(I wrote this all incredibly fast as a challenge to see if I could write 50K words in 24 hours. I stopped at 8K after around 5 hours, as I realized I wasn't going to make the time and the quality of writing was taking a major hit.)
I also pantsed all of this--meaning I did not plan anything ahead of time.
Don't expect this to be a good reading experience/story. It's not. It was a fun challenge.
chapter 1
I wawoke suddenly in to the darkness. My back was aching and dried stickiness was on my head. I groggily sat up and looked around, and my back seized up in pain t the movement.
There were men sitting in the dark, their eyses closed in slumber. They didnt look well rested. They were rope-thin and like human skeletons. They didnt stir when I sat up.
The room was dark all but a faint beam of light coming from a slit in the wall. The ground was coasrse rock athat bit into my legs.
I rubbed at my head and dark red came away on my hands. I wcould hardly remember what happened.
[fix]
My hands were restrained by heavy gaunt chains. They were connected to the person to my left, and his to his left. The person to my right was blooody and laying down. HE looked much more full of life than those to my left, however.
"What -- Where am I?" I asked to no one in particular.
No one relplied. One of the men on the wfar left cracked an eye open but closed it again.
I felt at my back, and immediately winced, there was something wrong with it. ANd with that, the memoroise came back. The traveling through the woods, how they had sucddenly been attacked, andhe a man who looked to be double his size had smashed a board into the back of his head.
And now he was here ... Whereever this was.
Whatever it was, it didnt' look good.
There was a steel (no) iron door tnear the back, he could faintly make out it's shapes in the dim light. It was heavily bolted and had no handle on this side.
He turned tot he man to his left. He was shirtless and his skin was dry and chafed .
"Where are we?" I asked.
No sresponse.
I tentatively touched the man's shoulder. It felt like sandpaper. eHe scooted away from me. Keeping his eyes closed. A twinge of annoyance ran through me at that.
The man to my right suddenly strired--the healthy looking one. He looked around bewilderingly.
"what the--Where ...?" he grogged out.
"I'm assuming you don't know where we are either?" I asked.
He turned to me and his eyes widend at the sight. "You ... Ae you okay? You're covered in blood."
I looked down at my own mbody. I could hardly make out the blood trickling down my chest from hemy head.
"I'm fine." As I said that, my head seuddely felt light. But I pushed through it. "You know where we are?"
"No clue. Dosen't looke good, does it?"
We were whispering. It was the nature of the place, we didn't wnat to wake "wake" the men to our left.
There was
T silence for a moment as we both took in our surroundings.
"Looks like a slave dungeon" I said.
The man nodded slowly with a grim look. Then ran the his hands over his face.
"YOu happen to know hwow to escape one of these?" he said with a gsmall grim smile.
I shook my head.
"I'm Elianus," he said. He extended his hand awkwardly, due to the chains connecting his hand to mine.
I gripped it. "Kurtis."
He nodded his head.
"You think he'll know where we waare?" Elianus asked, and pointed to a man to his right, who I hadn't noticed yet.
"We can find out later. Let's not wake him."
Elianus nodded. and then it was silence once again.
I looked around and one of the bone-like men to my left was blearily staring at us. With anger, with hate.
Erenest saw it too. "Er, hello," hes said gently. "Can you explain this to us? "
"The man's eyse narrowed. "Quiet." It was all he said. His voice was coarse like gravel. Seeming both incredibly old and young at the same tiem. He had thin hair and a tangled beard. His skin was dry and dirty. But beneath it all he still seemed had hints of youth.
Elianus loooked to me., wnot sure what to d.o.
I lowede my voice. "What are we? Where are we? explain."
The man's eyes narrowed more in anger, then he smiled cruelly. "Temple bearers."
The word hit me hard in the sternum, and it was almost like I couldn't bereathe. I didnt' want to breathe. The thought was terrifying. Templebearers were the worst thing you could be as a slave.
Ernest had a similar reaction, and the man 's smile deepeend at it.
"No," Elianus said. "no ..."
He sounded so defeated.
So angry. So Hopefullless all at once.
Chapetr 2
The door was abruptly thwon open. and heavy men in armor marched in.
"Up! Up!"
The slaves and us suddenly shot up. Elianus had trouble as the man to his right wasn't moving. The gmen in armor saw this and pulled the man up. and shook him.
The guard scoffed. "Dead."
The other guard snorted. "Why 'd they bring him in then if he 's just gonna die?"
"I don. The fuck do I know?'" the guard said.
The quickly took out a key of from their belt and unlocked the chain connecting to elianus's arm. I studied the key as the transaction occured. It was heavy and made of thick iron. The chains fell to the ground with a loud clangle .
TOne of the men pulled the dead body out, as the other grabbed the chain and roubgly started pulling the whole group of us out.
