by Andy Nadir
Chapter Twelve
Suddenly, A spear of light pierced through the Jokers chest, where his heart was.
The dagger stopped its decent, and the Joker staggered backwards. Laxus looked around. “Tabitha? Was that you?” He asked.
Tabitha ran up to him from behind the Joker. “Laxus! Are you ok?” She asked.
Laxus pulled himself into a sitting position. “Not really.” He said.
Tabitha knelt next to him, and looked at the hole in his side. “It Isn’t fatal. What happened?” She asked.
“He got me in the side with a spear of something.” Laxus said.
“Something?” Tabitha asked.
Laxus just shook his head and shrugged. “Where is Niko?” He asked.
Tabitha pointed over to where Roranora was fighting the bandits. “He is helping Roranora.” She said.
Laxus nodded. “We have to finish off the rabble, and get rid of the Second Regiment Commander quick, or he will send us to his arena!” He said.
Tabitha frowned. “What are you talking about?” She asked.
Laxus explained the situation.
Tabitha shook her head. “That is a really dangerous power. Do you know how close he has to be to use the power?” She asked.
“Oh, just about this close.” Laxus felt a hand fall on his shoulder, and saw one land on Tabitha’s. Suddenly, they were gone.
Laxus woke up in a newly made bed. He groaned, and sat up. “What the… Where am I?” He wondered.
He looked around the room. The walls were covered with different types of weapons and armor. Many had bloodstains on them. He saw Tabitha lying in a bed near him. He hesitantly got out of the bed, and poked her.
She groaned, and sat up. “Where are we?” She asked.
Laxus shrugged. “I don’t know any more than you do. But, my guess is we are in the Second Regiment Commander’s arena.” He said.
Tabitha looked around the room. “You are probably right.” She said.
Laxus rapped on the room’s door. “It is thick. And I don’t have my sword to cut it.” He said
Tabitha chuckled. “What about all of the ones on the walls?” She asked.
Laxus reddened, and looked over the wall. He picked up a weapon that seemed much like a sword, but was slightly pronged on the sides. He concentrated for a moment, and frowned.
“I can’t make the shadows extend this.” He said.
Tabitha frowned, and whistled. They waited a moment, but nothing happened.
Tabitha shook her head helplessly. “Think they coated it in something that resists magic?” She asked.
Laxus nodded. “What else could do it?” He halfheartedly jabbed the door with the trident/sword.
The weapon stuck into the door, and the points snapped off. Laxus groaned. “Are you kidding me?” He asked.
Tabitha sighed, and got out of bed. She began pulling down armor and weapons from the walls.
“What are you doing?” Laxus asked.
“Checking for a secret exit.” She said.
Laxus began pulling down items with her. After they had pulled down all the items, they scoured the walls for secret doors. After a while, Tabitha threw her hands in the air, and plopped down on her bed. “There is no way out. We will just have to wait and see what happens.” She said.
Laxus nodded, and sat down on his bed. Just as Laxus was sitting down, a little goblin scurried into the room. Laxus went for his sword, and remembered it wasn’t there.
“Laxus and Tabitha, I presume?” The goblin asked.
Laxus growled slightly. “Who are you?” He asked.
The goblin bobbed its head happily. “My name is Bensin. I will be your armorer and guide for your brief stay in the arena.” He said.
Laxus frowned at Bensin. “And what makes you think I will stay at the arena?” He asked.
Bensin giggled. “Why, because master brought you here! You really have nowhere to go!” He said.
Laxus growled. “I wish to leave. How am I to do that?” He asked.
Bensin shrugged. “Win the Games, or die.” He said.
Tabitha frowned. “By Games, do you mean arena battles?” She asked.
Bensin nodded. “Quite so, young miss! The armor and weapons around you are the items of failed warriors!” He crowed.
Laxus frowned. “How do I Win the Games?” He asked.
“Kill everyone.” Bensin said.
Laxus shrugged. “No problem. When do I start?” He asked.
Bensin giggled. “Allow me to explain the rules first.” He said.
“No magic whatsoever. You may use any enchanted items you have, and every win you have in these battles will give you an amount of Vcoins.” He said.
“Vcoins stands for Victory Coins. You may purchase enchanted weapons and armor from the shop. You may also use Ryu.” He said.
Laxus shrugged. “Each game is to the death. If you fail to follow these rules, you will die.” Bensin warned.
Laxus nodded. “Ok, whatever. When can we start? I am getting bored.” Laxus and Tabitha said at the same time.
The two looked at each other, and grinned briefly.
Bensin shrugged. “How about now? Your competitors are waiting.” He said.
Bensin led them through the dark halls of wherever the happened to be. They walked out two massive wooden doors, and into a huge circle. The two looked around the massive arena. There were seats lining the walls, and on the other side of the ring stood two heavily armored warriors.
Laxus looked at the two warriors. “How come they get all that armor?” He asked.
Bensin shrugged. “They win a lot.” He said.
Laxus sighed. “Let’s get this over with then.” He said.
Bensin nodded, and walked out of the arena, leaving Laxus and Tabitha alone with the two warriors.
