Tales from the Arena (2 Viewers)

[SufferingLily]

In a distant land, an ancient structure of stone and copper stretches into the horizon. Its walls spread into an oval exposing the open center to the sky. Rows and rows of stands fill it, so that thousands might watch the spectacles that take place within. The arena stands tall and proud.

A place of violence and power where warriors the world over come to test their mettle. A place where the only decoration is blood and the only music is the screams of the conquered. In such a place cruelty reigns supreme and nobility finds no foothold. A lesson that today's challenger will learn harshly.

Leila steps out from the gateway and raises a hand to shade her eyes from the brilliant light that floods the pitch-black waiting chamber. The sudden roar of a sea of the stands crashes over her in a wave of confused noise. Spectators stretch into the heights of the arena as far as the eye can see. The battleground itself lays empty, a dusty expanse which houses nothing except for another gate opposite her own. With a confident stride, she marches out into the field.

Brilliant golden hair flows out from beneath her helmet and piercing blue eyes watch the spectators with stern disapproval. Her silver armor gleams bright, the light of her god displayed for all to see. Her holy equipment hides the supple curves and smooth skin of a young woman behind the visage of a warrior. She is the sword of her lord, meant to show these heathens his strength made manifest. She stands at stiff attention and waits for the arrival of her opponent, ignoring the taunts and catcalls of the crowd.

Moments later the arena explodes into a chorus of shouts and applause as the gate opposite her opens wide. The champion makes his entrance. Kasah is a mountain of muscular flesh standing at least 2 feet taller than her. His dark skinned muscles radiate an unearthly power. She notes with surprise that his attire is the opposite of her own fully assembled armor. A simple loincloth of bearskin adorns the champion's waist and padded steel gauntlets cover his fists. That is the extent of his protection. He raises his hands above his head and roars into the air, eliciting a responding roar of approval from the onlookers. The display of raw untamed wildness makes her shift uncomfortably where she stands.

"Are you the best your god could manage child?" Kasah shouts in a tone of rye amusement. "He sends me a sacrifice on which to sharpen my claws."

A thrill of fear runs through her, which she tries to hide behind a façade of calm composure. This was the greatest champion the arena had ever known. Leila's answering voice was quiet but solid, barely heard above the bustling atmosphere. "I am not her to be a sacrifice. I come to slay a monster."

His mocking laughter caused the young woman to flinch. "A monster, yes I like the sound of that. This monster will break you and send the pieces back to your god. Or maybe he'll keep you for his pleasure." Kasah pounds his fists together and licks his lips.

The time for words is done and Leila lowers her visor in disgust and unsheathes the thin rapier hanging at her side, ornate golden hilt shimmering in the light. She moves forward with graceful fluidity despite the heavy armor that weighs her down. Kasah does nothing, choosing instead to stand his ground and wait for his enemy to come to him, wearing a smug grin. Leila feels a flush creep into her cheeks at being so underestimated and when they are only inches apart Leila lunges forward aiming a thrust directly for her opponent's heart. The strike is quick as lightning but the champion sidesteps it with apparent ease, moving only the smallest portion of his massive bulk. Leila's eyes momentarily widen in surprise until she sees a fist pulling back to retaliate. She swiftly raises her shield to block the blow. A thunderous boom echoes through the arena as Kasah's fist collides with the shield. Leila reels back and her arm crunches with the impact, several of her bones fracturing. She cries out as the shield falls to the dusty floor, her arm no longer capable of carrying it. The shield splits in half as soon as it hits the ground.

Fear runs through the young woman who is completely unprepared to face such enormous strength. She'd heard rumors but thought them to be exaggeration. Now she could see that was not the case. She lifted her good arm, rapier in hand and assumed a fencer's pose. She could not afford to lose here. Kasah's fists rose up in a fighting stance.

"I like your spirit girl. It'll make it all the more fun breaking you."

Leila pushes forward trying to ignore his taunt, trying to ignore the horrifying implications should she fail. A swift end to this battle is her only hope. Her sword flits through the air, a fierce storm of thrusts almost too quick for the eye to follow. Kasah's response is a lazy series of dodges and parries with his gauntlets. He opens his mouth wide in a fake yawn and his eyes close for a split second.

A moment later blood splatters across the dirt floor of the arena, the audience gasping in surprise. The point of the rapier is stuck straight through the champion's left shoulder. He himself looks at the blade in surprise.

"Not so powerful after all." The Leila mocks, moving to withdraw her blade. She pulls and... nothing happens. With growing unease, she tries once more to withdraw the blade but it remains firmly lodged in the muscle of the champion.

Kasah smiles down at her through a wince of pain. The sword held in place through the sheer strength of his flexing muscles. "You will regret that little girl." He growls.

Suddenly he unleashes a punch that collides with her breastplate. The air resounds with ringing like that of a hammer against anvil as Leila flies several feet back through the air with a screech. She collapses to the ground and writhes in agony, a huge crack splitting her armor down the center. Kasah relaxes his muscles with a sneer and the blade slips out clanging uselessly to the floor. He approaches the knight who is moaning pathetically trying frantically to back away from him. He catches up to her after a moment, mounts her, and begins hammering the cracked armor with his steel fists.

