Trials Chapter 11: Blood from Stone

                A stone giant is a massive beast made from the very earth itself. They are legendary creatures considered one of the ancients the original beings of creation before the time of the gods. Some even called them Titans. They stood taller than buildings and could crush a man in their hands.

                Ramsey was frozen. He had heard stories of these creatures: massive golems that could slaughter whole battalions single-handedly. He had never seen one in real life. Was this the power of the amazons? If they could of capturing such a monster what more were these women capable of. The giant lumbered towards them molten earth flowing through its veins and dripping from its maw. It lifted its granite foot to crush him flat.

                Doratea was not surprised. Ever since her inauguration Celina had taken a great interest in the games creating new and “exciting” events. Still a stone giant in the exhibition match was a bit much. She watched as Kiri’s little partner stood frozen as the golem rampaged around the arena. Part of her was actually happy to see this. If the man was too weak to even pass the exhibition Kiri might give up on the games this year.

                “I’ve never seen a stone giant before.” Spoke Queen Lucinda with childlike delight

                “Our games are host to many exotic creatures.” Celina bragged. “A stone giant is only the beginning.

                This made Doratea nervous. Celina had that familiar glint in her eye that craved for the bloodshed that had been present when she herself competed in the games. Doratea was not shy to blood in the arena, the violence was a cleansing of the spirit and a reminder of their heritage, but Celina took it to an extreme. She choose to follow the path of Volsta goddess Celeste’s older sister said to be a fierce warrior and ruler of death. She was said to appear when an amazon died in battle to usher her on to the next life. Those who followed Volsta believed death on the battlefield should be cherished above all else.

                “You don’t think this is a bit much for the opening fight?” Doratea tested.

                “If they can’t even handle one rock giant then death in the arena is too good for them.”

                Doratea was torn she couldn’t go against Celina as a guardian she was sworn to serve her. Yet this was going too far. She was going to speak up when a loud slam came from the doorway.

                “What do you think you’re doing?!” yelled Dixie as she barged her way in.

                While Ramsey might have been a petrified mess but the ogre he was tied to was far more capable. It deftly avoided the golem’s footfall dragging Ramsey along with it. It was quicker than Ramsey gave it credit for nimbly dodging the steps and weaving back and forth. It howled a loud roar before pulling out its oversized axe and rushing the beast with wild abandon. The axe struck true hitting its mark with the force of a bull rhino. The ogre looked satisfied noticing the dent it left on the giant’s body. It raised the mighty blade again prepped for another blow when the axe shattered into tiny pieces in the ogres grip.

                The ogre was not pleased by this raging and thrashing against the stone giant with its bare hands. The giant barely seemed to even register these attempts.  It bellowed wildly spewing hot magma across the arena. The ogre continued in earnest to damage the giant Ramsey still a dead weight on its arm.

                “Wake up you idiot!” Kiri thought. All she could do was watch as Ramsey was flung to and fro at the whim of a mad ogre. He hadn’t quite lived up to her expectations but he had survived her training. He even managed to surprise her when she ditched him in the forest. It was meant to be survival training but somehow the squirt had managed to catch up with her, if only barely. Now he was frozen in fear before a one stone giant. That was pathetic!

                “Wake up you IDIOT!” she shouted.

                “Wake up you IDIOT!” he heard and suddenly he was back. Freed from the fear trance the stone giant had put him in. He tried to regain some composure which is hard when you’re attached to an ogre. He reached for his blade and swung at the ropes trying to free himself. They wouldn’t give.

                “What the hell?!” he said. The rope was made of some magic super fiber. “Shiiit.” He swore.

                The ogre seemed to notice Ramsey new lucidity and stopped its savage and ineffective assault on the giant. It looked down on him with contempt snorting in dissatisfaction.

                “Got plan?” it said in a guttural monotone.

                ‘Not really.” Ramsey replied.

`

                Alaster jumped into the fray. The giant had seen fit to torch the field with its volcanic vomit no longer content to let the ogre flail at it. He moved forward only to be yanked back by his partner.  

                “We’ve got to move woman.” He spat but his partner the elf didn’t see fit to travel.

                “Stay where you are and we may live through this.” She replied coldly.

                “I don’t take orders from women.” He retorted lunging towards the beast. He once again was yanked back as the elf resisted. “Dammit woman I will drag you to glory if I have to.”

                Alaster continued forward albeit at a considerable slower pace as the elf woman struggled all the while not noticing the light emanating from her eyes. The rock giant however did and took in air as it began its next fiery spasm. A molten stream of hyper heated death was catapulted toward them and Alaster was sure his day had come. He closed his eyes and prepared for the reapers cold embrace.

