Bloodlust: A Gladiator's Tale

by C. P. D. Harris

  He sidestepped a downward overhand swing, feeling the ground shake as sand sprayed into the air under the impact. He lunged forward while the black armoured figure hefted its weapon again. His war-spear glanced away from the thick armour of the figure, leaving an inch deep score on the metal. He could sense no give underneath. Most clockworks merely wore an armoured shell over their gears. This one felt much more solid; was it a True Golem made entirely of metal?

  Gavin deflected the next attack with a perfectly angled shield, thrusting his spear at the figure's face with absolute accuracy. It did not flinch like any living opponent would, not even when his spear-tip pushed an inch into the eye-socket of its helm. Concentrating hard, his mind worked out the possibilities.

  A surprisingly fast swing of the armoured figure's massive hammer forced him to block imprecisely, sending him flying backwards. He felt the wind knocked out of him as he hit the ground, but kept himself from panicking as the figure moved in with incredible alacrity for something so large. At the last second, he rolled to his feet and dived away from the creature as it buried its weapon in the sand.

  Could he beat this thing? Was it sent to kill him? Was the earlier encounter a set up? He pushed the thoughts away as he dodged the creature’s powerful swings. He couldn't do anything about it now; he needed to focus on defeating the armoured figure. If he was truly facing death here, panic certainly would not help.

  Gavin set his mind to work, probing the magics around the figure. If he could not detect a mind or magical control, something must be obscuring his magic. He backed away from another powerful swing, countering with a thrust into an armoured knee-joint. He was entirely absorbed by the problem now. Again there was no reaction. He forgot his earlier encounter with the Grey-Robes for the moment, focusing on the task at hand instead of things that were beyond his reach. He felt something in the confused magical patterns surrounding the figure. If the patterns were obscured, they must be so for a reason.

  Taking a deep breath, Gavin emptied his mind of all stray thoughts, as he sorted his way through the irregularity in the obscuring patterns. He thought about the invisible stalker in his last ranking match and how he had defeated it not by overcoming its resistance to detection, but by outsmarting it. Perhaps he could employ a similar technique here. The creature has no eyes, he thought, and yet it can still swing at me. Fully defensive now he stepped around, the Golem, focusing his magical senses on it to see if he could read some activity when it targeted him.

  The Golem swung again and again. The third time it attacked, the Gladiator sensed a glimmer in the pattern, like a fish nibbling on a lure; he bent his will toward this feeling, peeling back the layers of obscuring magic, raising his shield as he did so, and channelling power. He got to the final layer just as the giant figure loomed above him, raising its monstrous bone-crushing hammer over its head.

  Smiling, Gavin severed the surprisingly weak link animating the Golem. It froze, stopping with its heavy hammer back behind its grim-helmed head, and then toppled backwards, landing heavily in the sand.

  Gavin laughed with pleasure. He had enjoyed unravelling this puzzle without being flattened himself. Hearing Sadira's cheers as he walked out of the ring, he wondered what she would make of it all. Perhaps he was just paranoid.

  Chapter Twenty-Six: Sadira's Loss

  1144/07/17 AR, Scorpion's Oasis, Faction Score: Reds 1986 points. Blues 1972 points

  "Broken bones can heal; broken wills cannot." Chosen Moltar.

  "Lina, I can't believe you betrayed me like this!" Sadira glared with storm-like fury at her crimson-haired vassal. The implacable gaze that had unnerved so many foes in the arena rooted the young vassal to the spot, her eyes wide like some unfortunate animal caught out in the open when the Hawk's dread hunting cry sounds. The girl said nothing, too fearful to speak.

  "She didn't tell me anything; I found out on my own," said Gavin, stepping between them, before Sadira could continue.

  "Don't protect her," responded Sadira, keeping her eyes on Lina, who remained paralysed, unable to look away from her wrathful mistress. "I don't want someone who betrays my confidence serving me."

  "Stop changing the subject Sadira." thundered Gavin, angry now. "Don't you think I'm smart enough to figure your secret out on my own? Give me that much credit at least."

