Bloody Freedom
#4 of Life of a Human Commando
Silence.......The sound of death had found its way into the cell....
I...was alone. The young dragoness was asleep as usual. It has been nearly...I've lost track of the time. Sitting against the wall, running my hand down my blood-soaked armor, I could only ponder to myself, what am I to do next? After numerous battles, the blood I've brought forth would have condemned a lesser man to death. Me? I'm no ordinary man. I am the last of my race, and if it means killing anyone in my way to survive...than so be it.
The warden approached my cell at mid day, his gruff voice reaching my ears once more. Calling me by the name I had earned, "Gladiator." He spoke, "The lord wishes a word with you. This may be your final battle." My ears perked at this news. The lord was a wealthy tiger who owned this fine establishment, and whenever he requested a gladiator, it was for freedom. Standing up, I walked with the warden, passing the cells of fellow gladiators. After ascending several levels, I finally came to the lord's abode. The warden knocked on the door, with a regal "Enter" being the reply. I walked in, my once white and shiny armor now brown with gore and sand.
Sitting on a large pillow sat a regal figure, a striped tiger dressed in exotic silks with several concubines sitting at each of his sides. The lord smiling tauntingly "Ah, my dear Gladiator, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." Removing my helmet, I stared grimly, showing my dirtied and scarred face. The tiger did not shrink back, as did most. "A male of few words I see? I like that." Leaning forward, he addressed me in the bastard like tone he loved to show off. "Listen here; you've nearly killed every champion I can render out from this forsaken land." He growled, "Specialists cost money you know. Therefore, I am willing to offer you a deal. Recently, I've acquired a large bounty of slaves who want money and freedom. Their numbers are large, and they are led by my best champion." He smiled arrogantly "I've offered them a mountain of riches if they can defeat you. However, if you manage to slay every last one of them, I will give you that sum, plus your freedom."
This gave me a new outlook on my lifestyle; freedom from countless killing, and a chance to leave this hellhole? I would be an idiot not to accept.
"Hmm, you terms be very generous m'lord," I replied, rubbing the five o'clock shadow that had grown on my chin. "I accept those terms. Of course only that it be a fair fight as the numbers go." Fair in gladiator terms meant an equality of arms. If they had swords, I had swords, if they had guns, I had guns.
The tiger grinned, "Splendid! Then so be it! The Gladiator takes upon his last fight! Glory in life or death!"
The local business tiger was quick to advertise the event. No sooner had the first billboards been posted, A squad was quick to latch onto the information. B squad was en route to the stadium to see if they could catch the Gladiator before he went to his death; no way a mere human could survive those odds they reasoned.
Kalyan and Kirai were both amazed that a fool could accept such a challenge. Now confirmed, the human was a male, and apparently very ferocious in combat. They were even slightly afraid of him. In this fear, however, they met a new friend with equal feelings. A young dragoness by the name of Brista, would bright blue scales blended perfectly with her jade black horns, was in the same squad and pretty fresh off the branch. Eager as ever to meet a human, she nonetheless was terrified to insult him due to the record of a killer the human made for himself. Orders were Orders, they reasoned, and in one week, they would finally meet him.
One week of preparation was enough for me.
Sighing, I flexed my muscles underneath my armor. Tucking my helmet in my arm, I looked behind to see a scared Jara. "Don't do this," she pleaded. "If you die, I'll put back onto the market. Or worse, put into the arena itself." She looked up at me with small, scared eyes. I smiled and rubbed her head "Come on now, I haven't made it this far to die, have I?" Jara smiled weakly. "Look, this is my last fight. When I'm free, I'll take you with me. Take you to a nice city, get you started up with my newly acquired bounty, and it will be perfect. Ok?" Jara nodded, still unsure. "Ok. Just don't die on me." I chuckled, placing my helmet into place; I cracked my neck and knuckles in a badass manner.
Walking forward I was awarded with thunderous applause. Beautiful women dressed in a variety of clothes blew kisses, threw handkerchiefs, or showed off as I walked into the center of the stadium. Smiling to myself, I could only think the benefits of being a man. However, one group of people stood out from anyone else. While everyone else was cheering, a group of citizens were sitting, not as enthusiastic as everyone else. Not a cause for concern, I reasoned to myself. A guard ran forward, handing me my two melee weapons of choice. A long sword along with a quiver of throwing axes, along with my newly made studded gauntlets, was all I needed. The weapons on the walls of the arena had been removed, meaning I had to rely with what I had.
