Broken by Magic: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Dragon Gate Book 3), page 32
“If we acted quickly enough,” Rivlen said, “maybe we could surprise them. We could open that gate over there and let whatever creature he’s fighting loose. That would give them something else to worry about. Then we could grab Malek and sprint for the city exit.” She pointed at the disc. “You said that device allows the person holding it to get through the barrier?”
“That’s what I was told.”
“And it matches with what we saw,” Jak mused as an announcer came out to yell through a megaphone to the crowd, explaining the upcoming battle. “But we only have one, so unless we could all hold hands and that would work, we’d be out of luck.”
“My axe might be strong enough to cut through the barrier,” Tezi said. “We speculated on that but didn’t try it.”
Jak thought he caught the name Malek in the string of words the announcer yelled, and his stomach flip-flopped.
“This is it,” Mother whispered, understanding far more of the words. “This is his match.”
“What’s he facing?” Rivlen asked.
“All I recognized was something-something cat.”
“A cat doesn’t sound too bad,” Rivlen said.
“I’m sure it’s giant and deadly,” Jak said.
The curtain to their suite swished aside, and a squad of guards marched in, several carrying dragon-steel weapons, none wearing kerzor. Mages.
They lined up behind Jak, Rivlen, and the others, standing a few feet back as they faced the windows. They said nothing, but with their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons, their meaning was clear.
Jak swallowed and looked at Rivlen. I don’t think they’re going to let us spring out to help him.
Rivlen scowled back at them. I hate this place.
A few days ago, Jak had been delighted at the idea of exploring and mapping a new world, but now, all he could do was nod in agreement.
As the announcer finished bellowing through his megaphone, Rivlen looked up at the ceiling. A moment later, Jak sensed what she must have sensed—someone with a powerful aura arriving.
“Is there another level of rooms up there?” she asked.
“I think so.” Jak turned to look at the taciturn guards. Who arrived? he asked them telepathically.
They stared stonily forward without responding or even glancing at him.
Someone special? The ambassador who hasn’t come to see us again since the first day? Jak knew it wasn’t—if it had been someone with a familiar aura, he would have known it—but he wanted to see if the guards would give anything away. It’s not one of your city’s rulers, is it? Do they enjoy watching the games too?
If they did, it was sporadic watching, because in the four days they’d been here, Jak hadn’t sensed this person. Or persons? There were a number of powerful auras up there.
A squawk came from behind one of the guards. The man looked down in time to spot Shikari chomping on his sandal strap. He jerked his foot away and lifted his leg, as if he would stomp on the hatchling.
Jak lunged in and grabbed Shikari. “I told the servants they needed to bring more cockroaches and crickets.”
He swept Shikari to his chest, wishing the hatchling had stayed in the bedroom. It had been a few days since anyone had tried to kidnap him, and Jak kept hoping everyone had forgotten about him.
The guard growled and put his foot down but didn’t speak.
Mother sucked in an audible breath at the same time that Rivlen poked Jak in the shoulder.
He turned to find Malek walking out in that awful leather loincloth and harness, with—damn it—the kerzor gleaming on his temple. He strode beside three burly men in equally skimpy attire. They carried weapons ranging from mundane short swords to a war hammer to Malek’s lesser-dragon-steel blades to a dragon-steel axe. It had a single head instead of a double, like Tezi’s, but it was otherwise so similar that it might have been crafted by the same maker.
“He’s wearing it,” Mother whispered, disappointment slumping her shoulders.
“At least they didn’t take away their magical weapons,” Rivlen said. “I don’t think many of those creatures can be killed by mundane blades.”
Malek? Jak attempted to project his thoughts in the pinpoint manner he’d been learning so others wouldn’t hear him. Earlier, he’d tried to speak telepathically to Malek, but he hadn’t been able to reach him through the arena floor. With Malek in the open now, he hoped his attempt would work. Any chance you pasted a fake one of those on your head and it’s not truly embedded and affecting you?
As Malek continued walking with the others toward the center of the arena, he looked toward their window, as if he’d heard, but he didn’t respond. Or Jak couldn’t hear his response. If Malek’s magic had been taken from him, he wouldn’t be able to project telepathically. Jak had never tried to read anyone’s mind and had thus far only communicated telepathically with other mages, so he wasn’t sure how to hear an answer from this far away.
He concentrated on Malek, repeating his question and listening hard for an answer, though he realized the silence answered his question more effectively than words. Not only was Malek not able to telepathically project his thoughts, but he no longer radiated his typical zidarr power. To Jak’s senses, it was almost as if a perfectly normal terrene human was walking out.
Except not quite. There was still a hint of magic about him. Some of it came from his swords, but that wasn’t all. His body seemed magical to some extent, and Jak thought of the legends he’d heard about zidarr, that their kings infused them with arcane magic that altered them so they were no longer fully human.
Jak thought of the feats he had seen Malek accomplish—jumping great heights and dropping down fifty feet or more and landing on his feet. Though he could be injured—Jak well remembered the dragon fangs gnashing through Malek’s torso—at times, he’d seemed indestructible.
