Chapter 7: Carnivorous Butterflies in your Stomach

Quartermaster Jacob stood frozen in fear. The blade of Beetle’s axe scratched at his neck with each breath. His eyes were wide and his assailant was silent and calm. Together they stood just past the door of Lord Gallo’s equipment room where Beetle had readied for her bout against Crocodile. Beetle’s whisper cut the silence.

“What do you know about the Duchess’s trap?”

Jacob went to turn to face his captor but Beetle tightened her grip on him and pressed her blade firm on his throat. Jacob yelped, “I didn’t know you were here, I don’t know anything about the duchess. I don’t know anything!”

Beetle stood in fresh armor with her axe in hand, having taken advantage of the empty training room before the quartermaster showed up. Beetle considered releasing the poor sod. “The halls were empty, it was easy to get in here.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I don’t know why,” Jacob answered. “The quartermasters weren’t told anything about the guard schedules.”

“Did you know that you’re useless?” Beetle growled, sounding very much like Rewe.

“Yes!” Jacob yelped.

A sigh. “Do I need to kill you?” Beetle wasn’t so much asking the man as wondering if it was a cruelty she needed to partake in for her own safety.

Jacob’s brow furrowed. “Why would I ever answer yes to that?”

“Leave the poor creature alone, Rewe,” a familiar voice echoed from the hall that led to the sands. Miss Chiara’s eyes flashed in the darkness. With a shove, Beetle released Jacob. Her hands came down on the haft of her axe and her knuckles whitened as she gripped the weapon tight.

“Easy,” Chiara chided. “Save your strength for your bout.”

Beetle hesitated for a moment. “You can save the act, I’m not stupid. I know this whole ordeal was a lure and here I am, baited and vulnerable.” Beetle resumed her battle stance. “I’m here, let’s just get it over with.”

Chiara stabbed a thumb behind her. “Your friends need you out there.” She took a step forward and a wicked smile formed across her face. “And besides, who said it was you we were after?” The strange woman walked past Beetle, boots clicking on stone. “Play your role,” Chiara said idly to the wind as she walked. “And maybe the Duchess will let you in on our little secret.”

Beetle glanced at Jacob, who sat on the ground in silence. The warrior turned, but Chiara was gone. Beetle hefted her axe over her shoulder and then against all her judgement, took her first steps towards the hallway to the arena. With each silent step, she could hear the cheers getting louder; the unintelligible garble of an announcer, and the scream of braying beasts.

Darkness took Beetle’s sight as she entered the network of back halls, only to return to her in the form of a burning beige, the color of sun off of sand. The cheers erupted in her ears full force now and with a scuff of her sandal, she took her first step back into the circle. As the sun heated her shoulders and breathed on her face, the stands pulsed with life. People were screaming for Rewe, they were screaming for the pirate queen, but it was Beetle who stood there, eyes forward.

At the center of the arena, Crocodile stood chained to a thick wooden pole fit for a ship’s mast. Tied opposite of him was the old man with the split lip, the man who knew the secret of her bloody ears. Crocodile’s yellow eyes widened at her approach and his toothy face split into a smile. “Ah, there she is!”

“Here I am,” Beetle smiled back.

“Rewe de la Hache!” The announcer boomed through a cone of copper held to their lips. He was a portly man with an incredibly deep voice, but more importantly he stood next to the Duchess herself. Duchess Maelys stood proud, a lingering smile on red painted lips. She stood still, like a cat waiting for the mouse to move, so much so that her gem encrusted gown refused to glitter. The crowd’s chants exploded once again.

“From the shores of Farroux, to the waters of the middle sea, the waves of Kanespin, and the shores of Perdi,” the announcer continued. “She has at last stepped from wooden plank to sacred sand. With her infamous axe ‘Marrower’ she has arrived to bring us not only entertainment, but deep dread at the horrible possibilities one such as herself can inflict… or?”

A suspenseful pause. “Shall we see a new side to the infamous criminal of sapphire turned ruby waters? Is she here to break skulls, or is she here to save what few friends she can call her own? Crocodile! A Verdokian of endless battle appetite and…” Even the announcer deflated a little at the sight of Phin. “And her very own father!?”

It was a reach, even Beetle could tell that much. Phin looked up at the announcer, baffled and even a little insulted, but the announcer continued. “Well, we shall see, but if she does intend to save her friends and family, she must get through not only the beasts of sicklecoat, but the Duchess’ very own gladiator. You know her, you love her! Diamond the Magificent!”

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At that, the braying sounds of beasts cut to a new height and the sound of iron ripping across iron shook the ground. With a flourish of inhuman screams, a chariot pulled by seven of the strange spiked hyena creatures from Beetle’s first day came rushing from the portcullis. Atop the gilded vehicle stood a woman with a face painted blue. Her teeth were sharpened to points and perfectly white. Her hands weren’t even holding the reigns of the chariot, but rather a long scourge in each, fitted with devious nails and blades. Her armor was as conspicuous as the rest of her, being painted a bright white, same as her dyed hair, and consisted of molded leather patches sewn together in such a way it looked like esoteric fashion. By just looking at her, Beetle couldn’t guess how she fights or even how she survived so long on Perdi.