  Sadira stiffened, and pivoted, eyes blazing now. Gavin locked eyes with her while motioning for Lina to leave. This argument was none of the little vassal's concern, and fighting before an audience always aggravated an argument as far as he was concerned.

  Sadira took a more forceful stance, arms crossed, feet shoulder width apart. She let her anger show, gathering shadows around her to give her a more wrathful appearance. Gavin paused for a moment, resisting the desire to drop the confrontation and pretend he hadn't seen what he had witnessed. He marshaled his arguments and summoned his resolve for the fight.

  Sadira, sensing this, felt a thrill go through her; for, as anyone who ever met her could instantly tell, she thrived on conflict. Arguments, games, debates, duels or wholesale, bloody slaughter, she lived for confrontation. It had served her well as a Gladiatrix. Gavin, whom she loved, rarely fought with her. And so although part of her felt guilty at what she'd done, she also relished the chance to quarrel with him; for it was in her nature.

  "Did I do something wrong, beloved?" Her tone was sweetly edged, her eyes shining with molten passion.

  "Did you?" he countered, trying to muster the teachings of all the great orators and sage lovers whom he had read about, wondering how they would handle this situation. "If you weren't trying to conceal this, why pretend to get so angry at Lina?"

  "As I said, I have no use for a vassal who might betray my confidence." She deflected his argument, shrugging. "After all, think of who gave her to me..."

  Sensing that he could not mince words with her without getting lost, his riposte went straight to the heart of the matter. "Don't dodge the question Sadira; why did you hide this from me?"

  She felt a sudden rush of guilt. How could she answer this? "I did not really think it was important, my love; after all, I already said that I was staying until the end of the season"

  "An invitation to Brightsand Halls Arena?" he asked, incredulous tone cutting deep. "From Chosen Giselle herself. To her personal stable of Gladiators. How can a letter to you from the Chosen in whose Domain we reside not be noteworthy at the very least? An invitation to move up to the next league is what you've been working for your entire career; why would you hide it from me?"

  "I don't want to talk about it..." she said, wounded and cornered now. She was not used to losing.

  He moved in for the kill. "You accepted it, right? One does not simply ignore the Chosen."

  She gathered herself, facing the end like a true Gladiator. "No. Not yet. I'm going to finish the season here, at Scorpion's Oasis. I promised Sulius I would leave here a Champion."

  "Sadira, you can't ignore a summons from the Chosen," he said softly. He had won the argument, but it was a hollow victory. "It’s reckless..."

  "She doesn't own me," Sadira responded, but none of her words had the earlier vigour. Guilt and sadness wilted her.

  "She can make your life miserable though," said Gavin. "She could ruin everything you've worked for... You can't just ignore someone like that."

  "I promised I'd help the Reds with the season here. I mean to do it, Gavin," she responded, just a little sulkily. Losing did not suit her at all.

  "You've already won here, Sadira. Sulius will be grateful to you for the rest of his days. The other Reds are surging. The fans love you. The Blues are in disarray. Champion's laurels would be merely cosmetic at this point. Would you give up the greater prize of the patronage of Giselle for something so small?" He shook his head, knowing the answer already, hoping it wasn't true. "Would you risk her wrath? The real reason you are staying is because of me. I don't want to hold you back Sadira; you have a brilliant destiny."

  She had lost. Sadir
a flung herself at him, throwing her arms around him like a dying woman clinging to flotsam in a storm-tossed sea.

  "I feel like the world is tearing us apart Gavin," she said, tears stinging her eyes. "I don't want to lose you like this!"

  "It is," he replied holding her close, realizing his own wounds; this argument was a Pyrrhic victory at best. He was being torn away from the woman he loved.

  "NO!" She stiffened, as if she could fight reality itself. "Bugger being a Chosen! We can join the Greens, earn our Master Ranks on the road. We'll figure something out."

  "It’s too late for that, beloved. You have already been marked." He felt the weight of every word, knowing he would carry them for the rest of his life. "Destiny? The designs of the Chosen? The will of the people? You cannot fight the world and win Sadira. I can't let you do that on my behalf."

  "I don't want to win if it means I lose you!" she said, still defiant. "I'd throw it all away just for us."

