“Next time you might want to try a pack of zombies instead,” Waldo said. “They’re more efficient and will simply leave when you order.”
Ayden, Alice, and Leiznam all looked at him.
“What? Do you have an issue with zombies?”
Alice silently shook her head, Leiznam looked annoyed, Ayden complimented him on his sense of humor and quickly got up to announce the next match.
XXX
The seventh match was interesting. The blackboard read:
GRAND MELEE
GOLD
2 - 1
VS
RED
2 – 1
VS
GREEN
2 - 1
VS
BLUE
2 – 1
When the sands in the hourglass ran out, Ayden gave a signal. Four sets of bars slid open. From each archway came five men with swords in their hands. The men of each group had bright paint on their chests and backs. The different groups huddled together and began to cautiously approach the middle of the arena floor. Waldo noticed people in the stands waving rags with one of the matching colors. Many of the rag wavers were sitting together in little groups.
“The grand melee is my own creation,” Leiznam said puffing out his chest. “The rats are stupid, they all have a favorite color that they cheer for. The bets are always spread out pretty evenly. So, because of the odds we’re guaranteed a fat profit no matter who wins.”
“You sound very proud of that,” Waldo noted. “Most mages would take pride in creating a new spell or beating a powerful enemy. You and your guild really do love making money, don’t you?”
The smile on Leiznam’s face was instantly wiped away. “And you don’t? Why are you here now if not for five pieces of gold?”
“I never said gold wasn’t useful, or that I didn’t enjoy acquiring it. But it’s just a means to an end. I want it because it will help me reach my goal, whereas you and your guild are obsessed by it. Truthfully, your single-minded devotion to wealth seems rather petty to me.”
“Unlike your noble goal of conquering Torikai in the name of Avalon?” Leiznam spat.
Waldo shrugged. “They don’t sing songs about accountants.”
“You really think you’re better than me, don’t you?”
“Yes, but don’t feel bad about it.”
“You White Mages sicken me! You look down on us for caring about wealth and business, but every one of you carries a purse filled with gold. You talk about honor and justice while you plot with drow to overthrow a kingdom! You wring your hands and pretend to be sickened by the games, then you start a war that’s going to spill rivers of blood! You and your kind are the worst hypocrites in the world!”
Waldo nodded. “We sure are.”
Leiznam’s face was so red it was starting to edge towards purple.
XXX
Of the first nine matches only two were like the ones he’d seen growing up. The fourth and eighth contests involved two named opponents with odds that were even. In those matches the fighters were skilled and you couldn’t know who would win until the fatal blow was struck. For all the rest, the favorite always won easily. One would normally expect that to make things boring, but to Waldo’s surprise the opposite was true. Even when it was obvious from the start who was going to win, there was a still a certain drama to things. You still wanted to watch and see exactly how it would end. Each time the death blow came, each time the blood onto the sand, the crowd would shout. No matter how one sided the fight, all eyes would be locked on to the action, unable to look away. Even Alice, with all her objections, watched with a certain fascination as men fought and died.
Waldo had never enjoyed watching people suffer the way his mother and Enver did. He did not enjoy killing or death, but there was a certain natural appeal to the struggle. To seeing men fight with all they had for their lives, even when it was obvious they had no hope. From the constant cheers from the crowds it was obvious this feeling was not unique to him. It was enlightening to see that people everywhere loved blood and violence.
As soon as the ninth match ended Ayden scooted to the balcony. He spun about to deliberately make his cape billow. The two servants were wiping he board clean and starting to chalk information on the tenth match. Guards were still dragging bodies away through the sands.
“Are you entertained my friends?” Ayden boomed out.
A raucous cheer answered him.
Ayden stood on the balcony drinking in the happy shouts. “This was going to be the final match, before I lined up my two barbarian champions. On one side we have Nendara, a drow warrior with a heart as black as her skin. A cruel monster who murders as easy as she breathes! Armed with nothing but a long knife she will take on ten brave heroes! Ten men working as one against a vicious, bloodthirsty drow!” He flipped the hourglass over. “Place your bets and let’s enjoy the show!”
Waldo looked at the blackboard.
NENDARA THE DROW
1 – 20
VS
TEN MEN
20 – 1
“Can I bet on this match?” Waldo asked.
Leiznam frowned but nodded. “Certainly, Master Rabbit. We honor all bets. You can place any wager you like directly with me.”
“Wonderful,” Waldo turned to Alice. “Give him the five gold coins we have.”
Alice put a protective hand on her purse. “Darling, we just got these, and you want to risk them?”
“I’ve seen her fight, it’s no risk.”
“You have great faith in your drow allies,” Leiznam said.
Waldo shrugged. “I have eyes.”
