A System message appeared in the corner of my vision, golden letters blurry as I tried to blink away the exhaustion.
Stamina low. You can refresh your Stamina by sleeping or drinking a Stamina Tonic. Some foods may also refill your Stamina.
Blinking numbers appeared next to the message, letting me know I only had 20 out of my maximum 100 Stamina. I cursed the System and its limitations. I was a dragon, I did not need limits on my power. The fury threatened to well up within me again, like a stoker preparing the flames for more fuel. But the exhaustion was like a heavy blanket.
I knew I needed to move quickly, that the other guards would be on the way soon—I could hear the sound of boots crashing into the stairs already—but everything within me said that I should just lie down and give up.
To give in.
"Alright, come on," a voice said, someone grabbing me under the armpit. They hauled me forward, almost dragging me along, my feet shuffling across the stone floor.
"In we go." The person carrying me pushed open another door and shoved me into a room.
My knees gave out then, my body clambering to the floor.
The voice grew more distant as it spoke, darkness closing in around me. "I leave you alone for two minutes…"
I felt hands under my shoulders, hauling me up and onto something soft.
"We really don't have time for this," the voice said. I couldn't quite place who it was or why hearing their voice brought comfort to the storm within me. "I need you to get back up."
I felt something cold against my lips. Glass. Then a hand grabbed the back of my head, tilting it back. Ice-cold liquid cascaded over my tongue like the floodwaters ripping through a hole in a dam.
Electricity sparked through my tongue and into my cheeks, rushing through my body, setting every part of my skin on fire. The feeling expanded as the liquid ran down my throat and into my stomach. I gasped, my eyes widening, the darkness pulling away like someone had peeled the curtains back.
Stamina restored.
Stamina: 60 / 100
Sil stared down at me, his features returned to normal, his blue eyes full of concern.
"I'm okay," I told him, the words coming out with a tremble. "I'm okay." I repeated the words, more because I needed to hear them than him.
"Good, then we can get out of here now." His arm wrapped around me once more, pulling me up off the bed I'd been sitting on.
The sound of footfalls echoed outside the door and we stopped for a moment, Sil halfway lifting me to my feet.
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," I agreed, finally getting my feet back under me.
We moved quickly, Sil still half dragging me, to the door. Peering out the doorway, we could easily see at least five guards looking over the bodies of those we'd dispatched. More bootfalls echoed toward the general's room, and then a cry of alarm.
Sil let out a sigh and closed the door, cutting off my view of the hallway. "Well, we aren't getting out that way."
Pulling me back into the room, he began to look around. The room was just like the general's had been.
I eyed the window. "Could always go out the window." It was partially a joke and also a suggestion.
Sil looked at me, then out at the window. A long second passed with silence enveloping us, broken only by the sound of the guards shouting outside the room. He finally crossed the room, opened the window, and stuck his head outside. I saw his face scrunch in a grimace.
"That's a long drop."
"Yeah, but what about that ring you got after the palace? We could use that."
His eyes lit up. "You think?" His hand flourished in a twirl and then the ring appeared in his palm. He held it up. "I still don't know what it does."
I shuffled over to him and took it in my hand. "It's an enchanted object.," I explained, casting [Insight] on it. The golden words hovered above the ring.
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Fragile Ring of the Intrepid Traveler: When equipped, allows the user to vanish and reappear at any visible location within 30 meters. Costs 5 Mana. 4/4 uses remaining.
"We get four uses out of it, and it will let us 'vanish and reappear' at any location we can see within 30 meters. It costs Mana, though."
"I don't know what that is."
My mouth dropped open. All the questions I had about him and his System came hurtling back through my mind, but I staunched the flow. "We'll discuss that later. I'd wager you have some form of it—probably to power your magical skills and music. Guess that means I get to use it."
I slipped the ring onto my finger and immediately felt it snap onto something within my body, as if physically connecting with the power flowing through me.
New item equipped: Fragile Ring of the Intrepid Traveler.
Item Description: Enchanted item. Said to have been worn by a traveler of worlds long ago. It has since lost its luster and most of its power. Allows the user to teleport to any visible location with 30 meters. Costs 5 Mana. 4/4 uses remaining.
I dismissed the message and stepped up to the window.
"How do we know if it works?" Sil asked, voicing the most obvious question running through our minds at the moment.
"We try it out." I said, reaching for his hand. He grabbed mine and I pulled him close, focusing my attention on the building top directly across from the side of the clinic we were facing.
If I was correct, then that building would be across the street from the back of the clinic. It could give us a good escape route back into the rest of the city. Back to Henrietta's and Ophelia.
The shouts grew louder outside the door. Glancing over my shoulder, I took a deep breath, then turned back to the window, focusing again on that rooftop across the way. "Good luck," I muttered. And then I activated the ring..
It was mostly just a thought. A desire to no longer be in that clinic room, and instead to be on the rooftop in front of us. I felt the power leave my body, a small trickle, but power nonetheless.
Holding Sil close, our bodies intertwined together, I waited. It wasn't long—maybe less than a second—before the power flowed around us, enveloping us in faded golden wisps of smoke that swirled around our bodies. Then the clinic vanished.
