The Kingdom: Becoming The Enemy

Chapter One: The Battle Begins

The Coliseum, home to executions and spectacles alike. Thousands in the oval-shaped crowd, shimmering like multicoloured blades of grass. Humming in anticipation of the upcoming bloodshed. Rough electronic music blared as the Guardian stomped onto the red stained sand. The entrance music was grand and terrifying. It stood in front of the gate it emerged from and roared.

The guardian pulverised two stone pillars next to him with one swift motion of both his arms and let out a computerised roar, "I am Smasher!" Crackles and imperfections riddled his speech as it was obviously not a priority in the machine. However, it was made with combat and intimidation in mind.

The designer made almost all of the robot out of recycled materials and re-shaped scrap metal. With joints as big as car rims, the monster stood over three meters tall. Glowing red eyes, multiple inch long spikes on each of his fingertips, shoulder pads with jagged spikes. Broken beer bottles had been shoved onto the spikes, light bulbs screwed into specially made holes, a carrot and red blinking Christmas lights threaded under and around the shoulder pads. The designer definitely seemed to have sense of humour as all of the whole light bulbs were lit up, waiting to be caught in the crossfire.

It did seem like he was doing it to be funny but all of the larger bulbs were numbered and which ones would remain lit would be part of one of the many betting schemes the spectators had to choose from. There was quite a large number of bulbs today, twelve.

These bulbs also decided if the gladiators won if they were all popped. The pool was then decided on a secondary bet, if the gladiators or which of the gladiator team would survive. However unlikely that may be, the upper class of the audience liked to be in on it for the larger prize pool.

The battle was now about to begin as the gladiators were lifted onto the field in a barred cage with no roof.

The Gladiators had the usual uniform on, neon trim, metal plating all over that wouldn't even stop a knife with a decent amount of force behind it, and different designs and colours on the trim to identify the three from each other.

Grey and rusted bars surrounded the Gladiators as King Louis attempted to calm the bloodthirsty crowd. "Everyone, everyone be patient, please." He lifted his hand waving for everyone to stop cheering but they wouldn't be stopped this time. The king waited for ten seconds for them to stop then he decided the battle couldn't be delayed any longer. He took out his revolver and took three well placed shots to random audience members' heads. Three headless bodies dropped in as many seconds and the audience was silent even before the second dropped.

"Now," Louis continued, "These three next contestants are sorry excuses for men..." Boos and threats would normally be heard from the audience, but in the light of the king's recent display of ruthlessness the crowd remained silent. The king smirked at the fear he commanded, "They are going to be going up against my meanest battle bot, Smasher. These men receive such a punishment for treacherous acts of the worst kind. They tried to assassinate your good king! As traitors to the Kingdom, these terrorists will be punished and they should be an example for the rest of their kind: Do-Not-Fuck-With-Me!" He strung together his message to 'terrorists' that wouldn't hear him.

Three Cadaverbots flew out from a perch on the rim of the open roofed stadium to do their duty. Their talons stabbed into the headless bodies that The king just made and took off again two of the them with one and the other with a corpse in each talon. One of the Cadaverbots had to take 2 because the person behind the man Louis meant to hit was shot in the gut after the bullet pass through their fellow citizen's head. All three flew over and hovered over a 5 meter wide 10 meter deep hole in the middle of the oval shaped field and waited for The king's command.

The bodies dangled in the talons of the Cadaverbots. The audience was left to examine the creatures as they watched the glowing green eyes, the wings with small jet engines under each, the beaked face of one squawked and bared it's flat, sharp teeth.