Chapter Fifty Three
The dust swirled around Phalyssa's boots as she stepped into the sunlight. Aruka padded close by, his stance already anticipating battle. As the duo came into the crowds view, they could hear chanting. "Oni—Yasha! Oni—Yasha! Oni—Yasha!" the crowd thundered, causing the Arena to vibrate.
The gates opened, releasing four more groups of warriors. All of them paused while the announcer spoke. Phalyssa picked up that this was the last round, and she took time to study the opponents.
One of them was a barbarous looking man, clad in mismatched pieces of ill-fitting armor and a leather/fur underwear loincloth. His hair and beard were wild and unkempt, and his dark eyes darted constantly. He wielded an enormous axe and sported several long knives.
The second group was comprised of four people. All of them were armed with strange looking swords and wore layered armor. Their helms were opened faced, and Phalyssa realized they were natives…probably soldiers turned thieves.
The third group was the major head turner. There were two of them, one male, one female. They wore beautifully crafted, gilded armor in the native style. The man's was decorated with platinum serpentine dragons. His was muscular and lean, and his face disguised behind a dragon helm and face plate.
The woman was also lean and muscular, and her armor was decorated with golden crouching tigers. Her helmet was a tiger's head, allowing only her black hair to escape.
Phalyssa flicked her eyes towards the last group; a selection of some of the most hideous humanoids ever. They were short and squat, with smashed, squashed faces, jutting lower jaws, gleaming and bloodshot red eyes, heavy brow ridges, and cracked, yellow, tusklike teeth. Scraggly hair worn in top knots fell down their backs, covering warty, brownish yellow skin.
She murmured sideways to Aruka, "That decorated pair…I get the feeling they'll dominate the others. Watch them." The cat man nodded, flexing his claws. Phalyssa flicked her fingers. "You might want to form shift. Go big and bad, dear."
The announcer was finishing his speech as Aruka altered his form. Phalyssa went ahead and tied the illusion to him. The crowd was on its collective feet, chanting and screaming. Phalyssa was sickened as the male fighters leered at her very suggestively. The teen fought the urge to blast them into oblivion, and stood quivering with tightly controlled fury.
Aruka snarled impatiently, stamping his clawed feet. The lion shifter was anxious for the bell that started the fight.
*GONG!* Aruka leapt forward at Phalyssa's command. He extended long claws and sunk them into the nearest humanoid's throat. Warm blood cascaded down his paws, dripping violently to the ground as Aruka ripped its wind pipe our.
The red head's body was singing. His warrior heritage called him to the fight, the Hunt. Gritting his fangs in a fierce grin, he impaled another "ugly" on his scimitar, twisting it viciously.
The creature's shrill scream caused a momentary lapse in the brawling of the ugly humanoids. Aruka snarled and jerked his sword free, letting the body fall to the sands. With a few muscle twitches, he crouched in a quadrepedal position and loped towards his remaining opponent.
Meanwhile, Phalyssa was guarding his back from the occasional bandit. The sixteen year old felt great satisfaction when she beheaded one of the leering lechers.
Something instinctive told the silver haired teen to drop and roll. It saved her life. A long throwing knife whizzed by her, grazing one arm. Whirling with a pained hiss, she realized the gladiator with the axe had picked her as his target.
He laughed, showing a mouthful of rotten teeth. Swinging his war axe, he advanced. Phalyssa brought her blade up to block, feeling the bones in her sword arm rattle from the impact, sparks flying between the weapons. She grunted as she parried a second strike.
The barbarian smirked arrogantly and drew back his fist. Phalyssa felt the air leave her lungs in a rush of air, doubling up from the gut punch. She staggered back, coughing and spitting blood. The follow up kick caught her right beneath her navel. Pain exploded and Phalyssa had to clamp her jaws shut to keep from crying out.
Blood thundered in her ears, creating a distorted, ringing sound. The world around her seemed to slow—only she was moving at normal speed. With a vicious lunge, the teenage girl used all her strength to bat the axe aside. Giving a battle cry, she reversed her sword swing and caught the gladiator in the side of the head.
Bone crunched, crushed in on gray matter. Both blood and brains were ripped out—exposed for all to see. The corpse slumped to the ground noiselessly.
Phalyssa wiped the blood off her mouth, checking for broken ribs. Aruka pranced up to her, covered in blood, as she winced.
"Phalyssa? Are you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner…"
The teenage girl put hand on his arm. "It's okay, Aruka. Just some busted ribs. I'll have Mom deal with them later…" Movement caught her eye and she looked past Aruka. "Hey, watch out!" she screamed, trying to jerk him aside.
The lion Shifter roared in pain and fury as an ornate sword came into contact with his back, cutting deeply into him. Reflexively, he swung one ham-sized paw and sent the dragon warrior flying, sharp claws rending open the armor.
The finely armored warrior landed with a heavy clatter some fifty yards away. Aruka moaned in agony and staggered towards Phalyssa. He stared at her with anguish filled eyes, whimpering.
"Phalyssa…I…just…wanted to…Ugh…" Aruka slumped to the ground.
"Aruka?" Phalyssa croaked, dropping to her knees. "ARUKA!!!"