Howls of Lust and Fury

The crudely built mechanical mule awkwardly stepped on the pock-marked ruin of a highway toward the remains of a city ahead. It dragged behind it a crude wagon made from the frame of a gutted automobile. Two figures sat in the wagon, a bald man garbed in as close to fine duds as one would manage in this day and age; the other a young, dark-haired woman with a toned but not quite Amazonian physique, her tunic cut open enough to show the scar that ran along the top of both breasts.

The man, named Gusto stared at their destination, "Look," he said to the woman, whose previous owner had named Mari Su, "Ta'Rana Toe- the high point on the arena circuit. To fight there- it doesn't get more prestigious than that."

"You're the one who gets the prestige," Mari said, "If lucky the best I hope for is to live without losing a limb."

"Now, now, your luck has held this far," Gusto smiled, "I have no doubt you'll knock them dead- your opponent in one way, the crowd another. That aside, I'm told the Ta'Rana Toe arena well rewards survivors between matches- impress the audience enough, you might get your pick in food, companionship..."

"I'll leave that to you," Mari answered, "You know what I like."

"Indeed, we share the same tastes," Gusto mused.

"Yeah, just make sure you don't sample them beforehand- master," she sneered.

"I wouldn't think of it- slave," The two of laughed.

As high noon approached people thronged toward the ruined buildings that once comprised Toronto City Hall; spectators took seats in the curved inward towers that had been stripped of the wall to gaze down on the circular structure beneath. It's roof long gone, the walls and rooms within had been cleared away to make one single space, the floor covered with sand to absorb any spilled gore. Like most of the few communities still existing after the Cataclysms, the wealthy elite and the hungry rabble had little in common but a taste for the excitement of the bloodsports.

From the other side of a barred entrance to the arena Mari Su watched the opening bouts. A pathetic spectacle, none of the so-called combatants looked like they had eaten in days. Nor had any benefitted from the lifelong training she had, they flailed at each other with blunted blades and crude clubs until one got a lucky hit in.

Once the last urchin standing had been escorted off the sand, two opponents who looked like they might be professionals stepped forth on opposite sides of the arena. The largest of the two gripped in both beefy hands a steel pole with one end sunk into a massive block of concrete- an impromptu hammer. His adversary was sleeker, clutching some sort of spear in his left hand and dragging something behind him in his right.

The announcer had barely shouted "Begin!" when the hammer-wielding giant thundered toward his opponent, swinging his maul in broad arcs. Somehow the spear wielder managed the speed and agility to avoid the attacks; when the hammer bearer's swing turned him almost completely around the slimmer fighter threw what he'd been holding in his right hand- some sort of net fashioned from nylon ropes. As the brute swore and struggled to free himself his opponent stabbed him in the leg with his two-pronged spear; the entangled fighter dropped to the ground and clutched at his bleeding limb- and the spearman took the opening to skewer his enemy in the heart. Said spearman basked in the cheers of the crowd as the fallen fighter was unceremoniously dragged off the arena like a particularly heavy piece of garbage.

The spearman exited through the entrance he emerged from and seconds later the portcullis Mari Su watched through creaked as it rose above. Mari Su drew her sharpened machete as she strode into the arena, raising both arms high she drank in the sounds of the crowd exulting in her arrival.

"Young as she is, Mari Su has made quite a name for herself in the pits and arenas of smaller towns," the announcer started his spiel, "Over three dozen fights she has participated in and, as you can see her here, has won them all. It has come into question whether any single human can best her..."

Mari Su grew nervous- they didn't usually pile it on this thick unless...

"So, the arena masters brought it upon themselves," the announcer continued "To provide this illustrious gladiatrix with something that should prove a true challenge."

Dammit! The bastards had gone and wrangled some freak from the wastelands just so they could sic the thing on her. Sure enough, on the far end of the arena they wheeled in a steel cage in which her 'adversary' gnashed and growled.

The thing stood some eight feet tall, in a grotesque parody of the humanoid frame a second head rested on its left shoulder while a smaller head and torso grew out of its waist on the right. It was bipedal but swung at the bars with three sets of arms.

"Guests of the arena," The smug announcer started, "I introduce Geryon!"

Someone behind the cage pulled on a pulley system and the cage opened. 'Geryon' snarled as it thundered toward Mari Su, kicking up sand as it charged.

Mari Su ducked and bolted past Geryon, slashing at his side as she did so. She took glee in the mutant's cry of pain, and having avoided an attack herself.

Whirling around, she backed away from the monstrosity, holding her blade at the ready. Clutching the wound with one hand it stretched out the other five arms and rushed toward her. Mari Su ducked into a roll and kicked herself between Geryon's legs, slashing at both limbs just beneath the groin. She felt the mutant's blood spurt on her as she tumbled past them and sprung to her feet.

