Blood and Sand
With the Midday sun, hanging far above the Heaven. It's scorching heat rains upon a certain place.
"KILL!"
"KILL HIM!"
The raving screams of the people could be heard all throughout as they called for the death of a person. Their fervent gaze, filled with excitement and anticipation...then?
Death heard their call...
Beneath the coliseum, where captured slaves fought for the bidding of their masters. A young boy, at the age of 16 stood at the center of the arena, on his hand was the head of the last of his opponents, a 30 year old man. The boy raised the freshly severed head and slowly spun, showing the audience his work and in response, the people watching cheered with fervor.
wooshh...
Nonchalantly, the boy threw the head behind him where a pile of severed heads were. These heads stacked and numbered to about twenty.
This wasn't just a one-on-one fight but a one fighting twenty. This was the reason why the people watching felt their blood running through their veins. Despite being only 16 and outnumbered, the boy fought and killed his opponents one by one ferociously akin to a beast tearing hunting its prey. He was sent in without weapons and by dodging and using the weapons against themselves, he proved to be a master of multiple weapons.
Blood and sand stuck to his skin and beneath them were numerous scars, small and large. All were marks of his path...a bloody path.
He turned to the viewing platform for the rich and there seated a fat man, smiling and drinking while caressing the maid by his side.
"With that, I have won a hundred battles. Cleared your slaughter trials. It's time for you to fulfill your end of the contract. Arena Master." not bothering to hide the sharpness of his eyes, the boy said.
Hearing this, the arena master downed his cup and stood with a great smile.
"Haha! My dear, dear Bloodwolf. You truly have a gift for the arena, it'd be a waste to let you go as you are the people's favorite. Can't you see? They come and cheer for you whenever you fight, every battle you have rake in a ton of money. It'd be a shame to let you go-"
"But it'd be more shameful of you to breach our contract." said the boy called Bloodwolf.
Having getting used to Bloodwolf way of talking, the fat man continued despite being interrupted. "Yes, yes. So according to our contract, I have found you a sweet deal that will require you to work as body guard for 3-5 years. After that you are free."
"Boo!"
"Keep him!"
"Let him fight!"
Upon hearing the terms of the contract. The people quickly erupted with complaints. Bloodwolf eyes sharpen with this sight but he knew better than to be affected by these people. When he turned to the fat man, he saw his brow furrowed, clearly irritated.
"Silence!" screamed the fat man.
"What more could Bloodwolf do in the arena? He has bested anyone we, and the neighboring cities has to offer. The legend he has left in the arena are forever carved with blood and sand upon the severed heads of the fallen. Let him move on and create another legend outside the arena."
Surely, he was a businessman through and through. Though irritated, he didn't allow his emotion to get the better of him and instead used words to manipulate the masses. It only took these words to calm them down. When they thought of the possibility of someone like Bloodwolf slaughtering people outside, carving his own path, his own legend with the blood of his enemies. Their bodies shuddered and their heads were filled with anticipation.
Quickly enough, the people stopped clamoring and the fat man clapped twice.
Two maids of his, came from the back escorting an old man and a young girl. The old man had a sharp and stern face, he was dressed in white, adorned with golden silk. When Bloodwolf met eyes with the old man, he was frightened a bit but a deep desire to fight rose from him. It was a hunger to fight the strong, to devour the strong!
Afterwards, Bloodwolf turned his attention to the young girl who seemed to be a bit younger than him. She had red hair in a ponytail with amber eyes filled with innocent and a certain ferocity in them.
From the clothes these two were wearing, Bloodwolf could deduce that they were nobles and from a higher standing than the fat man at that.
The Fat man then turned to Bloodwolf and said.
"These two are from the Arcana Familia, a noble clan who are looking for bodyguard for their young miss."
He was about to say more but was stopped when the old man, raised his hand and walked forward to the edge of the viewing platform.
"Young man, I am Claus Arcana. Let's keep it short, this is our young miss, Juliana Arcana. If you accept our contract, you will be tasked of protecting her at all times. Do this and after five years, you will have your freedom. Do you accept?"
Bloodwolf, turned his gaze from old man Claus to Juliana and back before declaring.
"I accept."
Clause nodded and took out a golden parchment, he gave this to Juliana who went forward and opened it.
"This a binding contract. With the heavens as our witness, the terms of our contract shall be this: You will protect me with your life and in turn we will provide you with whatever it is you need as long as it can help you better protect me. After five years, you are free to go and you will be acknowledge as helper of the Arcana Familia. Should you stay with us, you will be accepted as one of us. Do you accept the terms of this contract?"
Bloodwolf didn't reply for a while, instead he stared dead straight into Juliana's eyes. He stared into them with the same intent as when he would kill someone. Juliana could feel the overwhelming killing intent behind those eyes, her body shook, sweat slowly dripped behind her back and she was on the verge of taking a step back. Naturally, Old man Claus saw this but instead of becoming angry at Bloodwolf, he was intrigued. Juliana was being tested not the other way around.