Leila cries out with each blow, the weight of a mountain falling against her chest causing her entire body to vibrate. She struggles to be free but there is no hope of escaping the massive figure sitting atop her.

Kasah joins his hands together for a final attack and raises them high above his head. His hands crash down and the armor finally cracks, his fists continuing through and smashing against her chest. Her screams last for a moment before turning into a muted gurgle as the air rushes from her lungs.

Kasah rises to his feet, ripping the girl's helmet from her head and lifting her by her hair. He displays his trophy for the crowd, her armor fallen away, her chest covered only by a black brassiere. She whimpers in his grip, feet kicking uselessly in the air. Kasah uses his free hand to begin tearing the remaining armor from his defeated opponent, a look of pained humiliation on her face. Finally, he holds her suspended in the air wearing only her undergarments helpless before the leering crowd.

A hundred thoughts flash through her mind at this humiliation but foremost in her mind is the incredible weight of her failure. Only a single wound marred the flesh of the champion, which even now she could see beginning to heal out of the corner of her eye. "What are you?" She whispers.

"I am your new god." With those words, he throws her to the ground and stomps on her stomach. He digs the heel of his foot in, her screams music to his ears. The useless clawing of weak hands barely fazes him. "Worship me and you shall live."

Leila shakes her head in response and tears fling from her eyes to soak the dry dirt. It would be better for her to die than to praise this foul excuse for a human being. Much to her surprise, Kasah's foot lifts and the pressure on her insides is relieved. Coughing fits wrack her body as she rises to hands and knees, trying to hold back the bile rising in her throat. Kasah rears back his leg and lashes out with a savage kick, striking her in the chest. The blow is powerful enough to lift her off the ground and break several ribs. She lands hard and sobs into the dirt, her face covered in filth. Her body begins to weaken, each breath a desperate struggle with a bone now piercing one of her lungs.

Her tormentor reaches down and lifts her with the ease one lifts a child. Soon she is suspended above his head for the gawking pleasure of the audience. Bruises and cuts cover the length of her nearly naked body, the badges of a terrible defeat. Kasah kneels with one knee outstretched. Leila knows what is coming next and thoughts of honor and dignity flee from her mind replaced by a desperate hope for escape.

"You are my god Kasah" She cries out, her good hand thumping against his shoulder in the universal sign of submission. "You are stronger and greater than I shall ever be." She searches desperately for the words that will appease him. "Please do not kill me."

"Do not worry woman" He reassures her in a satisfied tone. "The healers know how to fix my broken toys."

He brings her down with sudden speed, so fast that there is hardly time for a scream of despair to peel from her lips. Her back wraps around his knee, the shattering of her spine loud enough to be heard half way up the stands. She lays draped over the champion's leg for a time, twitching and drooling, eyes rolled back into her head. With a grunt, he shoves her limp form to the ground where it remains unmoving. Sometime later she is unceremoniously dragged off the field for healing.

 

[TheCrimsonRisk]

There is a brutal simplicity to this story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Nothing was particularly drawn out, so I there was an urgency to the danger that Leila was in. Good descriptions overall.

This really hit the mark for me as I'm a fan of big versus little ryona, particularly grotesque, monstrous villains. Kasah sounds so condescending and so terrifying. "I am your new god." Yikes!

 

[SufferingLily]

I'm happy you liked it. I find myself getting a little bored with some ryona stories that get bogged down by details so I tried to keep the pace quick. I'm glad it worked out. I plan on making it a bit of a series so you'll see more from Kasah later ;)

 

[TheCrimsonRisk]

...you'll see more from Kasah later ;)

Oh no! I feel responsible now for what happens to the next heroine that crosses his path :evilish:

 

[Raden]

I see you enjoy your backbreakers! We have a couple of enthusiasts around here. I didn't know that when we were RPing and I had Nightmare give Cassandra two of them, heh. I unwittingly played right into your hands! lol.

Now I know.... heh heh... :3

 

[SufferingLily]

Tales from the Arena Pt. 2

Lesalia stepped into the arena exuding an air of dignified distain. People filled the stands to the back row, laughing and jeered but she paid them no mind. As soon as this foolishness ended, she could move on with her life.

She wore billowing violet robes that flowed around her voluptuous figure, exposing a great deal of skin. Her womanhood remained covered but the rest she was quite proud to display, despite the fact that she was too good a sight for these brainless fools.

She looked over the crowd again when something in the stands caught her eye. A single figure sat on a raised platform, a pretty blond who wore nothing but metal undergarments that seemed to be made from the remnants of armor. A metal collar wrapped around her neck, the chain connected to a pole that jutted out of the platform's center. She appeared to be begging a passerby for help and received a swift kick to the stomach for her trouble. Lesalia wondered what the miserable failure had done to deserve such a fate.

