Chapter 9: Target
The gladiators were given a week's time of rest. The physical and mental abuse they had to endure due to poor performance had scarred the souls of these kids. The first scars started forming on the gladiators' bodies. There were some that received scars from the cuts and stabs they had received from another gladiators during the first battle, then there were some that were scarred by the whipping they went through. Being repeatedly whipped on the back for just 5 minutes was enough to destroy the last mental fortitudes the gladiators had set up. It didn't take long for all of their minds to go into survival mode. Through pain, any living being could be taught, so were the human-like races from across the seas. The pain taught whatever the Coliseum management saw fit. In this case, obedience and ambition was taught. Obedience to minimize the control the management had to exude over the gladiators, and ambition to increase a gladiator's willingness to perform.
Before the discipline, a majority of the gladiators cried, but after, only a handful remained with that act of expression. Even though Esmeray was lucky to have faced a punishment that didn't work on her, her trauma deepened, and so did the seriousness of the new environment she was thrown into.
'Fight. Deliver and entertain. Be spared of any punishment. I must simply give it my all and take at least 2 people's lives every time I fight in order not to get punished.' Esmeray engraved into her mind.
***
Days passed after that day. The gladiators' wounds healed - the physical ones fully, the mental ones slightly. After the rest period was over, a new, and even worse fate awaited the new gladiator roster.
They were brought back into the arena, lined up again at the centre. Only this time, the gladiators appeared thinner, weaker and drained.
Daws's announcement began. "Ladies and gentlemen, because of the huge, positive feedback we received about our new roster here, we, the management, decided to implement a more unique and thrilling experience for you all. Until now, rosters were never updated, so you were stuck with the same gladiators fighting each other weekly until 4 remained and were put into the amateur league. And in most cases, the amateur league wasn't so kind to they still-young advancers. We have implemented a new rotating roster system where all the gladiators between 8 and 14 are mixed into divisible groups. That way, you will see your fighter get matched up against other fighters and experience a more thrilling time. Premature Cryfighters, our new program's name."
The Coliseum's management, mostly the group 1 investors, realized that the for some reason, the younger slaves that were being brought in were stronger than the ones that came before them. Each "generation" was slightly stronger than their predecessor.
'I won't be facing the same opponents regularly then. As much as this benefits me, it's also bad for me. I must be able to adapt quicker. My reputation won't always work in instilling fear and worry. At some point, my opponents will reach my level the longer they survive.
"4 groups of 17 fighters. We will begin the randomizations of the fighters now." Daws announced.
Esmeray's roster was brought back into their cells. Having understood the system, the gladiators began talking, unconsciously realizing that some won't be their opponent for the upcoming fight.
"We can't allows ourselves to unconsciously build groups with random opponents. And if some of us are matched up against one another, don't build groups either. You heard Gustav saying that teaming up was punishable by deducting points." Hilda advised, wanting to be seen as a leader - someone strong.
"Our numbers will decrease today. We are the newest roster. We don't know when the roster before us was brought here. They are undoubtedly more experienced than us." Esmeray, also newly known as the pessimist, reminded them of their disadvantage.
This, of course, was effective as always. When Esmeray spoke, nothing but facts and the harsh reality of their new lives were brought up and discussed.
***
Finding herself in a row of new faces, but this time somewhere in the middle of the row, Esmeray sized up the new competition. 'Of course this group is dominated by fishmen... My previous tactic won't work. And...' Esmeray's mind blanked when she saw a human clad in a full armor with two axes. The human was about 5 feet and 7 inches tall. His brown hair was short and his face was decorated with a scar than ran from his left temple all across his face and to his right jugular vein. His eyes were unfocused and his face purple from a broken nose. Whatever generation he was from, it wasn't treating him kindly either. 'He must be around 14 years old... Clearly sponsored and experienced. I need to fight someone weaker to gain some points. First blood wouldn't be bad either.'
"By the request of our dear sponsors and patrons, the group Esmeray Dawn is in will be the first to fight." After Daws's revelation, the human with the axes looked straight at Esmeray, clearly showing that he knew her from somewhere.
"There is a new prospect, the most advertised and hyped up young fighter this Coliseum has seen. I heard that a new system will allow you to fight other fighters from the other groups. Your job is to make sure she won't be killed or severely handicapped. You understand, Klett?" A sponsor by the alias of Sir Herfeld ordered before a few days prior. The order was given to the human with the two axes.
'How bothersome... I can't even see that well after the last match. That shoulder-bastard obliterated my nose. My eyes are still watery after a whole week.
Not longer after, the signal to fight was given. The gladiators stepped back as they usually did, putting distance between one another.
A series of thought-out strikes followed, targeting whoever the gladiators deemed to be weak. The gladiators that stood to the right and left of Esmeray immediately swung their weapons, a double-edged sword and a trident, at her. She predicted this outcome, but the overwhelming speed and strength of the two fishmen was apparent.
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