by Kieran Song
As Dog’s victories piled up, Ryker began displaying his winning streak on a giant board at the entranceway of the Arena for everyone to see. Dog heard Ryker refer to it as strategic marketing but Dog shrugged at the entire concept. All he knew was that every time that he killed someone, those numbers turned.
Dog watched every week as the numbers climbed steadily into the late teens, and then into the twenties, and then the thirties.
It seemed like only yesterday since Dog’s first fight, but two painfully long years had now passed with Dog as champion and he collected his fair share of victories, dead bodies, and ghosts while Ryker made a fortune.
During these two years, Dog had also watched Allegra develop into a beautiful woman. Her body had matured, which stirred something inside of Dog.
At first he didn’t know what the feeling was, but with every passing glance and every word she said to him, he felt his stomach turn and his thought completely evaporate into mist. Why did he feel this way about her? For the longest time in his life, he was emotionless to everyone and everything. So why now? Was it because she genuinely seemed to care about him? Was it because she was nurturing and saw Dog as a human when everyone else saw him as a killing machine? He felt this way only once before, but that was ages ago, in another life almost.
Dog began harbouring strong desires for her, which he did his best to suppress. He also found himself growing more nervous when she spoke to him and the words that came out of his mouth lacked confidence and consisted of longwinded nonsense. He found it absurd that one of the few things that frightened him these days was having a simple conversation with Allegra, given the fact that he faced his potential death week in and week out. He smiled at the thought. A pretty face was far more dangerous and terrifying than a sword any day of the week.
The guards noticed Allegra’s beauty even more now. They often licked their lips as they looked at her and made crude gestures. It made Dog want to tear their eyes out.
It seemed like Dog only saw Allegra after the fights, when she came and cleaned off the blood and took him to see Jacob. As brief as their conversations were, Dog looked forward to them. It shamed him though that the only time they ever saw each other was after he had someone else’s blood on his hands. He could always tell that the blood disturbed her, but she did her best to hide that fact when she spoke to him. However the distaste in her eyes was louder than words could ever be.
That was the trade off in this place; a moment of happiness for Dog in return for a piece of his soul.
On some nights, Dog lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling thinking of Allegra and the mask of perpetual sadness she wore and he wondered if she would ever be happy again.
Chapter Sixteen.
By Dog’s fortieth match, Ryker seemed to have grown bored of his supremacy in combat.
“The same damn thing again,” he complained. “Where’s the competition?”
Dog had just finished another fight in a matter of minutes.
“Where’s the showmanship this Arena needs?” Ryker cursed.
Tiberius stood by the Goblin’s side like a faithful hound to his master. “He brings in the crowd,” Tiberius said. “People come to see him dominate his opponents. You should be happy at the attention the Arena’s been getting. Everyone wants to be a part of this.”
“Yes, people pay to see him win, but that’s a problem. There’s never a threat of him losing,” Ryker said. “Which means I’m losing a fortune on the odds. No one wants to bet against him. It’s not gambling when you can predict the outcome every single damn time.”
Allegra stood in the corner and kept her mouth shut as Ryker’s words tore at her. She felt her stomach turn when she realized what Ryker was implying. The Goblin was dissatisfied with Dog’s fights. He was doing too good of a job at winning.
It was only a matter of time before Ryker decided to make things more interesting. Such efforts always involved some terrifying or sadistic twist thrust upon the participants.
Ryker once had the arms of two boys dislocated just before their bout. The match lasted almost an hour and ended when both competitors could no longer continue on account of the pain. Ryker thought it was hilarious and congratulated them on delivering such a comedic battle. As a reward, he had them fight Tiberius immediately which in itself was a death sentence.
In another example of one of Ryker’s special twists, he had broken glass scattered all over the ring and made the slaves battle in bare feet. One of the boys bled to death after puncturing an artery.
Ryker sneered as the crowd gave Dog his ovation after another easy victory. “Listen to them. These idiots are easily entertained by this. They’ve forgotten what the true spirit of combat is. They’ve forgotten about the drama.”
Tiberius shrugged his shoulders. “He fights to survive, just like the other slaves. It’s no different than my battles. I fought to stay alive as well, though for different reasons.”
Ryker stood from his seat and clasped his hands together to plead his case. “Your fights were legendary. You gave them the thrills and excitement that made this Arena addicting in the first place. Every match I watched, you hooked me in and didn’t let go until it was all over. I remember feeling exhausted after watching you, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was so…satisfying.”
“I didn’t intend it to be that way,” Tiberius said.
Ryker disagreed. “Stop being so modest,” he said. “You could have destroyed all your opponents as easily as Dog. You held back. You understood the sport and realized the importance of showmanship.”
Tiberius made no effort to reply.
“I’m going to need to think of something to spice up Dog’s fights. I’ll put on a real show for everyone to see,” Ryker plotted.
For the next four fights, Ryker sent two boys into the pit with Dog but he came out of the Arena victorious, leaving more bodies in his wake.
It was Tiberius who pointed out that sending in multiple fighters was not the most cost effective plan for the Arena and Ryker surprisingly agreed. But Allegra knew Ryker would need to find a way to keep the stakes high somehow. Dog’s dominance was a threat to the Arena’s profits which didn’t sit well with its master.