                For a time Ramsey was sure he had seen it all but the more time spent in the Amazonian world the more wrong he was proven to be. He saw two of the competitors be engulfed in magma and was sure they were done for. Yet as the lava settled it if formed a dome that began to peel streams of blue light flowing from the cracks. The dome ruptured completely and he could see the two protected by some sort of magic shield. The elf was a mage. Ramsey could see her making elaborate hand gestures and suddenly the light was absorbed into her and shot back and the giant staggering it. She then collapsed onto the arena floor.

                “RAMSEY DUCK!” Kiri shouted causing Ramsey look up. The magical attack had shot off one of the giants arms and it was headed straight for them. Both Ramsey and the ogre took off in opposite directions and were forced back into each other. The arm catapulted toward them before hitting the ground and bouncing over their heads. The giant gripped its side roaring in pain as lava drained from its wound. The crowd roared in excitement.

                “THE CHEST RAMSEY, AIM FOR THE CHEST!” Ramsey looked and sure enough a large crack had appeared in the giant’s chest flashing and leaking yellow fire. He looked at his oafish partner.

                “I think I do have a plan.

                “What the hell was that?” Alaster yelled as the elf came to.

                “Magic.” Was her simple answer.

                “And why didn’t you do that to begin with woman?”

                “Magic takes time and CONSENTRATION you fool. She forcibly brushed past Alaster. “And the name’s Dawn not woman.” Dawn began readying another spell.

                “Stop!” yelled Ramsey he and the ogre rushed to join them.

                “So the human decided to join us.” Said Dawn.

                “Don’t cast another spell.” He said between breaths.

                “He have plan.” Said the ogre.

                “This is suicide.” Ramsey said.

                “Hey it’s your idea.” Said Alaster with dark amusement

                ‘READY.” Said the ogre

                “Ready.’ Said Dawn

                “This is suicide.” Repeated Ramsey

                “You’ve forgotten your place Storne.” Celina commanded.

                “That’s Parksis!” said Dixie entering the room. She had an air all her own and for a moment she was the warrior from the past the former champion Diloras Alexia Storne.

                “You are far too familiar when addressing your Queen.”

                Dixie bowed begrudgingly not raising until the Celina permitted.

                “Rise Dixie.” She said with the controlled authority that comes with a lifetime of leadership. Celina was a force of nature and her presence alone faltered the weak willed. This didn’t impress Dixie. She looked at Celina with contempt.

                “You’ve always taken things to far your highness.” Dixie replied not masking the hate in her voice.” She walked over to join Doratea.

                “You’ve lost your fire Dixie; there was a time when the wrath of a stone giant like that of a kitten before you and you relished in the blood of the arena.”

                “That was a long time ago Celina, things have changed since then you know that.” She wrapped her arms around Doratea possessively earning a sneer from the queen.

                “Dixie what are you doing here?” asked Doratea. She brushed a hand against Dixie concerned. Dixie rarely got angry.

                “Who is this?” inquired Lucinda. She had leaned onto the edge of her throne a bemused look on her face.

                “Umm this is Dixie.” Doratea answered. “She is-“suddenly a loud roar filled the arena. All four women suddenly turned their attention back towards the arena. The stone giants arm had just been blown off.

                “I’ve never seen such magic!” Squealed Lucinda excitedly it was apparent she had quickly become a fan of the games.

                Doratea looked over the edge. A small group had gathered under the giants including Kiri’s soldier. They had set themselves up in different positions as the stone giant recovered, more light emanating from the elf. Then the solder was lifted into the air by the ogre and hurled at the stone giants exposed torso.

                “What a fool.” Said Doratea as the solder vanished into the hot magma. Then the giant started to shake as blue light poured from the cracks in its body the lava that poured openly from its wound crackled with the sparks of the elf’s powerful magic. The crowd went silent as the giant continued to shake and spasm and suddenly it exploded outward in chunks scattering into the audience a large slab heading straight for their very box.

                Before anyone she knew what was happening Doratea was shoved aside as Dixie leap up onto the edge. In one swift motion she pressed her fist into the boulder bursting it into tiny particles.

                “GLORIOUS!” cried Lucinda. The crowd erupted in cheers along with her.

                “I’m still alive?” Ramsey mumbled amongst the debris of the stone giant. He couldn’t believe the elf’s magic actually worked. He tried to stand but his body wouldn’t stop shaking. He collapsed back onto the ground. Suddenly he was hoisted into the air. His ears rang from the noise of the crowd. “I’m still alive.”

                He looked back to see the ogre had lifted him in celebration of their victory all around him were the warriors who had fought with him, even the murder twins and two others who were mysteriously absent from the chaos. The gates opened and the amazons entered the arena heading the pack was Kiri who rushed over to his side. She wrenched him from the ogres grip and embraced him readily.

                This past time with her had been so confusing and he still had so many questions but one rang in his head more than the others.

                “So you do speak English?” He said.