he swept his hand across the crowd. “You want to see a real contest. One filled with gladiators fighting to their last breath!”
The crowd roared in agreement.
“You want to see pulse-pounding action as opponents pummel each other into the dirt!”
The crowd shouted their approval and stomped their feet.
“Well then, who am I to keep you waiting, my feverishly frenzied friends? Our first venture into violence is a real mismatch some would say. But those gathered here today know better.”
The announcer then threw back his head and pointed to his right. “From this side of the ring, ladies, hang on tightly to your men, and beware the temptations of… Silvia the Seductress!”
The spotlight swept over to one side of the arena where a panel slid open an out stepped a beautiful woman with long flowing hair. She was barefoot and wore a revealing, tightly fit dress. Immediately, the men in the audience cheered and wolf whistled while the women hissed at her. A man sitting in front of Breeze kept whistling louder and louder until his female companion slapped him across the face, which set off a heated argument.
The announcer continued. “As if Silvia wasn’t trouble enough for the men, and a source of stress for the ladies, let’s add fuel to the fire, shall we? Assembled aficionados, let out a hearty cheer for Ajax the Avenger!”
The crowd roared and shouted as they thrust their fists into the air with chants of “Ajax! Ajax!” thundering throughout the arena. Multiple spotlights swirled across the audience then coalesced onto a panel on the opposite side of the arena from where Silvia stood. Double panels slid open and out stepped Ajax. He was a mountain of a man that had to stoop first before stepping into the arena. He immediately stood up to his full height and stretched his arms out, and released an ear splitting roar. Lighting crackled all around him as his eyes glowed an eerie white while the crowd roared louder and louder.
Meanwhile, Silvia stood her ground and stroked her hair nonchalantly, then turned to face the audience and blew kisses to a group of men hanging over the railings, feverishly calling her name to gain her attention.
“Folks, I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t look like a fair fight!” the announcer declared as he stood in the center of the arena.
The crowd hooted.
“Seriously, look what we have here. Ajax is obviously a mighty warrior, but poor Silvia, she’s just a wee little girl. Is this right?”
Everyone began to chant Ajax’s name as Silvia crossed the arena toward her opponent while she continued blowing kisses and waving to the audience.
The announcer chuckled. “You folks never disappoint. After all, who doesn’t love an unfair fight? Let the mayhem commence!” the announcer shouted, then disappeared in a flash of light and a puff of smoke. The crowd roared so loud Breeze could feel the vibration through his seat.
Strobe lights flashed across the arena as the floor beneath them began to shift. Sally screamed and grabbed onto Breeze as their seats slid back, then floated up. The floor morphed as it stretched out and sunk deeper into the ground while the seats were being pushed closer but higher over the arena floor, giving them a closer view of the fights.
“Breeze, I want to go,” Sally said as she pressed her body into him.
He held her close. “We’ll be okay.”
Ajax strode to the center of the arena and roared as he shot bolts of lightning in the air. They hit the ceiling and rained sparks onto the audience.
Silvia stood her ground with her hands on her ample hips, then raised a finger to Ajax and signaled him t
o come closer.
Ajax let out a menacing laugh as he raised his fists in the air. Lightning crackled between them, forming a sphere of energy that grew and expanded with each passing second.
Silvia turned to the audience with a pout while pressing a finger to her chin. Some of the crowd booed and hissed while others shouted encouragement to her.
Ajax took advantage of her distraction and heaved the sphere at her.
She whipped around and immediately tumbled into a forward roll. She came to a stop at his feet and looked right up at him.
Ajax was caught by surprise as Silvia held up her hands in surrender, and then he raised his foot to stomp on her.
She smiled and winked.
He hesitated.
In a flash, her arms stretched out. Like elastic bands, they snaked out and wrapped themselves around his neck, and with a hard tug, he toppled toward her. She leapt up and slid between his legs, then yanked her arms toward her body. Ajax flipped and landed on his back with a thump that shook the floor. Silvia released her hold on him as her elastic arms coiled back to their original length, then turned and waved to the crowd who responded with a mix of cheers and jeers.
