Iron and Wood #Wattys2017

Chapter Fifteen

Ella gripped the bars of the cage, helpless to stop what was happening below.

Shal, previously so tall and strong, was now slowly backing away, clutching a broken sword and shield.

The ogre was at least twelve feet tall, with a body made up of uneven pieces, sewed together with mismatched skin colours.  It's one eye was lopsided and attached to the side of its face, pink and infected, and its mouth was full of uneven pointed teeth that stuck out in all directions.  

Ella's eye was immediately drawn to its right arm, which was long enough to drag on the ground, ending not in a hand but in a massive club, stuck through with blades.  

It shook the ground as it walked, green drool running down from its open mouth.  Shal looked around, and her face was briefly visible to Ella.  The Templar had always been pale for a Dangyongese woman, but now she was as white as a ghost.  

The ogre reached up with its weaker left arm, slamming its fist to the side of the cage.  Ella screamed again as she was thrown against the opposite wall, her head hitting hard.

The cage was swinging now, to the laughter of the crowd, and Ella struggled to catch sight of what was happening below.  Shal had run to the left side of the arena, holding up her shield as if it could protect her from the ogre's monstrous arm.  It swung at Shal too fast for Ella's heart to stop.

The Templar ducked and rolled away just in time.  The ogre's club-hand hit the side of the arena, leaving a deep dent.

Shal dodged another blow, darting out into the middle of the arena.  One step and the ogre was in range again.  It's club-hand hit the ground a hair away, and the Templar fell forward.

Shal stumbled to her feet, running towards the ogre this time.  The rusty sword glinted in the firelight, and red blossomed from a wound on the monster's knee.   Ella's heart leapt with hope, but the ogre was not even limping.  With a howl of rage that left Ella's ears ringing, it lunged for Shal again, its club-hand landing an inch from her heels.  

The cage was slowly going from swinging to turning on the spot.  Ella realized her face was pressed against the bars, leaving marks.  She glanced to the podium, and was suddenly distracted.

A red-haired woman, not pretty nor plain, was talking heatedly to the announcer.  Beside her-- the man who had pursued them when they escaped from the Fortress.

Shal hadn't seem them.  She ducked beneath a grab from the ogre's functional hand and made another cut, on the other leg.  

The ogre roared again and staggered about in pain.  Ella saw this time that the cut was deeper, but not fatal.  Blood ran into the sand of the arena.

Shal ran to lean against the wall opposite, and Ella could see her chest heaving.  She had spotted the Templars on the podium now, and her black eyes had focused on them.

"Shal!" Ella screamed as loud as she could.  

Shal looked up just in time as the ogre lumbered across the arena to slam its club into the place she'd been standing a moment before.  

It happened as if it were in slow motion.  The club-fist of the ogre fell.  Shal dodged.  The wall that was hit in her place buckled.

The crowd there faltered, but the rest had not yet realized what was happening.  The single dull eye of the ogre widened in realization.  Shal was forgotten as it smashed the wall again, which finally came crumbling down.  

The cheers of the crowd turned into screams as the ogre clawed its way up.  It grabbed a man by the legs and stuffed him into its mouth, blood raining down on the stands.