The crowd went ballistic when the announcement came that Max and Saevel would fight.

Standing there, Max saw how the worker looked at him as he bet his sixty gold with three-to-one odds.

“You realize you’re going to lose? I mean, you don’t stand a chance.”

Max shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “Care to bet on that?”

A guard near him chuckled briefly before going rigid again as the worker glared at him.

“Just know, we appreciate your donation to the Colosseum funds,” the worker snapped as he walked away.

Waiting for the gate to open, a cough from behind caught his attention.

“Just so you know, I’ve bet everything on you each round, sir. Good luck.”

Max turned and saw the guard, who had laughed a minute ago, flash a brief smile before giving him a nod.

The other guard rolled his eyes as he shook his head but said nothing.

“I appreciate the confidence.”

-----

Fowl was sweating as he plopped down in his seat.

“Where did you go?” Tanila demanded as she fidgeted nervously in her seat. “The fight is about to start!”

“Small bladder,” Fowl said. “It is a madhouse out there.”

Everyone around them leapt to their feet, and both were forced to stand to see the two fighters making their way to the center of the floor.

“Goblin shite, Seth better win.”

Tanila nodded, not having stopped praying to Thuyja for even a moment.

-----

Max took in everything around him. The crowd was louder than ever, yet the noise had lessened.

“It’s the shield,” Saevel called out, motioning as they waited for the announcer to stop talking and the match to start. “They don’t want the noise distracting us.”

Snorting, Max nodded. “One last chance, I won’t hold back.”

“I want you to know something. My race has a special name for your kind. My people are fools to allow your race to continue. This is why I fight here. This is why–”

“You’re a damn zealot,” Max growled, interrupting Saevel and whatever speech the elf had planned. “One of those fools who thinks they can kill humans without consequences.”

A scowl formed, and Saevel’s face turned red as he opened his mouth.

“Save it!” Max shouted. “I’ll kill you now, just like I did one of your brothers.”

That comment caught the elf off guard. The bell sounded as he closed his mouth, trying to process the statement Max had just made.

Without hesitating, Max charged, bounding from side to side as he did. There was no straight line as he ran, no easy path for the mage to unleash whatever spell he wanted on him.

Roots began to form, and Max leapt away, using every ounce of strength and speed he had.

He pulled his shield from storage as he moved, never taking his eyes off the mage.

Max saw the look of frustration on Saevel’s when he dodged the root spell, one small vine barely getting a hold before he leaped away, tearing free from its grasp.

Ten yards separated them, and suddenly, the world went dark.

Dark magic…

Max laughed out loud.

He was moving toward the mage, who was trying to step away, unable to comprehend how Max was still able to come directly at him.

A fireball blasted from Saevel’s hands, and Max lifted his shield, feeling the impact of it and the pain of the flames that washed over him, but it didn’t matter. Two seconds later, he was within range.

Thrusting his spear, Max felt the tip pierce Saevel’s robe and sink into his chest.

A groan came from the elf’s lips, and even though Max couldn’t see him, his sonar skill gave him an outline of the pain on the mage’s face.

Saevel raised his right hand, and Max knew he was about to cast something and chuckled when he stopped, the mage jerking slightly for a half second.

Thank the gods for that enchantment.

His shield found the elf’s face with the cracking of bones and flesh as it knocked him to the ground, and sent him tumbling a few feet.

Max realized that the sounds of the crowd were quieter than before. It had been muted, but now it was even less.

Rasping breaths and gasps for air filled his ears as the blind spell wore off, and Max saw Saevel looking up at him from the ground. His yellow eyes had gone dull, and the elf could barely raise his right hand.If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Whatever words he was trying to say couldn’t come out. His jaw hung open, broken and torn.

Max moved over to him, slamming his foot into the man's right arm and crushing the bones underneath it.

Saevel howled as best as his body would let him. Blood flew as he screamed, a few teeth coming free and falling on his robe, which was now stained with blood.

Max stored his shield, took his weapon in both hands, and smiled.

“This is for every human you thought you were better than.”

The head rolled free, and Max made sure to keep a firm grip on the shaft as the blade cut through the elf’s neck and buried itself into the ground.

Cold, raw power filled him, healing his wounds and sending massive jolts of electricity through his brain.

[ 59 Hit Points Consumed ]

[ 6 Intelligence Consumed ]

[ 6 Wisdom Consumed ]

[Consume has successfully Consumed a skill]

[Would you like to learn [Dark Magic]?]

[ Yes / No]

Max clenched his eyes shut as he listened. The crowd had gone silent for a moment.

They had been stunned at the turn of events. Everyone had expected Saevel to win.

They now realized he had not and needed a moment to comprehend that.

