ARISTOS ACHAION // Awesamdude X Reader

13

As you had successfully bested Diana (and needed time for the gashes she had left on you to heal) you were exempt from the following day's fights - giving you the perfect opportunity to watch Prosperine in action.

For lack of a better word, he was hot.

Not in the sense that he was good looking (though you supposed, objectively, he was, as most of those blessed by the gods were), but in the sense that every menial movement or step that he took, he seemed to shine. You had been correct in guessing that his blessed ability would have something to do with fire - everything about him screamed heat.

The tone of his skin was darker than anyone you had ever seen, in sharp contrast with the bright flaming orange of his hair. Like all the other champions, his eyes were his most entrancing feature - swirling with amber, orange and gold like molten rock- though they were frequently obscured by the plumes of flame that escaped from his throat.

Every breath he took was literal fire.

None of the prisoners that were thrown into the ring even stood a chance against him. Within seconds of raising their weapons, they were burned to a crisp, not even time to cry out in pain before there was nothing but ash left. It didn't matter that his kills were so quick - every burst of fire that he breathed started up another cheer from the gathered crowd.

He was a performer in a different sense than Diana had been, relying more on his god-given abilities than pure showiness, but he was a performer nonetheless.

You watched from the window in the dining hall as another prisoner stepped into the ring (at Sam's hand, no doubt - you still remembered how he had placed his palm on the small of your back when you'd thought you were going to die), raising her sword with shaky hands. She couldn't have been much older than you, but you were more focused on the tear tracks running down her cheeks than anything else.

Prosperine grinned at the new contender, wide and terrifying, showing off pointed canine teeth. The woman didn't have a chance to do more than shake like a leaf before Prosperine was opening his mouth, and a rain of hellfire came pouring out, engulfing the woman in flame. The blast lasted all of thirty seconds before the flame cut off, leaving the smell of charred meat in the air and another pile of ash on the ground.

The crowd roared, and Prosperine turned back to face them, arms wide as he licked his lips like he'd just finished a good meal.

You had no idea if it was even possible to best him. You weren't sure that you wanted to.

It wouldn't be a horrible way to die, in a burst of Prosperine's flames. It seemed quick, albeit probably painful for a moment. No one would be surprised if you couldn't best him in a fight - he was of a different caliber than Diana had been, after all. There was a reason the caesar hadn't bothered showing up to see Diana's fight, but was here for Prosperine's now.

You could just see him through the dining hall window, sitting up there in his box above the arena, watching the unfolding slaughter with unwavering boredom. Just looking at him stirred something in your gut - the man who was responsible for fixing the overpopulation-induced poverty that was wracking the city, instead just idly watching as citizens he had turned into prisoners met their end at the hands of one of his own champions.

You wanted to take another one of his gladiators from him. He had taken so much from you, inadvertently - stability, a home, a full stomach - you felt it only fitting that you took something just as valuable from him.

You weren't sure you would be able to kill Prosperine, but you wanted to try. After the nausea over Diana's death had faded, you felt surprisingly satisfied, watching the caesar's men working in the prison whisper as you would pass by on the way to your cell - talking about how the Vesapasian would need to find another gladiator to replace the one lost.

It was the whole reason you had dragged yourself to the dining hall window to watch in the first place. The nurses and doctors in the infirmary had recommended you rest as much as you could, to heal as fast as possible, but you had forced your sore body out of bed and found your way back here, intent on getting a look at your next opponent.

Out in the sand, Prosperine let out another tongue of flame, scorching a man where he stood. You watched the grained beneath where the man had stood melt into splotches of glass under the heat of the flame. With a gift like that, there was no way you would be able to get close to him - and anything you threw in his direction would melt in the heat.

It didn't help that - like all of the other champions - Prosperine was also incredibly fast and strong, as shown when he got bored of roasting people the second they entered the ring and started chasing them around for a bit first before he burst out the flames.

There was no way you were going to just get lucky again like you had with Diana - but luckily enough for you, you had more time to prepare than you had before your first fight - and more resources to do it with. You had full plans to make use of that training room you were now allowed to access according to Sam - and hopefully use Sam himself.

You needed someone who knew what they were doing when it came to combat if you were going to even have a shot at this.

Your eyes narrowed as Prosperine blew another length of flame out in the arena. In a way, the melted glass leftover looked sort of like blood.