by Dante King
Ben, Lexi, and Shrike approached the orcs. They looked him over, grunted, and then opened the doors. The room on the other side was a small armory, swords and axes and spears and armor all waiting for him. The doors shut hard, and they were alone.
“This is a lot of weapons,” Lexi said as she approached the nearest rack and took a mace.
“You’re right about that,” Ben said in a hushed voice. “Makes me wonder what sort of good we could do with them in the hands of some of the slaves.”
Shrike smiled. “You’re not taking a break from any of this, are you?”
“Not even for a second. This gladiator shit sounds crazy, but it’s a chance to get close to The One. If I can fight my way to the top, then I could get the opportunity to take him out.”
Shrike narrowed her eyes. “I like that idea. Only problem is that he’s got a damn army here with him.”
“We’ve got an army too,” Lexi said. “Just need to find out how to use them.”
A bang sounded on the door, and one of the orcs poked his head inside.
“Five minutes to choose your gear. Then you’re up, human.”
“What about them?” Ben asked, pointing to Lexi and Shrike.
“They can wait here, or they can watch.”
He didn’t say another word before pulling his head back out and slamming the door.
“You heard the ugly asshole,” Shrike said. “Guess it’s time to pick your gear and get out there.”
Ben turned his attention to the weapons. His first selection was a short sword. He’d spent enough time with Zito to learn a bit from how he’d used his. He figured it’d do him more good than a greatsword he had no idea how to wield. Next, he chose a spear. It seemed simple enough to stab at whatever you wanted dead.
For armor, he went with chainmail, a breastplate made of thick leather, and a steel helmet and arm guards. It wasn’t the most coordinated outfit, but Ben figured he would be using his magic more than anything. If he ended up in a position where he was using his melee weapons, he’d be in trouble.
“Alright,” he said once Lexi and Shrike had him suited up. “You ladies going to stay here, or watch?”
“We’ll watch,” Shrike said with a smile. “Something tells me you’re going to need all the support you can get.”
Lexi nodded. “We’ll be pulling for you.”
The orc opened the door back up and grunted while sweeping his arm toward him.
“Come on, shrimp. Hope you said your goodbyes—they’ve got you up against the favorite.”
“I’m ready.”
Ben, Lexi, and Shrike went out with the orc, who directed the two women to a hallway that led to seating. Another orc joined Ben when he and the other orc were on their way, and as they went down the hallway, he could hear wild cheers from up ahead, what sounded like hundreds of people waiting for the action, hungry for blood.
They reached a huge, arched entryway, the cheers louder still.
“Go on, shrimp,” the first orc said. “Let’s see what you’re made of.”
Ben took a deep breath to steel himself, then went ahead. He knew without a doubt that he was either walking to his victory, or his doom.
Chapter 14
The cheering was a deafening roar as Ben traveled down the hall. The ground underneath him was sand, and the archway a brown stone. He saw the light from the arena up ahead, and his stomach tightened in anticipation.
But he was ready. Though the path ahead of him was uncertain, he knew that if he followed it, he would end up face-to-face with The One Who Rules All. The only thing he had to do was survive.
A team of six orcs stood at the end of the hallway, their massive bodies blocking both the way and his view into the arena. Over their heads he saw the cheering crowds, rows and rows of men and women, some monsterkin among them, all going wild as they prepared for the day of fighting ahead.
Ben approached the orcs. As he did, a small door opened and a slender figure stepped out. He was an elementalkin, his ears, nose, and fingers tipped with frost. He had a sharp face and wide, eager eyes—eyes that latched onto Ben as soon as he saw him.
“You’re the one?” he asked, his words coming out in puffs of air, as if it were colder than it actually was.
Ben was the one, but not in the way he expected the man meant.
“Are you asking if I’m the fighter?” Ben replied. “If so, then yeah.”
The elementalkin cocked his head to the side. “You’re joking, right? I mean, I was when I asked you that.”