The sunglight lasered through my eyes as I stepped out. Eveyrhing suddenly seemed so brilliant and clearn and prefect/. I could hardly see anything from my eyes. The chain in my arm was tugged again and my back suddenly throbbed at being yanked.
I got a closer look at the men in the bright light. They were so dead-looking. Like walking corpses. The light didn't even otbother them, they just stared deadly forward.
Elianus and I were at the front of the group, we walked trhough the back paths of the temple. We were high in the sky and I saw out the window openings un into endless expanse of hills and trees and rivers and clouds anll roaming acorss each other and th esun beaming down at it all as if I hadn't just become a slaev.
The temple was builgt in tough marble and cpolished uintil it shined like a mirror. IT was massive, and they were only seeing the back sides of it. No doubt it was one of the largest temples Kurtis had ever seen.
Servants and ambassadors and advisors all bustled around them. Some pfloating in the air regally, others walking. They were all so rushed. All wearing neat togas and carrying buldnles of scrolls and quills off to do whatever they found important. Alll of them sparing mbarely a glance for the slaves they saw dirtying the flloor.
They were brought before a door. The guards knocked harshly twice. A lady quickly opened the door.
"What is it?" she said hsnappishly. "
"Forgive the interruption, alady Juno," the guard said. "We have two new slaves for your inspection."
"She loooked over the group, wquickly latching onto Elianus and me. "I thought it was three?. W"
"Third one died. We found him in the dungeon."
She sighed. in an annoyed way. "Well , these two look healthy enough. Tell NAMe to find me another slave soon. I asked for three."
"Yes, I wmy lady." The guard bowed again.
They were then pulled further in the hallls. They took an abrupt turn, and suddenly they were outside, with the harsh winds whipping at them. I suddenly felt very cold in the little clothes I wore. The other slaves didn't seem to mind.
"Who was that?" Elianus asked me. "Was theat the ruler of this temple?"
"The Juno lady? Probably not."
Elianus nodded.
They descended the temple. Deep darkness suddenly evenolveped them as the sun was covered and htey fell into shadows. They descended to the underside of the temple. Shouts and screams of rage suddenly becamee more audiple. When they got to the bototm, my stomach sank. This was what my future looked like.
People all lined up at the bototm. Connected by chains. Screaming in rage and exertion. Pushed against the underbelly of the temple, keeping it up. CAll chained together.
The temple bearaers.
)(i definitely need to make the fact that they can fly more obviosu)
KMy group of slaves was tugged toward a rcertain spot, where we were locked to the underbelly. ANd The guard came over and pinned my chains around my wrist to the bottom of the stemple, and suddenly tit felt like t heentire weight of the temple was bearing down on me. I grunted from surprise. It was digging into my shoulders, and my back was aching in pain.
I looked out at the endless beautiful expanse of land below me, and the dark mangled stone tabove me. My past below me and my future above. I could hardly think from the exertion of it all. I oculd make out Elianus breathing heavily from miy right. I looked over, and he looked over at me.
Oddly, he smiled, in a starained way. "This is fun, isn't it?" hes said, heis voice shaking from exesrtion.
I shook my head . "Not ... Not particularly."
He laughed briefly, then ithe exertion became too much, and he could spare no more humor. He closed his eyes and pushed against the ceiling more.
And thus my time as a temple bearer began.
chapter 3
life had been hard. and he stillw asnt used to it. every day for 18 hours they would push up the temple. they barely slep t and they barely ate. it was hell on earth. or rather hell in the sky.
when they did eat it was a cold measley porridge, whcih i was eating rigth now.
i sat back in the dark dungeon. elianus was to my left. the mute other slaves to my left. they ate ravenously at the small amounts of porridge.
so did i. i could already fee l my muscles weakening and thinning out. flying didnt work your mysuscles, it just took a lot of enregy .
despite how horrible the porrideg tasted, it was one of the bst parts of his day. and he still enjoyed eating it.
elianus to his left spoke. "you know, I really appreciate the food accomodations here. They're very generous with them."
I looked over to him . "You joke too much". I said it wiht a smlight smile.
"What else am I gouing to do here?" he sadi with a shrug. "If I don't , I'm afraid I'll end up like them." HE pointed to the lifeless seming slaves to their left.
I nodded solemnly. I agreed. I couldn't let that happen.
And I needde to escape. THe thing wats. ... with every passing day it seemed moreo and more impossible. They were always under watch. and when they weren't they were locked into thi s dark dungeon . If he could steal a gurad's key that could get him somewhere, but it's not like the gurards didn't watch the door. and they could easily see them float off into the sunset. They would be caught before they even reached the ground.
So he told himself that now wasn't the time, and tried not to think about the fact that my hope was solwly dwindling into tnohing as the days went on an.
