Taken: The Life of Uktesh Book 3 (25 page)

She saw someone pushed into the pit from across the way, and saw that the man was bleeding from dozens of cuts and was more bruised than not.  The man behind her said, “Oh, I wish I’d thought of that!  Get rid of some trash and earn some favor with Osiris!  Do you think it’s too late to throw that lazy stable boy in the pit?”

Thulmann stood and leapt into the pit, and even though she currently hated what her father had done, he was still her father and she felt a thrill of fear run through her as he landed and rolled to his feet.  In short order, One, Two, Five, Seven, Tylor, Enan, Anan, and Larut jumped into the pit!”

The people behind her said, “Well there really are idiots born every second.”

Laurilli held her hand up to her mouth as the stakes suddenly were raised.  She saw the man who’d been thrown into the pit stand up and as he limped toward Uktesh she recognized him!  As he stood towering above Uktesh she realized it was Airos!  She also saw that a second snake man, a naga, she believed, had jumped into the pit! 
What’s going on?
  Before she knew it she’d Stepped to the edge of the pit and had jumped in too!

1.         
   The Fight
   

The day he reunited with Laurilli.

Uktesh stood in the darkened tunnel as all the lights were turned off and people began to wail in fear.  Uktesh saw a flame light in the center of the sand and Heathyr touched his back.  She asked, “Are you ready?”

Uktesh felt the power coming from the other tunnel and knew he couldn’t win.  He turned to Heathyr, smiled, and said, “This is similar to the last time we had this talk, right before I fought the minotaur.”

She face filled with sadness, but she said, “So you’ll find a way?”

Uktesh felt tears sting his eyes.
At least I’m starting to become more human,
“I don’t think there’s a mace that I could swing big enough for this problem.”

He saw tears spill from her eyes as she stepped close and hugged him.  “For what it’s worth, you were the best son I’ve ever had.”

He let out a half sob, half laugh, and said, “You too. The best mother I’ve ever had.”

A priest walked up to them and said, “It is time.  Release her and walk twelve paces onto the sand.”

Uktesh did as he was asked as the light went from blue to blindingly bright white.  He let go of Heathyr, Walked twelve paces into the pit, and as his eyes adjusted he saw the six he would face standing before him.  Uktesh stood on the sand for a minute and saw a man who had to be the Emperor seated on a dais in the front row.  He was extremely overweight and was eating something as Uktesh watched.  The voice from above him boomed, “Osiris welcomes you to his arena.” 

Uktesh frowned as the voice continued, “This, the fourteenth Osiris fight, pits one spectacular gladiator against six failed god form gladiators!  Osiris has called you together and has deemed that those who win will be freed from their slavery, and those who fall will be with him for the rest of eternity!”  Uktesh didn’t like the sound of that, but he didn’t really believe in gods anyways. He looked at the brands on his wrists and thought,
what have Belesh or Uketar ever done for me?
  “If there are any who wish to-”

Uktesh missed what was said next as he heard the impossible.  He thought he heard Laurilli call out his name, “Uktesh!”

As he turned to the sound he knew he must look extremely confused, but then his eyes locked onto hers, and he Walked next to her.  He held her and asked, “Laurilli?  What are you doing here?”

She kissed him, and it felt like he had finally become whole.  He pulled her closer to him and felt something wrap up his arm.  He broke off the kiss and held her close as he looked at his hand behind her back and saw the distinctive dragon tattoo.

That’s right kid!  I’m back!

Laurilli murmured into his chest, “I missed you so much.”

Uktesh kissed her quickly again and said, “I missed you too.  After this fight, I’ll earn my freedom and we can be together again.”

One of the spectators said, “Um excuse me, they’re talking to you.”

“… fighter Uktesh return to the sand or you will forfeit this fight and your life.”

Uktesh kissed her again and Walked back onto the sand.  He looked at his tattoo and thought,
I’m glad to have you back, this fight is going to suck!

I can tell. The one you have to worry about the most is the dragoon.

