Starting out as a Dragon Slave
Chapter 31: Akane

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Akane

Breathless, his body trembling with exhaustion but still full of wild adrenalin, Mordred was escorted by two dragon-guards to his cell, to the still-exhilarated roar of the audience. As he made his way down the dark corridor towards the gaols, he could hear the announcer continuing to shout, inflaming the crowd with insane enthusiasm.

- What an incredible turn of events!" he shouted hysterically. Mordred the human, our unexpected new gladiator, has survived his first fight against the dreaded vouivre! We’ll meet him again in two days’ time for a new, even more perilous challenge! But in the meantime, my dear friends, the show must go on!

Mordred gritted his teeth as the dragon-guards ruthlessly shoved him back into his dark cell. They violently slammed the metal door behind him, locking it heavily. The sound resounded like a death knell.

Exhausted, Isaac dropped heavily against the cold wall, feeling every muscle in his body protest painfully. Dried blood and sweat still covered his face, his clothes clung to his skin in permanent discomfort, but despite the pain, he had survived. That was all that mattered at the moment.

Through a small, narrow window, secured by thick, rusty bars, he could see inside the arena, where the announcer was excitedly continuing his speech:

- Mordred will be back in two days’ time for another battle! But now, dear viewers, the evening is just beginning! Get ready to admire the next fighters who risk their lives for your exclusive entertainment!

Isaac, curious despite his exhaustion, straightened up slightly to get a better look through the bars.

A new man was pushed ruthlessly into the arena. Tall, imposing, his torso covered in scars, he seemed experienced but exhausted by too many fights. The crowd cheered briefly, obviously knowing his name.

- This is Jorgan the Devourer, a veteran of the arena with five victories under his belt! But can he survive today against... THE ASH BEHEMOTH!

A huge metal door opened slowly, releasing a gigantic monster resembling a monstrous bull, its skin covered with black patches and glowing embers. As soon as it entered, the beast roared ferociously, spitting a jet of burning flames skywards.

The crowd roared its approval, thrilled by the savagery of the spectacle.

Isaac watched the scene from his cell, his heart heavy. The battle was short and brutal. Jorgan, despite his obvious experience, was quickly overwhelmed by the monster’s destructive power. The flames consumed his body in seconds, his terrified screams of pain mingling with the wild cheers of the dragons.

Mordred looked away, disgusted by the gratuitous, sadistic cruelty of the spectacle. But despite himself, he stood and watched.

More fighting quickly followed, all equally bloody and merciless. Isaac could smell the acrid odor of blood and burnt flesh, mixed with the cries of the dying prisoners. He sometimes had to look away, his stomach in knots at the morbid spectacle, but a dark part of him remained captivated by the sheer brutality of these clashes to the death.

Finally came the moment the crowd had been waiting for. The presenter rose to his feet, his voice vibrating with renewed excitement.

- Ladies and gentlemen, dear dragons, the time has come to welcome the one you’ve all been waiting for! She, the rising star, the relentless killer with nine consecutive victories! I name her... Zephira, the Scarlet Sword!

The cries of excitement resounded like thunder, reverberating all the way back to Mordred’s cell, rudely awakening his attention.

The large arena doors opened again, revealing a slender but powerful female figure.

Zealous and determined, she moved slowly across the bloody sand, wearing light, elegant armor of dark leather reinforced with steel. Her long black hair was tied in a tight braid that reached down to her loins. Her deep green eyes sparkled with cold determination.

- Introducing Akane, the people’s favorite fighter!" shouted the announcer. And opposite her, a creature never before seen in this arena: the terrible Wyverne of Storms!

At these words, magician-guards advanced around the arena, quickly erecting a huge, shiny, transparent magical barrier. This was essential to protect spectators from the devastating powers of the creature to come.

Isaac felt his throat tighten, fascinated and worried at the same time. A winged creature suddenly burst through the doors, immense and covered in silver scales glistening with pure magical energy. Its bright red eyes shone with evil intelligence, and its gigantic wings pulsed slowly with energy, raising a whirlwind of burning sand.

The crowd exploded with excitement at the appearance of this magical vouivre, howling with unhealthy pleasure, eagerly awaiting the violence to come.

Fighter Akane calmly raised her longsword, her intense gaze gazing coldly at the wyvern roaring before her. Immediately, the creature summoned a powerful ball of crackling energy from its gaping maw and hurled it violently towards Akane.

The creature dodged nimbly, leaping gracefully and immediately retaliating with a series of swift, precise attacks. Each blow released a powerful aura, leaving deep gashes in the creature’s scaly armour. But the furious vouivre retaliated with a barrage of burning bluish flames, forcing Akane to retreat quickly.

The fight continued with intensity, each exchange of blows shaking the arena, while the dragons howled with excitement, exalted by this titanic combat. Despite himself, Isaac was fascinated by the human fighter, admiring her incredible mastery and the raw power of her martial skills.

But the vouivre was dangerously powerful. Suddenly, she unleashed a violent explosion of magic, saturating the arena with blinding light. The impact struck Akane hard, throwing her back against the magic barrier. She collapsed to her knees, spitting blood into the sand.

- Behold the true power of the wyvern!" exclaimed the announcer with frenzied excitement.

The crowd roared with excitement, thrilled by the dramatic turn of events.

Akane, bloodied but still determined, rose slowly to her feet, leaning heavily on her sword.

