Break a Leg

[Kali]

?How does one armor a bat??

Kali stood awkwardly, nervously rubbing her arm as she glanced at the weapons around her.

?I was hoping you would know.? Drake chuckled to the bat's question. He wore no collar, but Kali wondered if that was simply because they could not find one that would fit the armorer?s fleshy neck.

The fox was by far the most rotund Arena worker she had met, but he kept his workshop in pristine condition. Weapons were spread across the walls in meticulous order, each of them sharp and oiled, ready to be given out at a moment?s notice.

Kali had to admit, the sight of all these swords, knives, battle axes? it all made her feel?

Excited.

And she cursed herself for it. She should feel horrified knowing that each weapon was expertly crafted to kill other beasts in the arena. To kill her.

?What does your species normally wear into battle?? The fox felt no fear in turning his back to Kali, not while she was under the watchful gaze of two weasel guards. Kali suspect that she would have been under guard in a place like this anyway, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the weasels were more alert than usual.

There was just something 'off' in the arena these days. The atmosphere changed after the vandalism in the Hall of the Greats. The beasts in blue, guard or otherwise, were more on edge. It felt like they were no longer just prepared for trouble, but expecting it.

Kali also suspected that gladiators were not normally allowed in this room. But with a pair of leathery wings sticking out of her sides Kali needed a more personal touch to be armored for the games.

?Um, we don?t,? Kali replied finally to the foxes question. ?Although my brother did wear a bead vest sometimes, he was a guard??

?No, beads won?t cut it. Not against my weapons. But we do need something lightweight?? Drake rubbed his chin, gazing across a wall of different armors. His tail began to wag as he spotted what he was looking for. ?Here. Try this on.?

Kali glanced between the small iron breast plate in one paw and chain mail loincloth in the other. Tentatively she grabbed the iron plate by its edge. ?So? this protects everything but my dignity??

?This is coming from a maiden dressed as a jester??

?Touch?.? Kali watched as a small brown mouse with a greying muzzle took the armor from her wingtips. Unlike the fox, this beast did wear a collar. Grabbing a stool, the mouse began to help Kali get the armor on. ?Still? that little piece of metal is supposed to save my life? I have more vital organs than in just my chest you know.?

?That piece there was originally worn by the Iron Maiden. It?s supposed to also have a chain mail tunic, but I don?t have enough time to custom make you armor.? The fox shrugged, grabbing a spiked shoulder pad from the counter. Kali had to duck as Drake tossed it to the mouse behind her, ?As Ulrich helps you with the armor, what weapons are you familiar with??

?Um?? The bat?s train of thought was interrupted as the mouse slapped the spiked shoulder pad onto her, hooking it to the breast plate. ?I? don?t use weapons.?

?A martial artist? I suppose you would have to be with the wings.? Drake tapped his chin as he considered the wall of weapons before him. ?I wouldn?t recommend going into the arena without one though, so if you had to choose, which type do you feel most comfortable with??

Kali made a face as she was fitted with armor. What weapon would she use? All the weapons here looked quite deadly, in another beast?s paws. But she was too afraid to admit that to the fox.

?I don?t know? a battle ax??

The fox?s laughter showed that she chose poorly.

?I don?t think a battle ax would be quite your style.? The fox lifted a pair of blades from the wall, ?You?re a creature of finesse and grace, not brute force. Here, try these. Tempered iron from the forges of Southsward with lizard skin leather hilt. The pommel is hollow and filled with liquid mercury to give it more impact.?

Kali accepted the offered weapons, turning them around in her wingtips. ?Wow, they are really light! I think I can actually carry them in my wings.?

?Capital. Alright, she?s ready.? The fox gave the guards the thumbs up sign. Kali squeaked as they stepped closer to escort her out of the room.

?W-wait, ready? Ready for what! I thought I was just here to get outfitted for armor!?

?Yep,? The fat fox replied simply, ?Nire wanted me to personally see that you were ready for the next game.? The bat?s expression turned to horror. As she was shuffled out the door the fox gave her a thumb up sign, ?Knock em dead.?

Kali realized, with further horror, that this comment was not merely encouragement.

But a command.

The world began to spin as Kali was led to the arena entrance. She was met by more gladiators waiting for the barred gate to open to them. One was a slender grey fox in a leather kilt. He carried a short sword and wooden shield. The other was a tall brown rat in a grey tunic and carried a spear.

