Chapter Fifty Two
Jea was cooking breakfast the next morning, whistling cheerfully, when Phalyssa staggered over. Jea smirked when her daughter stumped to the bubbling coffee pot. "It'll stunt your growth," she warned the teen.
Phalyssa glared over the rim of her pottery cup filled with the black, syrupy liquid. "Mom, I only got two hours of sleep last night. Every half hour, the furball woke us up. Feeding, comforting, cleaning up after him…all night. I don't care if I become a bald midget with an ulcer—I want coffee."
Jea snickered. Her daughter was being taught a lesson—just like she'd planned. Hopefully, it would curb her daughter's "instincts."
Aruka trudged up and Phalyssa passed him a mug of his own coffee. Grimacing, he downed it in a single swallow. Then he flopped down on the hay, digging into the platter of food Jea held his way.
He and his friend had barely finished eating when a guard stalked in. He pointed roughly to Phalyssa. "You! Yasha-girl! Get your oni and come! Time for fight!"
Phalyssa groaned and looked at her mother. "Mom! When do you plan on getting outta here?!"
Jea grimaced. "Ambermist and I are almost done with our escape plan. We leave tonight."
"Good," the girl muttered. "I'm getting tired of this." She motioned to Aruka. "C'mon. Let's go."
They trekked down the corridors to the Arena, Aruka nibbling on Phalyssa's ear, causing her brain to go fuzzy. She leaned into his body and moaned softly.
The leonine teen stopped his actions suddenly. "As much as I hate to say it, we should stop. We have to be focused on the fight."
The duo reached the guards' room. The head guard stopped them. "You go to fight in tourney—you win, you and friends get freedom. Is fight to death," he said in very broken Common.
Phalyssa bared her teeth into a wicked grin. She looked to her companion. "Well now; this changes everything, doesn't it…"
Aruka said nothing, but nodded gravely. The guard ushered them to the Arena. The duo played up the crowd as before, getting chants cheers, and even coin. This time Aruka went all the way to his animal form and Phalyssa morphed him into a demon steed and herself into a feminine Balrog.
With a facilitated roar, she jumped on Aruka's back and rode him around the sands, causing the crowd to go into a screaming frenzy. They continued heightening the sense of tension in the onlookers until their opponents were released.
It was a group of warriors, perhaps twenty in all. They were armed to the teeth and unruffled by the spectacle before them.
Aruka didn't wait for a signal. He charged at them with Phalyssa on his back, both screaming warcries. Phalyssa had her blade out and she slashed downward in a vicious cut that removed a man's head from his shoulders. Aruka slashed with his forepaws, razor claws cutting leather and flesh, and leaving gouges in metal. His enemy stumbled; that was all the Shifter needed. His half a ton body trampled the man as he moved to a new enemy.
Phalyssa was sweating nervously. They were surrounded by foes, and she was engaging everything she had to fight. She caught the downswing of one warrior even as she called on her magic to blind another two with a bright light. She clung to Aruka with her knees, praying to whatever god might be listening that she wouldn't tumble. Her "boyfriend" sunk his sharp teeth into on opponent's neck and shook the man like a rag doll.
Meanwhile, all the crowd of gullible minds witnessed two Hell-spawned monstrosities devouring and destroying these men like candy treats. This only caused them to cheer more fiercely and chant, "ONI! ONI! ONI!"
Phalyssa thought she was going to be sick. She had no problems fighting and killing her foes, but this…this was wanton slaughter for the amusement of the masses. Angrily, she cut down the man who was trying to stab Aruka, venting her frustration.
This stupid Arena was the result of a sick mind. Phalyssa grimaced at the thought of people getting enjoyment out of such a thing. "Aruka! Let's finish this!"
The powerful teens carved their way through the ranks of men, trying their best to kill quickly and honorably. In the end, they stood panting, desiring an end to the slaughter.
They hoped vehemently to be able to leave, but it was not to be so. The gate opened again, releasing several large, hoofed monsters onto the field. Phalyssa and Aruka sighed and charged without warning.
The monsters were tough, but no match for a rufus maned cave lion that stood five feet at the shoulder and a girl raised by Jea Kinnaran Kimsteed. After the second battle, the teens glanced towards the door, willing it to open. It did not.
The duo were put through four more increasingly challenging fights, hoping after each that it was the last.
Finally, they were ushered back to the waiting room as other fighters took their turns. Aruka sat against a wall with Phalyssa curled up in his lap. She fell asleep against his chest and was soon snoring softly.
The wait dragged on into several hours as warriors, thieves, monsters, and more came, went, and died. Aruka watched Phalyssa with a gentle, awe-struck expression as he sat patiently, waiting for her to wake.
At last, a guard pointed to him. "You! Oni! It's your turn! Go!"
Carefully, the young Shifter woke his friend. "Phalyssa…Wake up. We have to go."
The silver haired girl blinked at him in confusion for a moment before rising. She looked at her surroundings and recalled the situation. "Oh…Let's go…"
She shouldered her sword and headed for the Arena, Aruka close behind.