Before I realized what was going on I was on the ground, there was plenty of shout and movement in the stands. Apparently the crowd was dispersing. My felt sore, my wrists as if they were broken. I couldn't tell how many guards were on me, but there was a lot weight. I could feel there baton, clubs, and spears on my back. Although I couldn't count the men behind me I could count the one on the ground. Either dead or unconscious, eight guards, some still clutching their weapons lay in uncomfortable positions on the ground. As I looked I saw what the weapon was that had beaten them, it was the metal post I had been tied to. Then it all came back to me why I was in this arena.

     I tried to get up and search, but with the men holding me down all I could do was move my head. I saw Kaya, lying there in a pool of her own blood, she wasn't moving, even though I willed her to. But I knew it was over, I knew my sister was dead.

     All the emotions came to me at once. The fear, the grief, the anger towards the king and his men who did this. It all came out in a primal guttural roar, I yelled so loud as if I was an animal in distress. I could feel the sound move through the emptying stadium as it reverberated throughout my body. This sound I made took some of the guards by surprise and I felt them loosen their grip. I decided to use the strength I had left to escape. I put my weak arms and legs against the ground and exploded forward, I pulled through the guards who still had a grip and got to my feet. I spun around to face them with nothing left to lose. It this was something I must do then I was willing to die in this stadium with my sister. 

     Yet something kept them back, I was sure they would rush forward all at once so it surprised me when they didn't. I noticed that they were looking to the king's box so I changed my view there. The man I now hated the most in the world had his hand up signaling his troops to stop, one of his royal guards was standing on the ledge looking at me. Dressed in the flamboyent white and blue of Halomtano soldiers, with the sturdy yet agile armor made for royal guards, he began moving on the railing. He stepped off and landed in the bleachers about ten feet down from the king's box. From there he vaulted the railing into the actual arena about another ten feet. He came to me and I could see a smile, although his helmet covered most of his face. As he walked towards me without his weapon ready I looked at him in suspicion that was well founded.

    As soon as he was in range I was hit with and uppercut. I stumbled back and raised my arms to protect myself, but he was already behind. He swept my legs with one kick and I fell hard. As I got to my knees he chopped both of my ears with both hands, this left me dazed, I had hard time seeing and an even harder time hearing. But I could tell when he lifted me up with ease, I struggled for a moment as he held me with hands on my back in the air. My struggling only lasted for moment as he threw me down on to my shoulder and I could feel it break.

     I could barely make out what he said to King Luan as he spun around facing the king in a bow.

     "My Lord, I ask that you spare this boys life." 

As I drifted off, I realized where that mysterious gaze was coming from.