This is a story I made about 2 years ago, decided to post it. I revised the old chapters and appreciate any criticism. Thank you!
Gladiators
Chapter 1: The Arena
The sound of iron hitting iron resonated across the arena training grounds. Two men clad in leather armor were practicing swordplay for the gladiator tournament tomorrow. Me, Alex and Nicole were also training, but for something completely different. "Hey, Matt, you've watched them battle thousands of times, mind paying attention to the plan?" Alex said, sounding a little annoyed.I looked back to my friends and listened for about two seconds before I had a flashback about how I got here. It was a typical Minecraft morning, and my village was up and working. Farmers farming, priests preaching, and smiths smithing. There were minecarts with chests coming and going on the shipping yard, men were unloading bales of wheat and boxes stuffed with coal and iron. In the distance a banner with a crown and crossed blades waved in the breeze. Two armored med approached the village, chains in their hands. The left one raised a hand and the village fell silent.“The king has requested 5 young men to fight in the gladiatorial arena. If you do not give them up peacefully, we are permitted to use force.” The village stood quietly, and you could feel the tension in the air.“So be it! You wish to ignore us, then we will choose the sacrifices ourselves!” The men walked along, roughly grabbing four boys and putting shackles on their wrists. I crouched behind a chest, watching as they searched for another boy. One of the men locked eyes with me and made a cruel smile. He strided over and picked me up by my collar. “Thank you for your participation,” he announced, “Have a good day.” I was shackled and roped to the other boys and the soldiers. The village stood silent as we trudged up a hill and away from our home. “Matt. Matt! MATT!” Nicole shouted, “What are you doing? Pay attention!” “Okay, okay. I already know most of it anyway.” I replied, a little steamed at her for yelling at me. “All we have to do is go through this hatch, climb through these pipes and then were free. No more gladiators.” Alex said. “Got it.” me and Nicole said. We grabbed our bags from a hole we dug and walked up to the minecarts. By the time we got to the arena, it was turning dark. Zombies and skeletons roamed outside the iron bars protecting the track. Occasionally an arrow would whiz by and impale one of the many mobs.“We need to be careful of the castle’s archers and the monsters? They don’t make this easy, do they?” I whispered. After arriving at the arena, we walked on in silence, finding our waiting room. “Let’s get our gear on.” Nicole said. We all slipped on armor according to our warrior class. Alex was a tank, with diamond armor to take hits and equipped with a stone sword. Nicole was a rogue, with a diamond sword and leather armor for swiftness and deadliness. I was a special warrior known in the arena as a ‘King’s Guard’ I was balanced with attack and defense, with an Iron sword and armor. An announcer said, “Welcome to the gladiatorial games!” The crowd roared in response.“Our first battle, a ‘Fisher’ versus a ‘Lion’. This is going to be a great battle!” Me and my pals decided to wait for the second battle to leave, to arouse a little less suspicion. After waiting about 10 minutes, we heard a gasp from the crowd. Then we heard a humongous roar of joy as the king gave the thumbs down. This was permission for a gladiator to kill another when having the right opportunity. “Wasn't that an outstanding battle! Next up, a ‘King’s Guard’ versus a ‘Sharpshooter’” the announcer said. “I can’t wait!” Somebody came up behind me and said “You’re up kid.” I swallowed my fear and walked through the gate into the arena. I saw a scrawny kid walk out the other side, a glowing bow in his hands. ‘Where’d he get an enchanted bow?!’’I thought. “3..2..1..BATTLE!” Then the sharpshooter took his aim. I ran in an arc to the left, and he was spinning slowly to keep his mark. I watched archers before and before most of them shot, their eye or hand twitched. His hand holding the bow twitched and I held up my blade. Tink! The arrow bounced off my sword. Nothing special seemed to happen so I figured he had a power enchantment. My hands started to feel hot, so I glanced at them. My sword had turned into a glowing chunk of molten iron. ‘He has a FIRE enchantment?! Not fair!’I charged toward him as he released a low powered arrow, which I sidestepped. I roared, still charging full force at him, and it startled him enough for him to make a few arrows fall out of his quiver. He didn't know whether to pick them up or to leave them so he panicked and tried to run in confusion. I smacked the flat of my blade into his face, leaving a shiny burn. I pinned him down with my sword and looked towards the king. He pointed his thumb down. I lifted my blade and drove through his skull so he could have a quick, painless death. My sword had cooled down, but was now red and glowing purple. ‘Cool.Never seen a sword do that before.’ I found my friends and gave them the signal that it was time to leave. Like, now. Nicole used her awesome ninja skills to pick the lock to the sewer grate and Alex used his crazy strength to rip it out, screws and all. We climbed down the ladder into darkness that led to what we hoped was freedom.