Roaring from the pain, Geryon reached behind with one arm and grabbed Mari Su by the shoulder. Yanking her off the ground he pulled Mari Su to his front and wrapped four arms around her in a crushing embrace. Just as she started to black out, Geryon's grip loosened and the mutant tumbled onto it's back.

Mari Su pulled herself to her feet and looked back at Geryon. The cuts on his legs had opened major blood vessels where her training taught her would be on a human, and the mutant had bled to death beneath her feet. Mari Su took several deep breaths and then, for the coup de grace expected of her she raised her weapon high- then sank it into where she hoped was Geryon's heart. Letting go of the machete she raised both arms high and rejoiced in the masses' cheering.

Not all present were in cheering spirits, however. Gusto was particularly upset and made it very clear to one of the hosts who had invited him and Mari Su, "You said nothing about throwing her to some wastelands freak!" he spat.

"What, and spoil the surprise?" the host answered dismissively, looking at the rings on his pudgy fingers instead of at Gusto, "I don't know why you have such a bug up your butt- your fighter won. You have any idea the resources it takes to find and capture something like that from the wastes, let alone contain it?"

"Am I supposed to sympathise with you, for what you paid on the thing that nearly crushed someone who has come to mean something to me?" Gusto growled.

The host looked up at him, "If you feel slighted so, you can always take her and leave, rather than have her participate in tomorrow's matches- of course should word get out, good luck finding an arena that would indulge either of you..."

Gusto seethed at that, but he knew when he was over a barrel, "No- but I have a say in who she fights tomorrow- and no mutants." The host nodded and handwaved him away.

Muttering to himself, Gusto headed to a different section of the arena. The guard at a door acknowledged him; opening the door they entered a room where multiple men and women cowered. These were pleasure slaves, kept here as an outlet for the lusts of victorious gladiators and gladiatrices. Gusto looked them over until his eyes rested on a handsome young man with curly brown hair.

"That one," Gusto pointed at the curly haired youth and the guard grabbed the young man, dragging him out of the chamber.

In her assigned quarters, Mari Su massaged her arm. The knocking on the door got her attention, she looked up to see the curly-haired man Gusto had selected shoved inside; the door bolted shut behind him.

Mari Su looked the man over as she sat up- Gusto had chosen well. Discarding what little she wore the gladiatrix waved the youth forward. A long moment passed before the pleasure slave accepted there was no escape and approached her. Mari Su gestured for him to sit down on the bed; as he did so she leaned far enough to see his back covered with scars and markings- this slave was no stranger to cruelty, and from both sexes, judging by how he shivered in her presence.

Resting her hand on his shoulder Mari Su asked, "What's your name?"

"Wha- whatever you want it to be, mistress." he stuttered back.

Mari Su sighed, "Alright then- what was the name your mother gave you?"

This he seemed to need to struggle to remember, finally he spat out, "Jason."

"Well Jason" Mari Su tried to assure him, "You don't have to be scared- in the arena I may be a vicious bitch but here? Gentle as a lamb- whatever they were."

Jason finally began to relax, looking down on her breasts his hand drifted toward the scar along the top of them.

"That?" Mari Su smiled, "I got that from my third match."

"How horrible!" Jason started.

"You didn't see what I did to her," Mari Su laughed, "Gusto- that's the bald dude who had you dragged here- wanted to cover the scar up but I convinced him the sight would be a turn on to the sick fucks who come to watch- so far it has been."

Jason shook his head. With her hand on his shoulder Mari Su gently pushed him back down on the mattress. Holding him there she used her free hand to untie and pull down his drawers, "Not bad," she mused on seeing what they hid.

"Not bad for you," Jason said, "Smaller and I might be a free man- they wouldn't have rounded me up to be a comfort slave."

They both chuckled at that. Mari Su stroked Jason to get him hard, positioned herself above him, and dropped down. Both grunted. Mari Su closed her eyes as she rode Jason; arching her back, she let out a howl that could be heard a block away, then collapsed on top of him. Aside from their breathing neither moved after that.

With a sputtering flashlight for illumination, Gusto stepped down the corridor to where they quartered visiting fighters. Coming to the door he had shoved Jason through earlier, he turned the key issued to him and, unlocking the door, opened it slightly.

Jason snored on the mattress while Mari Su lay on top, her arms wrapped around the young man as if to shield him. The gladiatrix slowly awoke, looked to Gusto, then back to the sleeping Jason.

Gusto saw the look in her eyes- she wanted to take him away from this place, away from the cruelty the other fighters would subject him to between matches.

"I know what you're going to say," Gusto started, "And no, we can't - "then he met her gaze, "I'll see if I arrange something with the pit masters. In the meantime, get some rest- you've got a great fight tomorrow."