Chapter 10 (Demised)

  Heavy Jaws clamped down on Valentino's bones, crushing the soft bones, deeply cracking the hard ones,

Its canines dug deep into Valentino's neck as well as its other teeth, crushing his windpipe, and arteries, blood hurried out of Valentino's neck and ran down to the ground.

"Arghhhh!" Valentino cried with a coarse voice, his legs kicked, he opened his mouth wide, seeking to catch a breath, the tiger tightened its grip on his neck, and laid its weight on Valentino as soon as he realized he was struggling, it waved it's head violently, tearing apart his victim's neck.

It was a picturing full of horror for everyone that was watching, Lorenzo had begun dreading his in his mind, his whole body jittered, his sword fell off his hands, he imagined the piercing pains and agony Valentino could be experiencing at the moment.

The tiger raised its head, with blood on its lips, it gnashed its bloody teeth at Lorenzo, Lorenzo slipped as though he was nudged by a force, shafts of fear ran through his veins, and he mowed in discomfort, like a constipated kitten.

Severus stood boldly, looking directly into the tiger's eyes, the tiger drove his head to the side and his eyes met with Severus's eyes,

The eyes tell a lot of stories, and equally sends a lot of messages, danger, Intimidation, aggression, wildness.

He fixed and persevered on his gaze at the jungle tiger, he is a tiger in the arena.

"Don't look at it for too long, it could come at you."

Marchisio stuttered to Severus.

"They do sense fear in humans, he wouldn't come at you he already has his meal, all he does now is try to intimidate its challengers."

Severus read out in words the messages he saw in the eyes of the Caspian carnivore.

"I need you to unshackle me," Severus told Lorenzo, who was clambering on the floor and seeking refuge under the horse carriage.

"Why would I do that?" Lorenzo said, from under the horse carriage, one of the soldiers crawled to Lorenzo to be with him under the horse carriages.

"Get off here go find another spot.!" Lorenzo yelled at the soldiers, waving slightly at him to fend him off from coming, the soldier crawled away to seek refuge elsewhere.

"I want to fight off the predator." Severus's words came out bold.

"That's not a good idea Vir bellica," Marchisio said from behind.

Severus turned at him, with an intimidating gaze in his eyes.

"Valentino is already dead, it's useless to protect a dead man." Marchisio defended his words, he knew the question Severus's gaze was asking.

"Would you bear to watch his body eaten by a predator, wouldn't it be more honorable to bring his body back to Venice, so his people can at least pay their last respect," Severus yelled.

Marchisio hunched his shoulders and kept his two hands below, he stood in a servile way, quavering a little he said.

"Severus you are a national treasure, our job is to keep you out of harm's way."

"I am Harmsway!" Severus replied with all the boldness he could muster.

Lorenzo flung the keys to Severus's feet, he crooked and picked them up.

"Lorenzo, what are you doing?" Marchisio asked, his voice was deep, he made a frown on his computer face while keeping a stare at Lorenzo laying beneath the horse carriage.

"He claims to be Vir bellica, let him fight off the predator"

Marchisio wondered - how a leader could be gambling with the most valuable thing he has in his grasp.

"So long as he is alive, he is still my husband, it can translate to if he dies he ceases to be my spouse." - Lorenzo thought while lying beneath the horse carriage,

"Let Vir bellica fight off the tiger, it would inevitably lead to his demise, Martina could be all yours, worry not about what Governor Bianchi would do or say, you can come up with a story.

He was killed in Assisi by those practicing Christianity, we all know how much Gladiator tradition goes against their faith, all are aware of their agitation to bring an end to gladiation."

Lorenzo smiled evilly as thoughts hovered in his mind.

Shackles fell before Severus's feet, he strutted to the tiger, it was about to dig its jaws into pounds of meat when it saw Severus coming ever close, it felt disturbed and walked away from its meal and went at Severus, gnarling on its way to him.

Severus clenched his fist as he drew near, the tiger pounced on Severus drawing Its jaws wide apart to clamp his flesh with a huge bite force.

To be continued....