The sound of iron hitting iron resonated across the arena training grounds. Two men clad in leather armor were practicing swordplay for the gladiator tournament tomorrow. Me, Alex and Nicole were also training, but for something completely different. "Hey, Matt, you've watched them battle thousands of times, mind paying attention to the plan?" Alex said, sounding a little annoyed.I looked back to my friends and listened for about two seconds before I had a flashback about how I got here.
It was a typical Minecraft morning, and my village was up and working. Farmers farming, priests preaching, and smiths smithing. There were minecarts with chests coming and going on the shipping yard, men were unloading bales of wheat and boxes stuffed with coal and iron. In the distance a banner with a crown and crossed blades waved in the breeze. Two armored med approached the village, chains in their hands. The left one raised a hand and the village fell silent.“The king has requested 5 young men to fight in the gladiatorial arena. If you do not give them up peacefully, we are permitted to use force.” The village stood quietly, and you could feel the tension in the air.“So be it! You wish to ignore us, then we will choose the sacrifices ourselves!” The men walked along, roughly grabbing four boys and putting shackles on their wrists. I crouched behind a chest, watching as they searched for another boy. One of the men locked eyes with me and made a cruel smile. He strided over and picked me up by my collar. “Thank you for your participation,” he announced, “Have a good day.” I was shackled and roped to the other boys and the soldiers. The village stood silent as we trudged up a hill and away from our home.
“Matt. Matt! MATT!” Nicole shouted, “What are you doing? Pay attention!” “Okay, okay. I already know most of it anyway.” I replied, a little steamed at her for yelling at me. “All we have to do is go through this hatch, climb through these pipes and then were free. No more gladiators.” Alex said. “Got it.” me and Nicole said. We grabbed our bags from a hole we dug and walked up to the minecarts. By the time we got to the arena, it was turning dark. Zombies and skeletons roamed outside the iron bars protecting the track. Occasionally an arrow would whiz by and impale one of the many mobs.“We need to be careful of the castle’s archers and the monsters? They don’t make this easy, do they?” I whispered. After arriving at the arena, we walked on in silence, finding our waiting room. “Let’s get our gear on.” Nicole said. We all slipped on armor according to our warrior class. Alex was a tank, with diamond armor to take hits and equipped with a stone sword. Nicole was a rogue, with a diamond sword and leather armor for swiftness and deadliness. I was a special warrior known in the arena as a ‘King’s Guard’ I was balanced with attack and defense, with an Iron sword and armor.
An announcer said, “Welcome to the gladiatorial games!” The crowd roared in response.“Our first battle, a ‘Fisher’ versus a ‘Lion’. This is going to be a great battle!” Me and my pals decided to wait for the second battle to leave, to arouse a little less suspicion. After waiting about 10 minutes, we heard a gasp from the crowd. Then we heard a humongous roar of joy as the king gave the thumbs down. This was permission for a gladiator to kill another when having the right opportunity. “Wasn't that an outstanding battle! Next up, a ‘King’s Guard’ versus a ‘Sharpshooter’” the announcer said. “I can’t wait!” Somebody came up behind me and said “You’re up kid.” I swallowed my fear and walked through the gate into the arena. I saw a scrawny kid walk out the other side, a glowing bow in his hands. ‘Where’d he get an enchanted bow?!’’I thought.
“3..2..1..BATTLE!” Then the sharpshooter took his aim. I ran in an arc to the left, and he was spinning slowly to keep his mark. I watched archers before and before most of them shot, their eye or hand twitched. His hand holding the bow twitched and I held up my blade. Tink! The arrow bounced off my sword. Nothing special seemed to happen so I figured he had a power enchantment. My hands started to feel hot, so I glanced at them. My sword had turned into a glowing chunk of molten iron. ‘He has a FIRE enchantment?! Not fair!’ I charged toward him as he released a low powered arrow, which I sidestepped. I roared, still charging full force at him, and it startled him enough for him to make a few arrows fall out of his quiver. He didn't know whether to pick them up or to leave them so he panicked and tried to run in confusion. I smacked the flat of my blade into his face, leaving a shiny burn. I pinned him down with my sword and looked towards the king. He pointed his thumb down. I lifted my blade and drove through his skull so he could have a quick, painless death. My sword had cooled down, but was now red and glowing purple. ‘Cool. Never seen a sword do that before.’
I found my friends and gave them the signal that it was time to leave. Like, now. Nicole used her awesome ninja skills to pick the lock to the sewer grate and Alex used his crazy strength to rip it out, screws and all. We climbed down the ladder into darkness that led to what we hoped was freedom.