Bloodfall Arena

by J. A. Ludwig

  She reaches out, but as their fingers touch, the chain grows taut and he’s yanked back. He’s dragged across the Arena floor. He disappears into the dark tunnel, his screams echoing.

  Then the screams stop.

  In the moment of silence, laughter reaches Aya’s ears. She spies Klaeon, amused in his private box. He claps his hands and says something to Teron before more chuckling.

  A hand grabs Aya’s arm. She spins around, ready to attack. But it’s Yme. He gently leads her back to the other magic users as shapes file into the sunlight from the dark tunnel. The crowd goes wild. They are monstrous beasts of men. Scars and piercings deform their bodies and faces. Some stand nearly twice Aya’s height. Some appear more animal than man, bodies hunched over in contorted shapes. All carry twisted weapons. Three hold terrifying beasts on chains, that roar and claw the air.

  One of the Brüdel drags the dead magic blocker behind him. A trail of blood follows the corpse. Aya stares at the one dragging the body. She memorizes his face, the scar across his nose, the metal chains pierced through the top of his ears. Then he drops the body to the sand. All behind him step on the body, crushing it to pulp, never slowing their pace.

  The non-magic users move away from the approaching men in fear, making a large space. The Brüdel stop and face Klaeon. They salute their king and Klaeon lowers to his seat.

  Dolus Otho says, “I introduce to you our King’s personal fighters, the Brüdel! Let the fighting begin!”

  The starting bell rings and the Brüdel slam their weapons on the ground. The animals roar and pull against their chains towards the slaves. All but five of the non-magic slaves run away from the men and join the magic users. The crowd murmurs in confusion before cheering for the unexpected change. The Brüdel look to the Blood King’s private box, confused.

  Klaeon’s smile disappears and he stands. “Slaves! You are to fight each other!”

  The slaves draw closer together, moving behind Aya and Yme. Daniil, Kylii, Mava, Rava, Bern, and Cal stand on either side of Aya and Yme, staring at the private box.

  Klaeon’s rage fills his face. Waving his hand, he sits back down. “Very well, then. No mercy shall be shown to any. Kill them all!”

  The Brüdel shriek excitedly and kill the five slaves who stayed behind. Screams and pleas for mercy are unheard by the Brüdel as they rend and smash the slaves to unrecognizable lumps with dull weapons and bare hands. Once the last slave is killed the Brüdel turn to the rest and run at full speed with weapons raised.

  Several slaves run to meet them. Yme pulls Aya back. “Stay away from the fighting. We’ll bring the wounded to you. Tristan, Skara, and Bon, stay and help her. If you get into trouble, call for me or the twins.”

  Aya nods and moves away with the other healers. Two new healers join them from the other cellblocks, both older. They assist Tristan and Skara in clearing a place by the wall of the arena. Several non-magic slaves follow the group, their weapons raised, ready to defend the healers.

  Aya watches the slaves who’ve already engaged the Brüdel. Bodies are already falling to the Arena floor. The Brüdel are far more skilled fighters than anyone the slaves have fought before.

  Can we actually survive this? she wonders. And what will happen to us if we do?

  Chapter 55

  “Well, fearless leader?” Daniil asks.

  Yme motions at the Brüdel who dragged the dead magic blocker. “I’ll start with Chains, there.”

  “And you really think we can win?” Kylii asks.

  Yme shrugs. “It’ll be fun finding out.”

  Daniil laughs. “You’re a real motivator, Yme.”

  “Shut up and fight.”

  Yme splits to the left from Daniil and Kylii who move to the right. The chains hanging from the piercings in the assassin’s ears swing wildly, mimicking his weapon of choice.

  It burns Yme that the death of the magic blocker is his fault. He noticed the young man’s attraction to Aya and used it for his own goals. It had been easy to convince him to slowly lower the guard of the other magic blockers. But it paid off. Their chances of survival are higher now. But they still have to defeat the Brüdel.

  “Chains” keeps his distance and throws his weapon. Yme uses his wind magic to throw the weapon away from him. The Brüdel uses both hands to pull the chain taut, redirecting the sword and swinging it towards Yme again.