Would that magic, embedded into his body instead of created by his mind, be enough to give him an edge today? Jak couldn’t help but think of the last match, where all the men had died and the scaled predator had walked out of the arena.
It is unfortunately not a ruse, came Malek’s quiet reply.
Jak, his own mind busy, almost missed it. I’m sorry.
As am I.
Mother learned about those discs last night and tried to warn you, but the guards kept her from going down.
There is nothing she could have done. If she seems distressed, tell her that.
Mother had abandoned her book and was gazing bleakly at Malek. Yes, distressed summed it up. Distressed for many reasons.
The ruler and her powerful assistants came in person to insert it, Malek added. I… was not strong enough to stop them.
That had to gall him, if not embarrass him. Back home, Malek was used to being at the very top of the pecking order. How long since he’d encountered someone more powerful than he?
I’m sorry, Jak repeated, wishing he could do something.
The announcer spoke, presumably telling the men to ready themselves. After he finished, he strode for the safety of a door. Two mages stood poised to open a gate and let a creature out. Right now, it was in shadows, and Jak couldn’t see what Malek would have to fight, but he sensed its aura. Whatever it was, it was large and magical.
Has your mother been to the library yet and learned anything? Malek asked Jak, though he was now focused on that gate, he and the other men spreading out and settling into ready crouches.
She brought back a book and is researching it. I’d rather she were researching those discs, so we could figure out how to get that one out of your head.
I was told that’s not possible.
Ever?
That is what Etcher Yervaa said.
I don’t believe it. There must be a way to remove it.
A screech came from behind the gate.
I must prepare, Jak, Malek thought.
I know. Be careful, please. I… Jak groped for something to say that wouldn’t be maudlin or overly sentimental. I don’t want you to die.
After the announcer disappeared behind the protection of a door, the gate at the far end of the arena rattled as it rose. An impatient roar came from the shadows.
“Sounds like a giant cat,” Rivlen said.
“I’ve seen him kill a panther before,” Mother said.
“This won’t just be some simple jungle feline,” Rivlen said. “I sense magic about it.”
Jak did too, but he focused his senses on the person above them with the powerful aura. If it was one of the rulers, might he negotiate with her? He doubted he could save Malek from this match, especially if he had agreed to it—he would feel honor bound to go through with it—but maybe there was something Jak could offer in trade for the group’s freedom. And for the removal of Malek’s kerzor.
Shikari chirped and lifted his head as a great predator leaped from the cage and bounded across the arena. It looked like a lion, but it was twice the size of a horse, and its fur was long and bristly, more like that of a porcupine. It ran straight for Malek.
The other gladiators sprang to the side, as if happy to let him take the brunt of the attack.
Jak scowled, fists clenching. He’d finally learned to use some of his magic, and he had to stand by, powerless to help.
Malek waited like a crouching statue, weapons in hands, gaze intent, his face never giving away his fear—if he experienced it.
As the bristled predator closed to within ten feet, its muscled legs bunched, and it sprang for his head. Malek also sprang. Not toward it but straight into the air. He was still able to jump far higher than a normal human being could.
The cat snapped its jaws but missed him as he rose above it, twisting in the air to slash at its back as it flew through the spot where he’d been. Had his foe been a normal lion, the blows he rained upon its back would have severed its spine. But the bristles were magical and deflected the lesser-dragon-steel blades. When Malek’s weapons struck them, the clashes that echoed from the walls were more like swords meeting than sword and fur.
Malek was fast enough to strike several times as the momentum of his jump faded, and he dropped back to the ground. He sliced through the tip of the predator’s tail. The bristles were shorter and sparser there, and his sword lopped it off.
The creature roared with fury, but it was a small victory that did nothing to slow it down. As soon as its paws touched the ground, it spun toward Malek.
Two of the other gladiators ran in to hack at its flanks as it focused on him, but a pulse of magic flared from the creature. It knocked them back, one man stumbling to the ground. Immediately, he rolled and tried to jump to his feet, but when the predator saw one of its attackers down, it shifted its focus from Malek to the new man.
The huge cat leaped sideways, catching the gladiator before he regained his feet. The man swung his sword to defend himself, but all he had was a normal blade. The creature batted it away with a paw and snapped for his throat.
Malek leaped in, slashing at the bristled cat’s flank with his sword as he attempted to stab upward from below with his main-gauche. Hoping the belly was less protected?
The quills were shorter and less dense down there, but if the dagger pierced them to reach vulnerable flesh, Jak couldn’t tell. The predator ignored Malek’s attack and chomped down on the gladiator, jaws sinking into his throat.
A gut-wrenching scream escaped the man’s mouth. He lost his weapons and could only kick ineffectually at his killer.
Even as Malek stabbed and slashed again, the huge cat shook its captured prey, blood flying everywhere. The man’s neck snapped, and the predator flung his body to the side.
Malek had landed several blows, but none of them seemed to get through. Aside from the cut to its tail, the quilled cat was impervious.
With one gladiator down, it whirled toward Malek, returning its focus to him. He backed up, pausing to regroup—or consider another target that might be more vulnerable.
