Bloodlust: A Gladiator's Tale

by C. P. D. Harris

  One day, Gavin spotted a swiftly moving cloud in the distance. The depths of the cloud boiled, flashing multi-chromatic lightning. Upon noticing it, their escort became tense and drove them towards a warded shelter on the road. As the cloud passed in the distance, they watched. Where the rain fell it warped the grasses, sometimes melting them and causing others to grow rapidly into ugly, dangerous looking plants covered in odd growths. A lance of blue lightning struck nearby suddenly covering a small area in ice. The cloud was part of a Change Storm, a remnant of the wild magic of the Reckoning.

  As they neared Camp Valorous, they passed through the northern tip of the fertile lands along the Thousand Tongues River and its tributaries, home to several rich, populous Domains. The Thousand Tongues' culture was distinct from that of Krass, more-so than most of the places Gavin had passed through. The inhabitants were rugged and independent, more centred on the Chosen who ruled there. They still loved the Great Games, of course. North of this was the primeval forest Domains of the Sylvanwood, and the wild place inhabited by the ancient Chosen Eudora, a reclusive practitioner of Druidic magic. Finally, as they passed between the Thousand Tongues and the Sylvanwood and climbed into the western highlands arriving at Camp Valorous, their destination.

  -----o

  Camp Valorous is a Red Faction town. It is not that the other factions are unwelcome in the town, but rather that, as the party of the working class, the Reds naturally dominate a town inhabited largely by soldiers and tradespeople.

  The Red Faction boasts the largest membership of all the political factions in the Domains, with a membership often doubling and occasionally trebling that of its arch-rival, the wealthy Blue Faction. They style themselves as the "Champions of the People", seeking to strengthen the bonds of society in the Domains. Their size does not always translate into dominance in the public assemblies however, since the Blues are more tightly knit, well-established, rich, and often better organized. The Reds push for social change that betters the lives of the working class of the Domains, such as fair wages for a day’s work.

  As a Faction, Reds tend to prefer bold, exciting, and dramatic fighters over those who are purely technical. This extends even to costuming, and Red's Gladiators tend to be a little flashier and sexier. Given the Factions political emphasis on social values, it is no surprise that they prefer team events, particularly monster fights, which tend to be bloodier, more visually impressive, and almost always end in a clear, decisive victory. This type of match is the perfect fodder for crowds who want simple action to cheer instead of nuanced displays of skill to be debated and discussed. Sadira was the ideal Red Gladiatrix, bold and impressive, fast and ferocious. Of course, the Blues would also have found reasons to idolize her, if she had chosen their Faction...

  The town itself is named for the military camp that gave birth to it, situated in the highlands at the western edge of the Domains. Camp Valorous acts as a training ground and provides reserves for the legions stationed along Marius's wall, a three hundred mile stretch of masonry and magic that was built to contain an area of land still horribly tainted from the War of Reckoning. The Great Western Way goes through the wall, into a series of particularly dangerous tainted places, west of the highlands. After several failed expeditions into these lands, trying to follow the ancient road, the Chosen built the wall and turned their attentions elsewhere. The action along this fortified border is continuous even still, and the legions are constantly passing through Camp Valorous on their way to and from their unceasing vigil on the wall.

  The bustling town is built along the road, the main buildings originally laid out with an efficient military plan in mind. The Gladiators occupy the former barracks and parade grounds, a spacious walled area situated next to the town's arena. Gladiators are free to roam within this area of the town, but have to be escorted by a Grey-Robe if they wish to go elsewhere.

  The arena at Camp Valorous is a broad, flat, oval sports field surrounded by solidly constructed wooden bleachers that can seat over twenty thousand spectators, two entire legions. A large number of the seats are relatively inexpensive benches; after all, the Reds believe that the soldiers, workers, and lesser businessmen who make up their Faction should be able to enjoy the Great Games at an affordable price. The local garrison, troops in training, soldiers from nearby legions, border rangers, and the occasional Warbound fill the stands whenever they can, joining the local townsfolk. More expensive seats and private boxes are available for visiting dignitaries, wealthy landowners, and the Chosen themselves.