Ben was more amused by his response than anything else. He was starting to like it when people underestimated him. It meant more surprise when he finally showed them what he was capable of.
“Nope. I’m the one going into the ring.”
The elementalkin’s jaw dropped. “Kid, I was thinking you were the assistant or something to the real fighter. You know what this is, right? This is a fight to the death.”
“That’s what they tell me. Now, do I just go past this line of orcs, or what?”
The elementalkin ran his hand through his snow-white hair, shaking his head.
“Alright, my name’s Gelus—I’m one of the guys who works here and helps get the fighters prepared for the match ahead.”
“I’m geared up,” Ben said. “I’m as prepped as I need to be.”
“You know the rules?” Gelus asked. “Because there are rules.”
Ben supposed that was information he’d need. He didn’t want to risk breaking a rule and losing his life on a technicality.
“Let’s hear them.”
“Alright, you’re smart enough to listen. One of the guys I had in the last games was the idiotic, headstrong type. I told him there were rules, he said rules are ‘for pussies,’ and marched in there. Believe it or not, he broke a rule within ten seconds. And when you break a rule in the games… just trust me, The One Who Rules All hates it when people break his rules.”
“Then lay them on me.”
“First rule is you don’t start fighting until The One gives the signal. Once he does, it’s game on. Second rule is that before the beginning of the match, we flip a coin to decide if it’s magic or melee.”
“You… what?”
“Magic or melee. If you make it all the way to the end, you’ll be fighting three rounds in total. The first and second are one-on-one, the third is a three-way battle royale. Anyway, the first two are fought with either weapons or magic. The last is no-holds-barred.”
Ben shifted his weight from one foot to another. He was right to fight, but he was far less confident in his melee abilities than his magical ones.
“Alright,” Ben said. “Anything else?”
“Nope. Just get in there, and if you’re still alive in thirty minutes, we’ll talk then.”
“And the prize?” Ben asked. “I get to meet The One, right?”
Gelus laughed. “Yeah, you get to meet the man himself. But why don’t you focus on not getting your head split in two before you start getting all starry-eyed about The One autographing your lucky jockstrap.”
The cheers in the crowd grew even wilder than they’d already been. They were ready for the fight ahead.
“Can you tell me anything about who I’m going to fight?” Ben asked.
“Nope, not a thing. There are eleven other fighters and who gets paired with who is a totally random process. I have seen some of the other fighters and…” He looked Ben up and down, shaking his head. “And you’d better hope you get the ‘magic’ flip of the coin.”
A trumpet blared, and the orcs that formed the line turned.
“Here you go, kid,” Gelus said as he looked in the direction of the arena. “It’s your big shot. Get in there and show The One a good time, huh? Oh, and if you die, try to go out in a really cool way—he likes gruesome deaths.”
The orcs in the middle stepped apart and cleared a path for Ben to enter the arena. His hand on the hilt of his sword, he stepped through and out onto the sand. Th
e crowd was wild all around him, cheering like mad. He noticed something strange—there was a sky above them, a blue sky with a bright sun in the center. As they were under the tower, he knew the sight didn’t make any sense.
He looked around and spotted three wizards standing in the crowd in a triangle formation, all with their eyes closed as they cast a spell.
They’re creating the illusion of a sunny sky, he thought. The One must like it better that way.
He scanned the crowd, guessing that there were a hundred or so people in the stone stands.
Must be The One’s inner circle, maybe his generals and advisors, Ben thought. This whole system of slavery is here to prop them up. I’m going to make sure it doesn’t do that for much longer.
As he moved his eyes along the stands, he spotted a box, one that reminded him of the VIP lounge in a sports arena. The box looked large enough to house a half-dozen people, and was sheathed in black fabric that was as dark as night and trimmed with gold. Standing on either side were two hulking orc guards clad in golden armor, both wielding massive axes with heads the size of widescreen TVs and handles as tall as their bodies.
That’s him—that has to be him. If he’s here watching, might as well give him a show.
