I Am Gladiator! (Closed, Started)

[MortifiedPenguin]

The crowd's cheering had ceased, they did not like the lack of blood, they wanted him to kill the man with more flourish, a man who should've lived, a clan had ended now and it was done by Lahar's hand but not his will. He was disgusted with himself. He was escorted with Rowan back into the depths of the arena, he wondered how the other Vaan, Typhon and Antonius had done in their fights and if they felt as wretched as he did.

He saw Atonious and the other gladiators, but no sign of his fellow War Walker. Antonius had been wounded on his chest, it had been stitched up, but at least Jamukha hadn't left him to die in the arena. It seemed like he was one of the few who had avoided being wounded.

Antonius walked over to Lahar. "It seems we both survived our fights. So what was your fight like?"

Lahar couldn't think of anything to say but, "The Maurie Clan are no more, I ended them."

 

[KelevraBD]

Rowan walked proudly back through the arena, nursing his cut arm slightly. The medicus would be able to stitch him up nicely, and the battle scar would be a welcome reminder of his first fight. The crowd had showered him with praise, and more importantly the higher ups had seen what he could do, and hopefully that he was worth a great deal more than six gold shards. Lahar had been another story. The poor Vaan had taken pity on the Maurie Clan, and suffered the scorn of the crowd for it. There is no room on the sands for pity, Rowan thought. Although he supposed the Vaan War Walkers were not killers by choice, but by necessity; and Lahar must have thought that the Clansman did not need to die.

Rowan quickly spotted Jamukha talking with Antonius and made his way over. He was relieved to see his friend had succeeded in his fight, but a large part of him had hoped that at least the Imperial would have died. Although perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. The satisfaction of doing the man in himself would be far greater. Ignoring the Imperial, Rowan grinned widely at Jamuu and extended his hand in greeting.

"Good to see you brother."

 

[Floris2123]

"The Maurie Clan are no more, I ended them." Antonius saw the sadness in his friends eyes. He remembered that the war walkers preferred not to kill, and he probably had to considering they were all dead. "I am sorry to hear that. I am happy to see that you live and it is always an shame when men have to die without an reason. Well come on let's get out of this place of dead. By the way where is your friend the other Vaan?" Antonius looked around to look for the other Vaan. His wound was still stinging a little but he was more worried if it would get infected, if it would he would have an giant problem.

 

[Dogmatic99]

"By the way where is your friend the other Vaan?" Just as Antonius said it a cart creaked up to the group, pulled by a scrawny looking man and carrying a body covered by a bloody white cloth.

"What do you want done with this one?" He asked the Executor.
"Not like he had any winning to put aside for a burial or whatever the Vaan do with their dead. chuck him in the beast pits, no sense in him going to waste. Unless you lot want to pay for him?" He said turning to the assembled gladiators.

Meanwhile, up above, Varlen Marrick had rejoined the nobility in the viewing platform in The Den of Hearts. He grinned to himself as Vorgis sent his opponent flying across the sands with a swing of his greatsword.

Behind him an elderly senator leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Marrick, while I have you for a moment I was wondering about that new Vaan you acquired for the exotics today."
"You mean Lahar. He's an odd one but what Vaan isn't? At least they're easy to tame."
The senator seemed to grimace at that though he hid it well. "Yes, well I was wondering if his contract was open for patronage."
"You and your Vaan Kedrin." Marrick laughed. "Yes, yes we can go over the details after the games."

"What about that Amon'tyr you bought?" Chimed in another noble. "Since you wiped out the last of my Maurie I could use some new horsemen to swell up my ranks."

"Sorry but Jamukha is not for sale."

"Jamukha....I swear I've heard that name before. These Amon names all sound like gibberish to me. Still I would pay handsomely for him. He seems like good stock and Jage could use the company of his countrymen now the Mauries are gone."

 

[MortifiedPenguin]

"By the way where is your friend the other Vaan?"

As Antonius asked him the question, Lahar saw a wooden cart, covered with sheet that used to be white, turning a deep shade of scarlet. Whoever was under the sheet had died recently probably from a wound that didn't kill at first, but slowly bled him out. Lahar thought back to the Muarie that he had killed last, this was what would've happened if he hadn't done it himself. No one deserved a death like that.

"What do you want done with this one?" The scrawny man pushing the cart said

"Not like he had any winning to put aside for a burial or whatever the Vaan do with their dead. chuck him in the beast pits, no sense in him going to waste. Unless you lot want to pay for him?" The Executor said turning to the assembled gladiators.

His heart sank, Typhon was the only other Vaan.

