Page 71 of Gladiator's Captive
Somewhere during the fight, Wylder had decided he’d had enough of watching. A mighty, broad ax found its way in his hands and he used it, swinging wildly at whoever stood in front of him. Foes and bystanders fell to his blade as Wylder stepped over their bodies.
As Wylder moved across the battlefield, Sayk and Rager turned toward him in a single, focused movement. No emotion filtered on their faces, only a stone-cold determination.
Rager stayed behind as Sayk moved, his long, thin sword slicing the air in front of him. Wylder watched Sayk move forward, a grim, hateful turn on his fleshy lips.
This was between Wylder and Sayk. Their sword and ax connected, the sound of metal on metal mighty and cruel as the fighting still raged on. Behind Sayk, Rager kept guard, killing any soldier foolish enough to come forward.
Wylder was as ruthless in his combat as he was in his ruling. His ax moved tirelessly, up and down as Sayk’s thinner, graceful sword traced lines of death around his body. It became clear that Sayk was the superior fighter, and soon, Wylder howled with a long shout of pain as a deep, long cut slashed across his chest.
Wylder limped away as Sayk advanced, not a trace of mercy on his stony features.
“Wait!” Wylder shouted above the clamor of the fight. “I’ll give you anything. I’ll give you back your whore and more money than you can ever hope for.”
“You said so yourself, Wylder, the time for mercy has long passed. And Janet was never yours to begin with.”
Sayk brought his sword high as he stood right in front of Wylder.
“Then give me my life.” Wylder bent in apparent submission. Sayk’s eyes shone as he watched the tyrant of the town kneeling in front of him, his sword lowering by just a fraction. “There is no point in wasting more lives than what is already done. Spare me and I will order my soldiers to stand down. Kill me and they will fight to the bitter end.”
Sayk stared at Wylder, his eyes full of hate. I didn’t know the Huugwor commander well, but I knew he wasn’t insensitive to the idea of saving lives. Sayk hesitated, taking one step closer to Wylder.
The chancellor of Tartarus lifted his head and for a terrifying second, I saw a glimmer of pure, exalted rage shine in his eyes. Wylder’s hand pulled out from inside his large coat. Something shiny and sharp shone under the low light.
I realized too late this was a second blade and that Sayk stood too close.
Janet screamed and Sayk lifted his gaze to her. Wylder struck, fast and mean as a snake. The tiny blade embedded deep in Sayk’s abdomen and the Huugwor bent in two. Pain and shock spread on Sayk’s face, but he was strong enough to kick Wylder away into the sand.
The next second, a curved blade pierced Wylder’s chest, poking out from his back and into the sand below. Wylder gurgled, his eyes wide and unbelieving as his hands closed around the hilt of Rager’s sword. Then he fell, dead.
Janet rushed forward from my side, ignoring the danger of the battlefield. She found herself in Sayk’s arms just as the large warrior struck down another of Wylder’s soldiers.
“He’s dead!” a soldier shouted, watching the lifeless form of Wylder on the ground. “Wylder is dead!”
Rager raised an arm, his curved blade soaked with blood high in the air. A battle cry filled the air as Sayk’s enforcers all screamed at once. For a dizzying second, I wondered if Wylder’s men would really keep fighting, but as Rager turned around, his gaze washing over the people, soldiers and civilians alike, they stood unmoving. Fear painted their faces as they realized they had lost.
The words of Marvin came back to my mind. Those people worked for Wylder under duress. They had been wrong in doing so, but they were victims of a ruthless, soulless man as well.
Would Rager kill them all?
“It is over.” Rager’s voice boomed, loud and strong. “Lay down your weapons and you will be spared. Keep fighting and no quarter shall be given.”
As he turned, meeting the eyes of Wylder’s soldiers, weapons fell to the ground. They all bowed their heads to him as I stared, my heart swelling with pride and relief. Standing like this, in the middle of the carnage, I had a vision of the man he had been. The general, leading his men to battle.
“Kneel, soldiers and accept your new chancellor.” Rager pointed to Sayk, who miraculously stood, Janet at his side, holding the wound in his stomach with a blood-red hand. He was injured, but still stood proud and tall. “This is a new era for Tartarus. An era of peace and justice for all.”
As Wylder’s soldiers knelt to the ground, Rager turned toward me. His face slacked and he moved, but it was too late.
I was yanked from behind. The cold of steel rested on the soft tissues of my throat and fear flooded inside my mind as cruel fingers pulled me backward with a bruising strength.
“Stay where you are, Rager.” Arenius spoke from behind me. “Or Serena will die.”
Heads turned toward Arenius and me as my heart beat fast and hard. My head spun and fear ran through my limbs but I managed to stay perfectly still.
“Father? What are you doing?”
“Shut up.” Arenius pulled me with him down the platform. The people around moved to let us pass, shock on their faces.
“Arenius.” Rager’s voice boomed, imperious, authoritative.