Ajax slowly rose his feet, but stumbled as he tried to regain his balance. The crowd began chanting his name as he pounded his chest and raised fist to them in solidarity. The crowd went wild when Ajax whirled around and hurled a bolt of lightning at Silvia.
Silvia’s hair immediately snaked out from her head and wrapped itself around her, forming a shield that covered her body when the bolt of lightning hit it and dissipated into a hail storm of sparks. The hair grew into an even greater length as it weaved itself into a ball. Silvia, completely immersed within, rolled forward and hurtled toward Ajax.
Ajax tried to repel her by throwing bolt after bolt. Some hit, but most missed, and the ones that did hit failed to stop the forward progress of the rolling ball of hair as it grew even thicker and crackled with energy it absorbed from the lighting. In a surge of power, a bolt erupted from the ball of hair and struck Ajax in the chest with a tremendous crack, sending him flying across the arena, and smashing into a wall. He flopped to the ground in a crumpled heap.
“What…was….that!” Sally shouted above the roar of the crowd.
Ray leaned closer to them. “At this rate, who knows what else we’re going to see before Achilles takes to the ring.”
The netting of hair covering Silvia regressed as she emerged from it. She circled the ring and waved to the crowd and the mixture of boos and cheers was deafening.
The announcer floated out of the floor and strode to the center of the stage. A microphone drifted toward him and he snatched it. “Questionable ladies, and not so gentle men, the winner of the first match by knockout, the deadly but delightful, Silvia the Seductress!”
The masses booed and cheered even louder as she exited the arena. Wranglers emerged from the wings and dragged Ajax off who let out a loud groan as disappointed fans threw garbage at him.
Match after match came and went. Cyborgs versus pyrokinetics. Martial artists with superhuman agility fighting off telekinetics. Each match grew deadlier as time went by.
For the final match, the announcer once again took center stage as the lights dimmed. A sole spotlight focused on him as he placed a hand over his heart and began speaking in a soft and trembling voice. “And now, worshipers of warmongering, comes the event you have been waiting for. The blood battle that has you howling like wolves. The duel to the death you so desire. You’ve come a long way to see this. From every mountain and valley far across Appalachia, from every holler and hilltop across the land. Is tonight the night the reigning champion, Achilles, is dethroned by the challenger, Sargon? Let’s find out!”
The announcer thrust his hands in the air as spotlights circled the audience and strobe lights flashed. The steady beating of drums began to build into a powerful tempo.
“Tonight’s challenger, from the high mountain country surrounded by the mists of magic, comes the hero we’ve all been waiting for. The Metallurgist of Mayhem. The Forger of Fenris. I give you, Sargon the Slayer!”
The crowd roared and stomped its feet as spotlights swung to the far side of the arena. A panel slid open and out stepped a giant of a man covered head to toe in armor. The armored plates across his body slid in a continuous motion and morphed themselves into different shapes. He held his hand out and the armor that covered it formed a sledge hammer. He held out a leg and the tip of his foot formed into a sword. He raised his arms to reveal a spinning saw blade that circled his waist.
Fireworks exploded across the arena followed by bursts of flame. The crowd chanted and cheered as the drum beat grew deafening.
The announcer raised a hand and the crowd settled down. “And now, denizens of doom, patrons of paucity, I give you a warrior made of circuits and servos. Your mechanical overlord, the robot you so love to hate, the reigning champion, the Amazing Achilles!”
The rain of boos and screams that ensued were overwhelming.
Sally and Breeze looked at each other and shouted in unison above the cacophony of noise, “Achilles is a robot?”
The spotlights shifted to the center of the arena as the announcer floated away. A circular opening no more than four feet in diameter appeared and the head of a robot emerged from it. As it rose up, the spotlights highlighted its gleaming metal body while all around the beating of drums was deafening and the crowd was becoming unruly. Achilles, now on level ground, held a fist high in the air as it walked the circumference of the arena. Angry boos echoed and reverberated throughout as garbage and debris was thrown down at it.