Not looking happy, Alice opened her purse and fished out five gold coins. She handed them over to Leiznam. Surprisingly, he didn’t look any happier.
“The drow aren’t invincible you know. They can die like everyone else.”
Waldo nodded. “Just not easily.”
Leiznam scowled. “Before you came here I never imagined a White Mage could openly plot with drow. I’ve heard many stories about your Order, but no one ever suggested you’d be willing to work with a pack of inhuman monsters.”
“Well, we’re plotting to take over the world. You have to be flexible when you’re doing that.”
Leiznam scowled and waved at one of the serving girls to bring him more wine.
XXX
When the sands ran out Ayden signaled. Two sets of bars slid out of the way. Out of one entrance sauntered Nendara, or Nen as he thought of her. Not only her skin color but her face was different from what they’d been at the gymnasium. She wore slightly more clothing than the male contestants. Nen had a cloth tunic that covered her from her shoulders to the top of her thighs. In her right hand she clenched a curved iron dagger with a blade about a foot long. She smiled up at the cheering crowd and gave them a wave.
Out of the opposite doorway ten men filed out, one after the other. They had an assortment of weapons; swords, axes, clubs, and spears. Waldo was surprised to see every one of them also carried a round shield.
“Why are they carrying shields?” Waldo asked. “No one else has.”
“There aren’t any set rules here,” Ayden replied. “Except that the matches are all to the death. A certain someone asked me to allow Nendara’s opponents to carry shields.” Ayden sent a long deliberate gaze Leiznam’s way. “The certain someone also asked me to allow them to wear armor, but I thought that a bit much. The crowd wouldn’t like it.”
Down below them the ten men quickly formed a line, standing shoulder to shoulder. Their shields were locked together, and they crept forward in a slow, cautious tread. Nen stood where she was, flipping the knife into the air, still smiling.
“It won’t make a difference,” Waldo said.
“I know,” Ayden agreed.
Leiznam muttered something and sipped his wine.
Nen remained where she was, just standing there watching as her opponents crept closer. The crowd began to clap, and a chant rose.
/>
Nen-dar-a, Nen-dar-a, Nen-dar-a thousands of voices called out.
“She’s popular,” Waldo said in surprise. “I always thought commoners hated the drow.”
“They do, as a people,” Ayden said. “But Nendara is one of our best performers, a star. The crowds always love someone with real talent.”
Waldo nodded. “Yes, talent should always be appreciated.”
Nen just stood there, flipping her dagger and watching as her opponents approached. They took one careful step after the next, making sure to stay in a line, their shields all pressed together their weapons ready. Despite their advantage in numbers it was obvious they didn’t want to approach Nen. They were a flock of sheep charging a wolf and knew it.
She waited until they were within six paces, then suddenly dashed forward a couple steps. The men reacted, backing away from her, a couple of them stumbling over their own feet. Their neat, little line temporarily broken, she charged straight at the man all the way to her right. He carried a longsword and beside him was a man with an axe. He swung his sword even as he was stumbling back away from her. Nen avoided his clumsy blow without even having to break stride. She slammed her dagger into the side of his throat and drove the point clean through. Nen wrenched it out and blood spurted out from the man’s ruined neck. He dropped his sword and clutched at his torn throat with both hands.
Even as the first man was dying his neighbor with the axe tried to attack Nen. He swung as hard as he could, aiming for her head. She dropped smoothly to her knees and the axe head passed harmlessly above her. She then gave two swift and vicious stabs up into the man’s groin. He howled and doubled over, blood staining his cloth and spilling down his thighs. Seeing he was no longer a threat Nen ignored him and picked up the sword that had been dropped and was moving towards the next closest enemy. The third man was armed with a spear. He drew it back and threw it at her. To his credit, it was a decent throw and likely would have struck her. Nen however knocked the spear aside with her sword. She then ran up to the now unarmed man and drove her blade through his ribs. Nen ripped the sword back out of his chest and stood ready, a sword in her left hand and her dagger in her right, three opponents already lying in the sand dead or dying. The remaining seven were screaming at one another, trying to face her, and trying to get away from her all at once. All of this had taken place within a dozen heartbeats. Nen looked at them, and smiled.
XXX
The match lasted perhaps two minutes.
It lasted that long only because Nen wanted it to. She took her time with the last couple of opponents. The way the audience’s shouts turned deafening it was clear they appreciated her efforts. When she finished her face, tunic, and arms were drenched red. Nine bodies were spread out along the sandy ground with one poor fellow groaning and still clutching his nether regions. Nen stood there in the middle of the slaughter she’d wrought and waved up at the people cheering her, a satisfied look on her face. She then turned to face the platform and held out both arms in front of her, palms up in the drow salute. Laughing, Ayden gave her a bow in return. Leiznam returned the five gold marks to Alice, along with five silver ones.