Both had slave collars.

?Now I really have seen everything.? The fox raised an eyebrow as Kali was shuffled towards them. ?This is Conner, I?m Crosstooth. What manner of name do you go by??

?K-kali?? The bat?s stutter caused the fox to raise another eyebrow. He glanced at the knives she carried in shaky wingtips, ?You? do know how to use those, right??

?I?m a bard.? Kali whimpered, ?I can?t go out there! I haven?t even had training? I??

The fox and rat both seemed to cringe. ?Calm down. Everything will be fine. We are all on the same team for this battle.?

The fox placed a comforting paw on the bat?s shoulder. ?Just follow our lead, do what we say and most important of all?? the fox?s comforting grip tightened, making Kali yelp as the beast brought her closer, ?Stay out of our way, or I will gut you myself. Understand??

Speechless, Kali only nodded her head.

?Good.? The fox released her. He and the other gladiator turned to the gate. The sound of gears filled the hallway as it began to rise. ?Because we don?t have room for error on this one??

Hesitating for only a moment, Kali gulped before joining her gladiators outside the arena.

There was a time, not too long ago, that entering the arena was the most exciting thing Kali had ever experienced. But now, entering as a combatant doomed to a life or death battle on the yellow sands of the Crater?

Her heart pounded against her chest plate, the roar of the crowd filling her with terror. She looked up to the podium, catching sight of Nire watching the fighters enter the arena. Above the lynx, Thunder the hawk sat ontop of the Podium like a gargoyle, banishing any thought of simply flying out of the arena.

She would never make it past the first level if she tried, even without armor.

?Ladies and gentlebeasts!? An announcer?s voice bellowed, ?Today we have for you a team battle! Three novice gladiators against an experienced and ferocious warrior! In this corner, we have The Lancer! The Slasher! And making her debut, pulled from the farthest reaches of the map, The Amazing? Banshee!?

Kali flinched. Nire no doubt had some part in choosing her name. She wondered if it was a lack of imagination or just a dig at her singing.

?And who else could perform such a feat of battle, a test of skill to face three opponents at once but the most brave, most valiant volunteer?  THE CRIMSON TIGER!?

The roar of the crowd was deafening. Across the field, a trap door opened and the bronze face of the Tiger appeared, rising out of the ground like some other worldly monster.

The Crimson Tiger was never more intimidating than he was now, doubled-bladed ax in one paw, a net in the other. He beckoned them to come closer with a cold, soulless stare. A wisp of incense blew out like smoke from the mask?s snarling muzzle.

The fox twitched his tail nervously but said, ?Don?t let him intimidate you. It?s three on one. We have the advantage.?

Closing her eyes, Kali clutched her daggers tightly. ?Come on Kali. You have never backed down from an audience. You can do this. Just remember everything your big brother taught you about self-defense and you will do just fine??

?And that Kali, is how you thrust with a dagger.? The taller bat looked up from the practice dummy. Raising an eyebrow to Kali, he sighed. ?Kali, are you even paying attention??

?Nope.? A younger Kali responded happily while munching on a mango. ?I?m going to be a bard, not a barbarian. Why would I ever need to learn how to fight??

@#$%

An instant later the battle ax struck Kali square in the chest, throwing her backward and sending her daggers flying from her wingtips.

The fox and rat both stared, stunned by the distance the wild cat had thrown his main weapon. They exchanged quick, worried glances. ?It? It?s still two on one,? Crosstooth said.

?Look out!? The rat shouted.

Before the fox could react, the net fell upon him. The Tiger pulled, muscles straining, as he spun Crosstooth around like a flail. Slamming the fox into the rat at full force, the pair of gladiators fell into a tangled mess before the Tiger.

His mask continued to blow out faux smoke as he marched towards them.

Meanwhile, Kali struggled to come to terms with her own apparent demise. The sight of the ax head buried into her chest did more to stun the bat than the actual blow. She sat up, pulling at the weapon until it came free and expecting her guts to come with it.

Surprisingly, the blade was bloodless.

Running a wing tip down the newly acquired notch in her breast plate Kali was flabbergasted. Who would have thought her skimpy armor would actually pull through?

?I owe Drake ten thousand apologies.?

