New Zion

Cole hung his head, sighing. He finally straightened, and cracked his neck.

Well, shoulda seen that coming, Dojo said. Cole smiled, slightly.

“Makes it all the more fun,” he said. Cole felt Alfred shaking his head.

Boy, you do know that we can read your mind, correct? You can’t exactly hide your emotions from us, Alfred said. Cole shrugged.

“My mom’s told me that I get to choose how I feel. Don’t ruin it,” Cole said, looking at the gladiators around him. “Well, I suppose it’s time to get out of this,” he said.

“Gladiators; you who are to die, we honour you!” the announcer said. “Now, get ready!” the crowd fell silent. “Fight!” the crowd erupted as gladiators ran for each other. Two gladiators ran for Cole; one a wingless Avian, the other a Berg Leute. Cole set to the twin blade, and readied himself. The Avian got to Cole first, his sword slicing the air.

Cole raised his weapon, and they stayed locked for a moment. The Avian’s white hair was pulled back, and his yellow eyes stared into Cole’s as an eagle would study its prey. Cole managed to knock the Avian back, but a chain lead from his weapon to Cole. He looked down and saw the chain stuck in his stomach, his blood dripping down and mingling with the sand.

Cole dropped to his knees just as the Berg Leute swung a great-axe over his head. The Berg Leute ran into Cole, knocking him over and tripping himself. Cole jerked the blade and chain out of his abdomen, and waited. His blood pulled back to his body and the wound closed. Cole looked up at the Avian. He grabbed the chain, gripping it too tightly. The chain cut into Coles hand as he stood up, blood dripping from his fingers and running down his arm.

Cole loosened his grip, and it stopped cutting. He quickly wrapped the chain around the Berg Leute’s thick neck, stabbing the blade through his long brown hair into the middle of his back. Cole quickly dodged as the Avian tried again to cut him in half. Cole ducked and stabbed with his twin-blade. The blade went through the Avian’s heart, killing him instantly. Cole grabbed the Avians short sword. The chain came out of the bottom of the hilt.

The Berg Leute stood up, and Cole ran as fast as he could. The Berg Leute tried to pull the blade out of his back, but saw the chain tightening. He grabbed it, and his hands bled. He looked up at Cole, understanding dawning on his face just as the chain became taught. The head rose a few centimetres into the air before thumping in the sand. The headless corpse collapsed to the ground, cut hair and blood surrounding the body. Cole set his weapon for a sword, and attached the new handle to the bottom of his, but he didn’t retract the chain.

“And the Crimson Swordsman has already taken down two warriors! Now that’s killing with style!” the announcer’s voice boomed. The voice of the crowd rumbled through Cole’s bones. Cole didn’t have time to run further before the nearest Gladiator had set their sights on him. It was a female Tiger Terra. She slowly circled around him, closing the distance as she moved. Cole turned with her as she closed in. She got close enough that Cole could see her sizing him up.

Cole backed up towards the dead Berg Leute. The end of her black-striped orange tail flicked back and forth as she held herself close to the ground. Cole’s foot touched the body, and he started to fall backwards. She lunged at Cole, holding out claws. Her blades ripped through Cole’s arm, and she turned around to get him again, but Cole swung his blade around, knocking her hand to the side. They collided.

Cole tried to bring his sword around, but she was on top of him, holding his one arm down. She raised her arm, ready to slash Cole’s throat. Cole looked around.

What do I do? Cole asked. Alfred smiled.

You’ve got sand around you and a body, and you ask what you can do? he said. Cole’s eyes widened. Cole grabbed the hair of the Berg Leute’s head with his left hand and swung it up. The head collided with the Terra’s, and she fell over Cole’s weapon.

Damn. If your sword were stuck up she’d be dead, Dojo said. Cole began moving away from the body, getting to dry sand. The Terra stood up and glared at him. She bounded forwards, kicking up clumped red sand. Cole kicked sand into her eyes and jumped to the side as she tumbled forwards. She turned back to him, chasing him down.

Cole dropped to the ground and turned, holding up his sword as she ran head on into it. The sword entered just above her collar bone, severing the major arteries and piercing a lung. Cole rolled the Terra off of him and stood up. He watched a Berg Leute crush another Avian’s skull in his hands. The Berg Leute turned to Cole, a fire in his eyes. Blood and brain covered his face and torso, dripping from his braided beard and gauntlets.

“Come at me!” the Berg Leute roared. Countless braids of brown hair fell around the Berg Leute’s shoulders. He wore no armour; only pants made of the hide of an unknown animal. Cole took in a deep breath, and charged.

Do you have any idea how stupid it is to… Alfred was cut off by the Berg Leute punching Cole in the chest, sending him flying back. Alfred sighed as Cole struggled to rise. How stupid it is to do what your opponent wants? Cole coughed blood into his mouth, grimacing as it flowed back down his throat as he healed. He stood up and turned just in time to be shoulder-charged by the Berg Leute. Cole was flipped over the Berg Leute’s back. He fell to the ground, coughing up more blood, only for it to choke him as it went back.

Cole, you’re losing oxygen every time he does that. You need to stay conscious! Abra cautioned. Cole shook his head and stood up. The Berg Leute swung at him, and Cole dropped to the ground, slashing at the Berg Leute’s ankles. He growled as he trampled Cole, the Berg Leute’s blood staining Cole’s clothes. Cole again coughed up blood, but this time it filled his mouth, and he couldn’t spit it out. His vision blurred, heart racing. Finally the blood went back. Cole sat up, breathing heavily. He watched as the Berg Leute bore down on him. Cole looked for his blade, but his vision was too blurred. He started shuffling backwards when his hands hit something metal.