Her crime was not so terrible as to warrant that. So what if she'd sold fake potions to these bumpkins. They would never have realized if it weren't for that blundering meathead. How such a barbarian knew anything of sorcery she could not begin to imagine but it wouldn't matter for long. The fool sealed his fate and guaranteed her freedom when he challenged her to a duel.

The gate opposite her grated open and the so-called champion of the arena stepped out. He was a rippling mass of muscles covered by nothing more than a strap of cloth over his groin and steel gauntlets and boots. Lesalia nearly laughed; the imbecile had no idea how to battle a sorceress. She began chanting. This would be over before it even started.

***

Kasah could see the arrogance on his opponent's face from across the arena. He savored that expression. Even in the middle of the market yesterday, she remained proud even when exposed as a lowly fraud. He would enjoy disabusing another magician of her haughty attitude.

An orange glow formed between the woman's hands the moment Kasah stepped onto the field. She tossed the flame with one hand lazily, using the other to cover her mouth as a haughty laugh filled the air. Kasah smiled as he bent down and pried a huge patch of ground free, lifting it in front of him like a shield. The fire smashed against the mass of earth in an explosion that kicked up a plume of dust. Kasah ran forward without missing a step.

The sorceress looked at the cloud of dust in smug satisfaction, apparently sure she had already won. He would long savor seeing that expression turn from confidence to terror as she saw him come barreling out of the dust.

She shouted in panic and began chanting to cast another spell but she was too slow. He stuck out his arm and continued running full speed, clotheslining the bitch and sending her flipping through the air to land face down in the dirt. She clawed at her throat, eyes bulging out as she tried to breathe through her damaged throat but Kasah gave her no time to recover.

He approached and kicked her savagely in the stomach, sending the lithe sorceress sprawling though the dirt. To his surprise, she rolled onto her knees, her mouth moving rapidly. Rock ripped out of the ground in large chunks and moved to cover her body like armor. With a roar, Kasah leapt forward with a flying knee. He smashed through the rock without effort colliding with the sorceress's face and sending her sprawling once more. This time she lay on her back, unmoving except for the steady rise and fall of her chest.

He lifted her by the hair and held their faces close together. Her eyes slowly focused and she looked at him with a combination of awe and fear.

"You will die today witch." He lifted her into the air placing her legs on his shoulders and his head in her crotch.

"Unhand me" she cried out, still foolishly clinging to her dignity. Kasah jumped in the air and slammed the mage into the ground in a devastating power bomb. Dust flew into the air and her scream reached even the furthest seats of the audience. She clutched at her back, her face a mask of pure agony.

"Very good. I want you to suffer before this is over." Kasah's deep voice rumbled through the arena eliciting a new wave of cheers from the bloodthirsty crowd.

Kasah lifted his dazed opponent into the air by one foot so that she was upside down. Her robes feel exposing her to the waist. Her wonderfully smooth skin and a plump backside put on display for the audience. He held her as if she weighed nothing and pulled back his fist. Then he punched her in the stomach one... two... three times. With each blow, Lesalia swung like a pendulum away from her captor only to swing back into his waiting fist. He released her just before the third punch and she went flying across the arena, tumbling through the dirt and landing in a heap.

She lay there for a moment, the arena having gone silent, likely wondering if the hapless mage was dead. Then her body twitched in the dirt, wracked with spasms of pain. A wide grin spread across Kasah's face and he approached his victim once more.

Lesalia rose to her hands and knees shakily and began crawling away in a slow pitiful effort to escape. Kasah reached the crawling wench and walked slowly beside her with a mocking grin. The crowd erupted in laughter at the pitiful sight.

Kasah faintly heard the sound of her voice and suddenly a spike of stone shot out of the ground, impaling his foot. The sorceress turned to look at him with tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

"That's what you get monster." Kasah's only response was to laugh, watching her eyes go wide as he lifted his foot off the spike without effort, blood splattering onto the dusty ground. Suddenly, he brought that same foot into the air and stomped down on the mage's back with incredible force.

Lesalia fell into the dirt, her mouth open in a wordless scream of pain. Her body arched and her arms and legs flailed uselessly against the ground. A loud crack resounded through the stands and the cheering grew even louder. Kasah grunted in amusement, grinding his heel into her spine.

Suddenly her struggling stopped and Kasah heard another pop. Her spine was broken and the sorceress would struggle no more. It was time to put an end to this farce.

Kasah reached down and lifted the mage, holding her tight against him upside down. Tears of pain poured down her face, making streaks in the grime that covered it

"This is what happens when you fight me" the champion roared. "You were a fool to do so wench and now you will pay the price."

"No" Her voice was a pitiful wail, all hints of her previous pride evaporated. "Anything, anything you wish..."

Kasah smiled and leapt into the air, bringing the mage's head smashing into the ground in a pile driver. Her neck snapped with a loud crack and her begging came to an abrupt halt, her eyes going blank. He dropped the corpse to the ground.

Kasah looked over the battered and beaten figure, her expression stupid in death. He'd taught a lesson to everyone here today. No one cheats Kasah.