Ben’s hand went to the hilt at his hip. Despite his confidence, he knew that whether or not he’d survive depended entirely on who he was matched up against. He kept his eyes on the other door, waiting to see his opponent.
The crowd roared, and the line of orcs on the other side stepped back. All he saw at first was a swirling cloud, like a small tornado. The thing moved toward Ben, the crowd going wild as it approached. It was a mini whirlwind. Ben wondered how the hell he was meant to fight a tornado.
But the tornado stopped a dozen feet from Ben, the swirling dust vanishing and revealing a young, female elementalkin. She was short and slender, with wide, brown eyes and sand-colored skin, her hair a faint blonde and worn in a messy bob. She wore a simple tunic, and at her sashed hip was a short, curved blade about the size of Ben’s forearm, the end flat, the length of the blade marked with runes. It was a weapon unlike anything Ben had ever seen before.
Her eyes narrowed, a confident grin on her face.
“You’re the one I’m going to fight?” she asked.
“Looks that way,” Ben said. He could barely make out her words through the roar of the crowd. “Who are you?”
She narrowed her eyes further, the grin still on her full lips. “Who am I? I’m the one who’s going to end your life. I’ve got a mission to accomplish, and you’re not going to stand in my way.”
Ben was curious. What sort of mission did this elementalkin have in mind?
“You have a mission?”
She snorted. “Yep. Guess it doesn’t matter if I tell you—you’re going to be dead in ten minutes anyway.” She flicked her eyes toward The One’s booth. “You see that prick up there? Well, you can’t see him with that magical cloak over where he’s sitting, but that’s where he is. That’s The One Who Rules All. I’m going to win this competition, and when I do, I’m going to meet him. Then he’s going to try to take me into his little group of good-time girls with all the other monster and elementalkin. But once I’ve gotten close enough, just when he’s at his most vulnerable…” She dragged the back of her thumb over her neck, a wild smile still on her face.
“I’m going to make him pay for what he’s done to me and my people!” she cried. “And I’m going to make him suffer!”
Ben opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell her that they didn’t need to fight, that they were on the same side, but he didn’t get a chance before someone approached from the side of the arena. He glanced over to see that it was one of the wizards, a tall figure with silver hair that hung down both sides of his long face with an even part in the middle.
“Now,” the wizard said as he stopped near the pair. “We will decide if this is a melee fight or a magical one.” He reached into his pocket and slipped out a golden coin, a kind that Ben had never seen before. “Heads, magic. Tails, melee.”
“Either way, you’re screwed, bud,” the girl said. “I’m just as good with this thing as I am with my elemental powers.”
Ben kept his eyes on the wizard, who flipped the coin. It went, spinning end over end as it sailed into the air. Then it landed in the dust—heads side up.
“It’s magic!” the wizard shouted. The crowd roared. “Now, keep all spells to the arena. No shooting magic missiles or thunderbolts into the crowd. There are very important people here in attendance, and if you harm even a single hair on their heads…” he trailed off. There was no need to indicate what the penalty for breaking this rule, or any other, might be.
“Now.” The wizard clapped his hands together. “Are you both ready?”
Ben looked the girl up and down one more time. Aside from the sandy texture to her skin, her strange dress, and the curious weapon tucked into her belt at the wide bow on her hip, she was as young and good-looking as any of the girls Ben had gone to college with. In fact, she was so hot he couldn’t help but notice it despite the fact that one of them was going to be dead before the match was over.
Her words stuck with him. She was a prisoner, just like him, and she had the same goal as him, on top of that—to kill The One.
If only we weren’t fighting, Ben thought. He put that out of his head as he focused on the battle at hand. His mana supply had replenished, and he was ready to fight.
“Ready,” Ben said.
“Ready,” the girl said. She was still smiling, a playful smirk on her face.
“Fight!” the wizard said, and as soon as he did, cast an image diffusion spell, his form turning translucent as he hurried from the arena.
The battle was on.
