Gladiators vs Zombies Read Online Free Page A

the bars. They hurled themselves against the wall and bars, in a frenzy to get at the living men on the other side. The lanista smiled, congratulating himself on his forethought in reinforcing the cell in preparation of the new golems. The bite marks on their shoulders were like slave brands, and at that moment Atticus knew that it would be the symbol of his new breed of slaves, the ragged bite pattern of his golem. The lanista smiled widely, and turned from the cell to return to the villa. His gamble had paid off and his blood was hot, so he went in search of Hesta, whom it seemed had not escaped his lust today after all.

THE BESTIARIUS
     
    Gedra closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he clenched his quaking hand into a tight fist. The moans of his new opponents had been ceaseless since they had turned, and rest did not come easily to him on the eve of battle. Now he stood before the closed arena gates, knowing that across the sun-baked sands another gate contained the golem creatures of his dominus. Golems, that is what Lanista Laeca had called them last night during the hero’s feast, a traditional last supper for the men who would fight the next day. Gedra had no appetite during the meal, and as he now prepared to enter the arena he was thankful for the empty stomach, sickened as he was by his enemy.
    Gedra had fought in the arena ten times in the two years since being trained as a gladiator. He was one of the bestiari, the beast fighters, and though often an outcast in the company of other gladiators, a certain respect was paid him also. Unlike the other gladiators, who trained to battle armed men, the bestiarius had been taught the art of killing ferocious beasts. Gedra had fought such creatures as exotic as the ostrich bird, with its powerful kicks and sharp talons, and creatures as common but deadly as lions and bears.
    Often the animals were sick and starving by the time they were turned out into the arena, and Gedra’s tactics were to wear them down until he could deliver a killing blow. Though he had to give the crowd a good show, and as such would occasionally rush in to strike at the foe. As long as the blood flowed, the beasts roared, and Gedra conducted himself with poise and grace, the crowd howled with joy at the brutal spectacle.
    His body was a latticework of scars, as even the best of tactics were incapable of saving his flesh from the claws, teeth, and talons of his enemies. While he had been schooled in the use of the spear and bow that were the common weapons of the bestiari, there were bouts in which the editor of the games would require Gedra to fight with other weapons. If the editor wanted to drag out the time of the bout, or needed to satisfy a particularly bloodthirsty crowd, Gedra would be forced to fight with sword and dagger, or sometimes a spiked cestus glove. It was in these close quarters battles that Gedra would emerge from the struggle nearly as slashed and bloody as his defeated foe.
    Today’s battle seemed to be set up to be more traditionally, and Gedra was armed with a short stabbing spear and a small oval shield. It was not the long spear of the beast hunts, but a short spear with a wide blade that could slash or stab. The bestiarius had used such weapons in bouts with larger animals, once against a bear and once against a massive boar. The gladiator was confident, though wary of his new opponents, the way a bestiarius should be.
    With a grinding of heavy hinges the gates to the arena opened, and Gedra stepped onto the sand. He held his arms up in salutation to the crowd, who returned his pose with cheers. Though the bestiarius was an outcast among his fellow gladiators, the crowd often cheered for the beast hunter, as he represented a symbolic mastery of man over beast. Though the same crowd that cheered his entrance into the arena would cheer just as loud should be torn limb from limb. The crowd grew silent as the gates on the other side of the arena opened.
    The editor had