Cole grabbed it and swung as hard as he could. The Berg Leute fell on top of him. Cole tried lifting the Berg Leute, but his arms failed him. Cole watched the blurs that were the other gladiators fight until his eyes focused again. Cole slid on the Berg Leutes blood as he pushed himself out from under him.

Well, that could have gone better, Alfred said. Cole cracked his neck and stretched.

“Yes, it could have,” Cole said. He started moving towards the other Gladiators.

“The Crimson Swordsman is still alive!” the announcer boomed. The crowd cheered. “There are only eight gladiators left in the arena! Shall we make this more interesting?” the announcer said. The ground shook as the sands shifted. A giant worm burst out of the ground, arced through the air and narrowly missing one of the gladiators. Cole ran towards them.

“And remember, only one of you can win here. So working together only stalls the inevitable!” the announcer said as two Gladiators went back to back. The announcer chuckled. “Your funeral,” he said as the worm came out of the ground just beneath the two. One was eaten as the other was shredded by the blades that stuck out of the side of the beast.

It must use heat to find its prey, Eldar said.

“How do you know?” Cole asked.

The two gladiators weren’t moving their feet when it came up out of the ground, so it doesn’t hunt through vibrations. Also, it could have attacked any gladiator, but it chose to attack quite some distance from its original point of entry in the sand, and it attacked two that were close together, Eldar explained. Cole nodded.

“Then I guess I gotta get really cold, right?” Cole asked. Eldar nodded again. Cole ran back to the bodies of the gladiators he’d beaten and started rubbing their blood onto his skin and clothes.

“Has the Crimson Swordsman gone mad?” the announcer exclaimed.

Have you gone mad, boy? Alfred exclaimed. Cole smirked.

“Maybe; but they keep the sand cold just for this. I’m betting the arena walls under the ground are freezing cold, so the worm doesn’t go there, and they’ll keep the sand cold so that we can be seen by it,” Cole said. Alfred scoffed.

Then just use sand! Do you have any idea how unhealthy that is? Alfred said. Cole shook his head.

“Just sand won’t stick to my clothes or face as well as if I didn’t do this,” Cole said. He watched as another gladiator was almost eaten. Cole moved over to some dry sand and closed his eyes as he threw it at himself and rubbed it into his clothes. After locating his sword, Cole slowed his breathing, and started to slowly walk towards the nearest gladiator. It was a wolf Terra, his once white fur and hair matte with blood. He looked over at Cole, eyes widening. Cole chuckled.

“I must look pretty strange,” he said. Cole turned off the blade, the chain dragging in the sand. Cole tried the third button on the chain hilt, and the chain smoothed into a thin wire that he could barely see. Cole smiled and circled the wolf Terra, trailing the wire. Cole turned on the sword preset, and watched the Terra track the blade.

Once Cole had done a complete circle, he flicked up the hilt, raising the wire as Cole quickly ran around the Terra. The wire wrapped around him, cutting into his flesh. The Terra howled. Cole pulled on the hilt, tightening the wire further. The Terra’s howling was cut short as the worm came up out of the ground and ate the Terra. Cole started to be dragged towards the worm. He quickly unfastened the wires hilt and let it go. The hilt followed up with the beast. Cole sighed.

“Damn,” He swore as he looked around for the final gladiator. A Berg Leute stood in the center of the arena, covered in bloodied sand. He smiled when their eyes met. Cole began walking towards him. He turned his hilt to the twin-blade preset. The Berg Leute held out a multi hooked great sword, still smiling. They began circling each other.

“The Crimson Swordsman and the Ripper, one on one,”

“I see you caught on to what I was doing,” Cole said. The Ripper shrugged.

“There wouldn’t have been any reason for you to cover yourself with blood and sand in the middle of a battle unless it served some strategic purpose. The worm hasn’t gone after you or I after covering ourselves either. It’s pretty smart,” the Ripper responded.

“Thank you,” Cole said.

“But, you still can’t fight for shit,” the Ripper said. Cole’s eye twitched.

“And you can’t think for yourself,” Cole replied, lunging with his twin-blade. The Ripper laughed as he stepped to the side.

“You’re so predictable!” he exclaimed.

“Well, since the worm’s out of the picture, shall we change things up again?” The announcer asked the crowd. The crowds volume grew. The ground shook, and pools of water bubbled up. The Ripper swung at Cole with his blade. Cole jumped out of the way of the onslaught.

Cole, you’re working up a sweat! Eldar cautioned. Cole nodded and jumped back in front of a pool of water. The Ripper shook his head.

“You can’t run from me forever, boy! Let’s end this,” Cole stood his ground as the Ripper charged at him. Cole leapt to the side at the last second. The Ripper fell into the water, sputtering as he surfaced. He swam to the side of the pool and climbed back out. “What, do you think a little water will stop me?” the Ripper bellowed. Cole smiled as the Ripper started coming towards him.

“No, but I think our mutual friend will,” Cole said. The Berg Leute blinked, then looked down at the ground as it began to shake. Cole’s smile broadened as the Berg Leute looked up at him. The Berg Leute smiled.

“You’re a worthy…” the Berg Leute was cut off as the worm consumed him. Cole dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. The crowd erupted as the arena reset. A cover extended above the arena and Avians came out and began dragging the bodies away. Cole was dragged away through the gate he had come in. Cole watched the faces of the entertainers that were going to be heading out onto the field. Many were dressed in bright, colourful clothes.

“Good job, Mr. Avalon,” Cole looked over to see Legion take over for the guards. He lifted him up and supported him as they walked deeper down the hallway. “You survived, and managed to kill quite a number of the gladiators. Keep this up, and you’ll be free in no time,” he said. “Now, let’s get you to the showers,”

©2017