Is the dragoon the draconic one?  Kind of a dragon centaur?

Uktesh felt the dragon nod, and then the dragon thought,
exactly.  I may be biased, but I don’t think the others are as dangerous.  They’re dangerous!  Don’t get me wrong, but that one feels … tough.

I’ve fought one of those before and it nearly killed me.

I can tell you’ve gotten much stronger since we parted.  You must’ve trained hard.

All day every day since coming here.

That’s good. You’ll need it.

Uktesh saw people in the crowd push a giant man onto the sand.  The man was bleeding and bruised and Uktesh was confused as to what was going on as he saw Ceftin jump,
slither, glide?
over the rail and onto the sand.  As he slithered over to Uktesh and the giant picked himself up Uktesh turned and saw that Tylor, Larut, Thulmann, and six others had jumped in too.

The loud voice asked for volunteers to help you, but only five. I’m not sure what will happen with eleven.
  They all converged on Uktesh and Ceftin made it first so Uktesh clasped hands with him and Ceftin made sure not to hurt him with his claws.  Next, he got a bear hug from Larut and a more sedated if no less heartfelt hug from Tylor.  Thulmann held out his and to Uktesh, who slapped it away and with a grin gave him a bear hug.  He nodded his head at the other six in their group and turned to find the giant towering above him.

Uktesh held up his hand and the giant shook it gently.  Uktesh asked, “Who are you?  And why did your people throw you in here?”

The giant said, “I am Airos. I was thrown out of my House for giving your wife, something that that was not mine to give.”  Uktesh saw Laurilli jump into the pit and everyone turned to watch her as she jogged their way.

She got to them and said, “Airos, what are you doing?  Why are you beat up?”

Airos said, “My House leader did not appreciate that I gave you that ring.”

Uktesh was confused, “Why did you give my wife a ring?”

Laurilli punched his shoulder lightly and said, “It’s not like that.  It’s a ring that’s also a sword.”

Uktesh said, “Oh, like,” he reached into his loin cloth as everyone recoiled. 

Laurilli stepped in against him and said, “This is not really the time husband.”

Uktesh sighed and said, “No,” as he pulled out his hand that held the bracelet he’d stolen from the dragoon.  Uktesh said, “I think I have one too, though I don’t know how to get it to work.”

Airos said, “Did your opponent say anything before it morphed into a sword?”

Uktesh shook his head and said, “No.  It just morphed.”

Airos said, “Wow, those are incredibly rare!  Think, ‘ex-quip,’ or possibly, ‘ex-quip sword,’ and it should work, but don’t do it now, save it as a surprise attack.  To turn it back just think, ‘unex-quip.’ Or ‘unex-quip sword.’”

Uktesh thought,
dang I wish I’d known about that before now, knowing which one would be a big help.

The dragon thought,
it’s, ‘ex-quip.’

Uktesh felt the bracelet begin to morph in this hand and both he and the dragon thought,
unex-quip!

Uktesh put the bracelet on and felt it shrink to fit his wrist.

The voice spoke up again and said, “Only five are allowed to remain, no more may enter the pit or forfeit their life!”  Uktesh saw Basam quickly pull his leg back from over the edge of the pit.  The voice continued, “As all of you either volunteered or were volunteered choose among yourselves who’s fighting.”

Uktesh said, “Well I’m staying obviously, and just as obviously I think we can all agree Laurilli-”

She elbowed him in the ribs and said, “Not this time!  I’ve trained hard and I’m not letting you fight against mon-” she looked at Ceftin and Airos and said, “them without me.”

Uktesh said, “Fine, does anyone want to withdraw?”  When no one moved or said anything he continued, “We’ll draw lots then. The five with the longest stick or straw get to stay the shortest seven leave.  One, Two, Five, Seven, Larut, Tylor, Thulmann, Enan, Anan, Ceftin, Airos, and Laurilli all nodded.  Uktesh called for a pile of sticks or straw.  And once he was handed twelve pieces of straw he broke seven of the twelve in half and stuff all of them in his hand until they all appeared to be of equal length. 