My back had only gotten worse, it was as if everythime I bent it someone was shoving a spike straight into the center of my back. Luckily imy headwas healed and better.
Elianus and I soften spoke . It was one of the only enjoyable things about this. None of the other slaves would speak to them, other than to aoccasionally tell them to be quiet. I noticed that the slave to my left, however, was increasingly lisening into elianus and my conversations. maybe he wanted to join in.
"I think I caught a glimpse of him," Elianus said.
"The ruler?"
"Yaeah. I think it was him. He was bald."
"How do you know?"
"Becuase he was surrounded by peopl. It was obvious."
I grunted. I had slowly felt my energy drain away ain these couple weeks. Even talking felt like it drained too much energy.
The door suddenly shot open aagain. And I stood up before the guards even started yelling to get up. They broguth up out and then to the bottom of the temple. My body moved of it's own accord, already hopeless against the oncoming torture.
WI felt immense dread as they started to lock my chains into the bottom of the temple again, and then the forcer was all upon me. It was like I was bein crushed slowly , my insides compressing from all the pressure being bulit up. My shoulders were raw from whrere they were perpetually pressed u against the bototm of the temple.
It went on like this for hours. So long that my eyes started pto blur and my mind went numb, and Iall I could hear were the shouts of anger form the others slaves and me. I could hardly think, hardly feel anything but pain, and I wante d to just tstop and fall to the endless ground below me. But I knew I couldn't.
Suddenly, I heard shuoting. Shouting from the others slaves, I peerd around slhazily toward them, they were riling up in anger, from what particiulary I don't konw. And then one of them shouted "drop!"
and all the sudedn it was like i was being crushed alive. The weight above bme increased tenfold and I got pushed donw. I physically felt the temple bob down. Now the guards were yelling and some shot up to the bottom of the temple to help pkeep it up.
Meanwhile some of the slaves kept yelling "drop! Drop!"
I knew about this. Slaves who hated their owners so much they would drop the temple jand kill themselves just to spite them. But I didn't wnat to die, I needed to exscape. So I kept pushing up, even wehen my body strained in pain.
Evidently others didnt drop either, becasue while the temple bwobbled precariously and lowerd a bit in the air, it didn't plummet ot the earh. The slaves who had tried dropping were now shouting more feverently and with a note of fear in their mouths.
The guards shot forward and stabbed the most fervent ones in their necks, quickly silencing them. I wathecd in horror as one of them in front of me had his neck slit and he dangled by his fwrists from the temple sceiling, blood runnign down his neck and chest.
Time went on as the guards quelled the attemped dropping. aAnd then a figure dropped down the side of the temple. I saw him immediately. A bald man in golden robes, flanked at his side was the Juno lady.
He sneered at the sight uof us. And at the sight of him, the slaves started hurling insults and hatred at him. Elianus to my right looked over at me with a look I couldn't make out. But I think I knew what he meant. This was the temple ruler.
The man regarded us as pieces of meat. HE turned to uJuno. "Do something about this stench. I don't wnat to keep smelling it when I have to cme down here."
"Of course," she said.
He cleared his throat, and started regally at us. "Quiet down, all of you. Quiet down."
They did not quiet down. The jeerrs aof hatred only strengthened. Cries of "You should be down here" and "i'll kill you"
"Guards," he said gently. The guards took his order and drew their swords. The sight of the bloody swords quiteted the rowdy slaves.
The dead body in front of me dangled in the wind, there was no longer any life in his eyes. The blood was steadily dripping down to the distant landscape below.
"Well, all of you. It's come to my attention that you wanted to drop my temple. What do you have to say to that?"
"Fuck you!" was the slave's respones.
The ruler shook his head in disgust. "Well, I see that we are being unreasonable, so I'll cut to the point. Do not ever attempet to drop my temple again. If you do, I will have you killed. Just like t. Understand?"
The slaves jeered again.
"He looked at us exasperatedly. "Listen. Do you think that that was honestly going to work? All of you would nobly sacrifice my beautiful temple for what? You do realize that I and wall my amabassadors would simply float off. You would end up killing only yourself."
"I only care because I don't want my temple to be a pile of rubble. But even if that is the case, I'll just make a new one." He gave us all an annoyed look. "So go ahead and waste all your lives. It won't matter to me."
With t hat he turned around and floated back up, leaving me trembling with rage. So that was who was tbehind all of this. All of my suffering. His heart swelled with rage. and so did the slaves ebeside him stoo, as they called out in anger at hi as he left.
chapter 4
i was sititng back in the dark dank dungeon. my shoulders were in pain, bmy back was in pain, my sould was in pain. they had finally left their work and were now allowed to sleep in here. the uguards hadn't even taken off the body s dangling. they left them there to rot.
the dungeon was quiet and no one moved as they tried to sleep. i had already finished my meal. it was hardly anything. maybe as a punsihement for trying to drop the temple. maybe they had just forgetten to give them enough.