  Many of the Chosen frequently pass through the town as they visit the wall, supporting the legions as needed, some venturing into the terrible lands beyond on strange errands.

  -----o

  Gavin and Sadira found Druth, the Arena Master at Camp Valorous to be very professional. Druth saw his Gladiators as an investment, and made sure to treat them well so that they would continue fighting for the Red Faction in the future. More than a few Champions had gotten their start under his watchful eye, and he took great pride in his work. Most of the young fighters passing through his care would eventually join the Faction games, the complex competitive leagues in which each Faction strove to outdo the others in a series of challenges over the course of a "season" made up of numerous matches. Druth tried to make sure each Gladiator that left his Arena would be prepared to face the rigours of this high pressure environment. He felt strongly enough to hold back fighters that he did not think were ready, which occasionally made him unpopular with ambitious Gladiators and the recruiters from Faction arenas in need of fresh talent, but helped the Reds in the long run.

  Arena Master Druth was aware that Sadira and Gavin had spent several months training and travelling. Travel, like any time out of the arena, can dull a fighter's skills. He was glad to see real enthusiasm from the pair when he offered them a chance to fight soon after they arrived in Camp Valorous. His policy was to start newcomers off with a simple but challenging fight so they could show off in front of the local fans and he could get a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses.

  The preferred fight for newcomers was a gruelling survival match against a horde of dog-sized tainted spiders. These particular types of spiders were a real nuisance along the length of Marius's Wall, being one of the few creatures that could scale fifty feet of sheer, polished stonework, often without alerting the patrolling soldiers. Most of the legions lost an unlucky soldier or two to the beasts every year, and so the local audience really enjoyed watching the eight-legged fiends get slaughtered by heroic Gladiators.

  Karmal was the last of their little band to arrive, coming up from the southern desert where she had been training, honing her skills with fire magic.

  -----o

  Gavin and Sadira went to the arena alone for their first fight in Camp Valorous; Ravius, Karmal, Vintia and Omodo were busy arranging their own matches with Druth, moving into the house they shared, or exploring the town. The two Gladiators were very happy that their friends had joined them. In their eyes, being able to stay together with their little group more than made up for the smaller incentives that the Red Faction offered. What use are the luxuries of life if you cannot share them with your friends?

  The crowd cheered lustily as the two unfamiliar Gladiators made their entrance. They were part of several matches in a series and the audience was already worked up and ready to see some new fighters. Sadira moved slowly toward the centre of the spacious fighting grounds, holding Gavin's hand, matching him step for step. As they got to the middle he let go of her hand, moved ahead of her and knelt, raising his brilliant silver-white shield over his head with both hands. As he set himself, swift-footed Sadira leapt high into the air, like a bird of prey taking wing. Landing gracefully on Gavin's steady shield, she drew her elegant twin sabres in salute to the eager crowd, who cheered appreciatively at this skillful stunt.

  A trumpet sounded and a pair of iron-bound wooden doors yawned open. For a moment all that could be seen in the uncovered d
arkness was the reflection from countless glistening, hateful eyes; then the shadowy tunnel belched spiders. Half a dozen sickly-green coloured arachnids scuttled toward Gavin and Sadira, the sun glistening off their chitinous carapaces. Their thoraxes were about the same size as the body of a farm hound, but the spread of their slender limbs made them appear much larger.

  Sadira, still mounted on Gavin's shield, tensed as her opponents moved in. She channelled her verdant magic into a spell pattern that caused small green plant tendrils to erupt under one of the leading spiders, rooting it to the ground. She had hoped the sudden obstacle would slow the other spiders and smirked as its brethren scuttled over it without pause, leaving it unharmed. She had learned some new tricks in Krass, however, and now she launched a deadly spray of venomous thorns into the beasts before leaping from her perch with a piercing war-scream. She came down among them, her swords shearing through a fat thorax with contemptuous ease. The spiders scattered before her, suddenly fearful of her deadly black blades.

