***
The crowd in the arena was cheering so loudly that Juko could feel the roar within his own chest as he walked out onto the dust and for one brief second, as he looked around the mass of people that rose up to the heavens, he felt that he could almost understand his brother's reasons for wanting to become a gladiator. He'd never seen so many people gathered in one spot but there they were, twenty thousand people standing on their feet and shouting his name - and he hadn't even made a single move yet.
Euric stood next to the Decanus in the Emperor's box and attempted to hide any nervousness he felt with his usual showman's flair, pointing out Juko and bragging, "He has to be the best fighter I have seen in my years of doing this! You will not be disappointed in this fight, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor frowned, "I hope he's awful. He looks like a buffoon out there in all those feathers. Besides, a Bestial fighting a Bestial, why should I care? Why should any Lycanian care? We put too much value on N'bari fighters, calling them 'exotic' when they are only nothings like the others. The gods tell me they will die soon, anyway."
Euric stayed hushed while his mind searched furiously for a way to escape.
The Orator below them announced Kai's entrance and as the Golden Man entered the arena, the crowds began to boo and hiss, throwing bits of food at him to emphasize their dislike of the novice gladiator. He looked anxiously at Juko, who nodded back, as if trying to mentally calm the man and reassure him that all would be well.
The gladiators were then ordered to take their positions and as they did, a priestess from the Temple of the Two Brothers, dressed from head to toe in a mass of white robes, appeared at the edge of the first tier. She cast a silken square out into the arena and when it landed in the dust, the gladiators began their grand charade.
Kai swiped at Juko with his spear and as the N'bari jumped back, the audience immediately cried out. They then began their carefully choreographed fight, jumping at one another while avoiding strikes at certain points then clashing at others until Juko pretended to take a stab to the leg - which caused the crowd to jump immediately from their seats. He limped and carried on, sending the crowd into such frenzy that they were leaning out over the edges of the arena walls and shouting both curses and encouragements at him.
Then, just as they had rehearsed, Juko gained control of Kai's spear and appeared to change the course of the fight. The crowd cheered frantically, feeling that their champion's triumph was near. Soon, after a few well-timed rolls and falls, Juko at last stood over Kai, the spear point at his throat.
The crowd cheered incessantly as the Orator asked, "Do you yield, Golden Man?"
Kai gave the thumps up signal, shouting, "I yield! I yield!"
"Then, citizens of Lycania, cheer for your new champion of the arena-"
"Wait." Tiberius commanded.
The Orator turned around, slightly confused, "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"None of this 'I yield' filth. It should be to the death. I want it to the death. What's the point in this foolish nonsense if there's no blood?"
The Orator turned back to the crowd and announced, "I'm sorry, dear watchers, the Emperor himself now demands that the bout end in death!"
A raucous cheer went up from the crowd as they chanted, "Death, death, death!" over and over.
Juko's eyes grew wide as he looked down at Kai, whose breath came in short bursts while he had begun sweating profusely.
The crowd continued shouting, "Death, death, death!" all around them.
Kai closed his eyes and nodded but as Juko stared down at him lying there upon the dust, he hesitated. He had never killed a man nor had he ever had a desire to - save one. He looked back up into the stands at the Decanus.
The Emperor shouted, annoyed as his headache spiked behind his eyes, "What is taking so long? Do as your told or I will have you killed where you stand!"
Juko remained still, for even under threat of death himself he felt he could not unjustly kill another man. Instead, he threw down the spear and pulled Kai up from the dust.
The crowd booed and in a fit of anger, Tiberius stood up from his seat and ordered the guards to seize the N'bari.
Euric, in a moment of panic, leaned over to the Emperor, "Eh, wait, Your Highness, I have an idea!"
Tiberius shut his eyes, his head becoming almost unbearable, "What is it, lanista?"
"Don't kill him just yet!"
"Make this fast, Vandal, or you will join him."
"Instead of just killing him, why not have this fool fight one of the great Lycanian Legionaries?"
"To what end?"
