"Calm down!" Gavin whispered in Sadira's ear. "She's vile and disgusting; just let it go."
Sadira took a deep breath and stopped pushing forward, trying to let go of her anger. She boiled and seethed inwardly, but stepped back nonetheless.
The allotted time for betting and banter ended. A Grey-Robed figure stepped forward, displacing the announcer.
"GLADIATORS" A woman's voice rang out over the arena, loud as thunder. "DO YOU ACCEPT THAT DEATH MAY CLAIM YOU?"
"I fear not death, only dishonour!" Gavin and Sadira said in unison.
They turned and faced Bella and Cat. Gavin squeezed Sadira's shoulder one last time as she locked eyes with Bella.
"THIS DEATHMATCH IS...
Bella smiled, Sadira snarled. Gavin suddenly felt weak in the knees.
...SANCTIONED!"
Sadira's war-scream rent the air as the last syllable of the Grey-Robe's voice faded. She launched herself at Bella, kicking up pieces of moss as her powerful legs propelled her forward, channelling the verdant magic of nature into a spell that lent her speed and strength.
Cat moved to flank Sadira as she closed on golden-haired Bella, but Gavin anticipated this move and placed himself in her path, intercepting the clawed Gladiator before she could interfere with Sadira. Her claws rang off his lion-headed shield, sending up sparks. He responded with a quick shoulder check, pushing her away from him.
Cunning Bella thrust her trident out to meet Sadira's charge. Nimble Sadira flowed around the trident's triple points slashing one of her gleaming obsidian sabres at Bella's neck. The golden-haired skirmisher ducked, using her folded net to slash at her opponent's legs, catching Sadira's ankle and sending her tumbling backwards. The crowd cheered.
Gavin watched in horror over Cat's shoulder as she dodged a thrust from his spear. Bella's brutal trident sped toward the ground where Sadira lay. His heart wrenched for a beat. Cat moved suddenly, taking advantage of his distraction, slashed her claws upwards under his shield leaving cuts on his stomach and legs, whooping in delight. He pushed her back with his shield, snarling.
Sadira spun on the ground, her foot catching the back of Bella's knee, forcing her to stagger and miss. Surging nimbly to her feet she thrust her twin swords toward her lithe opponent, forcing Bella to back away.
Bella smirked, channelling her power, binding the elements to her will. She had tricks Sadira had not thought of. The air bent around her, forming a dozen small shimmering translucent blades. With a wordless shout she sent them flying to lash Sadira.
Sadira dove backwards, but the razor-wind caught her, cutting her with jagged edges of compressed air. Blood flowed from a half-dozen wounds as she staggered to her feet. The crowd gasped and cheered. Bella smiled, feeling triumph.
"I learned that just for you, bitch!" Bella stalked toward the bloody Shadow-Elf woman, her swagger turning into a quick lunge with her sharp pointed trident. "I am going to take you apart, bit by bit, bitch. You will beg me for death today."
Sadira's curved swords snaked out as her opponent moved in, one of them knocking the trident aside, the other sweeping toward golden-haired Bella's legs. Bella jumped to avoid the slashing sword. Verdant energy flooded Sadira as she moved, slowing the bleeding and closing her wounds. Bella was pushed backwards by the sheer ferocity of her next two strokes, desperately fending off Sadira's hungry blades with her trident and net.
"Cute trick Bella," snarled Sadira, her violet eyes flashing. "Maybe you should have learned some magic that actually kills people!"
Sadira moved on her opponent with the strength and fury of an enraged bull, but lithe Bella summoned her power again, this time tossing a fist sized ball of fire at her opponent. The ball burst into a searing gout of flame, charring Sadira's skin where it hit; this caused her pain but also disrupted her magic, slowing her healing.
"Oh Sadira, poor girl, did you really think I'd never fought someone who knows life magic before?" Bella attacked Sadira with a flurry of tridents thrusts as she reeled from the burn. "I'm smarter than you, I'm more skilled than you, I'm even hotter than you. I'm going to kill you here; in front of all these people, and after I'm through with you, I'll take your man as well!"
