by Jay Lynn
Alright, I’ve had about enough of this!
Pushing away from the metal wall Isabelle tromped over to her friend.
“How long are you going to sit there all depressingly?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
Alec glanced up at her, but didn’t bother to respond.
“Come on Alec, this isn’t like you. You’re not training. You’re not talking. You’re just sitting there like a lump. Enough already, we can figure this out.”
“There is no way out, Isabelle,” he said emotionlessly.
Her head snapped back. Alec was a master at hiding what he was thinking. This emptiness however was frightening. Somehow, Isabelle needed to reignite his spark. Nothing she did seemed to work. How can I reach him?
Sighing, the sorceress crossed her arms and began to pace in front of him. As she strode back to his side of the cell, Alec turned his head, leaning it against the stone wall. The fire’s light caught the glimmer of something peeking out of his torn shirt. Isabelle frowned, drawing to a halt. Suddenly, her eyes widened. Quickly closing the distance between them, Isabelle knelt down by the warrior’s side. Just as she thought, Alec was still wearing the chain necklace with the dark green hair ribbon. This had to be the one thing guaranteed to bring him back. Reaching forward, Isabelle gently pulled the jewelry free from his tunic.
“Alec.”
He didn’t shift his gaze.
“Alec,” Isabelle repeated, moving her face in front of his line of sight.
Blinking, he looked at her solemnly.
“I know this hasn’t been easy on you, and you’ve been forced to do terrible things, but you must hold fast. You need to survive. Because I need you, and I’m not the only one.” Grasping his hand Isabelle wrapped his fingers around the necklace. “Someone else is awaiting your return. If she cares for you even half as much as I do, then she is waiting, Alec. Are you really going to make her wait forever?”
Alec’s brows crinkled with a frown. Fingers tightening around the chain he lifted his head off the wall. Straightening, the warrior’s eyes scanned the ground thoughtfully.
Jade.
Her name seemed to ring out in his mind from afar. Pulling the necklace away from his body, Alec studied it as if for the first time. The entire piece was smudged with dirt as well as specks of dried blood and the silken ribbon bore some fraying along the edges. The sight was like a shock to his brain.
“Jade,” he whispered.
How could he have possibly forgotten her? Forgotten that the woman he loved was in Stafford at this very moment wondering when he was going to come back. Trapped in this dungeon, the outside world had all but faded from his mind. Nothing seemed to penetrate the cloud of despair and misery consuming him since the last slaughter Markus forced upon him. At some point, Alec came to believe he warranted such a death. Hence, here he sat, numbly waiting to draw his last breath.
The warrior was reminded who the real enemy was: Markus. Someone needed to ensure the vile man paid for all the countless lives he cut short. Such a monster could not be allowed to run loose for all time.
I can’t die here.
No. Not in this place. Isabelle deserved better than this fate. Wasn’t that the reason he had been following Markus’s commands like a dog?
Alec’s eyes dropped to the engraved cuff around his wrist. To survive against the drakon he had already broke his promise to Malcolm. To escape, he would have to do it once more. Hopefully, he could do so without revealing his true capabilities. It was a risk Alec was willing to take. Otherwise, they stood no chance of leaving the arena alive.
Alec made Jade a promise; he wouldn’t go back on his word to her no matter the cost. I’m coming. Dark eyes filled with a new vigor, the sorcerer rose to his feet and clenched his fists. His gaze connected with his partner’s.
“Thanks Isabelle.”
Her whole body seemed to sag as she exhaled. Flashing him a weak smile, Isabelle tried to hide her relief.
“Yeah, well…I was tired of you moping about, that’s all.”
The sorceress gasped as she was suddenly pulled into the warrior’s embrace. Unable to process his strange behavior quick enough, she stood frozen as he gave her a gentle squeeze before stepping back. A few tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You jerk,” she sniffled.
“I know,” Alec countered with a classic half smirk.
Seeing the old Alec once more, Isabelle’s lower lip quivered. Launching herself forward she wrapped her arms around his chest and clung to him.