"do you thin we should have tried dropping it with them?" Elianus suddenly asked.
"I thought for a moment. "No. I twould be a waste."
Elainus nodded, as if that made him feel better. "It just ... They had tried so hard to do that. They risked their lifves, and now they're dead for nothing."
"They would be dead for nothing eithr way." The words sounded harsh coming from my mouth, but I knew there was t. But I believed them. "The ruler, whatever his name is, he was right about that. "
The salve to his left suddenly spoke. "Philotheus." His voice was coarse and roguh and felt barely used. He rubbed at his throat harshly after speaking.
"I loked at him, surprised. "Who? What?"
"The rules name -- name is Philotheus." A look aof hatred came over his mind as he said that.
I noded. grimply. Philotheus.
Elianus peered over. "Do you ever see him often?"
The man shook his head.
A wave of exhaustion slowly rolled over me, and I felt the need to lay down. But before I did that, I asked, "What 's yuo name?"
The man seemed surrprised to hear me ask that, and hesitated. But then finally sayid "Pollux."
I nodded. "Pollux. Im'm Kurtis. That's Elianus." I pointed at Elianus., who nodded.
I slepts for a few hours, and it felt like as soon as my eyes had close they were open again and the guards were yelling for us to get up. I shot to my feet, Elianus wasn't as fast, he looked around drwozily. The guard rcame over and smacked him on the haed. "Up, maggot! Get up!"
Elianus stood on fshaky feet., rubbing at his head. The guard had his back tournd to me, toward Elianus. And in that moment, I saw the key peaking out of the back of his belt. And I knew I had to take the opportunity.
I reachde out and hastily grabbed it, and as I worked it out, my chains dangled. I had forgeotetn about them. The guard turned around, saw the key in my hand, and his brow suddenly went surrprised, then entraged.
"What are you doing with that?" he stepped closer and yanked it out of my hand.
"You ... You had dropped it." I said with a skaky voice, suddenly terrified fo the stupid stiation I had dotten myself itno. What had I been thinking? What would I even have donew ith the key?
The guard's face turned even more angry, turning a dark sahde of red. "Dropped it, huh? Likely story, that."
Pollux to my left had steppped away, Elianus didn't know what to do. The ofther slaves were looking with resigned looks.
"I'm being honest, sir. I--"
A fist suddenly crashed into my stomach, and I doubled over. Then another fist straight into my face. I fell back. The cahins on my hand caught and yanked pollux and Elianus with me. Pollux went tubmleing into the ground, and his hand caught with a snap. Elaianus maanaged to catch himself fmore gracefully.
I tried standing up wiquickly, but my gaze was blurry, and I could basely make out hte figure of the gard leerign over me as he puntched m y head again. I could feel blood on my face, my back was suddelnly aching again. Pollux two my left was whimpering and clutching his wrist.
The guard ckicked and kicked at me. I curnled into a ball.
"I would kill you for that, but you got loucky. Juno says we're already too low ofn salaves. " He then leaned close to my face. "But just know, if you ever try something like that again, I WILl kill you."
I nodded skahakily.
He stepped back. "Come." He pulled at Elianu's chains. I scrabmled to my feet. I tried helping Pollux to his feet, but he flinched away from me, holding his dangling wrist.
When we finally got tot the bottom of the temple, every muscle in my body was aching. I could feel blood soloywly sliding down my face, but I could do nothing to stop it. My wrists were chainged to the bottom of the temple. Elianus tried to make conversation with me, but I could barely hear or think from the pain. Pollux 's wrist dangled the entire time it was in
chapetr 5
a wefew weeks had passed since i had tried taking the key. the guard had treadeted them especialy poorly afterward, pushing them around and kneedlessly beating them. but his anger was sfinally seeming to settle down.
i had never felt so tired and hopeless in my life . my body was strarting to resemble the other slaves'. i would look at my arms andchest adn didnt recognize myself. it was aif i was looking at a skinny bone and not an actual arm.
i elianus and i were more quiet. we talked less. there was less to talk about. other than the endless amounts of temple we were pushing up. and we were both getting more tired and apathetic. (show dont tell). we used to talk about oru pasts and our lives and aour dreams. now we just talked to say pass the water.
polux hadn't spoken once since then . he tried not to look at kurtis either.
the guards bardged in on the door, and dragged them up. i sat up quikcly. . as we were being escorted to the bottom of the temple, i heard shouting from somewhree distant, and then suddenly the guard s who were taking us where suddenly being called upon. They had to leave us.
"Youe, " the garuad pointed to one of the passing servants, a girl with short hair and blue eyes. "Bring these slaves down to the under-temble. "
She opened her mouth to rprotest, but the guards were already running the opposite direction.
