Burning Flame

Chapter Thirteen

Back in Avalon's courtyard Siege stood outside of a tight circle of guards. They were chattering mindlessly about the busy days they had all had, taking care of the prisoners and whatnot. Then they began they're game of nightly betting; a game that Siege was all too familiar with.

The routine was simple:
One or two guards must choose or be chosen to fight.
One or two prisoners are taken into the fight.
Bets are placed on either the guard or the prisoner.
The last one (or two) alive are the victor(s).
(Two of the same team don't normally survive together. There is usually one victor after the fight.)
The victor gets the best food and sleeping spot for the night (unless the victor is a prisoner).

Siege listened closely; he was always interested in who would meet their fate next. Sometimes he would even bet on who would win, but those moments were always few and far between.
Most of the time he just sat back and enjoyed the show.
"I bet you couldn't take on that one Titan... oh, what's his name?!... Tiberius, that's it! I bet none of you could take on Tiberius!"
One of the guards was riling the other guards up, trying to get them to take on the prisoner Tiberius.
Siege listened even more closely, his curiosity peaked.
Another guard spoke up, his teeth bared at the one who had just spoken.
"We shouldn't bring Tiberius out! You know perfectly well that he was Insidious's Protector before he came here. In fact, he still is! They're just separated, that's all."
"What's your point!?"
"He's very powerful! Insidious wouldn't have chosen him if he weren't!"
The other guards muttered and shifted uncomfortably.
Siege snorted and rolled all three sets of eyes. The others glanced over at him.
He smirked.
"Oh, please! If Insidious were as powerful as you claim him to be, wouldn't he be king?!"
Siege knew what he was saying was practically a lie compared to the actual situation, but he also knew that they didn't know any better. He just wanted to see a good fight.
They looked at each other before nodding and smiling wickedly.
"Alright... why don't we sweeten it up a little then?" said the guard who had first mentioned Tiberius.
"What do you mean?" the other guards growled.
The one guard's eyes flashed and his smile widened.
"Let's bring out Wrath, too."
They all stared at him in shock and even Siege's eyes widened slightly.
Tiberius and Wrath separate were forces to be reckoned with.... but together...
It would be a massacre.
Siege smiled.
"Who would be willing to take them on?" he hissed, anticipation clear in his voice.
The guards looked at each other warily. All of them knew what they were getting into.
"Come on now! Imagine the glory if you take out two of the strongest Protectors around! Insidious and Dettra will be nothing without them!"
Siege urged them on, hoping at least one of them would be fool enough to take on the challenge.
They twitched their wings and tails nervously, unsure of whether they wanted glory... or their lives.
A younger guard stepped up to the challenge. He was in his prime; noble, shining scales and lithe muscles ready to spring at any moment.
Siege looked him over and immediately felt some guilt. He may have been a strong, competent dragon physically, but Siege doubted his magical capacity... and that was what he needed most in this fight.
"You shouldn't go into this fight alone. It wouldn't be properly balanced."
The guards looked back and forth from Siege to the young fighter, none of them wanting to compete in the upcoming battle.
Siege started to scan the small circle before his gaze landed on the dragon who had first brought up Tiberius as a fighting candidate.
He raised his middle head's eye ridge, as if it were obvious what he was going to say next.
The young, smug dragon shook his head desperately.
"No! No, please! I didn't volunteer! You can't change the rules!"
Siege chuckled darkly.
"I didn't change the rules, my smug friend. You must choose or be chosen to go into the fight. In this case, you are chosen. You should feel honored."
"I feel like a dead dragon," he muttered as he walked forward to stand next to the other fighter.
Siege rolled his eyes.
"Fight hard enough and you might just survive," he growled impatiently.
Yet another lie slid out of his mouths as if it were nothing.
The one reluctant guard rolled his eyes while the courageous one just nodded.
Siege switched his focus to the others standing by idly.
"Go get Wrath and Tiberius!" he hissed, "Take them out separately, though. We don't want them getting any ideas."
The rest of the guards, only four, nodded and rushed off to get the two prisoners.
Siege glanced back at the two fighters.
"I'll be back. I'm just going to get some more onlookers for betting."
His middle head winked before he turned and walked away.
The smug fighter gulped and looked at his claws.
"We're going to die."