“I was so frightened that I’d lost you. You’ve been like a zombie for days or weeks or whatever it’s been. It’s impossible to tell anything in this infernal dungeon. I didn’t know what to do. You have no idea how glad I am to have you back.”
Alec couldn’t suppress a light chuckle.
“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I know,” Isabelle told him moving back to wipe away the moisture by her eyes. “And of course I forgive you. How could I not?”
“Good, for we have work to do.”
Isabelle tilted her head. “We do?”
Leaning closer, Alec lowered his voice, “We’re going to escape.”
Chapter 6
As painful as the wait might be for his impatient partner, Alec knew the only way to break out of the Terra Colosseum would be from the arena itself. The depths of the slaves’ cells were too heavily guarded. Grimstone was a completely different situation. Alec was housed alone in an end chamber with the exit to the dungeon relatively close by. Here, several rooms separated them from any known stairs to the next level. At least two dozen men blocked the way out, and that would be before the other slaves raised the alarm of their escape.
No, the arena was their best shot in making it out of the colosseum. After that, Alec would worry about finding a way out of the city. With their powers restored, the sorcerers should be able to make it out of Zerrokian territory.
The tricky part was making sure Isabelle joined him in his next battle. Alec didn’t care if she had to scream and throw a tantrum in order to accomplish it. It wouldn’t be the first time she yelled at their guards.
As fate would have it, a troop of soldiers appeared in the chamber without warning. Walking towards the bars, Alec crossed his arms as he studied the dozen men.
“Clear the cells,” a man commanded pointing to the few slaves remaining. “Markus wants them all.”
Alec glanced at Isabelle.
She nodded silently in return.
The time had come.
The high pitched squeak of aged metal sounded throughout the room as the cages were opened. Quickly cuffed, the slaves were pushed forward, then marched through the underbelly of the arena and up into the tunnels outside the ring.
At the entrance, each slave was handed a random weapon. One of the men shoved a battered axe in Isabelle’s hands while Alec was given a sword. They were then hustled towards the opening with a strange urgency. After all the gladiators in the tunnel entered the space, the gate firmly slammed onto the dirt floor.
Jerking around, Alec peered at the various entries throughout the arena. All of them were either shut, or closing, as the last of the slaves were being ushered inside. Alec knew what closed gates meant. As an investor, Markus had sway over the matches. Surely this time he was sending a creature to finish Alec off. His old master must finally be tired of playing his game.
I wonder what it will be.
Beside him, Isabelle shivered as a breeze brushed their skin. Having spent the last year in Malyndor, Alec guessed there was at least a fifteen degree difference between his new home and the more southern kingdom. It had gradually become cooler here, leading him to believe it was probably in the early months of winter. Were they really trapped here for that long?
There wasn’t time to contemplate the length of their imprisonment. A gladiator came flying out of nowhere with his sword aimed ready to strike. Pushing Isabelle out of the way, Alec blocked t
he blade with his own weapon. Twisting the hilt, he slashed the man across the gut. Without even glancing back, the warrior kicked a fighter zeroing in from behind.
To his left, another man raced forward. Their blades connected in a clash.
Arms trembling from the force of the attack, Alec’s foe growled as he pressed the weapons away.
Alec didn’t allow him a reprieve. Striking at the man’s knee with his foot, the warrior then pulled his enemy off balance. The next instant, he lodged his battered sword into the man’s chest.
Behind Alec, his previous attacker was coming at him again. Leaping into the air, Alec spun around, ripping the weapon out of one victim only to plant it into the body of his next.
“Look out!” Isabelle called from his blind side.
Racing forward, she positioned herself in the gladiator’s path. Isabelle blocked the mace with the long handle of her axe. The wooden shaft cracked.
Appearing by her side, Alec drove his blade beneath the locked weapons and into Isabelle’s attacker.
“Are you alright?” he questioned, scanning her for injuries prior to moving away to meet an advancing foe.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why are the gates shut?”