Try for the eyes, Jak urged silently, remembering how that had been a vulnerable spot on the dragon they’d battled. Or the roof of the mouth. Surely, the predator wasn’t quilled in there.
The gladiator with the dragon-steel axe leaped in while their foe prepared to spring at Malek. His blade whistled toward its hip. The cat lunged away before it could hit fully, so the axe only glanced off the muscular hindquarter, but blood and severed quills flew.
As the predator jumped toward him, Malek threw his main-gauche at its eye an instant before he leaped to the side. His aim was accurate, but another magical pulse came from the creature, and the blade bounced away, as if it had struck a barrier.
The cat slashed at Malek with lightning speed. He twisted away, almost evading it fully, but the claws grazed him, drawing blood as they struck his unprotected side.
Jak clenched his jaw. If Malek had been in real armor instead of leather underwear, that wouldn’t have injured him.
Despite the wound, Malek landed facing the animal, his sword ready. His main-gauche had landed off to the side, and he side-stepped toward it without taking his gaze from his foe.
The cat sprang at him again, and Malek risked diving straight at it, rolling under the beast as it flew above. Jak winced when its claws raked toward him, but Malek dodged them as he jumped up below its torso, driving his sword toward its belly. It thrashed in the air, as if he’d done true damage. The brazen attack resulted in Malek taking another claw gash, this time to his shoulder, but when he rolled away, his sword came away bloody.
The crowd cheered for the bold move—or maybe any spilling of blood excited them. They’d also cheered when the first gladiator was killed.
The fighter with the dragon-steel axe rushed at the cat as it landed. Another man with a non-magical weapon also attacked, though he was being careful, aware that his blade couldn’t hurt the creature.
While they distracted it, Malek ran over and snatched up his main-gauche.
“This is nerve-wracking to watch,” Mother whispered, her fist to her mouth.
The cat had figured out that the dragon-steel weapon could hurt it, and when the axe-wielder approached, swinging the blade, the predator pulsed magic again. Man and axe were hurled backward.
Malek was ready when the cat focused on him again. This time, instead of springing into the air, the creature prowled toward him slowly. It wasn’t going to risk exposing its belly again.
It lunged and slashed with long claws, acting like a fencer instead of a charging feline. Malek deflected the claws, as if he were parrying sword thrusts. The creature pulsed magic again. Though it knocked him back, Malek kept his feet, landing lightly and in time to deflect a series of rapid claw strikes.
The other two gladiators snapped at each other in their native tongue as they crept toward the creature’s backside. But the pulses kept them away as effectively as a magical barrier would have.
After parrying a swipe from a paw, Malek risked lunging in. Using his longer blade, he stabbed for the creature’s eye. The tip of the sword started to sink in when another pulse came from the creature, this one stronger than the others.
It knocked him flying—it knocked all of the men flying.
Malek twisted in the air, landing on his feet as the cat leaped for him. It hadn’t expected him to recover so quickly, and he caught it off guard when he went down on one knee and thrust upward with his sword. Once again, he pierced through muscle and flesh to draw blood.
It pawed at him, and Malek rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding sharp claws.
As the crowd cheered again, Jak thought he heard approving yells coming from the suite above. Feminine yells.
That had to be the etcher.
Greetings, my lady, Jak thought telepathically in that direction as the cat sprang away from Malek and focused on the other two gladiators. Are you enjoying the match?
It was an inane conversation starter, but Jak doubted she would even respond if he demanded she free them all and remove that thing from Malek’s head.
Do not presume to interrupt me, boy, came a haughty response. Being a Favored Traveler by the gateway grants you no power here. And I am otherwise occupied. I have come for the entertainment.
I can be entertaining. I know jokes. How do you feel about cartography humor?
After the games are over, we will speak. You will not entertain me but instead tell me where to acquire dragon eggs. I trust there are more where that hatchling came from.
Jak swallowed. This was not the conversation he wanted to have with her.
But maybe he could pretend to be willing to share that information. Before replying, he made sure the mental bandana around his mind was up so she wouldn’t be able to read his thoughts.
There are. If you remove that kerzor from my friend’s head and let us go, I could tell you where to find some for yourself.
You will tell us. Your time here has allowed us to study you, and we know how weak you are. It will be a simple matter to acquire extra information about you and your world from your mind.
That wouldn’t be polite. Wouldn’t you prefer to be allies than to make enemies with those from other worlds? There are many back home who are more powerful than we are, and if we don’t return, they’ll send armies to look for us—and battle those who harmed us.
Unlikely. I saw in your ally’s thoughts that he is considered strong in your world. And he is not without merit—most intriguing are the modifications that have been made to his body to give him more speed and strength—but when it comes to pure magic, we are by far your superiors.
Jak worried that was true.
You will tell us where the eggs can be found, and I will let my ambassador take that hatchling from you. As he told me, he’s not had our servants gathering bugs and feeding him for no reason.
Jak rested a protective hand on Shikari’s back.
Malek is down there because you promised him you would let the rest of us go if he fought, Jak said. Do you have any intention of fulfilling your promise?
You’ll not return home to report everything you’ve learned about us to your leaders, she replied.
