The Bloody Rose

I: Blood for entertainment

The roar of the chain-sword filled Ruby's ear as the blood of her latest victim coated her face as their headless body fell to the floor of the gladiatorial arena. The low rumble of her idle weapon was quickly drowned out by the roaring cheers and laughter of her jailers as they bore witness to their youngest champion slaughter a fellow prisoner.

That small part of Ruby that once enjoyed killing Grimm, now revelled in satisfaction as she slaughtered her fellow prisoners, and mentally celebrated herself as she carried her latest trophy back to her small quarters after handing her chain sword to the armourers because she, like every other prisoner. Weren't allowed to keep weapons after fights. 'I'll give them this, for being blood thirsty psycho's, these guys are paranoid about their gladiators rising against them.' The thought echoed through the young girl's mind as she was led back to her cell.

Her cell was basically a small one room apartment, there was perks of being the champion of the pit after all. As Ruby walked into her small room, she took out a rusty shiv from between her mattress and bed frame, and began removing the skin and meat from her newest trophy. Once all that remained was the glistening white of bone, she took the skull and placed it upon the pile. In offer to her new god, Khorne. The blood god, who sits upon his throne of skulls, watching as people fight and die in his name.

Once, Ruby still believed in the brother gods of light and darkness, but when. Out of fear and desperation she prayed that Khorne would help her live. Like her prayers to the brothers, Ruby believed that her plea would go unanswered, only for unnatural strength to flow through her body and she quickly grabbed a dropped chain-sword, kicked the prisoner away. And rammed the chain-sword through their stomach. They died screaming in agony as Ruby bisected them.

It was at that moment that Ruby learned two truth's , if she wanted to live, she'd have to kill. And there was a god who listened and answered her prayers. Over time, Ruby slowly became desensitised to the fact that she killed people in order to survive. Quickly coming to relish the next fight in the gladiator pits. She quickly found herself relishing the next fight when someone reached her as a challenger after she became the champion of the pit, the challenge they presented, and the look of anguish as she killed them. It was intoxicating, addictive, and never enough.

As she survived, Ruby spent time plotting with the other slaves, plotting their escape, their freedom. Their revenge. As champion, she had built her reputation, and when she spoke, they listened. Oh there would always be those who wouldn't listen to her, who would challenge her leadership, and they always settled it in the pit. And Ruby came out the victor, and the one who challenged her? They left as a corpse.

Through her fellow slaves, Ruby learned much, of the Imperium of Man, of the Emperor. Of history, of their 'masters', and with their knowledge, the slaves plotted their revenge. Their masters numbered only 30, but they were no longer normal humans, they were the soldiers of the 12th legion, the World Eaters. The butchers of Angron, of Khorne, of the god who gave them strength! Ancient warriors, genetically modified into warrior's with few peers. Changed into monsters by their joint god, who relished in the slaughter they wrought.

When Ruby had first arrived, they had taken Crescent Rose, HER weapon, the closest thing she had to a CHILD! And as they plotted, she could swear that she could hear Crescent Rose calling for her, at first it sounded like it was begging for Ruby to come and rescue it, but recently, it was offering her power, begging her to take it and kill their masters in the World Eaters. Hearing the tempting whispers nearly drove Ruby into running after her weapon, but she resisted, if only barely. This plan needed patience, it needed to be perfect, and they could wait. After all, Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows. Only that it does flow. And they were going to make rivers of blood.

*I hope you all enjoyed this work, and I'll see you again soon!*