  Gavin paused, careful now. He realized they were on the edge of a precipice. If he turned his back on her, ending their relationship, he would break her heart. He could never bring himself to do this, even though he thought it might be the best thing for Sadira. On the other hand he knew that she would give up everything if he just asked, but he could not bring himself to drag her away from her destiny either.

  He understood at that moment that he held her destiny in his hand, bound as she was to him by love. This purest passion had stripped her of all defences against him. He saw that he could wound her soul, deeply and painfully, if he wished. He was the only person who could bring her to ruin. Gavin wondered how many lovers had found themselves in a similar situation and been unable to resist doing harm. It was a terrible feeling, monstrous and petty. He cast it aside, becoming somehow greater as he did so. A resolution formed in his mind. He needed to give her hope; hope would always give someone as wilful as Sadira the strength to continue, even if he faltered.

  "You won't lose me Sadira," Gavin said, surprising himself with the conviction he put into every word. "The world can't keep us apart forever. After all, when you are a Chosen, who will be able to stop you if you call me to your side?"

  "You're right my love," she smiled, pulling herself to him. "I'm sorry that I hid this from you. I will see if I can make amends with Chosen Giselle and buy us a few more months together. I really do want to walk out of here with victory laurels, you know. I won't refuse Giselle outright though, and I will go if she presses. Can you forgive me for keeping this from you?"

  He laughed. "Yes. It’s pointless to be angry at you when I know you did this out of love."

  She clung to him. "I don't want to lose you Gavin. You are a better man than you know. You deserve to fight at my side, and I want you with me always. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

  "We are Gladiators: This is what we do, my love." And he drew her to him with that perfect tender passion that blossoms only in the shadow of sorrow, sealing her defeat with a kiss.

  -----o

  Later, Sadira apologized profusely to Lina for yelling at her and told her vassal that she would not hold it against her if she argued back. Much to her discomfort, Lina found the apology even more unusual than the anger.

  -----o

  Giant Omodo said his goodbyes. The troupe of Greens he was travelling with was heading north. The giant Armodon was happy to be moving again and rejoining his new comrades, but they were all sad to see him go. The few weeks he had been with them reminded them all of old times.

  "Well, I wish I could stay longer," Omodo said when he could no longer put off leaving. His Grey-Robe escort looked down from the waiting steam-wagon impatiently, but the Armodon did not seem to notice. "I'd love to see your next challenge, but my time here has run out. It has been a great joy to see you all, my friends."

  "Good luck with the Greens, Omodo" said Sadira. "I'm glad they found you"

  "Take care, little brother," said Ravius, putting his hand on Omodo's shoulder. "We will meet again."

  "We will Ravius; in this life, or the next," he responded solemnly. After this the Armodon hugged bright-eyed Vintia before climbing into the steam-wagon, which shifted and groaned under his weight. "Ezuis's blessing on you all!"

  They waved to each other as the steam-wagon moved away, picking up speed rapidly. Omodo was the first to turn away; Gavin watched the spot where the wagon disappeared for a long time and was the last of them to re-enter the gates of Scorpion's Oasis. He would miss the giant Armodon's calm, steadfast presence.

  -----o

  "I will miss him," said Ravius, a little mournfully, as they all huddled together near the Gladiators' entrance waiting to be called into the arena.

  "I will as well," said Vintia, bright eyes dimmed a little by melancholy. "At least we still have each other, little brother."

  Ravius chuckled and put his arms around Vintia's armoured shoulders. Gavin and Sadira exchanged sad smiles. Karmal said nothing, appearing to be lost in thought.

  The trumpets sounded. It was their turn to challenge and they had opted for a simple trial match, fighting against monsters without any Blue Gladiators present. The five of them trotted out into the arena, glittering, smiling, and moving perfectly in step for the crowd. Sadira vaulted onto Gavin's shoulders, her twin blades gleaming in the setting sun. The audience shouted her name; this was what they wanted to see.