From his cell, Isaac watched, fascinated and terrified at the same time. He now knew exactly what awaited him if he survived the next few battles: facing even more powerful monsters, in front of a cruel crowd eager for violence.

But as he watched Akane fiercely resume her fight against the vouivre, a cold but intense determination invaded his mind.

"If I’m going to survive here, I’m going to have to get a lot stronger..."

A slight smile, hard and determined, slowly stretched his wounded lips.

Akane slowly got to her feet, her armor covered in sand and blood, her shoulders shaking under the colossal effort she had just made. Her breathing was heavy and labored, but her green eyes, sharp as the blade she held firmly in her hand, never for a second let go of the furious vouivre facing her.

The beast roared in frustration, shaking its scaly maw from which flowed a thick, blackish liquid, proof of the deep wounds inflicted by the gladiatrix.

Isaac, from his dark cell, was unable to look away from the young woman. Her posture was perfect, every movement executed with remarkable fluidity despite her wounds. The warrior wielded her sword with a deadly grace he’d never seen before, combining raw power and surgical finesse with startling mastery.

"She’s incredible..." he murmured to himself, fascinated despite the anguish he felt at this extremely violent battle.

The vulture suddenly let out another roar, its scales glowing with an eerie bluish light. Runic circles appeared around her, vibrating with intense magical power.

- Beware, it’s a devastating magical attack! shouted the presenter, exalted by the dramatic intensity of the moment. Could it be that our Akane, the heroine adored by the public, is finally succumbing to this fearsome creature?

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers, some of the dragons rising to their feet in excitement at the prospect of such a renowned gladiatrix finally falling in the arena. Isaac clenched his fists uneasily, staring at the female figure who seemed quite fragile in the face of such raw power.

The vulture suddenly opened her mouth, releasing a deluge of magical flames, a hellish tide crashing violently down on Akane. But the fighter reacted with supernatural speed, brandishing her sword in front of her, activating a defensive skill that conjured up a crystal-clear magical shield.

The flames collided brutally with the barrier, creating a deafening, dazzling explosion that lit up the entire arena.

Sand flew in all directions, partially covering the battle scene with a thick cloud of dust.

Isaac held his breath, his heart beating painfully, waiting for the dust to dissipate so he could see the outcome of the violent clash.

When the dust slowly settled, Akane was still standing, trembling and bloodied, but very much alive. An impressed murmur ran through the arena.

- Extraordinary! Akane’s incredible stamina!" shouted the announcer, hysterical with joy at the sight. But how much longer can she hold out?

The vulture immediately charged again, taking advantage of Akane’s apparent moment of weakness. But the gladiator was ready. With almost unreal swiftness, she deftly dodged the monster’s snapping jaw and slid under the creature’s massive body, brutally thrusting her blade into its exposed belly.

The vulture’s howl of agony echoed throughout the arena, shaking even the bleachers. Isaac could feel the vibration in his bones, staring in fascination at this warrior who refused to back down in the face of any threat.

Akane immediately stepped back, leaving a dark trail on the sand as the vouivre struggled violently, spraying black blood all around her. After a few moments of violent convulsions, the creature finally collapsed heavily, uttering a final death rattle before coming to a definitive halt.

Total silence pervaded the arena. All eyes turned slowly to Akane, standing beside the monstrous corpse, exhausted but triumphant, her dark blade dripping with thick, viscous blood.

- AND SHE TAKEN IT AWAY AGAIN!" exclaimed the announcer euphorically. Our fighter prodigy, Akane, signs her tenth consecutive victory tonight against one of the most fearsome creatures ever introduced to this arena!

The crowd immediately erupted in frenzied cheers and applause, some dragons even throwing dark flowers in tribute to the bloodied gladiator. But what Isaac noticed most was the pensive face of the dragon princess, who stared at Akane with a subtle, curious smile, almost intrigued by this human fighter capable of defying the impossible.

The presenter slowly raised a hand, calling for silence.

- But attention, dear viewers! Akane has now reached the fateful milestone of ten victories! In accordance with our sacred traditions, she must now face an opponent of an entirely different caliber... a dragon, drawn from among our most valiant warriors!

A sudden, heavy silence fell over the stands, quickly replaced by excited murmurs. This was the rare and long-awaited event, the supreme combat that drew huge crowds, eager for violence and a legendary confrontation.

From his cell, Isaac felt his stomach knot with deep apprehension. Confronting a magical creature was one thing, but going head-to-head with a dragon? Even Akane, powerful as she was, would have to summon all her strength simply to survive the ordeal.

Isaac watched the young woman’s silhouette on the sand, noticing that she was looking slightly up at the royal tribune. His gaze met that of the dragon princess, who stared at him with a particular, almost respectful intensity. A subtle, enigmatic smile slowly appeared on the latter’s delicate lips, while her eyes slid for a moment to Isaac’s cell, as if to make sure he was watching too.

Isaac immediately felt an icy shiver run down his spine. Something in that gaze told him that the fates of all those present were about to change profoundly.

On the sand of the arena, Akane slowly raised her head towards the royal stands, a defiant, determined smile on her lips. She briefly wiped the blood from her lips before slowly raising her sword to the sky, silently defying anyone who dared to meet her gaze.

The announcer, delighted by the dramatic tension that had just built up, declared enthusiastically:

- In two days’ time, Akane will face one of our own! A dragon, drawn before your very eyes, for a unique and exceptional fight that will go down in the legend of this arena!

The crowd roared its wild excitement, eager to see the blood of one or the other.