She turned to her allies, still struggling to free themselves from the net. Horror fell upon her, if they died then Kali was surely doomed. But what could she do? She was a bard, not a barbarian!

But if she wanted to live then she had to become one?

Fill with renewed determination, Kali got up, gripping the ax handle with both wings. Summoning all her courage she made a charge at the gladiator?

?stopping short when the ax refused to move with her. Kali?s feet went flying out from under her, depositing her startled rump back in the sand amid the crowd?s laughter.

The sound was enough to make the Tiger pause. He seemed, unfamiliar with the sound in the arena. After all, bloody combat was no laughing matter. Exciting, sure. But laughter? He could only shake his head before resuming his course to the fox and rat.

All the while the crowd continued to laugh at the bat as she struggled to carry the heavy weapon. ?Oh, come on!? Even with all her might the ax still refused to yield to her will.

Biting her lower lip Kali looked for something else she could do. She would never make it there in time. If only she had something to?

Her eyes fell upon the daggers she had dropped into the sand.

?I was? expecting more from you.? The wildcat?s emotionless voice caused the beasts to stare up at him in fright, his ever-snarling mask the last thing they would ever see. ?Hold still, and I will make your deaths quick.?

He was reaching for the knife at his belt when the dagger hit him in the back of the head.

Unfortunately, the weapon struck with the hilt, causing the Tiger to turn swiftly towards Kali as she readied to throw another dagger at him. ?Stay away from them!?

She let the dagger fly.

It struck the ground halfway between them, much to the bat?s embarrassment and the crowd's amusement. The distraction was however just what her allies needed. Precious seconds were spent cutting through the net before the fox was free, leaping to his feet and attacking the tiger. The rat joined him shortly thereafter.

Now, the fight was finally on. The crowd?s laughter turned to frenzied shouts as the pro gladiator fought against two assailants, unarmed.

It was plain to Kali just how out matched they were. Slashes with the sword were dodged and countered with the cat?s fist. A thrust from the spear was blocked with one hand as a savage kick sent the rat staggering backward.

Even unarmed, the Tiger was holding his own. Kali had to get in there and help, even if all she could do was provide a simple distraction.

Shouting what she thought was a fierce war cry Kali lept at the cat, trying to tackle him from the side.

He simply leaned backward, letting the screeching bat fly by him before turning to his more experienced opponents.

Kali was undeterred however. Adrenaline was upon her. There was no time to contemplate the morality of helping the two beasts murder the gladiator, only that she wouldn?t last long alone if her team was murdered first.

?Take this!? Digging deep into the ground with both wing tips, Kali flung a bucket worth of sand towards the cat.

With uncanny agility, he side stepped the fox, letting Crosstooth take the full brunt of the sand to his face.

?WHYYYYY!? The fox shouted.

Lunging with his spear again the rat aimed his weapon for the Tiger?s heart, but stopped short when the ground caved in below him. The rat managed, just barely, to leap off the trap before it could plunge him into a pit full of wooden stakes.

?Why are there booby traps?!? The rat shrieked.

He landed safely from the trap, but not from the Tiger?s fist as it struck him across the jaw. Stealing the spear from his hands, the Tiger struck him with the butt of the weapon before turning its point at Kali.

?You?re not still mad about the porridge, are you??

Kali?s nervous laughter quickly turned into a scream as she began dodging and weaving repeated spear thrusts. She leapt to the side and then swerved into the air. Keeping out of reach of the spear. ?Coward!? Her opponent taunted, ?Do you think this is a show? Get back here and FIGHT!?

He?s dressed up like a tiger and he?s accusing me of putting on a show? Thought Kali with exasperation, But why doesn?t he get that? Unless? he is so used to fighting warriors, he doesn?t know how to fight an actor?

Before she could ponder this thought further, an arrow flew between her ears. A gentle and near fatal warning from one of the arena archers that she was spending too much time in the air.

Kali screamed again as she dipped low enough in shock that the tiger could smack her with the shaft of the spear, sending her face first into the dirt. The tiger wasted no time, seeking to run her through with his weapon.

She leaped upward before it could pierce her belly and fell back down, clutching the weapon tightly with both her wings and feet. Suffice to say, the tiger was at a loss for words.

Hoisting the spear high he tried to shake the bat off, ?Get off!?