Alec was too preoccupied to answer. Mentally, he called the gladiators around him all kinds of fools. Couldn’t they see the biggest threat was yet to be unleashed? Destroying each other was only serving to immensely lower the odds of their survival.
Four men charged on all sides. Standing back to back, Alec and Isabelle braced themselves.
A thin man holding an axe was the quickest to reach them.
Catching the assault with his sword, Alec reached out, grabbing the man’s wrist. Keeping the weapons pinned together he stepped back and pulled his opponent off balance as he twisted the axe out of the gladiator’s grip.
Isabelle spun around, implanting her weapon in the man’s back.
Farther away, a spear came flying at them. Alec dove to the side, knocking his partner out of its path. Before they could rise, another gladiator pounced. Alec held his sword long ways as he blocked the attack. Hand pressed against the flat side of his blade, he kept the weapons away from landing a killing blow. Blood seeped onto his palms as the sharp edge of his sword was forced down into his skin.
At an advantage, their enemy leered down at Alec as he used his weight to inch closer to the warrior’s neck.
Straining, Alec fought to keep the sword at bay as the two remaining fighters neared them.
Rolling to the side, Isabelle slashed at the back of the man’s leg.
Howling in pain his right one crumpled.
Driving his foot into the man’s chin, Alec slid out from beneath the fighter’s blade. Cutting the man’s throat, he turned to engage his next opponent.
The man who threw the spear charged straight at Alec, tackling him to the ground.
Alec lifted his blade to strike, but was hindered as the other fighter twisted his sword from his grip. Rapidly striking his opponent with his fist, Alec flipped them over so he was on top before the gladiator could pin him down.
“Isabelle, axe!” Alec shouted over his shoulder as the first man moved in with a lethal grace.
Blinking, the sorceress shook her head as the words sank in. She then quickly threw her weapon.
Reaching back, Alec grasped the hilt of the axe. Swinging it at an angle he rotated his wrist to slash the man standing over him along the waistline. Twisting the blade, Alec swept his arm in the other direction.
Isabelle glanced away as the sorcerer finished off the last of their current attackers.
Just as Alec was rising to his feet, the ground rumbled throughout the arena. The massive gate on the other side began to open. Across the space, many gladiators ceased their fight as they realized what Alec already knew. The worst was yet to come.
Now’s our chance, Alec thought, glancing around at the distracted stands.
Grasping hold of Isabelle, Alec directed her to a more shadowed section along the wall. Positioning her in front of him, the sorceress kept watch as planned while Alec concentrated on their engraved cuffs. Within moments, two pools of melted metal lay on the dirt floor.
Isabelle gazed at the remnants with a slack jaw. Closing her mouth, she was about to speak, but suddenly stopped.
The sounds of heavy chains dragging over the ground rang out with increasing clarity. Eyes narrowed, Alec watched a form appear in the darkness of the tunnel.
Isabelle shrank back as it breached the shadows to step into the light.
Alec on the other hand, emitted a bark of laughter.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! That’s what Markus has sent to destroy me?”
The cruel slave owner very well may have signed his own death certificate, for he sent a dragon to kill the Dragon Sage.
Much like the griffin, this dragon was a pitiful sight. His wings were bound tightly to his body and thick irons weighed down each of his limbs. Various chains also hung around his neck like broken leashes. The red scales covering his body were dull from abuse, caked with dirt and missing completely in a few places. Even worse, one of the great horns on his proud head had been broken off.
Alec’s hands curled into fists. This dragon might be larger and a different color than his friend Cassidy, but the reminder of her served to strengthen his resolve. How dare Markus treat the noble creature this way?
The initial shock having worn off, gladiators throughout the ring charged forward in rippling waves.
Swinging his massive tail, the red dragon swatted the pests away like flies. Whether out of fear or blood lust, the slaves did not cease their assault. Overrun by sheer numbers, the dragon roared as he was struck with dozens of blades. Baring his teeth, a burst of boiling flames cut through the gladiators and shot across the arena.