  Gavin strode forward, following Sadira as she danced among the scuttling horrors, blades whirling. His barbed spear skewered one, as its knife-like fangs tested his armour. He sent its body tumbling into another of its kin with a flick of the shaft. The creatures were surprisingly light.

  Sadira stalked and whirled among her eight-legged foes, her hungry obsidian blades hacking and cleaving, leaving a trail of dissected bodies and severed spider legs in her wake. Gavin moved with her, joining her dance, his spear darting forth to take arachnid lives while his bright lion-headed shield met any of them who dared leap at him. Bright green ichor dripped from their weapons and the audience cheered as the hated beasts writhed and died.

  The cunning spiders spat silken webs trying to entangle the Gladiators, but with a deft motion Sadira's sinuous obsidian swords cut through the sticky strands while Gavin shielded her from the scuttling menace. The enraged spiders leaped at her, fangs drooling poison, but she let loose a piercing war-scream and met them with the cold metal of her blades. Yet, they came on: the sight of glistening, hateful alien eyes, the sound of dozens of scuttling legs mingling with the shouts of the crowd, the stench of spider innards, the quick touch of a trusted partner, fighting back to back, the exultant feel of channelling power into a spell to crush a monstrous foe.

  The spectators cheered and clapped, gasping in shared horror when a spindly green monstrosity jumped on Gavin's back, only to be thrown off and stabbed with a quick reflexive motion. Broken chitin crunched under his boots as he moved among the dying arachnids in unison with his deadly sword-bride.

  The spiders had effectively unlimited reinforcements in this match type, being replaced as they fell, but the deadly duo did not give way. Gladiator and Gladiatrix moved in harmony, protecting each other and bringing death to their vicious foes. By the time the trumpet sounded to end the match the Gladiators were still standing, albeit covered in sweat and spider gore. Twenty three of the spiders lay dead in the arena, piled around Gavin and Sadira. It was not quite a Camp Valorous record, but very impressive for a new team, and the crowd thundered their approval for these newcomers. The audience gave them a resounding cheer; their first match in their new Arena was a joyous success.

  Chapter Ten: Manticore's Business

  1141/07/17 AR, Camp Valorous, Test match for the Second Rank

  "The worst scars of the Reckoning are those you cannot see." Chosen Nix

  "I can remember long discussions of old philosophies with Manticores of my acquaintance. Like so many things, this has changed. While I still see them in my Domain, from time to time, their mad, tainted conversation is no longer palatable to me." Chosen Eudora

  Sadira and Gavin had more time to read at Camp Valorous; Arena Master Druth was both efficient at keeping the games running and effective at ensuring "his young charges" were well trained and well taken care of. Unlike Dreadwood Junction, all the Gladiators at Camp Valorous got their fair share of fights, as often as once a month if they were ambitious. It was a much more relaxed atmosphere; no Gladiator felt forced to scheme, conspire, beg, or play favourites just to get a match without waiting six months.

  Gavin took up his old habit of reading in the evening, after the day's training was done. It was a comfortable routine to return to, like an old friend's homecoming. He was still conscious of Sadira, trying to be a good companion, making sure he paid proper attention to her before settling down with a book. In the Campus Martius, Sadira had enjoyed taking Gavin with her to attend the many exciting social events birthed by the fertile nightlife. In Camp Valorous, Gladiators were rarely allowed to fraternize with the rowdy soldiers and tradespeople outside of the arena grounds. Social events in the Gladiator’s Quarter were mostly confined to weekends and small private gatherings. Consequently Gavin nearly always had an hour or two in the evenings. He was currently making his way through a beautifully illustrated brass-bound copy of Marius's History of the Domains, Volume 5, AR 237-286.