?No!? Came Kali?s desperate response. Every other beast in the stands could only laugh.

With a growl, the cat threw the spear into the ground to knock the bat off his stolen weapon.

He was only partially successful though. As Kali frantically clung to the spear she bent the shaft backward before falling off of it.

There was a comical crack as the spear lurched forward again, smacking the gladiator in the face.

He hit the ground, hard, his mask rolling away from him in the sand.

Slowly, the tiger picked himself back up amid the audience?s laughter. And for the first time Kali got to see the Tiger's face. His true face.

And it was?

?surprisingly dull.

No scars, no horrible burn marks, just a normal feline channeling an unnatural amount of hate towards her with his fearsome stare.

Kali supposed it wasn?t surprising, not really. The Crimson Tiger was a persona, not a person. Just another actor like she was. But admittedly, a very deadly actor who was now focused solely on her own destruction.

The bat squeaked as she fled before the raging wildcat. Even gliding at a low altitude, the Tiger kept paces with Kali as she flew in circles around the arena. ?I?mgonnadieI?mgonnadieI?mgonnadie!? She chirped over and over amid the arena?s ever-present laughter. Laughter that only seemed to fuel the cat?s rage.

The bat felt the feline grab her by the ankle and the words ?HELP ME!? fell out of her mouth.

From over her shoulder Kali saw Crosstooth leap into action, slicing open the Tiger?s back with his short sword. Releasing the bat to yowl in pain, the savage gladiator spun on his heel to strike at the fox.

Without a doubt, the Tiger was a better fighter, but his focus was lost. The fox took advantage of the beast?s wild rage, ducking under the swing and slashing for his belly, making a shallow gash across the feline's hide.

The Tiger yelled again, managing to dodge most of the fox?s repeated blows with just cuts and scrapes but avoiding more fatal wounds.

Until, that is, he backed into Conner as the rat slid behind his legs. The cat tumbled backward, unable to stop himself from falling into the pit trap behind him.

Kali turned her head away, sparing herself the sight of the cat?s gruesome fate.

?You glorious, beautiful bat!?  Crosstooth dashed across the sand to embrace Kali, but instead he stepped past her and gave the rat a bone shattering bear hug. ?We did it! We won! You fluffy, fox shaped bard!?

?Um? I?m not Kali.? Conner replied.

The fox looked at him with squinted eyes, and then at Kali. Releasing the rat immediately, Crosstooh crossed his arms. ?I got a paw full of sand in my eyes, cut me some slack.?

The rat only laughed, Kali however just looked like she was going to be sick.

?D-did we really kill him??

?You bet your tailless butt we killed him!? the fox shouted.

?And you helped! That was one heck of a distraction.? The rat patted Kali on the shoulder. Her eyes went wide, wing tips clutching her muzzle.

Step by step she dared to move closer to the pit.

She killed someone. Or at least, helped kill someone. Was there really a difference? She was a murderer now. From now on she could only greet herself as Kali the Killer, slayer of gladiators to save her own hide.

With her fellow gladiators soaking up the cheers from the audience Kali stepped close to the edge of pit, forcing herself to ignore the sick feeling building in her stomach and looked inside.

Her eyes narrowed as they fell upon the sight of the gladiator, arms stretched out and pressed against various wooden spikes without being impaled upon them. His very savage, and very alive, glare caused Kali to scream.

He was upon her instantly, leaping out of the pit, his knee slamming into her gut and sending her sailing backward.

Kali didn?t see Conner die. She could only curl up into a ball as a wave of pain flowed over her, listening to the startled cries of her fellow gladiators as the Tiger fell upon them. ?By the Fates!? There was a cry of alarm from the rat as something snapped. Kali realized it was the sound of bones breaking before the Tiger let Conner?s lifeless husk drop to the side.

?You think this is a joke?? The words are heard by all in the arena?s stunned silence, but Kali knew they meant for her, even as the Tiger finished murdering her new friends.

?You think this is a game??

Crosstooth leapt at the cat with his sword. An unceremonious backhand across the face sent him spinning into the spike trap.

His scream was short lived.

The Tiger didn?t even flinch to the sound of flesh meeting wooden spikes. He just continued on a slow march towards Kali.