"To... to show Lycania's might over the Bestials of course!" He grabbed the Decanus and pulled him in closer, "In fact, the Decanus here was just telling me earlier about how he wished to test his mettle against such an opponent! He will clearly win, Your Majesty, as the might of the Lycanian forces is unbeatable due to the mercy and compassion of the Two Brothers, may they be praised. Besides, if the N'bari is going to die anyway-"
"Oh yes, Father!" Spurius applauded with glee. "I would so love to see the Decanus fight!"
Tiberius turned towards the stunned face of the Decanus and addressed him, "Alright then, it will be. Decanus, arm yourself and go put an end to this... whatever he is." He motioned for the Orator to announce the new fight.
The Decanus whispered to Euric as left the box, "You will pay for this, lanista. I will make sure of it!"
Euric shrugged sheepishly, "You have the gods on your side, you can't lose!"
As the new fight was announced, the crowd's electricity shifted. Those wealthy Lycanians who had just cheered for the victory of Juko now cheered for the Decanus, while the poorer citizens retained their loyalty to the N’bari warrior, seeing his possible win as a triumph over the tyranny that had made their lives so miserable in the last years.
The Decanus emerged into the arena, his familiar helm shining beneath the sun as the crowd jumped to its feet again. After Kai was safely away from the arena, Juko squared himself before the other man and stared into the ice-blue eyes of his brother's killer.
The Orator continued, "Cheer for your champion, Lycania! Choose your side! Bestial or Lycanian! Who will win? Although, I have a feeling that the certainty of this fight was written in the stars long ago!"
The Decanus said nothing as he pulled out his gladius and gripped its hilt.
The priestess was called upon again to drop another silken square and as it floated into the arena, the Decanus charged at Juko. He lifted his gladius into the air, prepared to end the fight in one strike but as he came nearer, Juko slammed an elbow into his face, breaking his nose.
The Decanus fell to the ground instantly as his eyes watered and his face filled with blood. He roared and held his nose as he stood. After he recovered briefly, he then charged at Juko again, this time swinging his blade wildly. Juko simply stared down his opponent and as he had with T'tembo once before, spun out of the way as he came near and threw himself upon the Decanus' back. The Decanus began to flail wildly as Juko wrapped his left arm around the man's neck and grabbed on to the bicep of his own right arm.
"Who are you?" the Decanus struggled to ask as his face began to turn scarlet and he fell to his knees.
Juko spoke into the Decanus' ear, "I am Juko, son of Mutebe, chieftain of the Grasshopper Clan and brother to Suna - an innocent man murdered by your own hand."
The Decanus tried to laugh as saliva sputtered from his lips, "That mongrel cried and wet himself at death!"
Juko couldn't help the rage that flowed through him at the other man's words, even as he knew he was lying. He pulled his arms free and then snapped the Decanus' neck in one swift move, killing him instantly.
Juko shoved his body into the dust and stood staring at it as the crowd sat in stunned silence.
Euric ran to the edge of the box seat, shouting, "Run, Juko, now! Get out!"
Upon hearing the lanista's voice, Juko seemed to wake from his stupor as he grabbed the Decanus' we
apon and soon sped from the arena. Three guards set upon him as he ran but he was able to fight his way through and continue on, disappearing down one of the secret entrances before another group of guards found him.
Meanwhile, back in the arena, the crowds in the upper tiers were shouting and applauding with such exuberance that those on the bottom tiers had become afraid. In a panic, the wealthier classes along the bottom began to run towards the exits but as too many tried to leave at once, bystanders were pressed up against walls or thrown down onto the ground and trampled. The upper tiers then became so emboldened by the lower tiers' own folly that they began to climb down the stands and attack them in a furious rage.
All of Odalia became chaos.
Across the Amphitheater, in the Emperor's box the Centurion barked orders to the guards, commanding them to regain control of the people as he secured the Emperor away safely via an underground passageway, which led directly to the Palace. He then ordered that the lanista be arrested immediately but when he turned, Euric had already disappeared.
The Vandal had wisely run down his own secret entrance while everyone else’s attention was on other events. Once down below, he had doubled back to the gladiator’s waiting room, grabbing Posides as he did and was very thankful that the guards he passed along the way had not recognized him. He and Posides then headed for another secret entrance that would lead them to the catacombs and where they would hopefully meet up with Juko, which was part of the original plan. But, instead of finding Juko, they came across both T'tembo and Felix, neither of whom had left Odalia yet. A few feet later, the found Juko at last, his armor destroyed and his face covered in blood.
