-----o
The Blues took the field afterwards; they did not see the match, but Gavin and Sadira could hear the reactions of the crowd from the arena infirmary, where they waited for news of their injured friends. Vintia was the first to emerge, quiet and shy, curious about the match but too embarrassed about tapping out to ask the outcome. Sadira embraced her, smiling, and related the last minutes of the match to her. Halfway through the retelling, Lina entered, smiling.
"You won!" she said simply to them, flushed and smiling with excitement. "Azure Dream and Sapphire Lotus also survived their fight, but the Blue team took longer to finish...."
"I'm surprised they managed it at all," said Sadira. "The Blues here are not usually team players; Minerva must have been pushing her team hard to whip them into shape..."
"Sounds familiar, "Gavin said, thinking back to their first few matches in the Oasis. "I remember another team trying to scrape a little bit of glory out of a lost season not so long ago."
"It feels like years have passed since then..." added Sadira, half-smiling. She opened her mouth to say more, but closed her lips as flame-haired Karmal emerged from the infirmary, looking surprisingly hail after her gruesome finish. Lina seemed to shrink into the background as Karmal arrived.
"I did not expect to see you for a few days at least, Karmal," said Gavin. "Chosen's Oath I was worried that not even Keystone magic could bring you back whole from that kind of fire."
"A Pyromancer’s trick," the red-haired Gladiatrix said, winking at him. Gavin chuckled; Sadira rolled her eyes. "The healers said Ravius will be a few hours at least. Both lungs and his heart need to be repaired. Vintia and I can wait for him here. Why don't you two wander off and... celebrate... before we all get called to the victory party?
"We don't mind waiting here with you two," said Gavin.
Vintia shook her head. "I'd like some time alone with my sword-sister, Gavin. Very soon we will have to part ways. Karmal and I need to talk."
"Yeah, not everything revolves around you two," added Karmal. "We have our own lives."
Lina left them to go watch the closing ceremonies of the fight with Sulius. Gavin and Sadira spent a long time in the baths, enjoying the tender, bittersweet kisses of lovers soon to be parted.
-----o
Their victory over the Blues in this last fight sealed the season on a high note. For the first time in over ten years Scorpion's Oasis was claimed by the Red Faction. The festivities in their residence went on for a week. Sulius was even more generous than usual in his happiness.
Most of the other Reds had sought the five Gladiators out to congratulate them, familiar faces like Sax, Cassius, Tenisha, and Rishelle, as well as new-comers, and even old veterans they had not had a chance to work with in their crazed whirlwind of a season. The recognition and praise of their peers, as well as the festivities, took some of the edge off their imminent parting.
Gavin and Sadira stole as much time as they could for themselves, taking every opportunity to kiss, or sneak away and make love. Desperation and sorrow, mixed with the heavy feeling of the glorious triumph they had won, drove their passion to new heights. They clung to each other as if, letting go, they might drown.
But as much as they desired to stay together, destiny had already decreed that they would part. At the end of the week Chosen Giselle sent for Sadira. The Chosen was returning to Brightsand Halls and she expected Sadira to attend her. Sadira was furious at the summons; she wanted to linger as long as she could, but Gavin was secretly relieved. An abrupt departure would save them both the added heartbreak of a long goodbye.
Lina would stay behind to supervise their belongings, most of which would follow Sadira to Brightsand Halls. The crimson haired vassal would then join her mistress in the private barracks of Giselle's favourite Gladiators. Sadira had told her that she could stay until she earned her freedom, but even then Lina was already planning to stay longer.
-----o
Gavin walked with Sadira to the gates of Scorpion's Oasis where the grand procession of the Chosen was winding out of the town. Hand in hand, clad in their armour, weapons on their backs they moved slowly through the streets. They seemed so out of place; two Gladiators, faces full of love and sorrow, walking through the streets of a town where everyone else was thinking only of pleasure and relaxation. Those who recognized them, shouted their names or smiled at them as they passed. Two Grey Robes followed silently behind at a respectful distance.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way, my love," said Sadira, breaking the long silence.