She looked warily at the group of gangly, deathly-tired slaves. I peered at her curiously. SHe looked nervoysu.
"Um, " she tried tenatively. "How do I get to the undertemple?" Do I just ... Go down?"
My body suddenly filled with eneergy. IThis was an oppuortunity. An otpportunity I would rarely get. I opened my mouth to say something, but the n one of the slavse spoke up.
"Yes. You go down." It was the one who had spoken to me when I first awoke .The one who told me I was a temple bearer. He looked tired.
"Ok ... Well, come with me, I guess."
"I've got to use the bathroom first, " I said. I didn't know what to do, but I had to buy more time.
"You ... OK. IUm, is that the same as the servant bathroom?"
"The guards usually let us use it." I said. Elianus was lookign at me with surprise and fear in hsi eyes.
"OK. cFollow me, then."
As we walked, I thought as fast as I could. i needed to think fas.t I needed to use this moment to my avdvantage. Gain information, or maybe we oculd escape like this.
"What do you know of Philotheus?" iI asked.
"Oh?" She was surpside I was talking to her." "Um, He's ... nice."
"Nice?" I was astounded. "Surely she's joking?"
"Um , well."
"You can be honset."
"I don't knwo what to say, she said. "He is very knowledgable, I can say that."
"How long has he been here for?"
"A couple years."
"And you?"
"What about me? Oh, I've been here for a few weeks. I came from NAME."
I nodded.
"What have you haerd of the arena fight?" I' had heard it being whispered a few times throughougt by the slaves. Every year they gathered strong slaves to fight in an arena to the death. I figured i t was an opportunity to do somethign. A time when there would be no chains on my wrists.
"Oh, well, I dont' know. I know that it's happening in two weeks. UM, it's a fight to the death. "
We reahched the bathroom. I had never been, but I pretended that I knew what it was. I went quickly and then blah blah blah.
"how do I get in?"
"I think you just tell the guards. But they say that only the strongest get in."
(abandoned this chapter as i wasnt a fan)
chapetr 6
(this chapter i kidn of threw away the plot and just wnated to writie the arena fight. so that's what i did)
Many weeks had passed, I had gotten into the arena fight and the first fight was itoday.
I stepped up to the arena. It was a small circle of stone, and there weras a small crowd of important people wtching. They were nidly chatting and eating food, not paying attention to the arena yet. Elianus was by my side. It felt good to have the chains off my wrists. It had been so long, adn I almost couldnt get used to the feeling of having my wrists freea nd unberdented. I felt like I could move and dance and fly again. It felt amazing, even as his body ached an went numb from all the exhaustiona nd enregy he xepent. Elianus is not by his side.
The guards came up to him, and gave him a sword. On the other side of the arena was a lsave. He ahd seen hi briefly. But there was little time for speaking with other slaves when on the underbelly. The time was just spent endlessly pressing against the bottom fot he temple.
The man was short and skinny. He bounced on the balls of his feet. His eyes darting around the arena, taking it all in.
Philotheus stood in the crowd.
"Welcome, everyone. We are about to begin our first fight soon. I hope you enjoy. On our left we have NAME. he was once a wheat farmer down in LOCATION. Now he is one of our most trouble-making slaves. On our rigth is Kurtis. He was a blacksmith. And on his habits as a slave, I have no clue." Laughs went up in the crowd.
"So wthiuot further ado, begin."
I crept forward and so did the other slave. he held a similar sword in his hand. I
The crowd watched with eager eyese. I saw one ambassador, a n old man with gray hair, take a sip of his wine and watch eagerly.
The slave came toward me, he sliced downard in a strong lslice. I blocked easily. I had trainde before. And I quickly jabbed forward toward his chest. I had expected him to doge , ro to edeflect it. But instead, my sword immediately dropve stragiht through his left lung. He wheeezed as blood trickdled down and out of his chest.
His eyes went wide and shouted . He pushed against me, but I pushed forward and stabbed again. It He barely doged it, and it sliced across his arm. He stumbled and could barely breath. He held his hand to his chest. The crowd was clapping in a dignified way as if this fight was dignified.
Suddenly the slave buckled down to this knees. I decided to end it quickly, and drove the blade toward his heart. He didnt doge, it went through, and he dide. Hie crumbled against my leg, the sword falling afrom his limp grip. I gently took his head and layed him on the ground. H
The crowd was clapping more.
Philotheus stood again. "God good. A uiquick easy fight and win for Kurtixs. He's looking like a strong contender already." Now, onto the next.
They took the body away and I went into the back room. I didnt know what to think of the fight. It was much easier than I thought. And it was so quick. So uch a uselss loss of life too. All ofr the entertainment of these amabasadors. But they is was the only way he could possibly break free.