Bars slid clear from two doorways and guards came out to clear the arena floor and prepare it for the final match of the evening. One of them told Nen to return to the holding area she’d come out of. She nodded and tossed down the sword and dagger. Nen began to walk back when she stopped and casually picked up one of the spears lying on the ground. The guards all froze and looked at one another nervously. The crowd noticed and ‘oohed.’
Then, without warning, she broke into a run towards where Ayden stood watching. As she neared she planted the spear point first into the ground and used it to vault up and onto the balcony.
Chapter 29
Sucker Bet
Nen vaulted up and over the rail and touched down square in the middle of the small balcony, graceful as a cat. She was coated in blood and smiling with teeth so white they seemed to shine. Several things happened at once. Ayden was forced to jump back a couple steps to avoid being landed on. Leiznam dropped the goblet he was holding and let the wine splatter on the wooden floor. He scrambled to his feet and yanked out a wand from a hidden pocket. He pointed it at Nen, his face pale and eyes wide. As he did this he stumbled against the couch and nearly fell back onto it. One of the serving girls fainted, the other three clutched onto each other and looked terrified. The two guards by the stairs grabbed the hilts of their swords but didn’t draw them. They also didn’t take a step forward, instead inching back closer to the stairs.
Through the bond, Waldo felt Alice’s sudden panic. He reached over and grabbed her hand.
“Don’t,” he whispered. If she suddenly sprouted wings and claws that would be a problem. He remained seated on the couch beside her. He wasn’t frightened by Nen’s unexpected arrival. He’d spoken to her and gotten to know her a bit. He didn’t think she was about to start massacring everyone there, the fact she was unarmed was a good sign. But with drow who could really tell?
It was Ayden who recovered first. He doffed his plumed hat and gave her a friendly nod.
“Hello, Nendara. Did you want something?”
She returned the gesture. “Do you think I could watch the last match with you? I’ve been training Belle and I want to see how she does.”
Ayden gave a swift glance to Leiznam who was still pointing his wand at her. The guildmaster gave an immediate, violent shake of his head.
“Nendara,” Ayden said in a reasonable tone. “That’s probably not-”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
She stepped off the balcony and walked past the table with all the food and drinks. The three serving girls who were still conscious continued to hold one another as they visibly trembled. Nen went directly up to Leiznam, ignoring the wand. She halted right in front of him, with the tip of his wand less than a foot from her head. She put both hands behind her back and looked as happy as a cat with a room full of plump mice.
“Hi, Leiznam. It’s been awhile.”
“You don’t belong here,” he said in a low growl.
“Well, to hear you tell it, me and my people don’t belong anywhere.”
“You belong in your own cities, far away from here and deep in the earth.”
“But your queen makes us feel so welcome! And there are so many wonderful things here!”
“Are you going to keep pointing your wand at her?” Waldo asked. “That’s rather rude.”
Nen beamed at him. “Thank you, Master Waldo. It’s nice to know there’s one mage here with decent manners.”
“What would a drow know about manners?” Leiznam demanded. He did put his wand away, slipping it back into one of the pockets of his robes.
“I think you’re making everyone feel a bit nervous,” Ayden said.
“Why would little old me make anyone nervous?” Nen asked. She made a show of bringing her hands back out in front of her face. “Oh! It’s the blood, isn’t it? I must look a mess.”
She grabbed the front of Leiznam’s robes and began wiping her hands and arms with them.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Leiznam yelled.
“You don’t mind, do you? Your clothes are already red, so who’d notice?” When she got done with her arms she brought the cloth up to clean off her face and neck.
Leiznam looked furious, but he stood there and did nothing as Nen smeared blood all over his robes.
“Nendara,” Ayden said nervously. “You are being very disrespectful to my guest right now.”
Nen paused. “Do you feel disrespected?” She asked the guildmaster in a faint voice.
He stared down at her, mouth set in a grim line.
“I didn’t think so.” She continued cleaning herself off. When she got done she let go of his robes. Most of the blood did vanish amid the crimson, but the eagle in gold thread was clearly stained.
“There,” Nen said cheerfully. “That’s better. Now everyone can relax.”
Leiznam looked murderous.
Nen turned her back on him and went over to the table. She looked over all the delicious food laid out on it before snatching up an apple and taking a bite.
Leiznam sat back down on his couch. “Bring me more wine!”
One of the serving girls let go of the others and hurriedly filled a new goblet. She brought it over to him, while making sure to give Nen a very wide berth. Still holding her apple, Nen sauntered over to Waldo’s couch.
“Can I join you?”
Waldo nodded and waved to his left. “Please.”
The Rabbit Great And Terrible Page 27
