The Girl With The Crimson Eyes

61: Departure

Zeo

The sound of metal against flesh and bones resounded throughout the arena as Pyon whipped Zeo's back with a spiked chain. His blood rolled down his skin, staining the ground, while the shackles around his wrists cut his skin. However, Zeo remained stoic and still on his knees, with his mind focused on the next battle. No matter what that beast did to him, he would never own his fate.

Most of his companions had been dismissed, except for the losers of each battle, alive and dead. They watched the punishment with aversion, knowing their fates would be worse. Much worse. Zeo pitied them more than himself and thought the mangled corpses lying on the ground were the luckiest.

"What are you doing?"

Zeo recognized Marakudra's voice echoing in the distance.

Pyon stopped immediately and bowed to her. "My lady," he said. "I'm punishing the disobedience of this recruit."

"Is that so?" She furrowed her eyebrows and twisted her lips. "What order did he refuse to follow?"

"He refused to end the life of his defeated opponent, displaying great cowardice and disrespect for our sacred rules."

Marakudra stared at the scene in silence for a tense moment and then spoke coldly, "Release him now."

Pyon nodded and rushed to unlock the shackles around Zeo's wrists. Zeo ignored his open wounds and stood calmly. He bowed to Marakudra and straightened his blood-stained back.

"How many died today?" Mara asked, scanning her surroundings with disgust.

"Eleven and five more will be sent to the Devil's Mouth." Pyon spoke pridefully, a smile spreading across his face.

Mara's eyes displayed a tempest of hatred. She strode toward Pyon and snatched his neck, burying her claws into his skin. "I told you to get rid of the weakest ones." Her voice deepened into a suppressed roar. "So tell me, why is it that I see some of our most promising soldiers dead or on the verge of dying?"

"My lady," Pyon mumbled, struggling to breathe but locking his pupils on his captain. "They were incapable of coping with the pressure of a real battle. We need no such burden in the battlefield. Especially not when facing the forces of Debrin Kavram."

"Stupid bastard! We're in no conditions to dispose of valuable canon fodder. I thought you were smarter than this." She glanced at Zeo and then glared at Pyon, increasing the pressure around his neck. "Now, go make sure that each one of the wounded ones survive because if a single one of them die, you'll lose way more than one eye and an arm." She shoved Pyon away from her and walked toward Zeo. Pyon bowed and rushed to Stella, who bled on the ground, unconscious.

Mara stood before Zeo, inspecting his wounds, and asked, "Can you walk?"

Zeo nodded. The adrenaline in his body had numbed the terrible pain.

"Good." She shoved a black pill in his hand. "Swallow that, or the poison will destroy your nervous system." Mara whirled and began to walk away, her steps long and firm and her intense peach perfume leaving an obnoxious aura behind her.

Zeo swallowed the pill, which tasted sour and bitter, and turned to look at Stella. Pyon picked her up and shouted angrily at the doctors to rush to the battlefield. He hoped she would survive, even if part of him wanted to see Pyon tortured if she died.

*°*°*

Remnya

Remnya's arms trembled, her veins bulging as if about to explode. Sweat ached on her skin while the kicks of her heart resounded in her brain. Yet the imposing silhouette of Ozura stood unscathed behind a curtain of fire and smoke.