"I'll pay for him,"

 

[Dogmatic99]

"I'll pay for him,"

The executor shrugged. "suit yourself, but it'll cost you your winnings. We'll take him from here." he said to the cart bearer. "I'll take care of the rest." He turned to Lahar. "You're our ludus' last male Vaan now. That makes you special!" He grinned patting Lahar on the head like a puppy.

As condescending as he was the executor was true to his word and secured them a small cremation room near the arena. "This seems as good a place as any." he said as the others filed in, their hands cuffed in order to make sure they do not try anything rash. As they lined up beside Typhon's body they could see that the executor held a brand in his hand. "Normally we wait until you get back to the Ludus but this seems more fitting. To rise beside the fallen." With that he lit the pyre and the flames began to lick at Typhon's cloth wrapped body. Heating the brand in the fire, he set about his task. One by one the living are given the mark of the sword beside their "M" brand. Marking them as true gladiators.

"If any of you have anything to say, now is the time."

 

[AceofPie]

Jamukha took Rowan?s hand and gave it a firm shake. He was glad to see his friend had not died on the sands. So glad, in fact, that he almost managed a smile. Jamukha found it hard to be happy after such grim work.

Good to see you brother. By contrast, Rowan had no trouble smiling at all. There was something to be envied about the Asieren?s easy demeanor.

?And you,? Jamukha caught himself before he said brother and instead settled on, ?my friend.? He had a complicated history with his brothers. One had betrayed his trust and sold him into slavery, and the other was dead, in no small part due to Jamukha?s own arrogance. No, it was not a privileged thing to be counted among Jamukha?s brothers.

?I trust you fought well.? Jamukha continued. ?I?ve already heard talk of a ?flying Asieren? from the other slaves down here.? Jamukha gave Rowan a knowing look. ?Unless Gaius suddenly sprouted a pair of massive wings to go with his massive arms, I think they were talking about you. How exactly does an Asieren fly, if I am allowed to ask??

Just as Jamuu was allowing himself to let his guard down, a grim reminder of his reality was wheeled into sight on a wooden cart. Muscles tensed in Jamuu?s arms as the executor spoke of tossing the Vaan?s remains to the beast. Such a desecration of the body was reserved for the lowest criminals and scum. Jamukha did not know the Vaan well, but he knew that he deserved better than that.

"I'll pay for him," The other Vaan, Lahar, spoke the words before Jamukha could.

Jamukha followed the others into the cremation chamber, keenly observing that the executor had brought with him another brand. The thought of sticking the fiery stick down that pig?s throat was the only thing that kept him calm as the hot metal pressed against his flesh. One day, Jamuu thought. One day I will repay this debt to you, pig.

"If any of you have anything to say, now is the time." The pig spoke when his work was done.

Looking at the burning body of his fellow slave, Jamuu found himself at a loss for words. For his people, the burning of the body marked the end of one life and the beginning of another. The fire freed the spirit and allowed it to move on to the next life. But did the Vaan believe the same thing?

?The fire carries his spirit now.? Jamukha said, stepping forward. They were the words of his people, and they would have to do for now. He could feel the laughing eyes of the pig on him, but Jamuu continued. ?May he find peace where there was none. May he find joy where there was none. May he never know another sleepless night. This life is over, another begins.?

 

[ProtoChimp]

Gaius held the Lion's fur in his hand, spreading it between his fingers as he lay on the wooden table. He was lost in his thoughts about the creature when a slave with the Marrick brand on him entered the Medicus.

"You are needed by the executor. One of the Vaan died." Gaius was hardly surprised someone died, although he wanted it to be the Imperial. "Follow me" continued the slave. Gaius limped, following the small skinny man to a cremation room in the arena. There he found the executor had yet another brand for his flesh. Gaius didn't even tense his muscles as his skin was burnt with the mark of the gladiator. He thought of when he first began fighting with his people, and the mushrooms he once ate to supposedly aid him in battle. All it did was make him fight like a madman, like... Carvinox. "Carvinox..." he whispered. 'The mark of a Lion... that I would gladly endure burning flesh for' he thought, still deeply disturbed by his latest kill.

Gaius stood beside the other gladiators as Typhon's body was burnt, some of the other gladiators still receiving the mark. The Amon'tyr said a few words. 'Must be their words of burial'. As he spoke Gaius nodded to the only living Vaan left in their 'group'. He wondered if that was even the right word as most of these men he still considered strangers. And that wasn't even counting the more seasoned gladiators, and he had forgotten about the females.

