To Satine those final moments happened at an incomprehensible speed. However, to the spectators, who had seen what had unfolded with unobscured vision, knew It was only due to luck that the duchess had survived. The creature gave a helpless whimper as Satine felt blood gushing out of the wound in its chest where her dagger, in a single shaking hand, was being held. None were certain of the full details, either adrenaline had given the duchess enough strength to free her arm, or the creature had unintentionally loosened its grip as it had lowered itself for the kill. Whatever the technicalities, Satine's dagger had found its mark, winning her this battle.
Satine was breathing heavily, her eyes wide as the creature's dying body quivered momentarily, before finally giving way and collapsing its full weight onto her hand, which still clutched her weapon, now pressed against her own chest.
Balik was vocally impressed by the duchess's victory while Krishma did little to hide her disappointed scowl at the woman's survival. Obi-Wan's eyes focused only on Satine. Qui-Gon had taught him that the Force was in everything, linking all creatures together- it was in him, in Satine, even in that skrill that she had just slain. However, even with such teachings, although he had yet to take the life of a sentient being, he had slain many a creature, either for food or to protect. He had done what he had to. But for Satine, who had been raised on peaceful ideologies, taking any life would have shaken her in a manner the Donari would never understand.
During their time together, Satine and Obi-Wan had been through so much and yet, once again, Obi-Wan found himself unable to help her when it really mattered. He was meant to protect her, that was his mission- screw the mission- he wanted to protect her!
Balik looked at the Padawan with renewed interest, while his wife had been preoccupied with the battle, he had had eyes only for their magic wielding guest. He had drunk in each shift in Obi-Wan's face as it reacted to the events unfolding within the arena. Somehow he looked even more enthralling the more anxious he became. He was still young, although a warrior, he had still much to learn about masking his emotions. But, the vitality he showed as the battle had ended and he struggled with his restraints... Yes, he would sire them many great and powerful children. They would drain him dry, birth a whole generation of Jedi and, when that task was done, and Krishma and the woman had had their fill, the Jedi would be all his to take.
"Stop this!" Obi-Wan yelled as the next creature was already being forced in the arena. A mykal, a flying, bat-like creature that screeched in the sudden torchlight. It fluttered its leathery wings desperately, trying to fly through the open ceiling of the arena, only to be held back by the heavy chain that held it captive. It allowed it to fly just over the torch line but not high enough to reach Balik and the other spectators.
Satine had yet to remove herself from under the dead skrill. Had killing it stunned her into a stupor? But the chief had seen this various times, even in death the claws of a skrill could keep its murderers pinned down, leaving it behind as easy prey to be hunted by the rest of the pack. Although Satine's main body was still obscured from view, the chief could see her trying to move her still pinned down legs, neck and remaining arm. He watched her squirm as she struggled to escape.
Her movements had also attracted the attention of the mykal, which shrieked and, with impressive acrobatic skill, swooped down onto the carcass. Its weight caused the corpse to press Satine down even more firmly as the bat began to eat, flash and gore instantly flying round the creature, onto the ground and Satine's scrawled out limbs. She watched, horrified, as the creature, barely larger than her head, ravished the skrill and ripped through the carcass. Blood covered its face, the sound of tearing flesh echoing through the arena. Krishma gave a sly smile, the guards had chosen well. If the girl was unable to free herself from the dead skrill's grasp, the mykal would continue to eat, right through the skrill and into the Mandalorian's soft innards. It would savour the feast of flavours the contrasting fleshes would provide.
Even though such an absurd method of death had not crossed Satine's mind, the creature's hunger had filled her with fear. Balik watched, pleased, as she struggled, but he knew many great bulking warriors of his tribe had found difficulty forcing themselves free from a dead skrill. This girl had barely any muscle, it would be impossible for her to force her freedom.
However, the chief felt proud to have been surprised by the girls antics, further reinforcing his ideology that, in spirit alone, she would bear them many great warriors. He watched in fascination at the girl, quickly learning of her lack of strength against the carcass, struggled to free the hand that held the dagger. She began, with rapid, haphazard movements, to stab at the lowest joint. She missed more times than she hit, even grazing her own flesh numerous times. By this time, the mykal had become preoccupied gashing at the ribs that separated it from the skrill's softer innards.
