Master of Two
Shadyss appeared on the other side of the gate. Orus was holding the Tablet with one harm through the bars and had a spear through his chest. The crowd was cheering.
"What are your orders, Master?" she said, watching another gladiator pull the spear out of her Master's chest.
She created a dust storm for cover and teleported on the other side of the gate to try and heal Orus. The other gladiator stabbed her through the abdomen with his spear, but she managed to complete her healing spell. Orus coughed.
"Great,"
she said in his mind.
"You're alive. Stay here, don't move and don't do anything."
She growled as the spear ripped through her flesh once more in reverse. She grabbed it as the man tried to stab her again, pulling the man closer as she punched him in the chest with might. She didn't need to hold back now that she wasn't bound by Salks' orders.
The gladiator flew ten meters out of the sandstorm and rolled over another ten before he stopped, immobile. She placed an invisibility spell on Orus before changing her appearance to look like him as she hurried to strip him of his gear and put it on before the sandstorm subsided.
The crowd was rooting for various fighters and her little sandstorm almost went unnoticed. Twelve other gladiators were fighting all over the battleground and twice that many were already dead or incapacitated.
She walked towards the nearest two as they sparred violently with spears and shields. She too held a spear and a shield, and she was wearing nothing but a loincloth over her manhood and a shoulder pad with spikes, just like every other gladiator.
One of the two collapsed to the ground as she arrived. The winner rolled over his body and thrusted his spear at her. She spun to avoid it and kicked him in the face.
She felt his skull shatter from the blow and the man collapsed on top of his peer.
The crowd nearby cheered.
She ran towards her next fight. Two gladiators had teamed up against one and he was about to lose when she stepped on his back, shoving him to the ground, before jamming her shield sideways into one man's throat and her spear into the other one's heart.
The crowd started chanting
Orca
repeatedly.
She charged towards another group of fighters and stormed through them like a blazing tornado, ripping them to shred swiftly; mercilessly. She held the last gladiator's head in one hand a few moments later and Black Orca was declared the ultimate champion.
She hurried back to the gate, waiting for Orus's master while keeping an eye on the real Orus.
"Keep the Tablet with you and follow me,"
she said to Orus in his mind.
"You're invisible right now. Don't say anything and follow my lead."
Two guards opened the gate and the nobleman stood behind them. "Excellent work Orus," the nobleman said. "I didn't know you could fight so well, you've outdone yourself."
Shadyss walked in, followed by Orus, whom she could still see but no one else could. "You broke our deal," she said a few steps in and away from sight.
"What?" the nobleman said.
Shadyss changed back to her human form. "You will give Orus his freedom or I will kill you and your guards right here."
The two guards readied their weapons and moved in front of their master.
"These two are not simple gladiators," he said. "They are elite mercenaries. What makes you think you're better than they are?"
Shadyss chuckled.
"Move back Orus,"
she said in his head, dropping the shield and the spear. "I can rip their hearts out without even touching them," she said, shoving the two guards against the walls on each side with a simple hand gesture. "You saw me fight hundreds of gladiators in that arena and until now, I was limited, bound to obey a maniacal master who forced me to hold my punches and play with my preys. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but what you saw was but a tenth of my abilities, so do as I say, or I will use them to hammer you into the ground."
"You're the one who broke the deal," he said, his voice trembling. "You left the arena."
"I never left the arena," she said. "But I will hold my end of the bargain if you grant Orus his freedom, now and officially."
"Where is he anyways?"
"He's right here," she said, cancelling her spell.
Orus became visible, holding the Tablet to cover his manhood.
"Fetch the slave magister once she releases you," the nobleman said to one of his guards.
Shadyss released both guards and the first one took off.
"How did Salks make you indestructible?"
"He didn't."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said. I lied. He didn't make me indestructible. I
am
indestructible."
He gawked at her as she showed her true form. The nobleman and his guard turned white and she could smell their fear emanating from their pores.
"I'm a powerful demon with powers beyond your imagination. Salks controlled me through some powerful magic that I have yet to understand, but he paid the price for it. Grant Orus his freedom and I won't obliterate your entire family line and heritage like Salks had me do to Paolus. We'll be out of your air and you can go on with your life."
She changed back to her human form as the first guard came back with another man carrying a large box.
"You called for me, sir?" the man said.
"I need you to issue and authenticate the liberation of my slave," the nobleman said, his voice still trembling. "Orus, known as Black Orca, is now granted his freedom, unconditionally."
The man moved to a nearby table where he scribed the proper document to give Orus and then recorded it in the official ledger.
Orus was offered another loincloth in the process and smiled as he was handed the document. "Thank you," he said three times; to the man, to the nobleman, and then to Shadyss. "I can return to my wife and daughter now."
