The Arena - Surviving Through Bloodshed

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The entire cell was quickly getting warm, the time of day quickly approaching , the sun already striking with its unforgiving heat,even from down here, you could already hear the roman people cheering, the people were getting ready for another day of carnage, spluttering blood, sounds of clashing blades and the shrieking cries of dying warriors. The people waited for another day of battle in the Arena.

It's been three hundred and sixty-five days (365 Days) since I was taken away from my village, just turning 20, I wasn't your average fighter in the Arena, But my physique betrayed my age, I stood at about a little over 6 feet, dark skinned, with ripped muscles, I always stood out among the kids in the village. I was taught to fight by my father, as he was trained by his father before him. Our family was known for the warrior blood in our veins. But I wasn't prepared for this battle.

I was in the Northern forest hunting for good meat for the night's meal, I went in inspecting my laid traps when I heard a sudden rush of feet coming my way, I was known for having quick reflexes, but the last thing I saw left me in place, the faces of the emperor's royal guards as they knocked me unconscious.

I woke up in chains, with other men chained up with me in a cell, our lips kept in place by metal straps that kept us from talking, outside our cell was a royal guard explaining the rules of the Arena, that marked the start of my never-ending battle for my life.

My first fight was against a man called "The Ripper", he stood at about my height, but he was bigger than I was, way bigger. We were both given heavy steel swords with the sharpest edges I had seen and along with wooden shields, made from what felt like mahogany bark, then a few seconds later I heard the blowhorn, which I later learnt, meant the beginning of the match to the death in the Arena.

"The Ripper" wasn't new to the Arena, he came in swinging faster than I expected, I had to raise my shield quickly to stop the sword from slashing through my face, the impact sent my knees buckling and almost failing me. I pushed his sword off and went for a strike of my own, surprisingly I was able to strike flesh before he could react. Right there I knew his Huge mass left him at a disadvantage, he had a slow reflex, I knew what I had to do. I left myself supposedly open, once he comes in to attack, I blocked and struck , this went on for what felt like hours to me, but yet "The Ripper" wasn't going down easily. Just when I was about to get reckless and go for a full on attack of my own, His body betrayed him, his sword fell, and then he followed. I could still hear his heavy breathing as i drew closer. I could hear the deafening cheer from the crowd in the Arena as I walked towards him, I looked up to see the emperor give the signal for the final blow, fueled by the heat of the battle, with one swing of my sword "The Ripper's" head went rolling on the Arena's grounds. I was later told I had killed the Arena's Champion on my first day.

The feeling was surreal, I had just taken a man's life, but he wasn't the last, I went on to take another, and yet another, I have killed fifty-two men so far, I've marked my cell walls with their numbers, The sound of the people cheering, the sound of the blowhorn, the approval of the emperor, they've all become a part of me now. It has been One year since I killed "The Ripper" and now I was getting ready to face another man, to get a chance to live another day or live my last. My name is Kasuge, and I am the champion of the Arena.

Thanks for reading,
Do have a splendid day folks.

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