For Dog’s fiftieth match, Ryker decided to do something special, something the Arena had never seen before. He decided to chemically induce one of the boys in order to make him more aggressive.
Ryker chose a tall bony kid with narrow eyes and curly blonde hair, and christened him with the name Tweak. The drugs made him snarl and twitch. When he was set lose on Dog, the kid fought like a wolf possessed. He clawed at Dog with hands like talons that narrowly missed the tips of Dog’s corneas.
Dog seemed surprised by Tweak’s speed and hesitated before attacking. He was clearly beginning to doubt himself. Meanwhile Tweak continued to press his attack without worry. His lack of fear made him unhinged and unpredictable.
Tweak lunged at Dog and successfully tackled him onto the ground, despite being the smaller of the two. It took all of Dog’s strength to pry him off but freedom lasted only seconds as Tweak collapsed onto him again, thrashing wildly at Dog’s bare chest.
It was a rare sight to have Dog hurt during a fight and the crowd loved it. It was something different.
Seeing his own blood sparked something in Dog and he used it to fuel his next move. Dog pushed Tweak off him and counter attacked without hesitation. He manhandled Tweak to the ground with pure brute strength and held him down by the wrists, ignoring Tweak’s failed attempts to bite him. All it took was one well-placed head-butt from Dog to knock Tweak out.
The match was over.
“Kill him,” Ryker ordered from his pavilion. Dog stared at the unconscious boy and then shook his head.
“The match is finished. He can’t defend himself,” Dog shouted. “I won’t do it.”
Ryker bared his teeth. “Kill him,” he repeated but Dog refused once again.
“No. Do your own dirty work.”
&nb
sp; “I will kill you both.” Ryker screeched above the shouting from the crowd.
“No you won’t,” Dog said. “I’m your champion.”
Ryker slammed his fist against the balcony railing and watched as Dog turned his back on him and headed towards the iron gates.
Dog had just defied Ryker. No one ever did that here, especially not in the public eye. The Arena just witnessed a slave scorn his master and it made Ryker look weak. This worried Allegra. The Goblin was a petty man and he wasn’t going to let this go easily.
Gunfire erupted in the pit as Tweak was shredded by the bullets. With all the drugs that Ryker pumped into him, did Tweak even know where he was before he died? Perhaps it was best he didn’t. It seemed more humane that way.
Chapter Seventeen.
That night Dog had a visitor in his room, and surprisingly, it wasn’t the ghosts of the dead.
“You made a fool out of me in the Arena,” Ryker spat as he paced around the narrow confines of Dog’s private room.
Tiberius stood by the door with arms folded across his chest. He watched them like a stone gargoyle watching over a restless city, silent and unmoving.
“I’ve given your life purpose and meaning,” Ryker said. “Instead of eating the unwanted leftovers from trashcans, you eat hot food from my plate. You no longer sleep in cardboard boxes or bus shelters. I’ve given you a warm bed with blankets. Tell me, before I came along, when was the last time you slept in one? Hell I even allowed you to step foot into my house.”
Dog kept silent and allowed Ryker to continue his rant.
“I saved you and this is how you repay me?” he seethed.
“I guess I should thank you for giving me the chance to get killed by someone new every week,” Dog said.
“Don’t give me that,” Ryker said. “You very well know you always come out on top. All those other slaves you fight in the pit, they’re all squishy to you. You probably have more trouble falling asleep than fighting those kids. I gave each one of them the same opportunity I gave you, but they all threw it away by dying.”
“What’s your point,” Dog said. He was doing his best to hide his raw emotions, but he was never good at putting on a fake face. His anger was probably as transparent as polished glass.
“Are you that stupid that you don’t realize what I’ve given you?” Ryker questioned. “Tiberius learned to embrace my generosity and look at what he’s become.”
“He’s become your bitch,” Dog replied.
Tiberius let out a hardy laugh, taking Dog’s insult in good humour. However Ryker didn’t find it as funny. He pulled out a pistol from his jacket pocket and pointed it at Dog’s head with a steady arm.
“I could kill you right now,” Ryker said. “Every single aspect of your useless life belongs to me. You do well to remember that. If I tell you to wipe my ass, you ask me with which hand.”
Without hesitation, Dog took a step forward towards the barrel of the gun.
“Do it,” he said.
“You must have a death wish,” Ryker said as he cocked the pistol and pressed the cold metal against Dog’s forehead.
“Do it,” Dog repeated. “And then next week you can explain to everyone why the champion they’ve paid good money to see will never fight again.”
Ryker snarled and pressed his index finger against the trigger. With even a gentle squeeze, the gun threatened to put a hole right through Dog’s head, but Dog didn’t care. He stood his ground and looked at Ryker, ambivalent to the pistol pressed up against his cranium.
“What are you afraid of?” Dog asked. “Do it.”
It was Tiberius who finally came between them. He pushed Dog back with a slight hand and looked Ryker in the eyes.
“I think he gets the message,” Tiberius said. “Come on Ryker, let’s go before you make him piss his pants. We don’t need that.”