"I would follow you if you asked it," he said quietly "no matter what the cost."
"I know you would, beloved," she smiled, but her eyes were wet with heartbreak. "But I know now that making that demand of you would diminish us both. You cannot compete with Giselle and win, not yet, and I cannot defy her for you any longer."
"I bet you would try if I asked," he said, surprising her. She turned to him, eyes so bright in the desert sun, shockingly purple next to her pale skin and dark hair.
"I would," she said. The thought of such a grand, Pyrrhic gesture in the name of love excited her, in truth. "I would throw it all away just for you. What good is all the glory in the world to me without the man I love at my side?"
He smiled, the bright and secret smile that he only ever showed to those close to him. She kissed him quickly, cautiously, not wanting to get lost in his embrace while she had to leave.
They walked on, hand in hand, until they came to the great gilded gates of the Oasis where the Chosen awaited, hidden away in a magnificent steam-carriage, surrounded by an honour guard of armoured horsemen shining in the sun. She turned to him one last time. Part of her desperately wanted him to demand that she stay, to defy the Chosen with him, to throw it all away for love. She wondered if this was childish; once she would have said yes without hesitation.
But this was not what he said to her.
-----o
Chosen Giselle watched them from the sumptuous interior of her clockwork conveyance, hidden behind a lace curtain. She was impatient; a Chosen waits for no one. And yet she did not move to hurry the two lovers, merely frowned as she watched them, wondering why she felt so uncomfortable. She saw the sorrow etched on Sadira's face, and wondered if her newest acquisition was in danger of breaking.
Beside her, lying back on the silk cushions with her legs akimbo, Karmal gasped, her face blushing with pleasure as one of Giselle's most skilled vassals worked her own magic on the powerful Gladiatrix. Giselle smiled at this; at least one of her new fighters would be easy to control.
When she turned back to Gavin and Sadira, she saw the Gladiator bend down and whisper something in her ear. He placed something in her hands then, and a smile formed on Sadira's face as she looked at his gift. In that moment Giselle saw hope wipe away a little of the sorrow and light up the Shadow-Elf's eyes. As Gavin stood up, smiling in return, the Chosen noticed, for the briefest moment, how perfectly his simple, handsome face complimented Sadira's.
Troubled, Giselle turn away. Thus, she did not see what Sadira gave Gavin in return.
-----o
Sadira felt as if she was tearing away from a part of herself as she walked from Gavin to the waiting steam-wagon. Although she could feel his eyes on her, she could not bear to look back. Her heart threatened to rebel. She held his last words in her heart, wearing them like a kind of armour as she entered the sumptuous carriage. His parting gift, a token to remember him by, felt warm in her hand.
She ignored Karmal, whom she doubted cared for anything beyond the tongue between her legs right now, and looked directly at the Chosen. Their eyes locked. Sadira did not directly challenge her new Patron, bowing her head slightly to her mistress. But neither did she submit before the power of the Chosen's gaze. Her obedience was wilful and purposeful, not borne of weakness. Giselle looked away first, signalling the drivers.
Sadira looked down at the gift Gavin had given her, a simple pendant showing a lion
and a scorpion entwined. Simple, but meaningful. She sighed, and leaned back, easing into the silk cushions. This is what we must do, she thought, but it did not salve her aching heart.
Gavin watched the carriage as it joined the grand procession leaving Scorpion's Oasis. His eyes followed until it grew small, became a spec on the horizon, and was swallowed by the dust and dunes along the roads to the great city of Brightsand Halls in the distance.
When he went back into the city the sun was setting and the coolness of the desert night caressed him. He felt cold without Sadira in his arms.
-----o
Gavin left the day after Sadira departed; he could not bear to be in the city any longer. All the opulence and hedonistic joy of the Oasis were meaningless to him. Even the congratulations and warm greetings of his fellow Reds seemed a little hollow without Sadira. Their apartment, once the locus of all his happiness, was now a dagger in his heart, reminding him of his other half, separated from him now by cruel destiny.