Gavin had recovered from Cat's latest attack and sent her reeling with a mind blast spell. They circled each other. The energetic Gladiatrix flew at him again, claws ringing off his shield and armour, one of them slipping under his guard and leaving a bloody gash on his arm. She ducked his answering spear thrust, but he caught her under the chin with a swipe of the razor edge of his shield, nearly slitting her throat. She rolled back from him, surprisingly nimble for a fighter in medium armour, blood dripping from her jaw and neck. She did not seem to be deterred at all by the wound.
Gavin summoned his magic, his power clamping down on her mind like a vice. Cat grit her teeth against this new onslaught and charged at him. Like Sadira, she channelled her power into a healing spell, helping her wounds heal even faster as she fought.
Clever Bella was taking advantage of Sadira's temper, leading her on like a bullfighter, keeping her far away from Gavin's sheltering shield. Sadira's mistakes were starting to add up in spite of her regenerative magics; and she was struggling against her own frustration.
Redoubling her efforts Sadira slashed her blades at hated Bella, carving bright arcs in the air as she surged forward. Bella retreated from her with feigned awkwardness, pretending to stumble against her own trident as she backpedalled, her steady stream of insults and mocking noises faltering for effect. Sadira, reckless with uncontrolled anger, was taken in by this deception. She lunged at the skirmisher, quickly and forcefully, but with uncharacteristically poor balance due to her haste. Bella twisted slightly to avoid the sharp points of the twin obsidian blades, bringing her spiked knee up hard into Sadira's belly while sweeping the Shadow-Elf's legs with a swift flourish of her trident. The crowd gasped as raven-haired Sadira crashed into the stone and moss floor of the fighting grounds. Bella whirled her barbed net and tossed it.
Gavin pushed forward, shouting, trying to get past his opponent or at least throw his spear. Try as he might Cat shadowed him, slowing him down, her deadly claws impossible to ignore. Desperately, he sent a blast of mental energy rippling toward triumphant Bella, staggering her, but the net was already cast.
Sadira felt the heavy, weighted net envelop her, covering her prone form. She rolled, trying to escape and the hooks and barbs of the net ripped into her as she moved. The more she struggled, the tighter the vicious mesh became, the metal strands digging into her. Fear touched her as she saw Bella closing in slowly, strutting, smiling, and whirling her trident. The net flayed her as she rolled back and forth in a blind rage.
"It's over you stupid slut; struggle all you want, you can't power your way out of this!" Bella moved forward, intending to take the fight out of Sadira with a few well-placed jabs of her trident. Her intention was to render the Shadow-Elf helpless so she could execute her for the crowd. "It’s almost over now..."
Gavin pushed forward with a surge of pure adrenaline birthed by desperation, using his lion-headed shield as a battering ram. He caught Cat squarely, shoving her to the side. He ran forward two short steps, throwing his spear at Bella as Cat recovered and jumped back on him from behind, claws slicing bloody furrows into his back. The spear sped through the air only to be knocked to the ground with a flourish from Bella's trident. Gavin and Cat fell sprawling to the moss covered ground, wrestling and clawing.
I will not die like this, Sadira thought; I will not be beaten by the likes of her. She fought to control herself.
Bella turned to her once more, sneering. Sadira slowed her down with a hastily woven grasping-roots spell. She struggled to her knees; a towering white hot rage burned through her as the vicious hooks and barbs ripped her. This time she focused her anger, using it to give her strength to ignore her pain and overcome the hated net. Even her magic responded, her healing spells strengthening as she took control of her rage. She pushed her swords o
utwards, peeling the net from her arms, feeling the hooks rip their way out of her flesh one by one. Impressed by this display of courage, the crowd began to shout encouragement, which further fuelled her efforts. Shocked by Sadira's bloody determination, Bella moved forward to finish her off; but in her haste, she made a mistake of her own. Sadira completed her terrible, bloody effort and stood up, freeing herself enough to move just as Bella thrust the trident at her. The hastily thrust tip nicked her side as she pivoted away and threw herself on Bella. The crowd roared as the two fighters collided and went down.
Gavin gained his feet, throwing Cat over his shoulder to slam into the moss covered rock. He risked a glance at Sadira and felt relief and hope flood through him as he saw her bear Bella to the ground. Cat made him pay for this by kicking him from the ground sending him staggering back. He drew his short sword from his hip while she nimbly regained her feet.