 

[Godhead]

As Vokrash returned from the sands he saw a small circle of the new gladiators being branded and cremating someone. Upon closer inspection, Vokrash determined it was one of the Vaan. A pity when one dies so early on. As he looked up from the burning corpse he saw that Gaius was whispering 'Carvinox' over and over. Vokrash remembered that name from the list in who Gaius and Belkin were to fight and he could see that Gaius was visibly disturbed from the kill.

"What troubles you brother, I have not seen one such as you so disturbed from death in a long time."

 

[ProtoChimp]

"What troubles you brother, I have not seen one such as you so disturbed from death in a long time." Said Vokrash to Gaius.

Gaius said back to him, trying to hide it from the others "For the longest time I have killed cleanly, even empire scum trying to take my-our home... brother..." he choked out the last word, as he certainly didn't consider Vokrash a brother, but perhaps he was wrong. "And animals even more so, and I have always used every part of the body... To kill something so brutally... and then never to use the carcass for food or warmth," Gaius was breathing hard at this point "I have shamed Morgal, and Garonex, and my Father and Mother and Carvinox..." he clenched his fists so tight his nails cut his palms "All because I allowed myself to be taken by those Va'kesh Se'kol Kuntarra Gunal Farushta."

 

[Godhead]

"For the longest time I have killed cleanly, even empire scum trying to take my-our home... brother..." Vokrash heard the choking sound on the word brother and knew that Gaius either did not view him as kin or is wary to be open. And animals even more so, and I have always used every part of the body... To kill something so brutally... and then never to use the carcass for food or warmth. I have shamed Morgal, and Garonex, and my Father and Mother and Carvinox... All because I allowed myself to be taken by those Va'kesh Se'kol Kuntarra Gunal Farushta."

Vokrash looked Gaius and looked him in the eyes and said to him plainly "Let us leave your comrades to mourn for the dead and follow me." Vokrash led him to a bench where nobody was around. "Now tell me about the fight and how you were captured."

 

[ProtoChimp]

Vokrash looked Gaius and looked him in the eyes and said to him plainly "Let us leave your comrades to mourn for the dead and follow me." Vokrash led him to a bench where nobody was around. "Now tell me about the fight and how you were captured."

Gaius sat on the bench, his leg still hurting as he straightened it to lesson the pain. He thought back to how he was captured. Breathing deep he said with a great sadness "I was fighting with my brothers to defend a river... two of them were my actual brothers, not just in war. Same father, same mother." Gaius took a long pause before continuing. "There were too many imperials for my kin to fight off and one by one they fell." Turning to Vokrash he asked "Surely before you were captured you knew our code: that we'd rather end our own lives before being taken as a slave." Assuming Vokrash knew Gaius continued his story "I knew I would either die or be captured... so I killed the wounded... my brothers in arms and blood, so they would not feel the shame of slavery. I tried to kill myself but they took me."

Gaius played with the fur in his hands, giving him some comfort he could not explain.

 

[KelevraBD]

"I've already heard talk of a 'flying Asieren' from the other slaves down here."

"Aye, that was me." Rowan laughed. he wanted the other gladiators to take notice of him just as much as the higher ups, and the crowd. After all, a fearsome reputation would go a long way in intimidating foes. The Asieren were just as adept at intimidation as they were in combat itself. Hallucinogenic mushrooms, wild battle cries, and a dense, confusing jungle were the perfect mix of confusion and misdirection that had aided Rowan and his tribemates in defending themselves against Imperial oppression. Now he would simply have to adapt new tactics to defend himself against the sands.

"It's much harder than you'd think, Jamuu. My wing's are sore." Just as he finished, Rowan noted the cart being rolled past them with a grim sense of understanding. If Morgal was kind, he would not share the same fate as Typhon. Rowan shot a glance to Lahar, his battle partner and the last remaining Vaan in their group. He thought of how terrible it must feel to be completely alone. Lahar and Jamuu were now one of a kind, stranded with strangers. Rowan wondered if the pair of them would realize this, and perhaps band together. Three strong warriors like Rowan, Lahar, and Jamukha could do great together on the sands.

As they were lead out towards the Vaan's "funeral", Rowan caught a glimpse of the hot iron in the executors hand. The mark of the gladiator. At last, Rowan would be considered equal, and given the chance to truly shine. He took the mark with a wide grin, almost enjoying the pain it brought him. With that pain came the knowledge that he was one step closer to redeeming himself in the eyes of Morgal. The executor asked for words from the gladiators, and Jamuu gave a speech that Rowan figured he must have given many times before. It saddened Rowan, knowing that a boy so young as Jamuu would know so much of death.