Ray leaned over and shouted at Breeze. “Are you seeing this?” he pointed at Achilles.
Breeze nodded and yelled, “Yeah, it looks just like the RF on Perihelion!”
The announcer swooped down and hovered over the center ring. “Warriors, take your positions!” he ordered.
Sargon and Achilles took to opposite sides of the arena.
“Combat!” the announcer shouted as fireworks exploded from the ceiling. The crowd was on their feet and roaring.
Achilles casually strode to the center and waited.
Sargon hesitated, and then charged across the arena toward Achilles. The armored plates of his suit shifted and morphed as he ran at full stride. He lifted his right arm to form a sword while his left hand shifted into a shape of an ax. His chest plate burst open and a metallic whip lashed out and snatched Achilles by the neck then retracted, jerking the robot off its feet and sending it flying towards him.
Achilles grabbed the whip with both hands just as it was pummeled into the ground by Sargon’s ax. The crowd shouted their approval as Sargon rained blow upon blow on the robot as sparks flew with every strike. He stopped his assault long enough to raise a leg and slam a spiked foot down on it.
Achilles quickly rolled out of the way and sprang to its feet. It threw off the whip that was wrapped around its neck, then jumped and kicked Sargon in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Achilles turned to the crowd and raised a fist in triumph. The crowd booed harshly, and then shifted into cheers as Sargon scrambled to his feet. The robot kept its back to him as it continued to antagonize the crowd.
Sargon’s chest plate opened and the whip lashed out again, this time snaring Achilles’ raised fist and yanking the robot to the ground. As the whip retracted back into his chest and dragged Achilles across the arena toward him, Sargon morphed his right hand into a trident and thrust it into the robot when it came within striking distance. Sparks flew as it struck Achilles’ chest and glanced off. Sargon went for a second strike, this time aiming for the head.
Achilles leapt up with the metallic whip still coiled around its hand and vaulted over Sargon’s head where it landed on his back. It wrapped the whip around his helmet and yanked bac
k, shattering the face plate. Sargon roared in anger and pain as he reached up and tore the helmet off his head, revealing a scarred and bloody face. He spun in a circle rapidly and flung Achilles off him.
Achilles was still tethered to the whip as it flew through the air when Sargon released the connection from his chest, sending it crashing into the side of the arena. Concrete shattered and rebar was exposed as Achilles tumbled to the ground. It stood up and shook its head, then began to brush the dust off.
Breeze leaned over and shouted at Ray. “Achilles is just playing with him!”
Blood ran down Sargon’s face as he staggered toward Achilles, and then dropped to one knee with a groan. He stabbed a finger at the robot. “It ends! Now!”
Achilles shrugged as the crowd went into a frenzy.
Sargon stood up slowly as the metal plates of his armor shifted back into place. He raised both his hands and they morphed into propellers with sharply angled tips.
The propellers began to rotate, gradually picking speed until they spun with a roar. Dust and trash that was strewn across the arena floor blew everywhere.
Sargon dropped one propeller to the ground and the blades chewed up the concrete, sending chunks of it flying into the crowd as he marched toward Achilles. He pointed the other propeller at the robot and the jet blast of air pinned it against the wall. Sargon then let out a mighty roar and charged with both propellers facing forward.
Achilles leaned into the hurricane force winds in an attempt to break free, but failed to escape in time as Sargon arrived and slammed the propellers into him. Sparks flew everywhere as the sound of metal scraping against metal created a horrible screech that made the crowds reach up to cover their ears.
Achilles stood its ground with its arms across its chest as Sargon attacked. Propeller blades began to break off upon contact with its armor and flew off into the crowd. Screaming erupted across the arena as everyone ducked and threw themselves onto the floor for safety.
Achilles swiveled its head rapidly as it watched some of the crowd run from the danger, then its eyes glowed brightly as it raised a hand toward Sargon. Sargon’s eyes went wide with surprise as he was lifted off the ground and sent sailing through the air to the opposite side of the arena.
Breeze Corinth (Book 1): Sky Shatter Page 37
