Short Stories

Champion of the Gods

A deafening roar came from the other side of the iron bars in front of me. I heard the other champions being announced one by one along with the Olympian they represented in battle. A yell from the crowd followed each name. After five were announced, I heard the gears in the wall begin turning. The gate rose into the ceiling, exposing the arena in front of me.

"Saige Greene, Champion of Demeter!"

I swallowed my fear, putting on my tough face for the show. As I marched into the arena, I vaguely registered the noise of the crowd as I analyzed my opponents. My fingers gripped the scythe in my hand tighter as I saw each well-trained mortal in front of me. Before I knew it, all twelve Champions had entered.

"Ready. Set. Fight!"

I felt the sheer energy of the crowd and used it to give me courage to turn to the Champion of Hephaestus beside me. He held a hammer made of gears and cogs large enough to break my bones. However, I was the first to strike. My scythe sliced through the air just in front of his chest. He dodged and swung his hammer towards my head.

I saw the move coming and took the opportunity to duck and swing at his legs. I made contact and he fell to the ground, immobilized almost like the god he represented. I finished him off with a quick swing at the neck.

The crowd let up a cheer as I moved to the next opponent. Conveniently, the Champions of Artemis and Apollo were locked in battle beside me, both using their fists for close combat fight instead of their bows of gears. This left both vulnerable to my attack.

Apollo's went down first, leaving Artemis's Champion to fight me. She quickly nocked an arrow in her bow and aimed for the heart. I charged at her, but she was still able to shoot, hitting my shoulder with her arrow.

I swung at her side and left a deep gash. As she painfully grasped at her side, I swung again at her neck, decapitating my foe. Afterwards, I pulled the arrow from my shoulder and threw it to the ground.

Three Champions remained. Zeus, Poseidon, and I all turned to face each other across the arena. I smirked at the two men before charging Zeus. He reached in his satchel and removed a charged lightning bolt of gears and metals. He aimed towards me, but then threw it towards the unsuspecting Champion of Poseidon who had probably intended to let us fight it out.

I heard a thud as the bolt made contact. He reached for another as I approached, but he was too slow. My scythe swung through the air towards his head, surely winning me the battle.

An electrical shock ripped through the air, knocking me down. The last thing I heard was an angry female voice from above in the stands.

"Zeus! You cheater!"