Raela Waits in the Wings

"Remember, your best asset is your sex appeal. You're both rookies, so he's bound to make mistakes- And he'll make more of them if he's looking at your tits or if the crowd's on your side."

Raela wasn't sure how she felt about Rastolfo, her 'handler,' but she accepted his advice with a stiff nod. She'd been well-briefed on her situation and knew better than to turn down the "opportunity" to fight in the arena. It was certainly better than the fate most people faced after being captured by slavers. Rastolfo gave her a cheerful smile and clapped her on the shoulder with his meaty hand before waddling away, leaving her alone in the tunnel. Despite his often condescending tone, Rastolfo had at least provided some aid to her. He'd been present when she came out of stasis and had helped her adjust to her new body with some basic exercises. The arena itself had only supplied her with basic "armor" and her weapon for the match, a polearm-type weapon with a small blade at the end perpendicular to the shaft. Rastolfo had called it a "Dagger-Axe," and suggested that its design was useful for sweeping attacks rather than direct stabbing. Its range was impressive, but she'd already been informed that her opponent had a shortbow, so she would still be at a disadvantage in that respect.

She tried to tune out the raucous noise of the crowd as she waited for the previous match to finish. A huge beast had been whittled down by a team of gladiators in a long, grueling fight, the sands soaked in blood and ichor. One of the gladiators had fallen and had been surreptitiously removed from the battlefield, but the others were close to victory, the beast's movements slowing as it struggled to overcome its wounds. She tried to watch the other gladiators carefully through the grate, hoping to pick up some useful techniques or ideas. But the main thing that stood out to her was how poorly equipped she was. Compared to the custom-made, intricate armors favored by the fighters in the spotlight, Raela was dressed in little more than a brass-lined bra, plain cloth panties, and a leather loincloth. The cut definitely highlighted her newly-enhanced "assets," as Rastolfo called them. She had only just gotten used to the extra cup size and butt-padding she'd been bestowed with. She didn't mind the scar removal and skin treatment, so much, but she missed her old tattoos.

An explosion of applause drew her from her reminiscence. The beast had been beheaded. While the spearfighter pinned its leg, the tall warrior with a comically oversized chainsword had beheaded the monster. The announcer showered the victors with praise and did his best to keep the crowd's energy up. Now Raela just had to wait for the arena staff to clean things up, and then her first match would begin.

She adjusted her grip on her weapon. It wasn't exactly light, but she was able to control where the pointy-bit was aimed, most of the time. At least its reach would keep her away from the spray of blood when she landed a hit. And she would be spilling the blood of her foe, today. She had no intentions of letting herself be beaten, ****, or killed on the sands. Earning her freedom was a far-fetched dream, at least for now, but getting more wins under her belt is where it starts.

The cheering had dulled a bit. The gore and viscera from the previous fight had finally been cleared away. She stepped forward and crouched down, ready to surge forward when the tunnel gate parted for her.

"And now, beloved spectators, we have the Newbie Match for the night! Two arena newcomers will strive to start their careers off with a victory in grueling single combat. First, beneath the booth, wielding the bow and buckler, please welcome- KOLS!"

The announcer was doing his job well, and the crowd gave modest applause to the unknown fighter. Looking past the grate, Raela watched as her opponent took to the sands. He didn't seem particularly large or powerful, but he had three arms, a shortbow, and a small shield. At least he wasn't armored any better than her - leather cross straps and a kilt, baring his toned abs and broad shoulders to the audience.

"And now, across the sands, his opponent, wielding the deadly dagger-axe, give it up for the lovely Raela!"

That was her cue. The grate disappeared, and Raela dashed out onto the sands to cheers and applause. Across the arena, Kols was already knocking his first arrow and taking aim. The fight had begun!