Larut said, “Ladies first.”

Laurilli took a straw from the pile that was clearly long.  She smiled bravely and nodded. 
God damn it!

Don’t worry boy we’ll protect her.

We’ll try to.

Larut went next and also picked a long straw.

We’ll protect him too.

Uktesh felt the dragon’s uncertainty.

Next Thulmann picked and it too was a long straw.

Ceftin went next and also picked a long straw.

After four picks and four long straws everyone looked at Uktesh because it was clear that they, Uktesh included, wondered if all the straws were long, even though he knew that he’d snapped them in half.

Airos went next and picked a long straw!  The Numbers that hadn’t yet picked did so and they all had short straws.  Tylor, Enan, and Anan shrugged an picked their short straws too.  Uktesh swallowed and said, “I guess we have our six.”

The Numbers shrugged and ran to the edge of the pit and vaulted up the wall and into the crowd.  Tylor said, “I can’t jump that high!”  Enan and Anan nodded.

Airos said, “I will aid you up the wall, my friends.” 

Airos lifted the three up the wall and walked back to the group.  Uktesh said, “For what it’s worth, I want you to know how much I appreciate you guys volunteering.  Even you Airos had the chance to back out and you didn’t.  This is going to be as hard a fight as we’ve ever had together.  I’m certain it’ll make the Voukidist fight pale in comparison.  Anyone have an opponent that they want to fight?  If you do I’ll take the leftover one, but I think I should take the dragoon, the dragon-looking one, he’s the strongest.

Ceftin said,

“I’ll take the Naga

if thisss isss the end of my sssaga.”

Uktesh nodded and Thulmann said, “I’ll take the minotaur.”

Airos said, “I’ll fight my kin just as the naga does.”

Larut said to Laurilli, “Which do you want; the bird girl or the horse boy?”

Laurilli said, “I wouldn’t want you to get all confused about chivalry because of her gender. I’ll take the harpy.”

Larut said, “Looks like the centaur is mine.”

Uktesh said, “Good, looks like the dragoon is mine.  We’ve picked!”

The voice said, “Osiris in his infinite wisdom has decided that this will no longer be a grand melee.  With six on six he wishes to see one on one fights until one side is defeated.”

Their six opponents didn’t like that, but they also didn’t have a choice.  Uktesh heard the drunken voice of Neftalix shout, “I love it!  At least give Uktesh a shot to save me!”

Uktesh turned to see that in the crowd to the right were seven people. Each one was chained to a separate headman’s block, and every one had a priest with an axe behind him.

The voice stated, “The first to fight has to be Uktesh!”

Uktesh stepped forwards as the rest of his group moved toward the wall.  The opponent who moved to fight him was the centaur.  Uktesh shouted, “Wait!  I’m to fight the dragoon!”

The voice came back and said, “In the first round you don’t get to choose; your opponents do.  You’ll choose the second, them the third, you the fourth, and so on.”  Uktesh looked back to Larut who shrugged.

Uktesh shouted at his opponents, “Cowards!  I challenge the dragoon!”

The dragoon simply smiled and folded his arms.  The centaur, however, said, “I will be more than enough to take you out.  The rest of your team will die this round or the next it doesn’t matter. We won the moment your help was only human.”

The voice boomed, “Begin.”

The centaur Stepped away and Uktesh Walked to his right where he knew the centaur was going.  He Struck the air with a true Palm Strike, and as the centaur finished his Step, Uktesh’s spirit-enhanced titanic Strike blasted into the joint between man and horse and suddenly his opponent was no longer a centaur, just simply a man without his lower half, dying.  The man, however, threw his spear and Uktesh caught it before he walked away.  Priests came and took away the torso and four were needed to drag the horse section away.

Uktesh walked back to the group, who looked stunned.  Uktesh said, “I’m sorry Larut, I don’t know why I thought we got to choose our own opponents.”

Larut said, “It’ll be fine. I’ve been training too.”