The stings from her self inflicted wounds caused Satine to grit her teeth in concentration. The sound of the last ligaments tearing barely audible over the mykal's ravished eating, the splintering of bone something impossible to block out. But the sudden looseness of Satine's restraints was also impossible to miss. She jerked her knee upwards, even managing to dislodge the claw that had kept her down. Now having a single arm and leg free the duchess could work better. She contorted her body in such a way that, although her sleeve ripped, she slid her other arm free and with a steadier, more precise motion, she used both hands to pry open the claw that held her neck down, not trusting her stabbing technique with such an important part of herself. The bat gave a delighted squeal as, with a little struggle, it pushed its barreled head into the hole it had just made in the skrill's rib cage and began feasting on the organs inside. At the same time as this, Satine felt the claw she had been working on loosen around her neck and, with her free leg and arms she used all the force she could muster to heave the heavy corpse off her.
The mykal gave a frantic screech as it was almost crushed by its food, the skrill's own weight dislodging it remaining limb and allowing Satine to roll out of range. She staggered to her feet, the dagger still tightly grasped in her shaking hand. He her breaths were coming out as wheezes, her face covered in shards of bone and drying flesh. The creature's momentary panic vanished as it continued to eat. Satine took a cautious step towards it, the knife shaking in her grip, the tremor beyond her control.
"End it! Or you will never leave the arena." Leered Balik, enjoying the performance very much. They had had reluctant participants before but none had struggled as much with the idea of killing as this girl. Even now, with her dagger pointed at the creature, it was more in self defence that she had to strike it down. A warrior would have ended it there and then, stopping the creature while it was distracted by other food but this girl hesitated.
"Do it!" Balik yelled, spit flying from his mouth with the command. The sound caused Satine to jump and the creature to shriek and fly out of the carcass in panic. Fearing an attack, it flew away from Balik's predacious yell, right at Satine. The Duchess, each muscle already taught, reacted to the assault with nothing more than reflex. Her muscles reacted before she could fully comprehend what the animal had intended to do. It shrieked, fluttering away from her, haphazardly rising and falling as it bled from the gash she had given it under the arm.
The mylak looked up at the dark sky, desperately flying towards it in one final attempt of freedom, to be able to fly without restraint in that wondrous canopy. But the thud of the chain against its leg was too much, the pain a reminder of its eternal captivity. The mylak's wings stopped moving and the creature spiralled to the ground heavily, never to move again.
Satine collapsed to her knees. She wanted to let go of this cursed weapon, to wash the blood and gore from her skin but she doubted, even then, she'd ever feel clean again. Her hands would forever be stained with blood, that sensation of life leaving a body such a cursed and appalling feeling. How could anyone savour such a sensation? Of triumphing at the cost of another life?
Satine felt numb as she looked at her filthy hands. She could barely move as she heard the solemn scraping of metal against metal, a sound she'd already come to dread. The Donari were not giving her time to relax, to catch her breath, to recuperate from each battle she'd had. Another creature had just been tossed into the ring with her.
A chill spread through Obi-Wan's stomach as he saw Satine's next rival. It was the most terrifying creature Obi-Wan had seen since the nydak- a nexu. A large, feline-like creature with numerous stripped quills on its back, each one quivering with each movement it made. All four eyes instantly fell on Satine, as she struggled to get back on her feet. She held the feeble weapon before her, however what such a small blade could do against such a creature she knew wasn't much. The nexu pulled back its dark lips in a menacing grin that revealed two rows of razor sharp teeth.
A hiss escaped its malicious grin as it began to crawl towards Satine, a gleam in its small grey eyes, a gleam found only in the eyes of a predator that enjoyed the thrill of the hunt.
Obi-Wan struggled against his restraints as he watched Satine's horror-filled body raise her knife as the creature stalked closer. Its teeth were bared as it salivated at the scent of fresh blood. The tasty morsels that already lay on the floor making its hunger even more blinding, how it longed for the tender sweetness of fresh, still living, prey.
"Send me in instead!" Obi-Wan shouted, cursing at the restraints. Even without the Force, there had to be a way. If only he were bigger or even at least a stronger species like a wookie! He wouldn't feel so helpless. The Padawan's increased struggling caught the attention of the chieftain, whose smile seemed even more terrifying than that of the nexu.
