David and Goliath

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I wanted this chapter to be good. Also, the Song of the Day doesn't correlate to the book in any way, it's just a song I listen to while writing and that I want to share with others.

*Song of the Day - Murder in My Mind by Kordhell*

---------------------------------------------------------------------

(Marcus 1st POV)

As I walked out of the arena I could barely hear the noise of the crowd behind me. My desperate breathing blocked them out. My heart was hammering in my throat. My arms burned with exhaustion.

The battle was hard, even for me. I am only human. There are only so many people one person can take down. The cuts that littered my arms and legs were proof of it.

Luckily, I wasn't injured to the point of not being able to move anymore. The task of walking to the waiting room was arduous though. I was lucky to get a break while they cleared all the bodies out of the arena.

I walked through the doors to the waiting room and slumped against the wall taking deep breaths, trying to recover.

The battle was easy at first, they seemed trained but were not masters of the weapon in any sense. But as the battle progressed, I got slower, while the people I faced were still at the top of their game. The people turned from individuals that I had to defeat to a blur of spears and bodies.

All I was doing near the end was responding to my instincts. Preserving as much energy as possible by moving the minimal amount for each attack. It lead to more small injuries but also allowed me to fight longer.

Whatever I expected tonight, it wasn't facing that many people at once. Too many times spears were close to piercing from behind. I had to stay close to the wall so that the area behind me was guarded.

But the experience was also one of the most exhilarating fights I have had. The feeling after winning over two hundred other men was like no other. There is no substitute for the feeling of victory.

I collected my breath for a few more minutes before one of the Roman guards told me to get up and get ready to go.

I walked out of the arena and the crowd was already ballistic before I even stepped out. What was going on? As I walked out, I saw my next opponent, out there before me. My eyes widened.

'How in the hell? Am I going to fight THAT? What even is that?'

In front of me, a man stood. Had to be at least twice my size, around 15 feet at minimum. Made of pure muscle, the only thing that covered its decency was a loincloth and a black thin collar on the giant's neck which was wide as my thigh.

A thick mane of red untamed hair ran down its back. Its hands each had six fingers and his fingernails almost looked like claws rather than nails.

The thing held a giant club. It looked like the giant had just ripped a tree out of the ground and was using it as a weapon. It was blunt and covered with dark rust. Blood.

It stood there staring blankly into space. Its breath was audible from over fifty feet away. Scars and burns littered its muscled form.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. FOR THE LAST FIGHT OF THE NIGHT WE ARE BRINGING YOU A BATTLE ONLY SPOKEN OF IN MYTHS. YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH. AND WE DECIDED TO BRING THAT STORY TO YOU." The announcer screamed into the microphone as the crowd went wild. The Goliath seemed to get a little more animated at their screams.

"WE FOUND THIS BEAST IN THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN AFTER AMERICAN SOLDIERS RAN INTO IT. THEY CAPTURED IT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO WRANGLE IT FROM THEM AND BRING IT BACK HERE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!"

'Shit. The giant of Kandahar? I thought that was a myth!' I locked eyes with the giant, saliva dripped down between massive teeth that slightly protruded out of his mouth.

'I have never fought anything like that before. What can I do? I have no weapon, no weapon that I can get from an enemy, and punches don't look like they are going to work.' I clenched and got down onto the balls of my feet.

My thighs were aching as I bounced from one foot to the other, my body still sore from my last battle. But the more I moved the more blood began to pump. I looked at the giant, smiling. 'I'll just fight and worry later. That's future Marcus's problem.'

"LET THE BATTLE BEGIN."

'I guess it is current Marcus's problem now.' I thought as I looked across the arena and watched as the giant's choker emitted strong sparks of electricity.

The giant roared as he clutched his neck. The sparks stopped as he swiveled his head to look at me.

'Fuck.'

The giant growled before starting to sprint at me.

I had to move. I couldn't stay passive and reactionary in this battle.