The next fights went on. The ytook longer than his. Besides from one, where the the slave immediately chopped the blade deep into the othe'rs neck, and the slave died uiqickly from blood loss.
Then it was Kurti's team turn again. He stepped out into the arena. It was blood stained. He flaoted a bit to avoid the blood from coating his feet.
The man on the other side of the arena had a bloody arm, but other than that he seemed healthy. He bared his teeth at Kurtis.
"You want to die too? Come at me!"
The fight began.
The man ran at Kurtis in a deranged way. And swung his sword sideways at me before I could attack. i quickly stepped back and brought my sword up to blodk. As soon as I did, he brought the swod down again, and I blocked. Again and again. He kept atatcking, slamming his sowrd against me. And I kept backpedling and blocking this strikes. And then right after one of his strikes, I swept my foot under his and knocked him off his feet. I He went down with a yelp and fell ontoto his back. He rolled away quickly. And he was able to dodge the bajab at him taht I sent at him.
He growled in angre. His back was stained with blood wfrom the ground. He arrowed his blade at me and shot it forward. I depflected i to the side and elbowed him in the jaw. He stumbled back. I rushed forward andsliced. He barely brought the blade up. Then I kicked at his stomach. HE doubled forwoard and I sliced again. It caught him in the injured arm again. He howled like an animal.and sliced his own sword at me. I leaped back, tearing the rsword from his arm as aI did so.
He gripped his bloody arm and had tears in his eyes. He couldnt move his arm an more, it dangled limp at his side.
"YOu ... Youar going to pay fro that you little shit." he said
I rushed froward suddenly. And he backpedaled in surprised. I jabbed at his legs, and he sidestepped and chopped at my head. I ducked down and then swept my sword. It acaught his arm. The other one. It bit through the muscle of the bicep. and he dropped his sword from the pain and shock.
He stumbled back. no weapon, and eyes suddenly full of fear. He was breathing haevily. He
"Please, please. Dont ... Don't kill me. "
I shut my eyes. I didn't wnat to do this. But I had to. I shot the blade forwadr. It stabbed throgh his heardt, and he died .
The crowd clapped harder. Some even celebrated it. with shouts and cheers.
Then I was back in the dingy back room waiting for my next turn. The next fight fouwould be the final one. If I won that then I would be gifted a boon by Philotheus . I knw i could win. I had trined wiht swords since a young age. I was a natural. I would win. I knew it. An dwhen I got that boon, I would ask for the freedom of my e and my fellow slaves.
When tit was my turn again, I stepped out. I had suspected who would still be there. I t was a behemoth of a man. He was atall and skinny, but with a big build and surprisingly wide shoulders wfor m beign so maulnourished. He held a bloody sword in his hands. And heis body was covered in smearde blood, none of it seemed to be his own blood.
Phioltheus stood up. "Our final fight. Whoever wins this is the winner and sahll of course recieve a boon from me of your choosing. Within ereason. May the best man win."
Begin.
I crept frward. My heart pounding in my ears. My vision tunnelegd to just the man in front of me. he looked at me closely ,his eyse swuinting, thinking. HI wondered what he was going to do. What type of fighter he was. I knew I could best him, though.
He heald his sword tightly in his hands, and ti was by his waist. He wanst even guarding his head. so, I rushed forward, and before he could react, I cut sideways at his exposed head.
He dodged rapidly, and danced away from me with a smile.
"Good try. NAMe tried that too, but you were faster. Almost got me."
"Maybe don't leave yoer head open next time."
"Nah." He left his sword by his waist. I narrowed my eyes. What was he playing at.
I scircled around him. HE stood there relaxed, as if he didnt care. As if this wasnt a fight to the death. As if he weren't about to die. He spit out blood from his mouth and lazily combed his matted hair.
I crept close r and he stepped back. I t continued ilike this. I stepped forward, he stepped back. Never letting me get too close. He just kept avoiding the fight. The crwod started to boo and jeer at him. He didn't care. He smiled and waved at them. His demeanor was starting to make me sweat. There was somethign wrong with ti..
And then, out oof nowhere, he threw his sword at me. I didnt expect it, not one bit. I couldnt dodge. It didnt cut too deply, just a slight slice at the shoulder. and then he was crashing into tme, sprinting across the distacne while i was distracted. i tried to regain my balance and sliced at him, but he swetpt under it andcrashed into my waist.
he wrestled the wsword from my hand. i fought hard for it. grippind it and trying to pash the pommel against his head. he wrenche it froee from my grasp and i punched him swequare in the nose. it curnched. he tried slcing at tme fwith the sword but the angle was weird, we were tooo close. i pushed him off top of me and pinned his arm down . trying to tear the sword from his grasp. he suddnely bit deep into my shoulder. i shouted out in pain as he tore a pirec of my flesh out with his bmouth and spit it out. i elbowed him in the face and he reeled back, but i was off balance and he pushed me off his arm. and kicked me off him.
i shot to my feet and so did he. he scrambled toward my sword which was by his feet and picked it up. he held two swords in both his hands. i suddenly felt a brick drop in my stomach, and a cold sweat break out on my skin. my shoulder ached. adn ti was hard to move.