  Yme barely dodges in time and throws a boulder at Chains, who easily moves, reeling his weapon back in. He throws the blade again, embedding it in another of Yme’s boulders. Yme tosses the boulder to the side, as a second blade shoots from behind the first blade. He tries to dodge, but the blade slices his leg. Blood flows down his leg, dirt stinging the wound.

  The crowd gasps and cheers. “Brüdel! Brüdel!”

  Chains pulls his first weapon free from the boulder and spins the two chains. The spinning blades produce a piercing whine. Chains smiles, showing rotting teeth and festering gums, then throws one weapon followed immediately by the other.

  Yme dodges the blades, unable to find an opening to use his magic. Cursing, he tries to grab one of the spears hanging on the wall of the Arena. Chains aims one of his blades at the spear. Yme releases a rush of air at the sword, blowing it clear so he can grab the spear. He faces the Brüdel with the spear in front of him. As the second blade flies past, he maneuvers the spear against the chain, snagging the metal.

  The chain goes taut and the Brüdel tries to pull free. But Yme tightens his grip on the spear. Using the time he’s gained, Yme gathers his magic and stomps his foot, sending a shock through the ground towards Chains. A crack opens beneath him and he falls into the hole. The taut chain pulls against Yme as he rushes to close the hole.

  The second blade stabs his arm from behind, interrupting his concentration on his magic. He yells and turns. The second blade had been thrown with the first with such precise timing he hadn’t seen it. When he caught the first weapon, he was too distracted to see the second blade land behind him.

  The Brüdel pulls himself from the hole, pulling on both chains to help him. Yme yelps in pain as the second blade slices deeper into his arm from the Brüdel’s weight. As Chains appears over the edge of the hole, the blade rips from Yme’s arm and returns to the Brüdel. Yme drops his spear, clutching his wounded arm.

  Chains pulls his first sword back, untangling it from the spear and then throws both weapons at Yme to strike him from either side.

  Yme tries to pull up a shield of earth, but distracted from the pain in his arm, he raises the earth only to his knees. He tenses and lowers his stance.

  Shadows fall over him and he hears the clang of metal. Bern and Cal stand to his right. Mava and Rava stand to his left. They blocked the blades with their weapons. The roar from the crowd at the surprise rescue fills the air.

  “The great champion of the Arena becomes a weakling after only two scratches? Hardly the legend everyone makes you out to be,” Bern says.

  Ripping a piece of cloth from his shirt, Yme wraps it around his arm. “Pain can be distracting. That’s why I try not to get hit.”

  “Try harder,” Mava urges.

  Laughing, Yme gathers air between his hands. He throws a gust of wind towards Chains and stretches his arms wide. The gust turns into a wall of wind, but Chains buries his blades into the earth and sustains his position. Yme throws up the earth beneath Chains, tossing the man and his weapons into the air. Before he hits the ground, Yme throws the raised earth into the Brüdel’s side, hitting him with such force it knocks him across the Arena.

  “Get the wounded to Aya,” he commands. “We have to keep as many alive as possible. Fight only if you have to.”

  Mava and Rava run off to find the injured.

  Yme turns to Bern and Cal. “Keep them safe. They’ll need help if any of the Brüdel spot them carrying the wounded.”

  They nod and chase after the sisters, but Cal stops and turns to Yme. “We’re going to win, right?”

  Yme glances acro
ss the Arena. The slaves are managing to hold their own against the Brüdel, but none of Klaeon’s men have fallen. Yme returns his attention to Cal. “What’s your full name, Cal?”

  “Calston Lito.”

  “Thank you for helping us in the tunnel.”

  Cal’s expression lightens and he smiles. “It was the truth. I’m sorry for my father. He was never very good at standing up for himself.”

  Cal’s father had been one of the five slaves to stay on the Brüdel’s side. He had also been the first to plead for mercy as he died. “I’m sorry too,” Yme says.

  Cal raises his weapon. “He made his choice.”

  A warning shoots across the Arena and Yme moves out of the way of the two blades on chains. They’re thrown wildly, with no focus, and strike another of the Brüdel in the back. He roars and tries to pull the swords from his back. The chains go taut. He turns and charges Yme, mistaking him for the culprit. He raises a giant, bloody club above his head. The blades stab into his neck and chest. He drops his club and grabs at the chains but cannot pull the swords free.