As he left the apartment for the last time, he gathered Lina into an affectionate hug. He was pleased that she returned his affection openly and without fear; she had come a long way in the few months that he had known her. "Take care of her, Lina," he said to the crimson haired vassal. "And yourself..."
The green-eyed girl nodded seriously. As Gavin turned to leave she grabbed his wrist and hugged him again, tears in her eyes. "Thank you for everything, Gavin," she said, voice clear as she intoned her blessing. "You are a kind man, and better than you know. Ezuis be with you."
He smiled. "And with you as well Lina diVolcanus. I am glad to have shared this little part my life with you. I hope we meet again one day, as friends, when we are free."
-----o
After saying goodbye, and thanks, to Sulius ul-Cyrus, Gavin found Vintia on the practice grounds. It was morning, and the little, bright-eyed Gladiatrix was engaged in drill. The desert sun glinted off her silver-white armour as she moved, effortless and graceful in spite of her massive tower shield and the heavy plates on her body. He realized then that something about her had changed. She seemed more confident, full of purpose, and yet a little sad. Sorrow tempers us all, he thought. He recognized energetic Rishelle and silent Tenisha training alongside her; perhaps the makings of a new team?
"I'm off," he said simply as he approached her.
"I'll be sad to see you go, my friend," said Vintia, her smile bright, but brittle with sorrow. He wondered suddenly what had passed between her and Karmal, or her and Ravius. Other stories had unfolded all around him while he was here, some that he might never hear. "If you come by this way again, visit me, please."
"I will." he said, "When my time is my own, I will gladly spend some with you, my friend."
"I will hold you to that," she answered, pinching her lip as she looked up at him. "Ravius is waiting for you with Sax at the gate and I can see you want to get out of here. You will always be in my thoughts, Gavin Orphanus. Chosen bring you victory, Lionfang."
"And you as well, Brightshield," he said, lifting her off the ground, armour and all, in a lasting bear-hug. Rishelle laughed nearby, a pure sound, as Vintia squirmed for a moment in his embrace.
Vintia shook her head as he put her down, a sly look in her bright eyes. "Do that again, and I'll fight Sadira for you!"
They both laughed, one last time, and he clasped hands with Rishelle and Tenisha before walking off the bright training grounds beside the clear, crystal waters of Scorpion's Oasis. Much to his surprise he realized he would miss this place as well. Not the unmatched opulence and glorious beauty of the town, but the people who he had come to know here and the experiences they had shared together.
-----o
Ravius was indeed awaiting him at the gate, wearing the green laurels of their victory on his head. Beside the smiling skirmisher, the tall, lean form of Sax lounged against the marble wall. A single, small officer of the Deliberative stood nearby, face hidden in the folds of her grey hood. Gavin, not trusting himself to speak, nodded to them. He felt warmth in his heart, despite his sorrow; it was good to have friends. He walked through the gate, wanting to be free of Scorpion's Oasis and the weight of the emotions he now felt.
They had come here a year ago, putting forth an effort that few could match, fighting challenge after challenge and inspiring their fellow Reds. They had won a great triumph in the arena, something that would be talked about by fans of the Great Games for years to come. He was leaving with the victory laurels of a Faction champion, but unlike Ravius, Gavin could not bring himself to wear them. He should be proud, but all he could think of was the cost. Their little fellowship was broken now, cruel reality having driven them apart. Victory and glory were ashes in his mouth without Sadira, Vintia, Karmal, and Omodo to share them.
"Time to get moving Gavin," said the Grey-Robe beside him, her familiar voice jolting him out of his sorrows and bringing a smile to his face. "The road to the north is a long one, and since you won't let me stay and hit up the Shato diOre, I'd like to get to an inn before nightfall at least..."
-----o
Sulius ul-Cyrus sat in his office. Across from him sat Regina diCouture, radiant in a crimson gown. A bottle of fire-brandy sat on the ornate desk between them, half-drained. Two more stood beside it, quite empty. They were both quite drunk, and quite content.