"your e tricky," he said.
"you're fucking insane." i said.
he laughed loudly.. "no, not insane. smart. It wrkod, didn't it?"
My face twirsted in anger.
"So, Kurstis, what are you going to do? I've got two swords, yuo've got none.
i stayed silent, circling him.
"Cmon now, think. It's all down to this moment, isn't it. I could just march right forward and start slciing and you couldn't do anything. Want me to do that?"
He was toying with me. I felt anger surge in my chest. But what was I to do? rush at him? Attack him? With what? My hands wouldn't do anything against his swords.
"Welp, dtoo late. Time's up." He rushed at me.
I tried dodging, tried swerving under the blaeds. But he was too fast, and his reach was too long. He stabbed me straight in the stomach, and I doubled over. He then presse d the sword against my neck. I kenw I was going to die in that moment, I stared wide eyed into his gaze, waiting for him to slit my throat and for myself to bleed to gdeath at his feet while he gained the prize i wanted and went free.
He lowedred his voice so only i could hear, "Tell me, Kurtis, what do you want from your boon?"
I couldn't think. I didnt know what was happening. I foguht against him. Punching at his chest. Uppercutting his face. He reeled back and stumbled, but maintained bgrip of both swords.
"Ah, yuo fucker." he said. "Why'd you do that? I was trying to talk to you."
I held at the leaking hole in my stomach, blood was streaming out steadily. I couldnt stop the flow. I was trating to panic.
He marched toward me again, and tried knockind me off my fett. I was too sturcdy. So hes smashed the pommel against my head, and I curumpled to the ground.
He pinned me to the ground, with th e sblaed against my throat. I couldnt move. He asked me again, "What do yuo wnat with the boon?"
"I want to free myself and the slaves."
"Foolish, " he said. "He wouldn't do that. It would cost too much. He would just free you, no one else."
"Well, that's not too bad, isnt' it."
He suddenly became more someber, more dissapoineted. "Slelfish. You would ignore all the slaves for what? Your own freedom?"
"I ... I don't know." I didnt know what he wanted. Why wasn't he just killing me? I tried pushing against his body. Tried fightin back, but he pinned me down further. The crowd was starting to get rowdy, wanting blood.
"Again, selfish." He lowered his voice. "I want all of us to be freed. But I also know that he won't just give that to us. I know that even if he did, he'd replace us right after with more slaves. AN dthe wheel would keep turnin.g. No, I want to end i.t"
"Well, how are you going to do that?" I tried pushing against him more.
"Act dead."
"What?"
"Act like your e dead. You ron't actually die. I made sure not to stab too deep into yoru stomach. But it may look fatal."
"I don't -- Why -- What are you going to do?"
"Trust me."
"I don't even know you. You just stabbed me."
"You're alive arent' you? Just trust me."
"Ok."
And then he pretencded to slice at my neck, and I laid there, with my eyes closed, not moving a muscle as the crowd cheered, and I felt the weight of him leave me.
"Philotheu's voice suddenly stood out from the cheers. "Your winner, everybody! CAllius! "
There were more scattered cheers. And I felt rough hands grab at my body and start dragging me away. I made sure to not move a muscle ro make a noise. I staydeas still as I could even as my body was dragged through pools of blood and thrown roughly off the stairs, then ont o a jumble of other bodies.
The last thing I heard before the doors to the body reoom were shut were Philotheus's question "Well, what is your choice of boon?"
"That's an easy one. " he sounded charismatic and carefree as he said it. "Freedom. But a bit more than that, I'd love a position in the minor Senate Court. I knowthey are always looking for more people."
"Senate Court? Strange, but very well, it shall be done."
(edits to make later. this guy is the one "leader" of the slave group that kurtis is in. he doesnt talk much, and mostly thinks to himself. but it turns out that this was what he was planning. he doesnt kill kurtis because etc)
chapter 7
tThe stench was the worst part. It seeped into everything auntil it was all he could feel. He was evnveloped in a horrible stench of death. They carried the boides down to the land below, where they would be buried. All throughout it, Ipretended to be dead, awaiting for an opportunity to exscape without being known.
They treated them roughl . As he was carried down to the ground below they had two men carry him by arms and legs. It hurt his limpbs to go down to the ground that way. He was afraid that they would have dropped him off the side, but it seemed they cared about burying them at least.
He was laying on the ground, his eyes opena sliver, waiting for a n opportunity, when heard a familiar voice. Callius.