This was a fight where if I didn't move fast enough I would die. I sprinted at the giant as well.The giant stopped in front of me before swinging his club horizontally. I stopped sprinting mid-sprint and dropped as flat as I could to the ground as I heard the club brush over the back of my head.

I pressed up about to run at him before I shot to the side as a clawed hand pierced the ground where I was. As the hand hit where I was it created a small crater in the ground. One that matched many small craters around the arena.

'So they were from this dude.' I thought, now beside him. I shot out my leg at his knee, which was at my waist.

I can break concrete with my kicks, so it wasn't a surprise when I heard a crunch. But I was surprised when the knee didn't buckle.

I had broken the kneecap, but the giant's leg muscles were akin to steel. 'That shouldn't be possible! You rely on bones to stand, not muscle.'

I didn't have any time to think longer as the giant came in with a backswing that clipped me and sent me rolling.

'New rule, don't get hit by the big guy.' I thought as I hoisted my aching body to look at the giant.

Before I rolled quickly to the side, dodging the club that was looking to squash me. I darted towards him, shooting for his good leg. If I injured both legs, he couldn't possibly keep standing.

All of a sudden my vision shifted. I was in the air across the arena. My side roared in protest and pain, and I felt several of my ribs crack.

I flew across the arena, the entire world rolling around me, making it impossible to try and get my bearings. I finally skidded onto the gravelly ground and rolled into a crouched position looking at the giant. Stars covered my vision.

I had made sure to watch out for a kick with his good leg, but the bastard had kicked me with his bad one.

The giant had let go of his club and was grasping his leg with both hands. When the giant kicked me, he used his knee and injured it further.

But I wasn't much better off. My skin was rubbed raw from crashing into the gravelly, sandy ground as well as littered with cuts from my previous battle. Every breath felt like razor blades were being dragged across my lungs. All my muscles ached from previous battles.

But if I waited here and just complained. If I sat and pitied my situation, I would die. I looked at my hands and tried to stand. Then I saw it. Part of my wraps were undone.

It was hanging loosely from my arm. There were no rules saying I had to have these. This wasn't MMA or boxing. I could take them off and use them as a weapon. No matter how big the giant is, it still has to breathe.

I got to my feet and looked at the giant who was clutching his leg still. I could win this. I spat out the saliva that was filling my mouth and red shot out. 'Fuck, that's bad. I have to end this quick if I want to live.'

I started to run towards the giant as best as I could. Pain still racked my side, but I could move through the pain. I unwrapped the wrap as I sprinted toward the giant.

The giant saw me approach and roared, swiping one of its arms. I rolled underneath it and around his bad leg. I had to bring him down to me to reach his neck.

My leg snapped out with enough force to snap a small tree in half and hit the back of his injured knee.

The giant toppled forward, unbalanced, and landed on his good knee. Before he could get his awareness I sprang onto his back and threw the wrap in a loop over his neck.

I then jumped back, onto the ground and pulled the wraps with my entire strength. The giant's spine straighten out and backward as I tried to pull him to the ground.

I heard the giant choke and sputter as I pulled the wraps tight around his throat. All of sudden I saw the beast reach back with his hand and grab the wrap I was holding on to.

He pulled it to the side, trying to tear it off him, and I flew in the air. I swung through the air, over his arms, and landed in front of him.

The beasts' eyes were bloodshot and bulging. The soft metal nature of my wraps was around his throat so tight I saw blood trickling out from under them.

The giant tried to bat me with its hand, but I jumped into the air. I utilized the wraps to prop myself against his chest as though I was repelling down a cliff.

My face was at his eye level now. Each eye is the size of my fist. They looked at me with a wild beastiality, but beyond that, I saw fear. Fear of death. Fear of losing. Fear of the arena.

'Sorry big guy. It's either you or me. And I choose me.' I leaned backward and ripped the wraps toward me, keeping it taut around his neck.