Rowan made his way to the executor after the words were spoken and whispered something in his ear, so that only he could hear him.

"Take my winnings and give them to Lahar, please." he said before moving off to find the Vaan. When he found Lahar, Rowan pulled the Vaan to the side and rested a hand on his shoulders. They had both worked so hard to keep each other alive in the sands, and that was a bond that Rowan was not going to forget easily.

"You will not bear this burden alone, Lahar. I swear to you."

 

[Godhead]

Vokrash looked away and towards the ground. "34 years ago I was banished by my tribe for killing the Va'kesh who slept with my sister. For two years I lived alone in the wild with no others but the animals to be my companions. I had left morality and civilization behind; I had become little more than an animal." Vokrash took a deep breath. It had been years since there was another Asiren among him, and even longer since he had told anyone his story.

"For two years I lived in the wild, alone. Then one day I saw an Imperial Garrison in one of my favorite hunting grounds. To you that might not mean much, but to me it was as if somebody walked right into my place of living and destroyed everything and then expected me to clean up the mess. I waited until night and killed all but two of the men there. They knocked me out and dragged me to another garrison where I was bound and was forced to march all the way to Ptolemy. For the first five years of being a slave the only thing that they could do was try to reintegrate me into the 'civilised world'. I lost count of how many times I tried to escape." Anger was beginning to burn in Vokrash's eyes.

"But then one day they led me to the sands and gave me a knife. They said only four words to me. 'Kill or be killed'". Vokrash paused there and was silent for a moment. After a few seconds he turned back to Gaius. "The world you once knew is dead and you will never get it back. If you escape then where will you go? Your tribe will have forgotten you or look upon you as a coward and a failure. The world of the gladiator is the one that you live in now. There are no morals and there is no room for regrets or sympathy. There is only one true law that governs this life. Kill or be killed."

With those last words Vokrash stood up and began to walk off. He stopped for a second and said "welcome to the sands Gaius. This is no place for mercy." and began to walk off.

 

[MortifiedPenguin]

The executor was true to his word and had found them a small crematorium. He had brought another brand with him, this time in a shape of a blade to mark them as true gladiators, they would be seen as slaves no longer. Typhon had been lain on the funeral pyre, but he was without his blades, when a War Walker was given to the sands his blades went with him. It angered Lahar to see his brother treated with such disrespect.

"If any of you have anything to say, now is the time."

Death seemed so certain to the other Tribes, they knew where they would go once they left this world, but for the Vaan it was a mystery. Some believed that their souls would go to the after life, or they would be reincarnated to live anther life, Lahar didn't know what to think, maybe life could find a way even after death?

"We fight to protect our families, we kill to ensure life. Life will always find away, even after death" He said when Jamukha had finished.

He walked over to the executor and accept his brand. He was still recovering from the pain when the Asieren he had been fighting with beside pulled him over.

"You will not bear this burden alone, Lahar. I swear to you."

"Each man bears his burden, but he doesn't have to bear it alone" He said back, trying to smile

 

[Floris2123]

"I'll pay for him," Antonius looked at Lahar surprised. It seems that Lahar was really a kind person Antonius had made an good assessment of his charterer. Still he was a bit soft this could mean death. Antonius made a mental note about looking after Lahar if they ever fought together.

Antonius did what he always did he remained quiet and looked around. He was quite during the burial he hadn't even spoken to the man, and he wasn't what you could call saddened that he had died. But before he could walk over to Lahar to talk to him, another seemed to have begun talking to him. Antonius decided that it was still best to not attract attention. He began to listen to everybody talk making mental notes. Too bad he couldn't talk too Lahar though still he wasn't about to risk Rowan seeing him.

Antonius got the mark of the gladiator for wining the battle. The mark burned just as bad as the previous one. Antonius managed to keep his face mostly intact, and by biting his lip he could suppress any scream of pain. He stood alone once again it was by choice now however the cut was causing him allot of pain and so was the mark. Antonius just wanted to go to bed he was tired, and he knew that he wouldn?t be able to make any friends or really do anything useful today.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Gaius listened to Vokrash's tale. Killing one for sleeping with his sister? It must have been rape or something terrible as murdering someone for that seemed excessive. Living in the wilds must have made him a great survivor though, considering he's so old and still alive as a gladiator it was obviously true. His last words to Gaius stuck with him however.