"I am going to miss you, I think," he said.
She smiled radiantly, "And I will miss you, Sulius ul-Cyrus." She shook her head. "I could not have imagined that you and I would be friends a year ago. But I could not have imagined how quickly the Blues abandoned me, either"
"Not all of them will forget you," he said. "Some of the newer Gladiators speak highly of you; this is an exciting time for them. They have a chance to retake the Oasis from the hated Reds now. Think of the glory!"
They both laughed. Having tasted glory at last, Sulius did not think it was worth the effort that some put into gaining it.
"So tell me one thing," he said, suddenly serious. "The Grand Melee... Why did you hire Stonehammer? Don't tell me he was just there to help the Blues win."
She looked at him. She saw that he would not rest until he knew. "You may have guessed that part of it was revenge. When I started losing, my superiors threw me to the wolves. Nothing stinks as badly as failure to a Blue. My own Gladiators, people whose careers I helped make, refused to fight against Sadira. If it weren't for my newest fighters I would have had to forfeit the last few challenges. The rest is personal. Someone ruined the career of a person I cared about a long time ago with trickery in the arena; I was not about to let that happen again. When I figured out that they were using Calamity to take out Sadira, I hired Stonehammer to stop him. I did not do so without some help; there are those among the Blues who still hold honour above victory."
He nodded sagely. "Ah, it all falls into place. You replaced him with Azure Dream at the last minute in the previous match as well. I should have guessed."
"Yes, they fired me for that," she said, lazily draining her glass and holding it out to him for another refill. The burning sensation in her throat was wonderful. "They wanted to do worse I'm sure, but the Deliberative is in their way now. They were foolish to try a second time: heads will roll."
"Interesting..." he said. "Well, our part in this tale is done now, I think. What will you do now Regina?"
"I was a Gladiatrix once, Sulius," she responded, eyes distant. "I lost a great deal in the foolish pursuit of glory; the Chosen can make you or destroy you with a whim. I have seen it too many times. I thought I could carve out a quiet corner, pay my dues, and live happily; then the eye of the Chosen fell upon me and I lost it all. I will fight to regain what I have lost of course; to give in is to die inside. And I am wiser now; I will move on and rebuild."
"You have not lost everything," he said, softly. "You will always have a friend wherever I am."
He held up his glass in salute. She tipped hers to meet it.
The pure, perfect sound of ringing crystal car
ried out across the clear waters of glittering Scorpion's Oasis, through the desert night, and into the Domains of the Chosen, where the brave can live forever.
Epilogue
Irongrim, the foreboding tower of Chosen Moltar is perched upon the upper reaches of the vast fortress built into the crown of Mount Wreckfire, the largest active volcano in the Domains. Despite the fiery surroundings, the ancient stone halls that house the ruler of Volcanus are always cold.
Valaran diVolcanus, the most feared Gladiator of his day, shivers in spite of himself. As a Gladiator the cold should not make him uncomfortable, but today it does. He knows that this means that his Lord and Master, Chosen Moltar, is displeased.
Very few men survive Chosen Moltar’s displeasure.
Valaran enters the Chosen’s throne-room, a vast hall that could swallow most of the arenas in which he has fought. The room is black: obsidian, ebony, and polished blackstone with golden trim and rich red carpet running down the middle like a river of blood. It is empty save for a golden throne. On that throne sits the most feared man in the Domains.
Chosen Moltar wears his famed black and gold armour, ornate and terrifying. His helmet is off, revealing his perfect, expressionless face. Few people other than Valaran know what the Chosen looks like without his helmet on; most of the people of the Domains assume Chosen Moltar is as nightmarish to look on in the flesh as his Daemonic helmet would suggest.
The Chosen’s presence fills the room, making the cavernous space seem too small. Valaran, arrogant as he is, prostrates himself unhesitatingly before his master. Moltar says nothing for some time, and Valaran remains on the ground. He begins to wonder if the Chosen has forgotten him.
Bloodlust: A Gladiator's Tale Page 53
