The Delta's Daughter Chapter 178

I had faced bear shifters before, in battle, but never without the use of my wolf form.

‘Goddess I hope you are right.’ I groaned internally to Conri.

My wolf huffed ‘We are a king and a Knight of the Queen’ is all he had the chance to reply before the smaller of the bears growled out and rushed forward. I had never wanted to go up against Mathias and his spirit animal, but at this moment, that was exactly what I felt like I was doing. I was no match for Mathias, I would never kid myself. But hopefully, I could take down these three and come out still breathing.

“Here we go” I grumbled out loud to myself as the first bear descended upon me.

I would like to say it was an easy fight, but it wasn’t.

I blocked the Brown bears attack, our swords meeting with a clash, the metal scraping as I pushed back against him, he was intense. I managed to lift my leg, kicking him in the stomach and sending him back a few feet. The black bear descended upon me, swinging his morning star. I dodged and ducked each swing that aimed for my head and managed to maneuver behind him by twisting my body, driving my sword right into his back, withdrawing it and dropping to my knees, and slicing the back of his joints.

The black bear dropped to the ground, his wounds keeping him down, for now. I was sure he would heal quickly. A kick came to my back, flinging me forward, tasting the dirt as I hit the ground. I rolled to the side narrowly missing the axe that landed right beside my face.

I jumped up to face the two bears that were still standing. I could see from my peripheral vision the black bear beginning to stir. The two bears charged at me, I took fast steps forward, sliding to my knees at the last minute and catching the small brown bear right in the groin. My sword sliced upwards severing his manhood and kept going to his stomach, slicing it open, The brown bear let out a painful roar as his body slumped and his intestines began to seep from the open wound.

The larger bear came at me like the force of a hurricane, swinging his axe in a fury of fur, Dodging each blow he attempted. The air left my lungs when he took a page out of my book and his large clawed back paw connected with my chest. I flew back and hit the ground with a thud, unable to move as I tried to breathe and regain myself. I rolled over and pushed up on my hands and knees, constantly checking to see where the large bear was and if the black bear had recovered.

The larger bear had taken the opportunity to show his dominance to the crowd by beating his chest and roaring out. I was too focused on myself and recovering to notice if they favored him or not. I did not care. This was a game of survival and if I didn’t get my shit together I was going to lose.

I saw the black bear shake out his fur as he came to stand on all four paws, still slightly stunned and injured. I mustered up all the strength I could and flew towards him with as much inhuman speed as Conri allowed me. I flew through the air, jumping high, sword raised, and came down upon him like the fire of the gods growling out my strength as I did. My sword sliced through his thick neck, the blood gushed, his head rolled and his body shifted upon the severing of his head. Gone was the mass of black fur, instead lay the headless body of a man tattoed. Every inch of him was covered in ink.

I turned to face my last opponent. I was a little too late in turning to face him and felt his claws rip down my arm as I moved away from the swipe. “Fuck!” I cried out as the wounds gaped open. It was only then I remembered the spectators and registered their presence as their loud gasps of astonishment met my ears.

The last bear shifter standing swiped at me again, this time catching my leg. Again, I hissed at the pain. The third time I was ready, and when his paw came up, spread out with his claws glistening in the sun, I raised my sword, and with a swift, quick and precise swing, I sliced his hand clean off. The bear stumbled back and whimpered. I saw the snarl and his roar of adrenalin as he ran towards me standing on his two back paws. His axe was raised, his vision so full of rage that he failed to realize I was waiting, sword poised and feet planted. I would not die today.

As the large, one-handed bear came upon me all teeth and fur, I twisted my hips and sliced right, immediately followed by a twist of the wrist and swiping left. The bear stopped and looked down at his torso, then his dark gaze met mine, in his moment being stunned, I saw my opening and drove my sword straight through his heart.

When the bear shifter fell backward, the sound of his body thudding against the ground echoed into the silent arena. I stood above him and ripped my sword from his chest as I heard the beat of his heart slowly thump to a stop.

The crowd went wild and began to chant “Wolf King, Wolf king,”

I paid them no mind as I walked towards Vargr’s tent, picking up one of the small brown bear's swords on the way. I could feel my skin stitching itself back together with each step I took. Healing faster than I had in the past couple of months. Suddenly the gates opened and warriors piled in, surrounding me.