Bella's eyes met Sadira's, seeing cold purpose behind the other woman's rage. They were both caught in the net now, grappling on the ground. Both of them suffered as the tiny hooks and barbs of the razor edged net cut them. Sadira screamed triumphantly, ignoring the pain of the barbs as she pummelled the other woman. Verdant magic filled her limbs with vitality and she quickly took control on the ground. Bella struggled desperately, hammering Sadira with fire-snap and razor-wind spells, but it was not a fight she could win now. The law of strength took its toll and Sadira's hands closed around Bella's neck as they both struggled in the vicious net.
Bella thrashed desperately, groping for her dagger, but her struggles faltered as Sadira got a solid grip on her throat and then drew back one arm to slam a fist into Bella's face. She felt bone shatter and howled in victory as she did it again. Blood dripped from her fist. Across the arena, Cat's eyes widened in horror, and she tried to slip past Gavin as her partner stopped struggling. Gavin's foot caught her ankle, sending her crashing to the ground. His sword caught her hip as she regained her feet, a brutal thrust that left her spurting blood. Gavin followed up by slamming his shield into her face, knocking her off her feet. The crowd hushed, waiting, as he pinned her to the ground.
Sadira slammed Bella's head on the rock, twice for good measure, and then peeled the net off them both. The pain was exquisite for her, even taking the time to do it properly. Bella's eyes fluttered open, but she only got to her knees before she felt the ice cold touch of Sadira's blade against her throat. She froze, eyes wide, the realization of her doom robbing her of any strength.
Cat regained consciousness to find Gavin sitting on her back, holding her head up by the hair, blade pressed against her throat. She did not struggle. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw cruel Sadira, bloody and torn, standing over a helpless Bella.
"Gladiatrix; I hold your life in my hands!" Sadira intoned imperiously, using the proper form for a Deathmatch between two Gladiators. "I will now call upon the judgement of the people. Are you brave enough to face them? If you show yourself to be a coward and struggle now, I will slay you."
"I will accept the judgement of the people, Gladiatrix Sadira." Bella was surprised how easily the words came to her. She wondered if this was how the others had felt when she had killed them. She got to her knees, gingerly removing the clinging net. I must be brave, she thought, perhaps they will show me mercy. Hope lodged in her heart like a knife. A ripple passed through the now quiet crowd as a figure, face hidden in Grey-Robes moved forward. It was time.
Sadira looked up at the crowd. She raised her blades to them, points downwards to signify her desire to slay Bella. The crowd responded. Bella raised her chin defiantly, awaiting the verdict as bravely as she could. They saw many thumbs turned up and many turned down. She could hear men and women pleading for mercy and others screaming for death. Her heart hammered in her chest. At last the officer of the Deliberative moved forward raising his hand. Bella breathed in. His thumb turned down. Bella felt all of her warmth and hope drain away at the gesture. Her life was over. She breathed deep, the air suddenly precious to her as death came for her.
Sadira smiled cruelly, savouring the moment. She sank her twin swords into their half-scabbards and then drew her new greatsword from its sheath on her back. Its black blade gleamed in the setting sun. She walked around the kneeling Bella slowly coming to a stop right in front of the helpless Gladiatrix. She looked into Bella's eyes, drinking in the mix of fear and defiance she read there. Her violet eyes sparkled with cruelty.
Gavin saw one of Cat's tears splash off his blade. He could feel her shaking beneath him, and wondered how he would feel if he had to watch Sadira die. He felt no triumph, only pity, and suddenly remembered his execution of Olek Agvarson.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to the girl pinned below him.
Bella met Sadira's fearsome gaze. It was cruel of the Shadow-Elf to force her to watch the blade as it swept down to take her head, instead of taking her from behind, but Bella had to admit it was no less than she deserved. She was well known for cruel executions herself. Sadira lifted her blade, gripping it tightly. Bella straightened up, squaring her shoulders to meet her cruel fate with courage, wondering if the stories they told about brave Gladiators living well in the afterlife were true; she hoped so.
