[M] The Darkness Down Below

[Violet]

Nathaniel and his people teleported away to safety, reemerging seconds later on the platform in which Ramses resided. Must have been nice, she thought darkly. They were safe up there, richly clothed and well fed, and here she was, face to muzzle with a zombie raccoon and they couldn’t even give her a fucking loincloth to cover up with. At this point, modesty was a mere afterthought.

The monster watched her carefully from across the inner circle of the arena, its nostrils flaring with each deep, calculating breath. A shock of electricity darted from one eye to the other, lighting up its face momentarily.

Slowly, methodically, she crawled to her feet, her gaze never leaving the creature’s oh, so patient visage. Her hands grasped at the sandy dirt beneath her, and soon as the thought formed within her mind, she acted. In one smooth motion, she flung the soil into its face and then handsprung over its head as it roared beneath her. It flailed its limbs, trying – and failing – to catch her. Her feet made purchase between the spikes on its spine, her hands grasping onto two of the thicker protrusions. Riding the thrashing creature was difficult, but what really worried her was her lack of planning and the liquid that squished between her toes was beginning to burn.

Bucking beneath her, Violet held tight to the spines, feeling one begin to loosen from the skin. It reared upon its hind legs, trying desperately to throw her off, but she didn’t let go. Her feet slipped in the slick sludge that covered its back, but the rest of her body was firmly affixed. The crowd erupted in deafening sound as the struggle played out.

One sudden jerk knocked her off balance, and in doing so, she tore the loosened spike from its hole, a good four feet of bony material, just enough to give her some kind of edge. Grasping the spike, she rolled off of the monster’s back and into the dirt, quickly getting back to her feet before a massive claw slammed into the spot she occupied just a split second before. The wind from the impact buffeted her flesh as she readjusted herself.

Gripping her newly hewn weapon, she charged the animal, the spike shoving into its neck until she could feel it’s skin against her fingers, then ruthlessly, jerked it back out. Blood darker than tar and just as thick spurted from the hole, and splattered all over her torso and legs. It squealed something awful and reared back. Its eyes glittered with pain and anger as it tried to focus on her.

Violet didn’t waste another second as she jabbed it yet again into its body, seeking a home within its chest. She wouldn’t stop until its heart was shredded and it was laying dead on the dirt. When it finally collapsed before her, Violet withdrew the spike and lifted it up high above her head, the crowd roaring around her. She was victorious!

Eyes glowing a hellish red, Violet roared for them, nothing any human could elicit erupting from her throat. As her gaze circled the arena, she felt every eye upon her, a myriad of feelings and emotions washing over her as she took it all in, and for the first time since she arrived, something close to hope filled her. If this thing could die, perhaps others could, too.

This arena thing had possibilities. Violet’s eyes fell upon the dias where Nathaniel and his party sat, their faces serious as they glared back. She flashed them her most winning smile, forcing as much venomous sweetness as she could in it. Every last one of them would die, in this arena. What poetic justice that would be.