"Hoho~ This kid has guts...Let's see how the young miss react."
Claus treated this as a form of mental training for the young miss. When he was about to help her by alleviating the mental stress she felt from Bloodwolf's killing intent, he saw Juliana bit her lips, causing them to bleed as she stared right back at Bloodwolf with determination.
Bloodwolf saw this and was impressed.
Click...
Bang...
Slowly he took off the gauntlets on his arms and greeves on his feet. In the end he was left with nothing but ragged pants.
Finally, Juliana was able to see how Bloodwolf really looked.
Tanned skin, silver hair that reached his neck, sharp eyes colored with blood. A fit body riddled with scars but carried an intense feel to it.
"-Do you accept the terms of this contract?"
Bloodwolf, left with nothing but ragged cloths, knelt on one knee and said.
"With the heavens as our witness, I accept. Grant me a new name, Master."
Hearing this, Juliana was a bit surprised. She didn't know anything about giving names. Old man Claus said from the side.
"This is a custom in the arena. Any fighter that has earned a chance for freedom by serving a noble family would be given new name. This signify a new start of their life and forever bind their karma to that family."
"I see." Juliana nodded.
She then turned to Bloodwolf and said.
"Very well, receive your new name. From now on you shall be called Kane, Kane Bloodwolf."
Upon receiving his new name, Kane stood up and stared at Juliana, just without the killing intent but with gentle eyes.
"Kane Bloodwolf, will lay down his life to protect you, mistress."
After which, he was led by two of the Arena master's maid to be bathed and properly clothed at the Arena master's villa. He couldn't well come with two member of the noble Arcana family dressed as he was.
When he was brought out of the arena, it was the first time he saw the scenery of the bustling town. People here were really living in a different world compared to inside the arena. They had reached the villa which was close by and the two maids, quickly lead Kane to be washed.
As is symbolizing, the end of his fate in the arena, the blood and sand that he had long accustomed stuck to his skin was washed away. His hair was tied making him look a bit more amicable then he was dressed in a dirty white robe with light blue cloud pattern.
When he stared at himself at the mirror, Kane couldn't believed that he was looking at himself. He looked like he could pass off as a scholar.
"Sir Kane, the Young Miss and the others are over here."
Kane nodded and followed the two maids who were sent to fetch him.
He was guided to a room where Juliana and Claus were waiting with the Arena Master. When he arrived, the one who was most shocked was Juliana.
"Hoho~" Claus nodded at the side.
"Looking good there, Bloodwolf. I mean Kane." Arena master laughed at the side, he and Kane could be considered as long time friends.
"Are you really Kane?" Juliana quickly paced around Kane, examining every nook and cranny to see if he was really the fighter that she saw earlier.
Who knew people could change this much?
"Haha, settle down Juliana. Kane, have a seat" Said Claus.
Kane sat down, opposite to Juliana and Claus.
The Arena Master then spoke. "Blood- Kane, now that you have entered a contract with the Arcana Familia, you can be considered as one of their people, especially that you are tasked with protecting the young miss. But to better protect her, you need to get stronger."
He clapped his hand and a maid of his placed a box at the table.
"Consider this as a thank you gift or a farewell gift, if you will."
Kane opened the box and saw three scrolls, a jade ring and a bottle with pills.
The arena master then explained.
"You have fought with your mortal body, but you know that this world is ruled by cultivators. This is how you get stronger, strong enough to protect the young miss. What you see are three top Bronze cultivation scrolls, a small storage ring and pills to aid you in your cultivation."
Kane took a scroll on one hand and the pills in another before turning to the Arena Master nodding.
"Thank you."
Before, he and the Arena Master could've been said as Master and Servant within the arena but actually they are close friends. Being the favorite of the people, Kane had more opportunities to meet the Arena Master. He even suggested a few of the arena's most famous fights. In the end, Kane had become a close confidant of the Arena Master, so this gift was truly a thank you and a farewell.
The Arena master clapped his hand and stood.
"Alright, now that everything is done. You are no longer a fighter in the Arena but the protector of miss Juliana Arcana. Do your best."
With the Arena master leaving the room, Kane was left with Juliana and Claus.
"Mistress-"
Juliana waved her hand and said.
"Just miss, is fine. You're older than me and you calling me mistress makes me seem old." She smilingly said.
Kane smiled and said.
"As you wish, miss."
Juliana stood up and beckoned him.
"Come, lets come home, Kane."
Home? This was probably the first time that he had somewhere he could truly call a home. Somehow Kane was looking forward to it.
"Yes, miss."
Kane stood and followed Juliana and Claus out of the Arena master's villa not knowing that they may have taken home the Blood Wolf of the Arena but they were raising a would be Hegemon, one that pave his path with blood and slaughter...