Blend the Light

A Wasteland Battle for the History Books (Part 1)

It takes me a minute to step out of the wire crate after the door opens. I turn and watch the wires and iron frame disappear beneath the ground. After a moment, it's impossible to tell it was even there. Off in the distance I can see figures locked in several brawls. Howls and screams roll across the plain.

I stand still, watching, until a throbbing pain erupts in the back of my skull and I yelp, stumbling forward a few steps. There's only one reason for that; the Wasteland guards want me fighting and are threatening to turn me berserk. A low snarl rumbles from my throat as I blink several times, shaking my head, before bounding towards the Dozer Debris. The pain subsides as I go on. As soon as I reach the rusted metal, I fall into a rhythm of clawing and biting as a wave of Gladiators fall atop me. Blood sprays and droplets of red fall into my eyes but I ignore the stinging pain. Turning, I spit out hairs caught between my teeth and duck under a leaping Gladiator before slamming an incoming fist to the side. Something hits the side of my face and stars erupt before my eyes as I collapse, falling into a lean, lizard-like Gladiator. They shriek, a long tongue snaking around triangular teeth as black eyes blink with a snap of eyelids. The lizard-like Gladiator claws five gashes across my cheek and blood sprays. Pain sparks and burns on my face as I howl and jump backwards.

Now I can get a better look at my opponent. Wow. That's about the only word I can think of. They're some bizarre cross between a gila monster, a Komodo dragon, and something else. Though as weird as they look, I still think gold would have to go to Tremor. He's hard to beat. I swiftly sidestep their attack and rake my claws down their flank. Scales fall to the ground. The lizard screams and rushes me, rising to their hind legs. We grapple before falling and clawing at each other. Red lines sprout across my neck, chest, and shoulders. I'm finally able to plant my hind paws firmly on the lizard's stomach and throw them against one of the rusted trucks. The Gladiator lays there for a moment, dazed, before stumbling back to their feet. They blink several times and shake their head. It's only another second before they leap at me again, jaws parted for the kill. Just before the lizard reaches me, I sink my claws into their side and force the Gladiator to the ground. They writhe against my paws, but I don't let them go. I... I-I can't. I can't kill them. Arrow, they'll be brought back. You cannot go berserk. The Wasteland guards can't know anything's up. Jay and Hawk are counting on you.

I stare at the ground, blonde hair falling over my emerald eyes. My right foreleg trembles ever so slightly. I glare at it until the trembling stops. The lizard tries to twist a leg into a pretzel so their claws can bite into one of my forelegs. I turn my head and look the Gladiator right in the eye. "What? The high and mighty Arrow's got stage fright? He can't kill anymore?" I don't reply. A smirk crawls across the lizard's face. "Come on. Kill me." They lay their head on the ground, leaving their throat completely unprotected. No. My blood goes cold. "Do it! I'm not fighting back!" A low snarl rumbles in my chest. The throbbing pain returns. It feels like someone is driving a wedge into my skull. "Are you too weak? Do it, Arrow. Kill me!" When I don't move, the lizard starts laughing.

"I should've known. You're too weak. How funny. The top Gladiator can't kill. Was it those two brothers? The dogs?"

"Shut up." I growl.

"Make me." The lizard sneers the words, their face contorting. I hesitate, and my claws sink deeper into the lizard's scaly side. Blood oozes from around my paws, but the Gladiator doesn't react. "Still can't do it, huh? The dogs are next." Their whole body tenses before they flip, claws flying for my face. I whirl, paws scrabbling for purchase against the sandy ground as I catch the lizard's foreleg in my mouth and bite down. A faint smile of satisfaction brushes over my mouth as I hear the crack of bone and the roar of pain. It's only another moment until I have the lizard pinned. I sink my teeth into the back of the Gladiator's neck before I can think twice. I close my eyes as warm blood flows over my muzzle. Red drips from my whiskers.