?You are no warrior. You are nothing but a fat, bumbling nuisance. The Culling would have killed you if luck hadn't allowed you to avoid it.?

Kali struggled to get back to her feet. She gagged as the cat wrapped his claws around her neck in a vice like grip.

?I was going to kill you quickly, sparing you the embarrassment of battle. But it looks like my mercy was unappreciated. Mocked, even.?

Kali?s wings grab at the cat?s paw as he lifted her off the ground. ?P-please?? The bat?s pleas were cut off as she was choked.

?This is not some stage performance, bard.? The cat?s words dripped with acid. ?You dare try to turn me into a fool? You dare try to make me the laughing stock of the arena??

After a life time of traveling, all Kali could think about was her homeland. The thoughts of her family waving her off. Her mother, her father.

They would never know how Kali died, the bat realized.

She was going to die, in some far-off land by the paws of a brute. Just so Nire could get a cheer from the audience.

No. Thought the bard, I can?t let it? let it end like?

It was getting hard to breath now. Her vision was blacking out but she could still see the cat reach for the knife at his belt. ?Your death would have been quick. Now? Now, I have to make an example of you??

The Tiger paused, his paw reaching for his blade and finding it missing. In all his ranting, he never noticed Kali grab the knife with her foot paw.

Not until she drove it into his belly.

A look of shock crossed the Tiger?s face. ?Oh?? He managed weakly before letting the bat drop. Kali hit the ground, scooting away from wildcat as he collapsed onto his knees.

Stark, pained laughter escaped the Tiger?s lips. ?By a bard,? the cat cried out, leaning backwards onto the sand.  He began to cough, ?Please? don?t let me suffer the shame of? living after being beaten by? by a bard. Please, before the audience tries to get Nire to spare me. Give me an honorable death in the arena.?

The cat closed his eyes, waiting for the end.

?Honor??

There was something in the bat?s voice that caused the Tiger to open his eyes. Despite the pain he was no doubt in, he managed to sit up, eyes locking on Kali as she regarded him coldly.

?You think this is honorable?? Kali gestured her wing to the spike pit where Crosstooth lay. ?You think killing beasts weaker than yourself is honorable?? Without realizing it, Kali grabbed the hilt of the Tiger?s battle ax still lodged in the sand.

She had no problems lifting it now, not with fury flowing through her veins. ?You murdered slaves! They had no choice but to fight you. And for what?! To make them cheer for you??

The tiger began to crawl away from the bat as she drew closer, gripping the ax tight.

?We are not? play things for their amusement. We are living beasts. We have families, we have friends! And we are here to die for what? To sell a few seats, to fill someone?s pocket with gold? And you? you wretched? pathetic? animal. You dare ask me to give you an honorable death??

Kali didn?t know where the words were coming from. They just tumbled forth as a stunned silence fell across the arena, the acoustics carrying her rant clearly to even the beasts in the upper rows.

The feline flinched. This was obviously not the honorable death he had in mind. This was not how his career should end. His eyes went wide as Kali brought the ax up over her head.

The anger building with in Kali came to a boiling point. Vivid images of the culling, the sight of Nire?s grisly trophies, Kentigern?s sword, being captured by a hawk and thrown into this barbaric sport; they all came flooding back to Kali.

?I?m going to be a bard, not a barbarian??

With a savage yell, she brought the ax downward amid the audience?s collective gasp.

Kali could only stand there, breathing deeply at what she had done.

Finally, she steadied herself enough to grab the cat by the scruff of his chest fur, pulling him closer and away from the ax buried in the sand next to his head.

?You do not deserve honor.?

And with that she let him go.

The silence of the arena continued for only a moment longer?

?and then they cheered.

It was the loudest cheer Kali had ever recieve, but she could only stumble towards the exit, stunned and shaken.

<><><><><><><><><>

Nire leaned forward into his seat, paws held in such a way to disguise his worried frown behind a thoughtful glance. His eyes focused not on the bat nor the wounded wildcat being carted off by the healers, but on the crowd.

Kali?s little rant, while born from anger, had unwittingly been an insult to not only him but the entire audience. Beasts here to be amused by the death of slaves.

They should have taken as much offense to it as he did, back when the bat used it on him just a few days ago.

And yet, they cheered for her.

?Blasio,? Nire said coldly. ?What have you made me put into my games??