  Chains spins the chain attached to the sword in the other Brüdel’s neck and pulls. The chain pulls the sword around, nearly beheading the man. The large body collapses to the ground, dead. Yme steps clear and turns to Chains.

  “The Rare Kind is mine!” Chains shrieks, blood rolling down the side of his head.

  “I didn’t know you could speak.”

  “I’ll kill you! I’ll slice your limbs off one by one and use your head as a pissing bowl!”

  “We’ll see who does the pissing.” Yme smiles and raises a hand to Chains. “You won’t touch me with your blades again.”

  Chapter 56

  “Daniil?”

  “Yeah, Kylii?”

  “Why are we the only ones fighting the terrifying beasts that can tear us apart with their sharp teeth and claws?”

  Daniil sighs and the air cools around him. “Because Yme can’t be bothered to share the load. Are you ready Kylii-li?”

  Kylii claps his hands, creating sparks. “Always, Daniil-li.”

  One of the beast men sneers. “We only get to kill these two? What a fucking bore!”

  Two of the beasts strain against their chains, eager to attack. The men hold them back and beat them with whips made of spiked chains. The beasts become more aggressive and the men laugh.

  The third beast lies calmly on the ground staring at nothing in particular. A single horn curves back over its scaled head. When it yawns, razor-sharp teeth flash. The body is covered in dark-red scales, with a brown mane running down its back and chest. The mane continues all the way down to the end of a long tail. The back paws are larger than the front paws, but both bare sharp claws.

  “Who should go first, Scorch, Ears?” the one with a large tattoo across his face banters. The other two men, one with severe burns on his body and the other missing an ear, snarl at him.

  “Let your dujian tear ’em apart, Face. My rotrauk will be too quick,” Scorch shouts.

  Face laughs, his large belly jiggling. “Don’t come crying to me when there’s nothing left for your beasties to kill.” He releases his dujian with a quick motion.

  It leaps towards Kylii and Daniil, roaring. It’s a huge creature with a great mane stretching down its back. Two tails whip wildly back and forth, cracking the earth, as razor sharp claws dig into the ground. The horns on its nose and forehead bear dark stains and pieces of meat hang from its long, sabre-sized teeth.

  Kylii bows his head with hands stretched towards the beast. “This one’s all yours.”

  “Too damn lazy to help, huh?” Daniil groans and steps towards the dujian.

  The three Brüdel laugh and stomp. “What? Are you going to fight one at a time? This’ll be nice and quick.”

  The dujian swipes at Daniil, who moves out of its way and pulls a knife from his belt. He throws the knife at the dujian’s face. The hilt bounces off the dujian’s face and falls harmlessly to the ground.

  Daniil looks at his brother. “Oh. I see what you mean.”

  Kylii leans his head and smiles, devilishly.

  The dujian leaps at Daniil’s turned back. But Daniil raises a hand and encases the beast in ice. It falls to the ground. Long icicles extend inward from the frozen shell, piercing the animal at specific points on its body. A wave of Daniil’s hand melts the ice and releases the dujian to fall to the earth, dead. Blood pools around its still body.

  The three Brüdel stare in shock. Face walks forward and places a hand on his dujian’s head. His face twists in rage and he draws a large, curved sword from his belt. He rushes Daniil, swinging wildly. Daniil tries to freeze Face, but the wild man manages to dodge.

  Daniil forms ice on the ground in front of and behind Face, struggling to keep away from his angered foe. Fueled by rage, Face leaps over the ice and brings his blade down at Daniil.

  Face erupts into flames. He screeches and drops his sword, slapping his arms and legs to put out the flames. No matter how much he rolls, the flames grow stronger. Daniil looks at Kylii, who stands with his hand raised at the burning man.

  “I was fine.”

  “Yeah, keep thinking that. Meanwhile, I’ll deal with reality for you.”

  The flames covering Face’s body go out. He turns to Kylii, and grabs for his sword. Before he can reach it, Daniil retrieves it and cuts Face’s arm. Blood spurts from a severed artery. Face stares in silence before the pain hits him. He howls and falls to the ground.

  Scorch releases his rotrauk, but it leaps onto his burned, bleeding comrade. The wails abruptly stop. Raising its head to Daniil and Kylii, the rotrauk opens and closes its long snout full of sharp teeth. It hops on its long legs as its spindly tail wraps around the remains of Face like an inquisitive arm. Thin, wiry hairs cover its body, revealing pale flesh beneath.

