The Demons of Rome

XVI - Gladiator

The Legate was sat in a box at the far end of the Arena, surveying everything, his hawk perched on the rail. He was flanked on either side by Claudius and Scipio, who didn't seem quite so pleased at the turn of events. The stands looked packed, or maybe it was just Iatus' mind playing tricks on him. He turned and faced Capitus across the arena who was waving and clapping the audience.

The Legate raised his hand and the whole arena turned silent, you could hear a pin drop.

"The rules of this duel are thus: The winner is the first to draw blood from his opponent. No magical items are allowed in the arena. No magical aid is to be given from the stands. Any infringement of the rules will result in an immediate disqualification. Any unauthorised magical use will be detected by the sensor pillars around the stands," he gestured to four columns that were three times the size of a man.

Iatus looked at them and swallowed. Could Aelith help him without setting one off, he doubted it. Fear crept its way into his stomach, turning it to mush; without Aelith to help he didn't know how he was going to deal with that minotaur.

"On my mark, summon your demons."

"BEGIN"

Iatus quickly called Nerres to his side. She slid out of the darkness in her cat form and hissed at Capitus.

"Oh look, the little pussycat has come to play," Capitus laughed.

The crowd looked on expectantly, some laughed at Nerres but most held their breath in anticipation.

Capitus spread his arms out wide, muttered a command and the ground began to shake.

A great spike of earth erupted from the ground, it must have been 20 foot high, then a crack propagated through it, starting at the top and working its way down into the earth. The mountain then split in two and there was the minotaur. Stepped down from its casing with a thunderous step, sending the sandy floor spiralling outwards in little dust devils. It was the same form Iatus had seen in the lesson only bigger and this time wielding a large axe. It gave a mighty bellow and stood ready.

Iatus swallowed then reached for his magic.

"Ero!" he shouted and a ball of white mana sprung towards the minotaur the size of the things head.

The ball caught the beast in the centre of its chest, crackling and filling the stadium with the smell of burning hair. The minotaur, however, didn't even flinch, it just twitched its nose and bellowed in defiance.

Oh Gods, this thing is tough, thought Iatus as he was already starting to feel the effects of using so much power.

Capitus laughed his pitchy laugh, "You idiot! You don't start out a duel with spells, such a rooky, now Asternicus, squash them.

The minotaur bellowed and began lumbering forward, axe raised above its head. Iatus reached for his magic again, trying to focus on bringing up a shield but suddenly Nerres shimmered and threw herself over him, transforming into what appeared to be a black cloak. She wrapped around him for a second then reverted back to her cat form, except they were now looking at the minotaur from the side, smashing its axe into the ground.

The beast quickly righted itself and turned to face them. Nerres looked up to it undaunted and strutted up to it. The minotaur looked at it, confused, following it as it made its way towards it. Nerres gave a little purr and sat between the minotaur's legs.

"Don't just look at it, squash it! Squash it!" Capitus shouted and the minotaur obeyed.

The minotaur brought its axe up over its head once again and swung it at the cat. The cat darted between its legs and the minotaur tried to follow it but the cat was too quick. The momentum of the axe carried the minotaur along with it, trying to pull its head between its own legs, flipping the minotaur over onto its back.