"Cut straight, you bitch," Bella said, raising her chin defiantly, willing her eyes to stay open.
Sadira's war-scream echoed in response. Her blade flashed down, sweeping through Bella's delicate neck with brutal ease. Her opponent somehow found the strength, impressing them all, to meet the deadly blade without flinching. The cut was straight and well executed and Bella's head toppled to the ground in front of her body. Blood fountained from the cut and Sadira grinned viciously. The crowd, taken by bloodlust, roared its approval.
Bella's last thoughts were of her partner Cat, praying that her lifelong friend would meet a better end than her.
Gavin watched as Bella's lifeless body toppled to the ground, gushing blood. Beneath him Cat shook, sobbing silently. He realized then that he did not want her to die. A chill ran down his spine as Sadira walked over to Bella's severed head, grabbing a fistful of blood-drenched golden hair. The crowd screamed in approval as his lover lifted her bloody greatsword in one hand and her still-dripping trophy in the other, hoisting them for all to see. The look on Sadira's was one of pure, visceral triumph.
Dreading what was coming Gavin gently lifted Gladiatrix Cat to her feet. She did not struggle. She smiled weakly; she felt empty now that Bella was gone. She bowed her head as Gavin lifted his sword, pointing skyward, in supplication to the crowd, calling for mercy. The spectators, their desire for blood sated by Sadira's display, echoed Gavin's appeal and granted it.
Gladiatrix Cat would live again to fight another day; relief washed over Gavin.
-----o
Sadira watched Gavin carefully as he joined her in the hot bathing pool that was allocated to their use after the match. He had not said a word to her since they left the fighting grounds. She was somewhat angry that he had shown mercy to Cat, but since she loved him without reservation she accepted this and did not chide him. He did not meet her eye as he sank into the hot rose-scented water. He was usually quite amorous after a fight.
Gavin was unsure; he knew he loved Sadira, but he found it hard to reconcile the image of her holding up Bella's severed head with the laughing, smiling Sadira he woke up with every morning. His reservations grew. What would the rest of their lives together be like?
She drifted over to him and put her arms around him kissing the back of his neck. She was burning with desire after her triumph, and wanted him badly. He felt her body grinding against his, hot and slick from the scented waters of the bath.
"This is what we are, my love," her whisper caressed his ear as passion crashed over him, drowning his doubts. He gave in to her, letting his dark thoughts fade as desire took hold.
-----o
Half an hour later, they left the baths. Sadira was physically very relaxed, but she was still worried about Gavin's mood; she knew he did no
t approve of the Deathmatch. He was quiet now, the kind of silence that spoke to her of his inner conflict. She had hoped that their victorious love-making would ease his mind; instead she felt as if she had abused something sacred. It was a feeling that she did not enjoy.
Their weapons and armour had been cleaned and cared for after the match. They put their shining gear on again, to make their way back to quarters; it was easier than getting a porter to carry it for them.
Gavin had also been right about her anger; Bella had used this against her, luring her into making amateurish mistakes before she got it under control. This was something new for Sadira; she had always thought of her temper as a weapon to use against her opponents, but now she saw that it was a weakness as well. She realized she was no different than many of her peers in this. She needed to control her temper, learn to use it when she needed it, instead of letting it control her.
And so despite their impressive victory, they were both quiet, lost deep in their own thoughts, as they left the arena.
-----o
Their return to quarters was uneventful, although slowed by the fans who stopped to admire and congratulate them. Although Gavin was silent, his love for Sadira had overcome his disquiet.
There was a letter waiting for them on their doorstep, perfumed and sealed in red wax. Sadira's heart leapt as she read it. It was an invitation to meet with Camille Caesaria, a Red Faction recruiter. She laughed out loud, joyfully throwing herself into Gavin's arms; they were leaving Dreadwood Junction!
Their celebration was interrupted minutes later by a breathless Ravius. "Where have you two been? We've been looking all over for you!" He was lathered in sweat. "Haven't you heard?"
"Heard what Ravius?" Gavin asked.
"Karmal?" said Sadira, eyes widening, intuition flashing like lightning in her mind.
Bloodlust: A Gladiator's Tale Page 14
