Phala, the brown city part 2

Doreen was taken to the arena, a large giant building in the shape of an octagon. She was taken underground to the dungeons. Inside were many prisoners, mainly all other sassans, of the same kinds that had attacked her and Edward before, the multans.

"You humans from Olympia and these Multans seem to revel in your battles. So, engage in combat once more, just as you like it," sneered one of the sassan guards accompanying her, his voice carrying a sinister undertone that echoed through the stone corridors.

Thrown into a cell, Doreen watched as the guards confiscated her rings. She offered little resistance, her eyes sharply observing their every move.

"You won't be needing these divine weapons of yours, I bet," smirked one of the guards, a taunting glint in his eye.

"Why don't you give them a try? Put them on," Doreen challenged, her voice steady.

Amused and confident, the guard slid the ring onto his finger, only for it to transform into Doreen's shield in an instant, slicing through his hand with explosive force. Blood splattered in all directions as the guard's screams filled the air. The shield reverted to a ring, rolling back to Doreen, who calmly placed it back on her finger.

"These rings are bound to me, connected to my blood and my very essence. I could have fought you all off if I had wished, rings or no rings. And if I am to fight these savages, I prefer to do so with all my tools," she declared, her gaze unwavering as she demanded the return of her other ring.

The guards, now visibly unsettled, reluctantly handed over the second ring, their eyes never leaving Doreen.

"It doesn't matter how many rings you have. No one has ever escaped the city of Phala," the guard sneered, leaving Doreen alone in the dungeon.

As the guard left, Doreen sat down. She was not alone in the cell, but a female sassan was there as well.

"A human, here? You must be out of your mind," she remarked to Doreen. 

"Because of how the Olympian humans treated this city centuries back? And because I am a human," Doreen said, like she thought the answer. 

"No, but because of the bloated queen and her corrupt court. They have named almost all outsiders as their enemies, but you see, the true enemy is not the outsiders but the festering corruption that grips this city. Starvation and attacks by the multans plague its countryside, and yet the queen remains holed up in her opulent chambers, while her subjects suffer. As long as this arena overflows with violence, the bloodshed of the masses is contained within those walls," the woman explained, her voice resonating with a mixture of disdain and sadness.

"And what brought you here?" Doreen asked.

"Speaking the truth," the woman replied.

"Speaking the truth," the woman replied simply, her gaze steady.

Doreen fell silent, her thoughts drifting to the silver shield she had seen outside the city walls.

Her reflections were abruptly interrupted as a guard was thrown violently down the hallway, crashing into the wall with a loud thud.

"That damn beast! I'll make it pay!" the guard bellowed, his rage palpable.

"Stop! Oghuz is the queen's personal property. She won't take kindly to it being damaged," another guard interjected, attempting to quell his comrade's fury.

"It's just an animal, already scarred from countless battles in the arena. She won't notice if it has a few more," he retorted, unsheathing a whip adorned with iron spikes.

Doreen listened, her senses heightened, as the sound of whipping echoed through the dungeons, accompanied by the guttural roars of the creature known as Oghuz.

"You're an Olympian human?" the cellmate queried.

"Yes..." Doreen responded.

"Hmm... So you've come to defend this city, like the Olympian humans of the past? Like the one still encased in his armor outside the city walls?" she prodded.

Doreen's brows furrowed in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"The silver shield. You're here to defend the city, just as it did?" she persisted, her eyes studying Doreen intently.

"The Olympian humans... they were occupiers, were they not?" Doreen countered, seeking clarification.

"Yes, that's true. They were. But not all of them harbored ill intentions."

"Tell me more about this silver shield," Doreen requested, her interest piqued.

The woman hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching Doreen's face for sincerity. Seeing the genuine interest in her eyes, she decided to share what she knew.

"Centuries ago, during the time of Isakander," she began, her voice tinged with both sorrow and awe. "The Olympian humans arrived as conquerors, and the silver shields, initially no different, were their formidable vanguard. Under the ruthless Antigonus, our people were enslaved, mere pawns in their wars against Arslan, who had yet to submit. Our walls weakened, our warriors away fighting the Scethians, leaving us vulnerable. The Multans sensed our vulnerability and lay in wait for the opportune moment to strike."

"When news of Isakander's demise reached us, defiance surged through our hearts, but our weakness prevented us from resisting. Chaos enveloped our lands, and it was during that chaos that the multans launched their assault. A horde emerged from the depths of the jungle, seeking to claim our city and reduce it to ashes. In response, a handful of human soldiers and the silver shields stepped beyond the city walls to face the encroaching threat."

"The battle that ensued was a maelstrom of death and desperation. Outnumbered tenfold, the humans fought with an enthusiasm that defied reason. They stood their ground until the very end, ensuring the retreat of the multan horde back into the depths of the forest. The battlefield, as you witnessed upon entering the city, became a grim tapestry of fallen warriors."

Doreen's anger flared.

Upon hearing this, Doreen couldn't contain her anger.

"Why then," she demanded, her voice filled with indignation, "did they leave the fallen silver shield to rot on the battlefield for centuries? A warrior of such valor deserves honor in death, not to be abandoned, his memory tarnished and forgotten!"

The sassan woman nodded solemnly, sharing in Doreen's frustration. "Indeed, the fallen silver shield deserves a dignified resting place, a tribute to their bravery and sacrifice. However, the rulers of Phala recognized the fear instilled in the multans by that fateful battle. They saw an opportunity to use the fallen warrior's body as a deterrent, warding off future raids and attacks on the city."

"So there is a dead silver shield, a warrior that defended the people to the death, and is used now as a scarecrow!"

"Yes," the sassan woman replied somberly. "The dead silver shield stands as a constant reminder of the city's past victory over the multans. The rulers believe that by keeping the fallen warrior's body in plain sight, they can deter any future attacks from the forest-dwelling multans, who fear the power and determination the silver shield represented."

Doreen's heart ached at the thought of the fallen warrior's remains being displayed as a symbol of fear rather than honored as a testament to bravery. It was a dishonorable fate for someone who had fought to protect the people.

"It is a tragedy that the fallen silver shield's sacrifice has been reduced to a mere scarecrow," Doreen said.

~~

Meanwhile, Edward found himself alone in the queen's court, surrounded by an air of opulence and excess. Roxetta, the bloated queen, regarded him with hungry eyes, her gaze a stark contrast to her gluttonous appearance.

"Come closer, handsome human," she purred, her voice laced with a mix of desire and authority. "You are a rarity in these lands."

Edward recoiled, his instincts screaming at him to escape this grotesque situation. But Doreen's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that playing along might be their only chance to survive.

With a forced smile, Edward cautiously approached the queen. "As you wish, Your Majesty," he replied, his voice dripping with feigned politeness.

The courtiers and ministers watched their expressions a mixture of discomfort and unease. They knew the queen's desires were insatiable, and crossing her could have dire consequences. They could only hope that Edward's compliance would appease her.

"Do they have to watch?" Edward asked.

"You have a problem performing in front of an audience...." the queen said, trying to sound enticing, but it came out as just plain creepy.

"Yes....yes I do....." Edward said.

The queen waved the courtiers and ministers to leave the room, with all of them sighing in relief. The queen then moved to the bed and bent over, trying to look seductive, but in Edward's eyes, she only looked like a stranded fish, gasping for air.

"Now take me, you human brute," she said, starting to open her legs.

At that moment, Edward snapped and punched the queen. The queen immediately passed out from the blow, and Edward understood the situation he was in.

"Oh fuck...Doreen is not gonna like this," he said.