  The trumpets sounded again. The big door opened and their opponent rolled into the fighting grounds, wheels and gears making a tremendous racket. It was immense, like a steam-wagon made for giants. It moved on thick crushing wheels taller than Gavin, cruel scythes jutting out of the sides. A sharp-toothed saw blade, colossal and bright, buzzed and whirred at its front edge, just below an over-sized, grinning metal face. Thick brass armour plates sprouting vicious looking steel spikes covered every inch of the construct. Two long clockwork arms waved from its sides, each ending in a thick spiked ball. It smelled of steam and oil and made a sound like rumbling thunder as it rolled into view.

  "Bugger me!" swore Ravius as the construct rumbled onto the fighting grounds. "Its a juggernaut!"

  The Juggernaut stopped in the middle of the arena, rolling in a tight circle to give the audience a chance to get a good look. The crowd surged, cheering the Gladiators and the gargantuan, gleaming war-machine in equal measure.

  "This is bad," said Gavin as they all backed away from the steam-belching monstrosity. "We will need some serious magical firepower to bring this thing down."

  "I guess that leaves you and me, guys..." said Sadira, her eyes searching for a weak spot. "We need to keep it off Karmal and Vintia while they channel something that can bring it down."

  "And to think... I could have chosen the life of a craftsman!" Ravius shook his head.

  "You'd make a terrible Vassal," said Gavin in response. "Too lazy…"

  "Stop making jokes, little brother," said Ravius with a grin. "I'm having a sad enough day as it is."

  And then the metal monstrosity started moving. Swift-footed Sadira surged forward, sprinting toward the rumbling wheeled engine of war. Gavin and Ravius followed in her wake. She leapt into the air, clearing the massive saw blade and slashing her swords at the huge face. Much to her surprise the juggernaut's mouth moved, pursing as if about to blow her a kiss. Her twin obsidian blades raked the creature's metal forehead just as it spat a great gout of fire at her.

  Pain seared through Sadira as the skin on her legs blistered, burst, and blackened. It was not enough to overcome her, but she slammed into the construct and fell to one side, smoking, and rolling on the ground. The Juggernaut altered its course, rounding on her eagerly, seeking to run over her with its crushing wheels. Gavin threw himself toward her, dropping his spear and scooping her up in his arms. Fire splashed off his shield as he sprinted away, the metal monstrosity rolling after him moving ever faster.

  Meanwhile cunning Ravius jumped onto the side of the bulky war-machine, thrusting his trident into the gears driving one of the
beast’s wheels, then letting go. The screech of metal tearing followed this manoeuvre. Brass and steel were no match for a nigh-unbreakable enchanted weapon and the wheel ground to a halt, slowing the juggernaut down before it could overrun Gavin and Sadira. The mechanical arm nearest Ravius swung down to smash him, but the skirmisher leaped away, laughing manically.

  Gavin felt a surge of magic as Sadira healed herself. He stopped and turned around. Lightning streaked from Karmal and Vintia, scoring the sides of the Juggernaut. It began to move again, slowly gaining momentum, dragging its broken wheel, limping forward. It spit fire at Karmal and Vintia, but the smaller Gladiatrix sheltered them both with her towering shield.

  "You can put me down now, beloved," said Sadira, smiling at him.

  "I don't know, we could just leave it to the others. I think Karmal and Vintia can blast it apart safely now that Ravius has crippled it," he responded.

  She laughed. "What would be the fun in that? Let’s wreck this thing. I need to get my swords back anyways."

  He put her down. She drew her greatsword Bellasdoom. Lightning flew past them, blasting into the machine's sides. Ravius smashed at a wheel with his mace, rolling out of the way of a heavy spiked ball as it pounded into the ground. The Juggernaut spasmed and surged, trying to run over the smiling skirmisher as he danced around it. The crowd cheered and laughed at his antics.

  Sadira charged back into the melee, her war-scream sounding. Gavin ran beside her, pushing himself to keep up. They charged at the limping Juggernaut as it spat another ball of flame at Karmal and Vintia, splitting up as they came within striking distance. Gavin ran left, scoring the metal of the clockwork war-engine's sides with precise thrusts of his short sword and slashes from his razor edged shield. Sadira darted right, her whirling greatsword cutting deeply into the brass armour on the sides, as she flowed through the steps of an ancient war-dance. The other Gladiators followed her lead: fire and smoke, whirring blades and broken metal, the bright flash of lightning and the wild shouts of spectators.