"Her, let me, " he said. He took a shovel from one of the men. The men were slaves just like I was, just a different sort. They were luckiy in that they didnt have to do temple-bearing.
"Who are you?" one of them said.
"A new minor court senator, apparently," Callius asaid.
ONe of the slaves snorted. "Yeah, right. You look like you haven't eaten in a year."
"Calius grinned. "Funny you say that.Regardless, I can take care of these bodies. "
"Why? We were told to do this, what's it to you?"
"Dyo you know how these men died?" Callius asked.
"Yeah, arena fight up in the Philotheus Temple." He pionted up in the distant sky.
"Yes, well I was in the fight, and I won. I've come to pay my respects."
The slave's eyes widende. "Oh ... That makes sense. Soo, you're boon was ... To be a senator?"
Callius smiled. "Yes. And as one, I order you to leave here."
The slave nodded dgrimly. I understand," he said. "If you change your mind, let me know."
Callius nodded, and then waited for them to leave. "You can get up now."
I finally sat up, and it was as if every muslce in my body was frozen in place, they screamed and stretched as I moved up. I winced.
"Sorry for taking so long. Good to see you didn't die."
I nodded, . I didnt want to talk , my mouth was abosutley parched.
"How's your stomach?"
I looked down to it. It was covered in blood, but trute to his word, the woudl was not fatal. Just painful. Very painful.
"Do you -- have water?" I asked.
He stcratched at his head. "Didn't think about that, actually. I'll get you some soon."
I nodded in seresigation. It was easy to get used to deissapointedment after so long of beign a lslave.
"A senator?" I asked.
He nodded. "Minor court senator. It's a stepping stone. In reality, you don't have much power to actually change anything. "
"Why did he -- give you it?"
"Philotheus is a senator. All senators have 5 minor court senator slots to give out. He was already noly using 3 of them, so it was easy."
"But why would he trust you with that?'
He stnorted. "HE doensnt'. Not at all. But it's like I said, minor court senators have almost no power. They just argue a lot with each other."
I nodded.
"Why did you spaere me?"
He hesitated. "If I'm being honest it was a bit impulsive. But I didn't wnat to kill you. I saw how you had helped Elianus and I didn't want to hurt you. It was stupid of me, but I think it worked."
There was silence. So I was only alive because of his supposed stupidity. I was ashamed of myself, honestly. I had trained for years in sword figthing, just to lose to Callius in a figth because he threw a sword at me. I ran my hand s through my hair.
"What's you plan then? You said you want to stop Philotheus. How?"
"I'm still working on that. And I don't just wnat to stop Philotheus, I want to stop all of this. Do you understand?"
"How can you possibly do that? What? Do you think the senators are going to take their temples out of the sky? Put them on the ground like peasants?"
"Yes." Hhe said harshly. "They will, because I will make them. "
"But how?"
"I don't know yet . .. But I'll figure it out." He sounded annoyed, but at me or himself I wasn't sure. "But I have a plan for you."
"... What? I was thinking I'd go back to my blacksmith--"
"No.," Hhe cut me off. "No, you don't get to do that. Not after everything you've seen, after all you and the others have been put through. You're just going to leave everythign like this?" He waved his arms.
I was silent for a moment, and ran my hands over my face. I wanted to just go back to the life I had,. But he was right ... I couldn't. "You're right."
He neodded. "I'm thinking you can help me in this plan. You could also join the minor court, and maybe in having two of us we caould actaully get somethign done in there. Or, we go nother route and try to infiltrate the temples. There's a lot of options."
"I'm not sure. I don't know much other than how to make a sword and how to hold up a temple."
"Well, I might have an idea."
chapter 8
A few months had apassed and he was feeling stronger and healthier than ever. It was as if the last few months of salvery had been washed away. Well, mostly. His aback ached whenever he bent over, and his shoulders were perpetually sore, and his stomach had healed all wrong. But as he started to eat more and his muscles filled back out again, everything felt like luxury compared to where he had been.
I felt bguilty. Whenever I thought about those still in the temple. Elianus and Pollux. They were trapped there, living in hiell day ain and day out.
I had lived in the city in the same home as Callius. His main payckehekc came from accepting bribes,w hcih he saw as a necessarily evil to get to whree he needed. I wasn't complaining, as his bribe money s paid for my food. After a few weeks of letting my body heal I finally started working again. I was the asssitant to a local blacksmith, even though I knew more than him, my hands ewere less steady and my arms weaker. from my times as a slave.
Then one day Callius and Imy plan finally started.
There war s a small towon majyor who frequently sold slaves to temples. Callius and I decided that he would be the best person to take over first. But it coudn't be obvious. That would just lead to the empire sending troops to quell our "rebellion". It needed to be slow and insidious.
We had been plalnning it for months now, and when I was sitting outside and finally saw the mayour's cart flown down, I smiled from excitement.