"The world you once knew is dead and you will never get it back. If you escape then where will you go? Your tribe will have forgotten you or look upon you as a coward and a failure. The world of the gladiator is the one that you live in now. There are no morals and there is no room for regrets or sympathy. There is only one true law that governs this life. Kill or be killed." Those words made Gaius feel like a lost child, though he dared not show it. He felt the urge to drop Carvinox's fur but he just couldn't. "Welcome to the sands Gaius. This is no place for mercy." And with that he left. Gaius still had more to say but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

Gaius sat on the bench for as long as he could before someone gave him another order. Perhaps the executor or Marrick himself. Is this what the Empire had done to him? Made him weak? Such remorse for a creature that murdered innocents. A broken spirit that left him feel sad and depressed instead of angry and hateful. It had been a week and the others seemed to be fairing fine, apart from Lahar though he seemed the type to keep fighting, even if he had lost his kin. Gaius was never one for mercy, he always killed and never with remorse... so why was it taking hold of him now. 'Kill or be killed' he thought. 'I know thats how the world of the gladiator works, thats how my life even before I was captured worked... but... this is all so wrong. He sat there for a while, still clutching the fur. His hatred and blood-lust for Marrick was starting to dim and was replaced with a disturbing idea.

"Perhaps death on the sands will be easier than this new life."

 

[Dogmatic99]

After the ceremony was over he group was taken back to the ludus and lead to the cells. They were informed that now that they were marked as true gladiators they would receive they would have their own personal cells on the opposite side of the other gladiators, through the communal cell. As they were led through the depths of the ludus however they found things had changed. The female gladiators cells were empty. All became clear when they came to the male cells.

The communal area they had spent their first week had been filled with a long table, covered in fruits, bread, beer and meats. Sat around it were the all the other gladiators of House Marrick. They gave up a cheer as the others came into the cell and raised their cups. places had been left for them all along the long benches. Vorgis sat at the head of the table with the slave woman Kirra on his right, he motioned for Vokrash to join him on his left. Clustered together were the five female gladiators.

The executor pointed Lahar to a cell at the far end of the room. "You've been left a wash cloth and basin in your cell. Make sure to scrub up good, you're meeting your patron tomorrow." And at that he took his seat at the end of the table opposite Vorgis. Durro rushed up to Rowan and pulled at his rags, trying to get him to sit with Durro and his mother. Lahar and Jamukha were not so lucky. They were quickly corralled by the largest of the female gladiators - the bear sized woman who had tried to grope Lahar when she first saw him - and brought them to sit with the women. Belkin was ushered over by a red haired gladiator, who offered up a place next to him. The only place left for Gaius and Antonius forced them to sit next to each other near a pair of gladiators. One of them was tanned with hawk like features and a dark skinned man with a shaved head, both of whom greeted them with smiles and good graces.

 

[SPARTANXIII]

For the rest of the Day, Belkin had remained quiet, lost in his thoughts. Even when he was asked to attend the cremation, he still remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. His only sound came from a grunt of pain when he was marked, a mark that was much nicer than the one that marked him as a slave before, a mark he still wanted to remove. He was still confused be his emotions from earlier; was he just happy with surviving the beast, or was he finding actual enjoyment from fighting in the arena? He kept his thoughts to himself, as was headed back to his cell.

He was told that the mark made them out as true gladiators, meaning they could sleep in personal cells from now on. Finally, I can rest rather than we woken up by their pointless bickering he thought to himself, remembering the first night they were here. They were then lead back to their large cell from before, where what looked like a feast was laid out for them and the other gladiators of the house. He was beckoned to a seat by a Red-haired gladiator, to which he sat next to, eyeing a majority of the meat on the table.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Being led back to the ludas Gaius did whatever he was told. He didn't speak but he showed no signs of rebelling. the sideways glance in his eyes he had when planning his escape was now replaced by a suicidal gaze, his eyes drooped down to the ground and his eye lids half closed over.

He found their previous resting place covered in food and drink. The gladiators of the ludas all sat around the table, Vorgis at the head with his wife and child, looking to be soon joined by his fellow Asiren. Gaius was forced to sit next to the imperial who he could't even bother to detest any more. He between him and a tanned man with hawk like features. The man offered Gaius good graces and passed him some wine with which Gaius quietly thanked him. He slowly began to eat some of the meat on the table and a little of the fruit, it tasted much sweeter than home. At least the people of Ptolemy could prepare a good meal. Gaius tried his best not to speak with anyone, he even made room beside himself for Antonius to be comfortable whereas a week ago he would have possibly knocked the food off of his plate. He ignored anyone who tried to speak with him and shut down his mind. He had no purpose now.