"You like what you see?" The chieftain observed, speaking the standard tongue for the first time since these barbaric games had begun. Although which part of Obi-Wan's reaction remotely told the man he was liking any moment of this was beyond him.
"This is barbaric!" Obi-Wan spat, the creature was advancing ever closer, but it was taking its time, savouring the hunt, the more scared the prey, the more tender the flesh. Anticipating a long wait, Chieftain Balik rose from his throne and strode to Obi-Wan.
"Such fire this woman causes in you, yet she is not your mate?" The Chieften's voice sounded like a snake slithering through fallen leaves.
"I am her protector." Obi-Wan answered back, exasperated by the Donaris' primitive thinking. However Balik leaned in closer to Obi-Wan's face, causing the Padawan to struggle against the scent as he felt the man's sickly warm breath near his ear. "You like what you see, men cannot lie between men. Maybe, if she survives the day, I will allow you to plant your seed in her? Your spawn will be beautiful, they will carry her Mandalorian blood and your magic."
Obi-Wan was at loss for words, the chief's statement caused an uncomfortable feeling to course through his body as he realised the boorish plans the tribe had planned for the two of them. The chief pulled back his head so as to be able to look into Obi-Wan's eyes, hungrily savouring his reaction. The usually proficient Obi-Wan, who threaded words as easily as the Force, was finally at a loss.
So instead, he spat in the chieftains face, such a primitive mentality deserved only such an equal response.
Balik let out an echoing laugh, not even bothering to wipe the spit off his face. "That is why I like you, and that is why I will break you." Balik ominously finished, returning to his seat and the show.
Obi-Wan watched as the nexu pounced. Satine barely rolled out of its way and avoided its claws but almost crashing into the arena wall as she did so. The bloodied dagger was pointed at the creature as she tried to inch her way around, but the nexu was, by far, the most intelligent creature she had had to face. It rose on its hind legs, its shadow towering over Satine as it crashed a single claw into her shoulder. She was sent tumbling through the sand as if she were made simply of rags. The Padawan watched, horrified, as he saw the dagger scatter away from her reach and the duchess struggle back to her feet. New tears in her clothing revealed the injured flesh where the monster had made contact. She attempted to stagger away, almost tripping over the chain that still held the corpse of the mykal.
Satine looked at it, her eyes wide, grime and blood mixing with her sweat as she frantically thought of a plan. Even with her dagger, she wouldn't have been much use against the nexu. Still reversing away from it, she quickly bent down and gripped the rusted chain with both her hands. She tugged it with all her strength, the mykal coming to her much more easily than she had anticipated. She pulled it towards her, a streak of blood being left in the mykal's wake. The nexu's eyes widened at the site of the moving corpse, and, much like a cat would, it lowered itself closer to the ground, its pupils dilating and its rear moving, side to side, as it prepared to pounce.
Satine would have almost called it cute if the animal hadn't tried to kill her a few moments before.
"I'm sorry for this." She whispered, each muscle yelling as she struggled against the weight of the chain, trying and failing to toss the mykal in the air.
The nexu jumped after it, only failing in catching the corpse because Satine had hastily pulled it back towards her. The animal lowered its body once again, ready for the next attempt. Using all her muscles this time, Satine swung the chain, the mykal being lifted a good distance into the air. The nexu jumped after it, too late to realise that the prey it had been stalking was about to come in contact with the Mandalorian flames that encircled them. Both the mykal and the nexu caught on fire, the scent of burning fur and flash instantly filled Satine's nostrils, making her want to gag but she held it in. She wanted to cover her ears to the nexu's pained shrieks as it slowly burnt alive, its body thrashing and rolling in the sand in an attempt to extinguish the flames. But those were Mandalorian flames, they would only stop burning when there was nothing left to eat.
Obi-Wan watched in horrified silence at what the duchess had been forced into doing. He watched her, her whole body retching as it threatened to expel the contents of her stomach. Her eyes glistened as the Mandalorian fire painted them a sinister hue. Her hands were shaking, begging to cover her ears and block out the creature's final whimpers. However, she refused to block any of it out, to shy away from what she had done. It was to stop such heinous crimes that she had to keep on going, to keep surviving- to protect Mandalore and her people from this .
Hi! Thank you so so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed the update. Next one will be published next week like usual :D