"Juko! What has happened, son?"
He shook his head, "It's not my blood. I was attacked by the guards."
"Where you followed?"
"No, I made sure of it."
They continued their descent into the underground, heading towards the catacombs of the Temple of the Two Brothers. As they came closer to it, Euric slowed down, breathless, "Wait, men - I need to catch my breath! I am not fit as I used to be." He gasped and sputtered leaning against the earthen walls for support, "Besides, these tunnels are unknown to anyone except the priestesses of the Temple and me, we are in no real danger at the moment."
As Euric rested, Juko looked upon T’tembo and Felix, "Why are you here? Why didn't you take your freedom?"
T'tembo spoke, "Because we were planning a rescue mission should you have been arrested."
Juko nodded as a smile touched his eyes, "Thank you, my friends." He then turned to Euric, "Where are we?"
Euric stood up from the wall, "The hypogeum of the Temple. Your brother's body is resting there, just under that arch that leads to the next room." He put his hand on Juko's shoulder, "Go on, son. We will be behind you."
Juko inhaled deeply as he walked ahead and entered into the next chamber. He looked up, amazed by the height of the underground ceilings, which were braced with elaborately carved arches. There were braziers hanging down before a dozen or so niches that had been dug into the walls and within each niche was a body, wrapped in muslin. All around them stood statues representing the once living as small piles of incense burned before them.
As the others entered, they saw a woman clad in the white robes of the priestesses of the Temple kneeling every few feet, bowing her head in benediction.
"High Priestess!" Euric shouted, shattering the silence of the sacred room. "I have brought Suna's brother to you!"
The woman finished her prayer, then arose and greeted Juko, "Hello, my son." Her voice was soft and comforting as she continued, "I am sorry that we must meet under such conditions. Follow me and I will bring you to your brother." She then led him to a body wrapped in muslin in the same manner as the others but laid out upon a nearby slab with fresh cut herbs around his body.
"He has been preserved in our traditions. I apologize if our ways have caused any offense to your gods."
He shook his head slowly, "No, High Priestess. You have done well and I am grateful."
He looked upon his brother's body and felt a deep sadness move within him that was so great that he thought he might collapse beneath its weight. For even wrapped as it was, Juko knew the body before him was Suna's. He was almost too long for the slab and his shoulders barely fit the width of the table. "My brother...," he said quietly.
Euric spoke softly, "Juko, if you would like us to leave you alone-"
"No." He said, then looked up at the others. "No, do not leave."
"What will you do, now? Take him back to your father?"
He shook his head again, "No. Now that I see him here, as he is, I know that I cannot face my father." He glanced at the High Priestess, "Can you get him back to Noba for me? I will pay."
She bowed, "I will see what can be done, my son. I have many connections here in Odalia but money is of no concern to me."
"Then please return him to my father - along with a letter detailing all that has happened." His eyes began to glisten, "Tell him of Suna's wife... and their child... and write in it that I, his son Juko, will continue to search for them. If there is a chance of them being alive, I will find them." He looked back at his compatriots, "But I will not stop there. I am going to stay in Lycania for another reason as well, if you wish to join me."
They looked at one another in surprise as he continued, "I have decided that the Quintus Dynasty must come to an end. I will stay and fight the bloodline that now sits upon the throne of Lycania until there are no more left. Will you join me?"
T'tembo spoke first, "Yes. I stand by you, Juko, even in this."
Felix nodded, "Aye, I stand with you as well."
Euric looked at Posides, who had maintained a terrified look during the entire journey, and shrugged, "I don't know what good we can do for you but, since I'm fairly certain I am out of a job, we'll join you as well, Juko. I have a place out in the hills of Vanizia to the northeast. We can stay there as you make your plans."
Juko smiled slightly, "I fear that you will have forfeited your Rudus."
"Yes," he sighed. "I realize that but what good did it do me anyway? I'm a Bestial like the rest of you. I was never truly free."
"Then thank you... my friend."
A Sword Of Wrath, Book I: Blood And Dust Page 34