“Is this the best you can do!” I yelled towards the tent. My eyes fell on Tala, who stood between Oliver and Jack. Even from this distance, I could see the sheen of tears in her eyes. “You are a coward that will not accept the challenge of a Gladiator, you have shamed the goddess! You call yourself an Alpha, a self-proclaimed King, but all I see is a tyrant. A wolf who condemns his own people! A greedy and murderous man!”

I twisted the bear's sword in my hand, ready to lob it at the vile Alpha who was fuming, his face red with anger, his mouth curled into a snarl showing his fangs. Then he began to laugh, loudly and fully. Although it was fake, he was trying to look undisturbed by my win. Trying to remain in control. He steadied his gaze on mine, his eyes dark with his counterpart. Even though he looked poised and stoic on the outsight, the bead of sweat that slid down his face said otherwise. He was scared. Scared of what I could do.

He tore his stare from me and looked around at the packed arena, before he narrowed those eyes on me again, trying to look intimidating and in control. “We are what the goddess meant us to be, we are animals, top of the food chain!” He growled viciously, and suddenly. “Your fancy words and attitude mean nothing here. Here you have no title. Here you are nothing but a SLAVE! Here I make the rules. You are nothing but a slave. A Gladiator, Wolf King.” He half turned from me and whispered in the ear of one of his men.

“YOU ARE NOTHING!” He declared. He then stood from his ‘throne’ and clapped his hands.

“LET THE REAL FIGHT BEGIN!” He roared while addressing the crowd but his eyes never left mine. Like, he already knew he had won.

The sound of metal against metal grinding together stabbed my ear drums. He turned back to me, his eyes ablaze with fire and fury “A slave cannot challenge their master, the penalty is death, but I have paid a pretty penny for you, so you will do what I bought you for… Gladiator.”

I looked around to see several entryways had opened through the walls, metal doors that had remained closed since I had been here. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw what came walking out of those four entryways.

I didn’t know which emotion or reaction came first. Was it the shock of seeing something I thought I never would in my lifetime, the fear of the reality I was living, or amusement because the moon goddess seemed like she really had it in for me

If the gods were testing me, then I was over it. I no longer wanted to play the game.

Lions Fucking Lions

This had to be a joke,

‘We can take them, we are the Queens Knight’ Conri’s confident thoughts filled my head once more. I kept hearing these same words from him but they were empty. I was already drained from the first fight. Now, I had to defend myself again. Conri pushed as much of his strength onto me as he could and I exhaled hard, trying to shake off the burn in my mauled cuts which were healing fast, but not quite fast enough.

Indeed I had gotten stronger, if only we could shift.

‘And this sorry SOB has no idea what he bought’ I replied, as equally confident. Finding that resolve of strength to carry on and fight my way through this living hell. If this is what Vargr wants, then so be it. I will not go down easy.

One by one the lions stalked into the arena growling and snarling as their noses scent the air. Their manes were thick and full, like a crown they covered their heads. I can do this; I gave myself a pep talk. These were animals, not shifters.

A high pitch whistle sounded from behind me, under the tent and I briefly heard Tala cry out my name. I didn’t turn around. I needed to concentrate, even if I only wanted to turn and take a long look at my mate and think about holding her in my arms. I will live through this for her. I fight for her. For my queen.

The high pitch whistle sounded once again, piercing my eardrums and sending a grating vibration through my head. I shook it off and watched the lions shake their heads too.

All of a sudden the lion's bones began to crack, the golden fur they wore like a king's robe began to shed leaving a strange ashy pink skin in its wake, and their skeletal structure became larger, bones shifting into something unreal, something larger.

‘What fuck is this’ I said to Conri, as I watched a beast of an animal begin to shift into something unholy that defied the very laws of nature. The golden manes were now shredded and in place stood a furless pale creature with red eyes and jagged teeth.

Crawlers That is what they reminded me of, A more animalistic version of Orion’s Crawlers.

The creatures attempted to growl at me but instead of something deep and menacing, it was a screech that sent a shiver down my spine, piercing every single nerve ending and shaking my very core.