Good.
The lord's booming voice began: "Ladies and gentlemen! Today, we have a true event of amazing proportion! Today, the one and only Gladiator, faces his last fight! Either he dies a warrior, or leaves a free man. What shall it be?!" He paused, giving the thunderous applaud grew louder, "Let us see what his opponents have to say about that!" The gates opposite of me opened, and soon, even, I was surprised. Armored warriors flooded the other half, ranging into large numbers nearing a total of one hundred. I had faced such numbers before, except it had been a brawl, not everyone going for me. The only one that stood out in the flood of enemies was HaStus, champion of the lord. The tall, heavily armored dragon wore a battle flag strapped to the back of his armor. Armed with two wicked axes and knowledge of fighting after nearly a decade; my confidence slightly declined for the fight.
Drawing two of the throwing axes, the dreaded countdown began. The last few minutes slowed, as if someone of the higher magnitude wanted me to turn back. However, the inevitable happened. The loud buzz sounded, and the enemy charged.
A collective gasp sounded over the helmet comm of every member of A and B squads. The enemy number was amazing, all for one man to take on? Impossible. How wrong were they.
I hurled the axes in my hand, maiming two of the enemy warriors. I decided to conserve on my axes, and retrieved my weapons from the fallen. For the next few minutes, it was a constant evasion and hurl tactic. As the axes in my hands fell many an enemy, eventually my quiver drew empty. My armor had sustained many blows, the blood of the enemy coating me. Gasping, I was wondering if I was to die just by pure exhaustion. I had not counted how many I killed, doing so was a distraction. All I could think, was the confidence of the enemy had declined with every kill I scored. Only a hand score of them remained after nearly half and hour of fighter. HaStus still stood, grunting from a blow I delivered upon him earlier. The slaves left were more terrified of him than me, and preferred death over failure. Sighing, I drew the two handed long sword that had kept me alive so long, and marched forward to finish what I had started.
Two of them came to my left, swinging in an arc; I easily sliced through their pathetic armor. Five decided to band together and charge me. I hurled my sword in the lead runner, lashed out with my fists catching two in the face. The sound of breaking skull crackled through the air, as a few meaty bits of grey matter clung to my hands.
The last two, their knees bending, tried to run away. My heart cold, and with my enhanced strength, I gave them a less then painful death. They were cowards, and deserve no part of a battlefield. Now stood only me and HaStus, except he now bore one of his axes and a shield; while I had nothing except my hands and wit.
Encircling one another, the cheers of the crowd arouse.
"Ready to die human?" HaStus smirked, his grin showing through that helmet.
"Depends, are you ready to actually fight?" The taunt seemed to work as the honor prone HaStus lunged. His axe bearing down upon my head, I caught the blade in between my hands. Despite my strength, I was exhausted. Bending down to one knee, his axe slowly entered a gap in my armor linking the shoulder to the torso. I grit my teeth in agony as it slowly cut, suddenly an old animal instinct rising up from inside. Howling, I lunged forward, knocking the axe from HaStus's grasp as well as from my wound, and I bore down on him a flurry of blows. At first it had little effect, then a dent here, a dent there, and the studs on my gauntlets broke, I grabbed HaStus by the left arm, and by pure animal hatred, ripped it off.
The crowd gasps and gaped at my prowess, HaStus howling his head off. Looking down to him, so much hatred; I tossed his arm off and grabbed him by the neck. His other arm tried to feebly push me away. Too weak was he, I ripped of his head as his face bore a surprised sign of fear. The crowd cheered, I howled in triumph. Taking a spear from a fallen enemy, I stuck the head of HaStus upon it, and lifted it up for one particular tiger to see.
A and B squad were stunned silent while the crowd cheered in applause. The battle had not last over an hour, and yet this single human had killed every single one of them. With no remorse and no guilt, the human proudly showed off his trophy, the head of the enemy leader placed upon a spear for display. Brista nearly lost her gut, only allowing herself to take a deep breath to relax. One thought entered the minds of Kalyan, Kirai, and Brista.
What kind of creature is this?