  Daniil motions to Kylii. “Would you like to take care of this, or should I?”

  Kylii shrugs, walking towards the new beast. “I can’t let you have all the easy ones.”

  “Easy?”

  The rotrauk leaps, but Kylii drops and rolls under the animal. Daniil freezes over the ground where the animal lands. It slips with no traction for its claws. Falling forward, it rolls in the dirt, tail slapping the ground. It clambers up and skitters towards Daniil, who is now closer. Kylii raises his hand and a wall of fire divides his brother from the rotrauk. Skidding, the rotrauk spins to face Kylii. This time it’s Daniil who throws up a wall in front of it—a wall of ice. With no time to change direction or slow down, the rotrauk crashes into the wall headfirst. When it tries to stand, its legs tremble.

  “I can take care of myself, Daniil-li.”

  “Fine, I’ll leave you to it.”

  The wall of ice disappears. The rotrauk shakes its head and regains its feet. The spindles on its tail shake and vibrate, making a horrid rattling sound. It takes a deep breath and spews a dark gush of liquid towards Kylii. Kylii leaps to land behind the body of the dujian. The liquid hits the body and dissolves it.

  Daniil shakes his head. “You said you could take care of yourself. So, handle this easy one. Don’t look to me to help you.”

  Chapter 57

  The rotrauk inhales again and spews the liquid at Kylii. He tries to hide behind the mauled body of Face, but the acid dissolves the flesh and bones. Kylii desperately tries to devise a defense, but the rotrauk leaps onto what’s left of Face’s body, digs its claws into the acid-soaked flesh, and inhales again. At such close range, Kylii can’t dodge.

  He raises both hands. The rotrauk spews acid as flames appear from Kylii’s palms. When the acid and fire meet, an explosion knocks man and beast apart.

  “Kylii-li!” Daniil shouts.

  Kylii sits up and coughs. He shakes his head. “Great, it not only melts flesh and bone, it’s also explosive.”

  The rotrauk rolls to its feet, shakes the dust from its mangy hair, and runs for Kylii, who rolls, but the beast slams into him. Kylii struggles to keep the large jaws
from his face as the two roll across the Arena floor.

  The rotrauk’s tail wraps around Kylii’s throat and claws dig into his sides. He yelps, but the tail tightens. Kylii feels the air becoming cold around them and glares at Daniil. “Don’t you dare!” he manages to croak.

  Daniil pauses to throw his magic at the two Brüdel. With the ground frozen, Scorch slips and falls, landing on the tail of the third animal. The beast goes gives a crazed roar. Scorch scrambles to his feet. He and Ears struggle to keep the animal under control. The beast swipes Scorch across the stomach with a large claw on its left paw. Shock mixes with terror and Scorch punches Ears in the face. Ears kicks Scorch’s leg. The two men lock arms and try to throw each other to the ground.

  Ears shoves Scorch away, knocking him to the ground. Scorch stiffens, convulsions shaking his body. Foam fills his mouth, white at first before turning red. Blood pours from his eyes, ears, and nose. He jerks several times before stilling, his life gone.

  Kylii wishes to get a hand free to use his magic, but one is wedged against the pressure of the tail wrapped around his throat, and the other staves off the slavering jaws. He sees the spindles of the rotrauk’s tail shiver, and curses. He rolls so he will be on top if the animal does not let go. Sure enough, the rotrauk keeps its grip and prepares to spew acid. At the last second Kylii raises a hand and a fireball rises and spins in his hand. The fire hits the acid and the animal roars in pain. The tail whips away, and Kylii groans and rolls onto his side. He pushes himself up and looks at the rotrauk writhing on the ground. Its head is smoking. The flesh around its jaws bubbles and uncovers the bone. With great effort the rotrauk rolls onto its feet and glares at Kylii, who struggles to his own feet, holding his wounded side.

  “Didn’t like that, did you? It’s dangerous to keep all that explosive acid inside you. Especially around a guy like me.”

  The rotrauk roars and runs towards him. Kylii leans forward and stretches his hands out in front of him. He yells loudly, mimicking the rotrauk’s roar, further infuriating the beast. It increases its speed, its spindles shining brightly.