Gladiator of Rome (#1 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Stepping out into the arena once again, Krista found herself no longer entranced by the enormity of it, nor was she as thrilled to be here as she had been when she first arrived. Perhaps the shine had been washed away by all the blood spilt within its walls and Krista saw it for what it truly was; a slaughter yard.

The other reason could be that she was gradually coming to accept the fact that Lazarus was truly gone and would not be returning to her. The reason for his absence had been born of actions she made in the arena. Krista had unintentionally caused her dearest friend's death, and the thought alone stilled her heart more than any sword ever could. 

Although, however much she was in pain she could not give up this far into the games. It was not in her nature to surrender, and Lazarus would not have wanted her to. The end was so close that Krista could taste it on the tip of her tongue, and yet if she reached out to grasp it it would quickly vanish. 

Just get through this match, Krista instructed herself as she took a deep breath and watched her newest opponent, a lady with olive tan skin and raven black hair, approach. 

Thrusting her sword into the air, the crowd gave a heartfelt cheer, whilst Krista remained still and poised. A glare of sun blinded Krista momentarily causing her to scrunch her eyes shut, but when she looked back she saw what had caused it. The chest of her opponent was covered in bronze armour, whereas Krista wore very little. Narrowing her eyes, Krista used those crucial few moments to gauge her opponent further and her chest warmed when she spotted a slight limp to the woman's left leg as she walked. 

With a sword grasped in each hand, Krista was eager to finish their fight and get off of the same sand where Lazarus died, but she was quick not to get ahead of herself. Watching her opponent take a turn in the arena, thrusting her sword into the air towards those in the stands, Krista watched as she raised a helmet and began to secure it atop her head until only a pair of black eyes stared out at her. 

Using their momentary lack of attention, Krista struck first and slashed the tips of her swords against the woman's chest plate. The screeching sound of metal upon metal coursed through the air, sending shivers up her arms, until the lady stumbled back out of reach. Keeping her strikes strong and determined, Krista was no longer looking to please the crowd. She wanted her freedom and that was all.

No longer caring for the bloodthirsty crowd that cheered when she slashed the back of woman's arm open or protested when she managed to cut Krista across the chest, she danced out of the way and looked for where to place her next strike. 

They circled each other for a moment, sweat beading down the sides of her face as she gazed into the slot of the helmet where the woman's eyes rested, looking back out at her when she struck. Darting forward, the woman yelled as she raised her sword into the air. 

Hurrying forward, Krista ducked underneath the woman's blade before it could begin its descent back to the ground and dived into the ground. Rolling over, Krista came back up onto her feet immediately, hissing where she felt grains of hot sand imbed themselves in the wound on her chest. 

Turning back to face her opponent, Krista strode forward where the woman raised her sword and began to swing it down towards Krista's head. Crossing her blades over each other until they made an 'X' shape in front of her face, Krista blocked the woman's attack before she hooked her foot around the woman's ankle and pulled it out from underneath, flinging her onto her back.

Remembering the limp in her left leg, Krista wasted no time in slamming her boot straight down onto the bone when she heard a resounding crack echo through the arena right before the woman's agonising scream rented the air. Breathing heavy from exertion, Krista felt deeply tiresome about all this killing as she knelt by the woman's side, hoping to give her a swift death with no further pain.