Then came the flood of sound. Cheers washed over him as the crowd reacted to a turn of events none had expected. Many had lost everything, no doubt, but seeing the elf fall so quickly to this warrior made them wonder what might occur in the next fight.

Choosing yes, his mind flooded with the knowledge and understanding of how to blind and cripple people. The cold snap of power through his head made him wince, but Max pushed through it, not wanting to look weak or hurt.

A healer approached him and began to cast a spell before Max motioned that he was fine.

Max nodded and then stood up, waving to the crowd and raising his weapon over his head.

They cheered for him.

“Seth! Seth! Seth!”

-----

Glancing at the booth where the two queens sat, Max saw them standing, clapping their hands.

All it takes is a little blood, which appears to get their attention…

Max had grinned larger than he remembered when entering the gate he had exited through just a few minutes ago.

The guard who had bet on him was bouncing, obviously excited about the money he had made.

Next to him stood the worker, who did not look happy at all. “Your total now stands at two hundred gold coins.” His voice was short and forced.

Max nodded and followed the guards, leading him back to the waiting room.

As he walked down the hallway, Adaneth walked toward him, a massive grin on her face.

“Thank you! Thank you for that!”

Max felt his eyebrows lifting as he tried to understand why the woman had said that.

“Because of you, I get a fight! He believes he has a chance!”

She walked away, bouncing on her feet like a young child excited at getting a treat or a new toy.

Gods, what have I done?

-----

Max watched the massacre that was disguised as a fight. He didn’t want to keep watching but had to, hoping to learn more about Adaneth’s strengths and weaknesses. She was fast and brutal. She toyed with the rogue until she had grown bored. The crowd had called for her to end it, and she did, in the most horrific fashion he had seen yet.

The people were on their feet, chanting her name as she waved both swords, slinging blood in every direction as she did.

Max glanced at Albert, who still hadn’t moved from his seat. The man appeared to be asleep, unconcerned with the events on the Colosseum floor.

-----

“You ready?”

Max nodded and stood before the closed gate.

His usual worker was gone, replaced with someone new.

“What happened to the other guy?”

A smirk appeared on the woman’s lips, as she ignored the question entirely. “Are you sure you want to wager everything? All two hundred gold coins?”

Max turned and looked at her. “The odds are still two-to-one?”

She nodded.

“Either way, I walk out of here a rich man or a dead man, so yes, I will wager it all.”

The woman presented the metal tablet, and he signed it again, smiling as he did.

“Good luck, sir.”

Glancing behind him, Max saw his usual two guards.

“Bet on me again?”

The guard nodded, grinning. “Call me foolish, but I’ll ride your luck till the end.”

Max nodded and turned around, facing the gate, and what he could only imagine was coming next.

-----

Standing there, looking at Adaneth with her red chain armor and those two swords, Max wondered if he was making a mistake.

He could feel the power and danger coming from her like an aura. The elf mage had been strong but wasn’t ready for him or his ability to mitigate the blind spell.

“Are you going to give up, or do I need to make you bleed a little bit first?”

Max almost sighed as he heard Adaneth’s voice coming across the dirt floor.

“I thought you were going to spare me.”

She laughed and shook her head. “If you believed that, then both of us are fools.”

Nodding, Max smiled, holding his halberd ready.

He had considered the shield, but against two swords, his reach and the power behind his fully extended attack were more important.

The announcer started to talk, introducing both of them and working at getting the crowd going. As he spoke, something in the back of Max’s mind itched.

“Did you know that Saevel was a zealot?”

The flinch in Adaneth’s posture was barely noticeable, but Max saw it.

No response from her at first, but she nodded as the announcer ended his introductions.

“I did. Unlike him, I just like killing everyone.”

The bell rang out, and she rushed forward.

-----

Max knew he had made the right choice as Adaneth cursed at him again, unable to get close. Every time she tried, his weapon forced her back, or she risked getting a slash against her arms or leg.

His mind struggled to keep up with her movements as she used techniques he didn’t know or had never seen, but he could hold his own between his evasion skill and his weapon knowledge.

The minutes stretched on, and the crowd had settled down, unsure what they were witnessing. Neither had landed any real hits, and Max was grateful for that. His mind was racing, and every moment felt as if she was seconds away from getting in close and doing serious damage to him.

After ten minutes of skirmishes, Adaneth pulled back some, shaking her head in frustration and taking a few deep breaths.

Max did the same, seeing she was more winded than he was.

“How… how can you…”

Unsure if she was pretending or actually tiring, Max didn’t care. He wanted to press the attack momentarily, so he went on the offensive.

Thrusting and making small slashes, he pushed Adaneth back as she used both swords to parry and block. She was getting slower, and Max knew she would have to use whatever she must be holding back, or this match would go his way.

Thirty seconds later, it came.