Still standing by the wall, the sorcerer watched the fire speed by. Good, the dragon hadn’t lost its spirit. Part of him worried the creature might have succumbed to his imprisonment as Alec almost did.
“Isabelle,” he began glancing over his shoulder at her. “Do you trust me?”
Blinking, she frowned. “Absolutely.”
“Good, for we have a dragon to set free.”
“We—what?” she croaked, her eyes growing wide as her head jerked back.
Isabelle didn’t even bother to pretend she understood what Alec was thinking. She did trust him. So, she trailed behind and prepared herself to meet her first fire-breather.
Charging towards the line of gladiators battling the dragon, Alec summoned a wind spell and swept his hand to the side. The gust threw the men backwards away from their target. Arching his arm in the other direction, the sorcerer then cleared the other side. Picking up a discarded mace, he raced forward.
“Tsumorri, ice,” Alec said, calling up another enchantment.
Pointing his hand at the closest chain, Alec froze the metal surrounding the dragon’s right front leg. Gripping the mace with both hands, he encased it in a shielding spell as the sorcerer brought the weapon down onto the frozen steel with all his might. The chain shattered, freeing the dragon’s leg.
A gladiator attacked Alec from behind with a roar.
Raising her blade, Isabelle blocked the strike.
Alec slid in beside her to smash their foe in the face. Spinning back, he met the dragon’s puzzled green gaze.
“If we free you, will you help us escape?” Alec questioned, no longer caring who might hear him.
The fire beast jerked back.
Beside the sorcerer, his partner’s jaw dropped.
Recovering quickly, the dragon immediately replied, “Free me and I will take you wherever you wish to go.”
Alec bobbed his head. He turned his attention to Isabelle as he gestured towards the dragon. “We need to remove all these chains.”
“Alright,” she agreed a little shakily. “I’ll summon a barrier while you start.” Keeping a careful distance from the dragon, Isabelle called up a giant energy shield. It t
ook more power than she imagined to hold it in place. “Alec, if I move, the spell will dissipate.”
Creating a flaming sword, Alec glanced over his shoulder. “It’s alright. Just focus on holding them off.”
The magical blade burned brightly as he sliced through the metal binding the dragon’s wings and continued down the length of him. Leaping over his tail, Alec removed the chains on the other side in a matter of moments.
High up in the stands, Markus gripped the edge of the owner’s box so tightly there was no color left in his appendages. Alec was doing it again. The filthy slave was using trickery and magic to steal the victory which should have been his. Markus had no idea how he or the wench had managed to free themselves, but he would be damned if he stood by and let them disgrace him a second time. Prying his fingers from the rail, Markus jerked away as he began to push himself through the startled crowd.
His blazing sword dispelling, Alec gazed in Isabelle’s direction. He had removed the last of the chains from the dragon, yet there was no telling if the fearsome creature would actually wait for them before taking off. They needed to get on his back and quickly.
“Isabelle, let’s go!”
Twisting around, the sorceress watched as the great dragon spread his mighty wings. Beside him, Alec stood on the back of the creature’s arm with his hand held out towards her. Isabelle was only able to gape as her feet refused to obey her.
“Come on,” Alec urged. “Trust me.”
Gulping, Isabelle raced to the sage before she came to her senses. She allowed Alec to pull her up beside him, then onto the dragon’s back. Alec’s arm protectively curled around her as they started to lift off the ground.
Screams erupted from the stands as people tried to flee in all directions.
Wings spread wide, the red dragon hovered above the arena with two humans nestled at the base of his neck, and a mouth full of fire.
It was anyone’s guess as to what was to come. Boiling flames struck the crowd near the owner’s box. Gliding closer, the dragon landed amidst his destruction however his target didn’t seem to be present. Scanning the area the dragon searched the frighten crowd. Both Alec’s and his eyes seemed to lock on the same person at once: Markus Duncan.