I looked around, releasing my grip on Sil. A massive smile crept over my face.
"It worked!" I exclaimed, stepping back and looking around the rooftop. My eyes snapped up to the where we had been in the clinic and yells followed. Three guards had entered the room we'd been standing in. Now, they were staring out at us through the open window. "Seven hells," I muttered, grabbing Sil. "We should run."
We took off sprinting across the rooftop. There was an access door that led down into the building, so we took it, the wooden ladder creaking under our weight. It deposited us in a narrow, dimly lit hallway. Some kind of residential building, if I had to guess.
Keeping quiet, we moved through the hallway as quickly as we could, passing doors until we reached the exit, which opened into the street that ran between the clinic and this building. I glanced up, trying to spot if the guards were still watching, but couldn't find the window to the room we'd escaped from in the line of windows that ran along the wall.
I'd just have to assume they were coming.
Still holding Sil's arm, I beckoned him into the crowded street, which continued flowing in both directions as if nothing was happening inside the clinic. That would change as soon as the guards came rushing out, swords drawn and bloody murder in their eyes.
We moved with the crowd, pivoting between groups as I almost ran through the street. Every human part of my form said I should be sprinting away full speed. But the dragon within me—or perhaps it was the thief—knew that running would only garner unwanted attention. So I kept us at a reasonable pace, Sil letting himself be dragged along behind me.
When we had finally managed to put some distance between us and the clinic, I let go of his hand, and instead stuffed mine into my pocket, checking to make sure the beans were still there. I let out a sigh of relief.
"I can't believe you really did it," Sil huffed, drawing up beside me.
A few passing people gave me odd looks as they spotted the blood stains on my face and clothes. Some looked more concerned than others. One woman's eyes widened significantly, then they darted from side to side, as if looking for someone to tell.
I cursed under my breath and picked up my speed just enough to earn an annoyed groan from Sil.
"He needed to die," I finally said, responding to Sil's earlier comment. "I can't explain it. I just know he needed to."
Sil didn't fight me on it. Which was good. I really wasn't in the mood for a fight. Even with having restored my Stamina, my [Ironclad Body] seemed to be on the verge of giving out. I'd been pushing it especially hard today.
We finally left the streets of the Western Quarter behind, the looks of surprise and confusion on people's faces twisting to ones of wariness and fear as we moved into Merchant's Row. I could only imagine the number of people rushing off to tell guards they had seen a bloody woman prowling through the street. It was probably smart to get out of the main thoroughfare before approaching Henrietta's.
"This way," I told Sil, spinning on my heel and moving into an alleyway.
He followed without comment, glancing behind us as we moved. I didn't look. I figured he'd tell me if someone was coming. We were almost to the final turn before we'd reach the alleyway that ran beside Henrietta's shop when three kids stepped out of the shadows, wooden clubs in hand.
I stopped, putting a hand in front of Sil to stop him, too, as a fourth kid stepped out behind the others.
"Hello Felix," I said, taking in the sight.
He had a hard look on his face, his eyes scanning the area around us, as if looking for something. Or someone.
"She isn't here," I told him. "And you're standing in my way."
Felix shook his head slowly, showing none of the concern I expected from him for his friend. "Aurelion is very unhappy with you, Aria. Where have you been?"
"Busy."
He laughed. "That is not going to be a good enough answer and you know it. Aurelion wants to talk. You are going to need to come with us back to the warehouse."
"I don't have time for talk," I said, taking a step toward them. The three in front of Felix held their clubs up in a ready to fight position. "You can't be serious."
Felix shrugged. "Aurelion gets what he wants, Aria. You should know that by now."
The three before him parted slowly and he held out a hand, his skin beginning to glow with a faint, blue crackling light.
I felt my eyes widen slightly. The command rushing to the tip of my tongue as the light grew brighter, coalescing into a ball before his palm.
[Insight].
But I didn't see the response that popped up as the light exploded outward. Directed at me.
AND smoothies? My friend is launching a new story today, so give it a shot!
Invictus Shakes: A Gladiator Slice of Life
by Mila Anemoia
To taste glory, gladiators must bring a whole new flavor to the arena or die trying.
Salve! Welcome to the Imperium Aeterna, where the gods decided to cut out a piece of ancient Rome and keep it to themselves. I'm Maximilia, owner of Invictus Shakes. You'll find my smoothie bar across from the realm's best gladiator school—the one started by the champion, who, funny story, also adopted me.
Whatever the occasion, I've got the drink for you. Training hard? Fuel with the Fortis Aqua. Partying harder? Recharge and recover with the Raucous Bacchus! Won big betting on who died? Well, you can live it up like a god with real gold flakes. And I've also got the latest rumors to go with it.
So, get this. People think the mysterious territories appearing are from the world we left behind. But what I want to know is what kind of warriors they'll have fighting in the next games. Because I'm already praying to the gods I don't end up handing them their last drink. There's a lot more to these gladiators than guts, glory, and good looks.
Alright, stop staring at their muscles and...hey, eyes up here! So, what can I get you?
Ingredients to expect:
- Slice of Life, drama & action
- Found family
- Gladiators vs other cultures
- Complex characters & relationships
- Flirting & romance/slow-burn
- Humor & tragedy