Levi wasn’t sure what was worse. The fighting or everything after. He had no problem with combat. This was his path, ever since his mother gave him to the amazons. But the fighting always came with a cost. The aching muscles would leave him but the faces and cries of his opponents never faded. The roaring of the crowd was nothing compared to the final whispered words of those who died fighting. Some would call to loved ones, cry for their gods or goddesses to save them, others cursed Levi.
He hoped he wouldn’t have to do this much longer. Maybe someone would get a lucky shot or the dwindling pool of available fighters would be tasked with something else once there was no one left to fight. That thought made him laugh. No the current “queen of the amazons” was a sadistic woman who enjoyed bringing others pain. Even other amazons. Women were not banned from the arena and if you displeased her she threw you in.
The queen had gotten quite a following in a short amount of time. Levi had found out why. According to the newest fighter, a young amazon from the old queens household, their new overlord had offered each tribe to join in her new family. If you agreed you were allowed to live in peace, anyone who disagreed either met an horrible end or was entertainment for the arena.
Of course not everyone who was thrown into the arena was kept there. Chrysippos was taken. It had been days or maybe weeks since then. Levi could no longer keep track. Chrysippos was alive, that he was sure. The new queen need people to tend to her. Men, women, whoever was needed was taken.
He soon figured out that it was also to keep him and others in line. The queen used people as leverage. If Levi broke out and attempted to send the queen to her death Levi would be killed. The young woman in the cell across from him threatened to do as much and in response the queen threatened the girl’s mother and brother. Both of whom were forced into her household.
The echo of footsteps from the small holding cell made him look up. A pair of guards had walked in and up to his cell.
“Get up, it’s time for your next fight” the first guard was already unlocking the door. Levi didn’t move. While he had the option to not fight, he still would. He didn’t have to make it easy on the guards.
“Didn’t you hear me! I said get up” the guard was getting angry now. Still Levi did not move. In a swift movement the guard move towards Levi and roughly pulled him to his feet.
“Useless idiot” the guard snapped, shoving Levi out of the cell and towards to area. “Your insolence will not be tolerated. No weapon for this fight”
“I hope the show is good. I heard that some prized gladiators were brought in” the second guard sounded excited.
“Let’s hope it’s a good one” the first guard shoved him into the doorway of the pit and locked the gates behind Levi. It was dusk. A rare time for Levi to fight but it was better then the midday.
“Amazons” the voice of the new Amazonian queen rang out. “You have been called here to make a choice”
Levi had heard this all before. The woman was putting on a show. Trying to win over the amazons or prove to those unsure of joining her would make the right choice.
“This is the start of a new Era.” Another shorter pause. “You have a choice. Join me and forget the old ways or be destroyed. There are no other options. Those who tried to topple me before, have stood no chance and now they live in the underworld. I give you this one chance! I await your answer after tonight’s entertainment” the confused murmuring of the crowd sounded different to Levi. It didn’t matter they would all be cheering for blood soon enough.
Levi moved from the shadow covered doorway and onto the blood soaked sand.
Isla Amazon Challenge 