The crowd was on its feet now, and the screams of the beasts were drowned out by the mob’s own roars. The noise was so great, the announcer's last words were completely drowned out, but Beetle could only assume what he had said. Diamond lept from her chariot and with a crack of one of her lashes, the ropes holding the beasts to the vehicle were severed.

Without wasting a moment, the terrine monsters rushed towards the mast where Crocodile and Phin were tied. Crocodile shouted. “Monkey!” He was wriggling against his chains, tail flexing.

Beetle’s eyes slipped from Diamond’s and she took a few sprinting steps towards her friends, only for Diamond’s lash to rip across the sand in front of her. Beetle spun backwards as the second lash gouged the air where she once stood.

The axe, Marrower, came up as Beetle faced her opponent. Diamond only smiled, wicked and hollow. With a burst of energy, Beetle rushed the gladiator, only to end the jog short and kick the sand of the arena into a plume. It was unexpected, as Diamond’s aggravated shout attested, giving Beetle enough time to break off and land near the mast.

Saliva splattered on her as the closest beast turned from Crocodile and snapped at the warrior. Eager to protect their dinner, the seven beasts started to ring Beetle. Crocodile sighed loudly by Beetle’s back. “A fine mess, being your friend.”

“I’ll say,” Phin agreed.

“Shut up,” Beetle chided, eyes flickering between her opponents, waiting for an opening.

With a trilling laugh, Diamond trotted into the ring of beasts. The creatures didn’t bear her any mind, as if she was just another one of their own, as she entered the scene. Sand was stuck to her painted face and her smile was crooked with a half-grimace. “You’re quite the small one, aren’t you? Sneaky and sniveling.” Diamond teased.

“Less surface area,” Beetle answered quickly.

“Harder to hit,” Crocodile agreed from behind.

“This is a weird ass fight,” Phin blew a sigh.

“Well she’s a weird ass lady,” Beetle held Marrower ready.

“The thought of putting Rewe de la Hache in her place gave me butterflies, you know,” Diamond’s grin widened. “Doubly so if I can break that wise cracking face of yours. Void knows I always hated you.”

Thoughts of Gareg passed through Beetle’s mind and her voice dropped to a hurt growl. “How can you hate me if you never met me?”

“Figures,” Diamond flicked one of her lashes, as if preparing her arm. “Lost in your own bubble, no care about any far reaching effects. I should have guessed as much.”

“Monkey,” Crocodile hissed. “A Verdokian would have shoved an axe down her throat by now to shut her up.”

Beetle shot a glance at Crocodile, the mast between him and Phin was covered by his chains and hulking form, not a spot of wood between iron and flesh. Crocodile matched her gaze and gave a nod. The wind cracked. Time slowed down. Beetle’s ears perked before it could reach her and with a fluid motion, the warrior leapt out of the way. One of Diamond’s scourges ripped at the ground, opening inviting a howl from the beasts and then all at once, the real fight began.

Seven monsters bared down, but Beetle was ready for the first. Marrower came in hard and strong, crashing into the beast’s spiny skull and exploding it into a pink cloud. One of the forked tongues flickered at her from the side, snapping against her arm and ripping it open. Red trickled. Beetle backed up to get more room but the six remaining beasts closed in.

A mighty paw came to trip up the warrior but Beetle nimbly dodged it again. She was backpedaling now, threatening with Marrower while trying her best to avoid attacks. Diamond was lingering in the background, strolling along with a big smile as the crowd cheered her on. She was enjoying the show as much as the Duchess. One slip, one trip, and one of the mighty jaws would latch onto Beetle, there was no doubt.

“Void it all, Monkey,” Crocodile shouted from his mast. “Just do it!”

“Do what!?” Phin shouted.

Beetle hitched a breath and pushed forward at last. The beasts lunged at once. The first missed, and the second was close. Beetle turned her shoulders to push by the third and fourth, and with a stroke of luck, she tumbled past the remaining monsters, rolling right next to the mast. Diamond was aware, and with a snarl, she lunged.

Beetle hopped over an arcing scourge, only for the second to slap against her leather cuirass. The material took the worst of the blow, but the force knocked the wind out of Beetle. The warrior stumbled backwards just as the scourges came back again. Diamond was dancing, her scourges raining blows. Beetle held out Marrower, using the thick hilt to knock away anything she might, but the lashes gouged at her armor and exposed skin. Rusty nails and shards of metal ripped at her skin, leaving bloody but shallow marks. Beetle grit her teeth, now understanding Diamond to be more show and pain than efficient murder.

A howl. The beasts were back and Beetle was on the defensive under Diamond’s assault. Crocodile was shaking against the chains while Phin had his eyes closed. Beetle stole another glance at Crocodile. His teeth were clenched, he was ready, he was willing. Beetle fell backwards, finally out of the scourge’s range, and just as the beasts charged the gap, Beetle swung Marrower wide… in the opposite direction.

Metal snapped and a loud wail came from Crocodile. His shoulder was bleeding heavily, Marrower having cleaved into it through a chain. The binds slackened and then with a shrug, the chains fell to the sands. Crocodile stepped forward and Phin stood behind the mast.

“Alright, Monkey,” Crocodile grinned madly. “Now it’s time for the real fight.”