  Sadira too had started reading more once she was living with Gavin. She loved being near him while he was peacefully immersed in a book, and this consequently awoke in her a voracious desire to read. She found it kept her mind sharp, and allowed her to gain knowledge that was hard to come by in the confines of the Gladiator's Quarters, feeding her interest in rare plants and monster lore. Unlike Gavin, she preferred reading through her link-crystal, instead of from a more traditional, physical book. Gladiators were restricted from using many of the communications features of the magical device, but they could read any book that had been converted to link-text. She was currently immersed in a series of essays about Manticores, hoping to glean some useful tips for their upcoming match. They were teaming up with Omodo and Vintia to take on one of these fearsome beasts. This match would be watched by the Deliberative to grade their performance for promotion to the second rank; Sadira was taking it very seriously; she wanted to excel.

  -----o

  The Gladiators' accommodations in Camp Valorous were a vast improvement over those they'd suffered in Dreadwood Junction. The hastily assigned individual rooms in the minimalist quarters that Meady Mox had grudgingly given them were useful for little more than sleeping. Gavin and Sadira had considered paying for better accommodations, with the two of them barely being able to fit in either of their rooms at the same time, but Sadira never really intended to stay at Mox's arena long enough for it to matter. Their new apartments in a large house that they shared with Ravius, Karmal, Vintia, and Omodo were a vast improvement.

  Their suite consisted of the entire top floor of the three story fitted-stone house. Vintia and Karmal took the second floor, while Omodo kept to the ground floor due to his tremendous weight. Ravius had a room in the basement, but rarely slept there. None of the Gladiators were used to spacious housing like this. They even had a small yard with a pond and an old willow tree, and a patio garden behind the house. It was something new for all of them, and each of them developed an intimate connection to the place that they had not felt in Dreadwood or the Campus Martius. It was obvious that the previous inhabitants had felt the same affection; Gavin wondered how many of their kind had come and gone from this house, each leaving behind their own small improvements, over the years.

  While Gladiators cannot use regular coin to buy weapons, armour, or things they are allowed to use in the arena, they can buy just about anything else with it. Aside from the basic stipend payed to all Gladiators, fighters can earn a percentage of the profits from each match, gifts from fans, income from family and other sources, so long as the Deliberative approves. Sadira, for example, could have used her family's money to afford a larger dormitory in the Campus Martius had she not preferred the chaotic, crowded, wild atmosphere of the south residences. In Camp Valorous they immediately spent much of the money they had saved up on furnishings, clothes, new books, and personal training equipment. To anyone who lived a regular life their luxurious quarters would have seemed rather barren until several months after they moved in; the Gladiators owne
d very little and it took time for them to grow accustomed to the space and what they could do in it. They all learned the joy and satisfaction of making the little house their own.

  Gavin and Sadira had some minor arguments over decor, but they compromised and adjusted to each other as they always had. Although Sadira was confrontational by nature, she learned to restrain herself with her less pugnacious, more contemplative lover. Nearly two years had passed since they had first met and they were still very much in love.

  -----o

  The Manticore was the main attraction for their match; the creature preceded the Gladiators into the arena, restrained by thick steel chains covered in runes. It is relatively rare for a monster to take the field before a Gladiator in a normal match, but Arena Master Druth wanted to show the creature off before the fight. Manticores were a special attraction in his small arena. He was not sure where the Deliberative had gotten the beast or why they wanted Gavin and Sadira to fight it for their Ranking match, but it was not his place to question the Grey-Robes; they had nearly complete control when it came to the special matches that tested if a fighter was ready to move up in Rank.

  The soldiers and townspeople who made up the audience looked the beast over with great interest. These creatures haunted the wastes beyond the protective fortifications of Marius's Wall, the southern jungles, and even some remote forests and swamps within the Domains. They were not exactly rare, but few people ever survived an encounter with one, and anyone who did was unlikely to have a chance to get a good look at the beast as it tried to kill them. This one was at rest, making it much easier to examine in detail.