Do I have to kill this girl? Ben thought. Is there no other way out of this?
He didn’t get much time for any other such considerations. The girl waved her hands in front of her, the air warping and twisting. Ben didn’t get a chance to react before a blast of hot wind shot from her palms and knocked him off his feet. It didn’t simply push him back—the gust of wind arced him through the air, his body being pulled this way and that. Soon Ben was high enough to see the crowd from a bird’s-eye vantage point, his head nearly touching the fake sky ceiling of the arena. The girl was down below, the white sliver of her smile visible among the dust at her feet.
Then the wind stopped, and Ben began to fall.
The ground rushed toward him, the crowd around him a colorful blur of reds and blues and purples and golds. His stomach pressed against his spine, and he realized that, if he didn’t do something, he’d be a dead splat on the ground before the fight had even begun.
Force Wave! he thought. Ben held his palms out in front of him as he dropped, summoning the spell. Right before he smacked into the ground, a pulse of energy shot from his hands and hit the ground. The dirt spread out in a circle, and he bounced off the air as if he’d landed on an invisible trampoline.
The burst of force sent him arcing backward, sailing into the air once more. This time as he flew, words appeared in front of him.
FORCE WAVE
LEVEL INCREASED
He had no idea what this new level to his powers meant, but Ben had a damn good feeling he’d need to figure it out, and fast, if he was going to survive more than two minutes against the sand girl.
As he made his downward arc toward the ground, Ben tried something. Instead of blasting with full strength against the dust, he stuck out his right palm, firing Force Wave at an angle. A straight column of energy shot from him, hitting the ground and sending him at a new angle, this one lower and less deadly. He did it once more with his left, guiding himself to the ground. He landed in a merely painful rather than fatal way.
He pushed himself up, his side aching from where he fell. Despite the pain, he allowed a grin to form on his face. Ben’s power had increased, and he was ready to use it to win.
The crowd roared at the di
splay they’d just witnessed. The girl was three dozen or so feet away from him, still standing at the ready.
“Nice!” she shouted, “but that’s kid’s stuff. Try and dodge these!”
She swirled her hands in circles, and Ben wanted to cast Siphon, but he would have to get closer. Right now, getting close was next to impossible. A pair of small tornados, like the one she’d arrived in, began to form in the dust. They grew in size until they were twice as tall as her. When they were ready, the girl stuck her right hand out, the tornado on her right starting toward Ben. Then she did the same with the left.
The tornados spun like mad, and there was no doubt in Ben’s mind that they would tear him limb-from-limb if he got caught in one.
Force Wave, he thought. These things look bad, but a tornado’s just air. I can do this.
The tornado on his right rushed toward him. Ben summoned Force Wave, focusing it and bringing the spell to its highest level. When the tornado was near enough, he launched Force Wave, the air rippling in front of him.
The tornado blew apart, sending a huge spray of dirt through the air. The second tornado approached, and he was ready for it, but another idea occurred to him. When the tornado was near, Ben used his new level of Force Wave to form a ring of energy around the tornado, holding it in place.
“What?” the girl’s voice cut through the roar of the crowd. “What are you doing?”
Ben only grinned as he held the tornado, the wind spinning and spinning. Then, with another shot of Force Wave, he sent the tornado toward the girl.
“Shit!” It flew toward her, and she could do nothing but dive out of the way. It began flying toward the stands, a tinge of panicking taking hold of Ben as it did. He focused Force Wave, sending another jet of energy out. It hit, the tornado erupting into a blast of wind and sand before dissipating.
I want to take out every last one of you, he thought, his eyes moving over the crowd, but not now.
He turned his attention back to the girl. The look of panic on her face suggested she hadn’t been prepared for her opponent to put up this much of a fight. Ben now had the time to close the distance and activate Siphon, but then the woman suddenly cried out and the sandy ground in front of her began to shift, rising up. He watched as the dirt rose and took the shape of a volley of arrows, all with razor-sharp points.