Ryker nodded and lowered the pistol. “The Arena it is. This little winning streak of yours won’t last forever. I’ll make sure of it.”
“I can’t wait,” Dog said.
Ryker spat a thick gelatinous glob of phlegm into Dog’s face, which he wiped unprovoked. Ryker seemed to think it was funny and he howled and pointed a bony finger at Dog before finally leaving.
Dog returned to his bed and sat there and waited as he usually did after a fight. But tonight, Tweak’s ghost didn’t come, and Dog was able to sleep, and dream.
Chapter Eighteen.
Tiberius came for Allegra in the middle of the night with orders from Ryker to bring her to his room.
That meant only one thing. Ryker was still pissed off and he was drunk. Dog succeeded in making Ryker look small, and in return, the Goblin needed someone to dominate. Tonight, that person was Allegra. More often than not, Ryker went for the older female slaves, the ones that were already used and damaged. He didn’t like screwing around with the younger merchandise. It devalued his profits when he sold them off as sex slaves.
Don’t be afraid, Allegra thought. Ryker needs you pure. He won’t throw away all that potential money just to screw you. She was terrified.
When she entered his chambers, Ryker was dressed in a bathrobe and reeking of alcohol. Tiberius closed the door behind him and left them alone.
“You look beautiful tonight,” Ryker said. He had a devilish look about him.
No, Allegra thought. He won’t. Please…don’t.
“The Arena’s been doing well lately,” he said as he closed in on her. “But something’s missing.”
Allegra steadied herself and spoke with mettle. She tried not to be afraid. “And what would that be?”
“Excitement,” he whispered in her ear. He stuck out his tongue and licked the tip of her earlobe. Allegra’s scream betrayed her and she recoiled from his slithering tongue.
His face instantly contorted with anger and he punched her in the abdomen. She fell to her knees and whimpered.
“You too would defy me? What the hell is wrong with my slaves? I should just lobotomize you all.” Ryker wasn’t done yet. He struck at her again, which Allegra tried to block, but wasn’t quick enough and the heel of his bare foot collided with her cheek. She cried out like a child as her face seared in pain; a sharp pulsating sensation following immediately.
“I will have you tonight,” Ryker smiled as he began unraveling the fabric belt of his bathrobe. Allegra closed her eyes and wept.
Ryker had lost control. Allegra was going to lose the last of her innocence on Ryker’s bedroom floor. She stared into the shadows and called out to it.
“Come for me already,” she pleaded. “I know you’re watching me.”
“Who the hell are you talking to?” Ryker asked as he smirked. “If this is what you call dirty talk, I’m liking it.” Just as he was about to pounce on her, the door to his chambers burst open and Tiberius entered. He looked at her and she saw the unmistakable look of disappointment on his face. Allegra didn’t know if it was directed at her, but she felt ashamed nonetheless.
“She’s hurt,” Tiberius said.
“So what?” Ryker asked. “She deserves it. She deserves all she’s going to get.”
“Her face is worth thousands to you,” Tiberius said. “Her purity is worth ten times that. You have invested in her all these years. Why throw away all that money now?”
“Because I want her,” Ryker whined like a spoiled brat.
Tiberius shook his head. “There are others in this place that will take you willingly. I can send for them. I can even bring two girls if you like,” he said. “But leave Allegra alone. Her face is bruised and tainted but it’ll heal. You can still have your investment at full value.”
Ryker paused and considered before finally agreeing. “Fine, bring me two of the pleasure slaves. And make sure they’re clean.”
Tiberius nodded and then lifted Allegra from the ground and into his arms, just like the way her father had done when she was young. He took her safely out of Ryker’s chambers, closing the door behind him, before setting her
down.
“Are you hurt?” Tiberius asked when they were safely out of earshot.
Allegra shook her head. “He was going to rape me.” At that moment, she was aching for someone to hold her and give her some comfort. She felt so alone in this place.
She had known Tiberius for a long time, and had great respect for him, but Allegra knew he was not the one she needed. Tiberius had always kept an emotional distance from her, and everyone else for that matter. Many of the slaves respected Tiberius and the ones that didn’t end up in the pit with him even liked him. But Allegra couldn’t think of a single person that he could call a friend.
“Is there anything you need?” he asked.
“I want my brother,” she suddenly blurted.
“Okay.”
She let out an exasperated laugh. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m talking nonsense now. I just miss him, that’s all. He had these funny ways of comforting me when I needed it. He always started off with an insult—he once told me to stop crying over the smell of my stinky feet, when really it was because the goldfish died—and then he would crack jokes until I laughed again. When he was around, he made everything seem so trivial. But I’m being stupid. He’s gone. Murdered.”
“I’m sorry,” Tiberius said. “I wish I could say something to help you.”
“You saved me from Ryker,” she said. “I can never repay you for that.”
“Come, let’s get you back to your chambers,” Tiberius said. “Ryker doesn’t like to wait and I need to bring back girls for him.”
She looked at him with puffy eyes. “How can you serve him?”
“I serve him just the same as you do,” he replied.
“You’re stronger than Ryker. Kill him and end this all.”
Tiberius shook his head. “You know I won’t.”