I could see bulging veins around his neck as he tried to get one last gasp of air. As I stared at his eyes, in the reflection of his cornea, I could see him trying to grab me.

I released the excess wraps that I had, dropped to the ground, and pulled hard at the end of the wraps.

I could feel his body slightly buckle, giving a tiny bit of resistance before the giant began to fall down. I rolled out of the way as the giant slammed against the earth.

I had to let go of the wraps to get out of the situation, but when I turned around, the giant was face down on the ground having embraced sweet unconsciousness.

The crowd was silent, watching a man make the impossible, possible. A man defeat a giant from the legends.

"Victory," I muttered softly. I looked at the ceiling of the arena, blinking away tears of pain in my eyes. Taking shallow slow breaths. Trying anything to ease the agonizing pain in my side.

I glanced over at my daughter who was pressed up against the glass. She wasn't smiling or as excited as the other times. She looked worried or panicked. What was wrong? I need to get to her. She needs me. I gave a small thumbs up as a bit of reassurance. Then I grabbed the wrap off the giant and began to limp over to the portcullis trying to get to my daughter as fast as possible.

As I began to limp I heard the announcer begin to scream. But I could barely hear what was said. But what I could hear was the cheers of the crowd. They resonated throughout my entire body and soul.

My entire body ached. It was a labor to walk. An ordeal to breathe. Everything was fuzzy. But the cheers of the crowd energized my soul. The feeling of victory over impossible odds was irreplaceable. Addicting. But I couldn't bathe in it right now. Jaya needed me.

I finally reached the portcullis and walked through the double doors. I tried to walk to go to Viktor's office, but as soon as I tried to take a step my leg buckled from underneath me.

I caught myself with my hands and tried to press up, but my arms didn't respond to me. A few splatters of blood fell from my mouth as I tried to breathe. Blood pooled underneath me from the various injuries from my battles.

I needed to get up. I needed to go see Jaya. She was with Viktor. She wasn't safe. She was panicked. I must get to my daughter.

'Get up and move.' My body wasn't responding.

'Get up.'

'Get up! JAYA NEEDS YOU.' My body groaned in protest as i was able to get to a kneeling position, rather than on my hands and knees.

'Get UP!'

'GET UP!'

I wrenched my leg in front of me and stood up on shaking legs. I knew which way to go, but my vision was hazy.

I forced one leg in front of the other. It was excruciating, every muscle felt on fire, and my bones clicked as I walked. My head throbbed as though a sledgehammer was pounding on it.

But as I took another step, then another, the pain blurred together until all I felt was numb. I finally got to the lobby room where other fighters were all standing and watching the screen.

As I entered they all turned and looked at me. It was completely silent in the room. I couldn't see their faces, everything was blurry. I think there was blood trickling down my head and into my eyes.

As I began to make my way through the crowded room they parted and made a path for me as I walked through them toward Viktor's room.

Halfway through my foot hit something and I almost fell but one of the spectators caught me and balanced me upright.

He looked me in my eyes and said something. I couldn't hear it though. All the noise was muffled. While I could see his mouth moving, I couldn't make out the words. I blinked slowly at the man in front of me.

What did I need to do?

Where was I going?

You need to get to her.

Her?

Jaya.

That's right. I need to get to Jaya. My daughter.

Why was he stopping me again? I need to get to my daughter. I can't stop now. I need to get back.

I stepped around him and kept moving forward. I say moving, but it was more of a shuffle than anything.

I think I finally entered the hallway to Viktor's office. I could tell from the blood-red carpet. Funny. It matched the blood running down my arms.

Just a bit more and I can see my daughter.

It was so cold. I know this is a dungeon, but it felt fine earlier. But now it felt like a winter's day.

Get to Jaya.

But it's cold.

She needs you.

Just sleep. You'll be fine.

Shut UP! Jaya needs you. NOW. I need to get back. I need to get to my daughter.

------------------------------------

A/N: 2.6K words