Laxus looked at the stands. “Not too many people here.” He noted.
Tabitha shrugged. “Maybe we aren’t too popular.” She said.
Laxus harrumphed. “Bah. Let’s get this over with already.” He said.
Just as he finished talking, a voice came over the loudspeakers. “Combatants Laxus and Tabitha, are you prepared to face Saber and Claw?” It called.
“It depends! Why don’t I get a cool nickname?” Laxus called back to the announcer.
There was a smattering of covered laughter from the stands. “You will, soon enough.” It called back.
Laxus shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s do this.” He said.
“Then…Begin!” The announcer called.
The two teams rushed each other immediately. Laxus dodged a sword slash from one of the warriors, and tapped the side of the sword. It immediately turned into a large sunflower.
The warrior growled, and tossed the flower onto the floor. A grin split Laxus’s face. The warrior pulled a short sword from his side, and charged Laxus again. Laxus rolled out of the way, and grabbed the flower.
The warrior chuckled. “You think you gonna beat me with a flower?” He asked.
Laxus shook his head, and the flower changed to one of his swords. “And that is two changes.” He said.
Laxus swung the sword at the gladiator, and the he jumped away from the sword to avoid it. Or tried. As the gladiator managed to clear the tip of the sword, he did not clear its shadow. The shadow blade cut the warrior across the chest, and he collapsed.
The warrior staggered upwards, and grinned. “Good armor.”
Laxus grunted, and swung his sword again. This time, he caught the warrior across his throat, and the warrior fell to the ground, dead.
Laxus turned to Tabitha, but she had already wrestled her opponent to the ground, and was currently playing the drums on his helmet. Laxus snickered. “Oi, Tabitha! Remember, he is being forced to fight!”
Tabitha reddened. “Oh yea. How fast did we finish the fight?” She asked.
Laxus shrugged, and turned his head upwards. “And the combatants Laxus and Tabitha finish the fight in a resounding ten seconds!�
� The announcer roared.
Tabitha grinned at Laxus. “That sounds pretty good.” She said.
The headed out of the doors, and Bensin greeted them. “Good work, you two! You earned 23 Vcoins!” Bensin squealed.
He handed them a pouch of gold coins. Laxus jingled the pouch. “Can we see the shop now?” He asked.
Bensin waved to them, and they followed him back through the halls of the building. He led them to a dark shop, and sat down at the counter. “Look around. Bring any item you want to my shelf. I will tell you what its powers are. I can also enchant or improve items that you get.” He said.
Laxus and Tabitha wandered off into the store. After a little, Tabitha let out a squeal of delight. “Look! A Heavenstone!” She said.
Laxus frowned. “Heavenstone? That sounds a little cliché.” He said.
Tabitha frowned. “It allows the user to enhance his or her light abilities. It is very useful.” She said.
Laxus peered closer at the Heavenstone. It was encased in a white band, and the stone itself glowed blue.
“So, this is useful to you?” He asked.
Tabitha nodded. “They are extremely hard to get. And, if you can get one, they cost an arm and a leg.” She said.
Tabitha picked the ring up, and brought it to Bensin. “How much is this?” She asked.
Bensin looked over the ring. “A purely spectacular choice, young lass! I would say this costs a mere 10 Vcoins! Isn’t that wonderful?” He crowed.
Tabitha glanced at Laxus. “Can I get it?” She asked.
Laxus chuckled. “Who am I to get between a girl and jewelry? Go ahead.” He said.
Tabitha grinned, and hugged him. “Thanks!”
Laxus laughed. “You remember that we both fought in the battle right?” He asked.
Tabitha reddened. “Oh, right.”
Bensin nodded, and opened his hand. Laxus dropped ten of the coins into Bensin’s hand, and continued looking around the shop. He turned to Bensin. “Am I allowed to keep my current sword?” He asked.
Bensin nodded. “If you want to. But, that sword is damaged.” He said.
Laxus looked at the sword, and saw the small crack running across the hand guard. He shook his head. “A skilled opponent could slam an axe on this, and I would be finished.” He said.
Laxus looked around the room for a suitable weapon. His eyes fell on a blade with a hand and a half handle. The blade itself was curved like a crescent moon, and extremely thin. Laxus frowned, and picked up the weapon.
“What on earth is this?” He asked.
Bensin grinned. “You have a good taste for destructive weapons, Laxus.” He said.
Bensin walked to him, and took the weapon from his hands. “This sword is called the Serpent.”
“It is very dangerous, and hard to master. It was once 1000 Vcoins, which is nearly impossible to get. The sword is a marvel of weapon engineering. There are several blades in this one, and when you flick the sword, the blades come out. It is like controlling a bladed serpent. The problem is, it will cut nearly anything to ribbons, even its holder. So, nobody wants it now. Its current price is only 10Vcoins. And, probably, the life of its owner. It is said that the blade is cursed.” Bensin said.
Bensin went to put the blade away. Laxus stopped his hand, and grabbed the blade. He pulled it from Bensin’s hand, and waved it through the air experimentally. A dark grin came over Laxus’s face. “Let us see which is more cursed, the blade; or me.”