Torture

Valkyrie

Myself and Thor had been moved to a new confinement. Frightful men stood around me with weapons displayed in the centre of the room. I shuddered as I saw guards pull in a dead victim from a previous fight. The crowd's cheers for brutality filled the atmosphere. I gingerly walked towards the weapon rack deciding on what I could possibly use. Thor was also at my side whilst Korg was examining a previously used weapon behind us "Oh, yuck! There' still someone's hair and blood all over this. Guys can you clean up the weapons once you finish your fight? Disgusting slobs" He asked I shuddered as the thought of a gruesome death filled my mind. There was a hefty choice of blades before me. Many appeared to be too heavy for me to use, also considering that I had never used anything like this in my life, I had no idea how the majority of the things laid out before me where actually meant to be wielded.

"Oh, Zeanna, wanna use a big wooden fork?" I rose my eyebrows and looked to Thor. "No..." I squeaked. "Yeah, not really useful. Unless you're fighting off three vampires that were huddled together" Korg finished after he'd asked me the question. "I'm probably just going to use a sword" I concluded out loud as I lifted a light blade that had been propped against the weapons rack. It was nimble enough for me to swing but the blade was still quite large and looked like it could do some serious damage. The handle was very thick, the thing alone could probably do harm as well. Whilst I had been admiring my chosen sword Thor and Korg had been discussing the god's hammer. "Sounds like you had a pretty special and intimate relationship with this hammer and that losing it was almost comparable to losing a loved one" Korg spoke causing Thor to smile. "That's a nice way of putting it" he sighed.

A loud bang caught my attention and it was only now that I had noticed that we gladiators were separated from the viewing public and a bar by red lasers that spanned across the length of the room. I concluded that the loud bang came from Scrapper 142 slamming an alcohol bottle on the bar. "I said they're mine" 142 sneered causing Thor to look at me and then back to Korg. "See her, that's the one that put us in here" I stated hoping the Korg could give us some more details. "Oh, yeah. Scrapper 142. Gotta watch out for those Asgardians, guys. They are hard to perish" I stood shocked, mouth open as I looked to Thor for his response. "Asgardian?" Thor questioned still as gobsmacked as myself. I stared at the woman. She used a knife to harshly pull the top of her bottle and the fire that rose from the beverage reflected from her eyes. Thor rushed forward towards her, myself not far behind "Hey. Hey" Thor called only for her to respond smugly. "Hey" she cooed as she lifted the remote that controlled the electrocuting disks attached to us. "Do not zap us with that thing. We just wanna talk" Thor asked, 142 responded by placing the remote down in front of her.

"Asgard is in danger" I pleaded only for her to blow out the flame on her drink and take a gulp. I held my head to the side, taking in a tattoo that was not previously visible on her arm. "My God, you're a Valkyrie" Thor gasped answering my unsaid question and causing the Valkyrie to slam her drink down. "I used to want to be a Valkyrie when I was younger, until I found out that you were all women" I sighed as Thor continued and Valkyrie stalked across the room and paid the robotic bartender for another drink. "There's nothing wrong with women, of course. I love women. Sometimes a little too much. Not in a creepy way, just more of a respectful appreciation. I think it's great that there is an elite force of women warriors. It's about time" Thor finished with a nod, smile, wink and thumbs up. I cringed beside him as he babbled on. Of course I knew who the Valkyrie were now he'd mentioned the name but Thor just made it seem like he was an obsessed teenage boy.

"Are you done?" Valkyrie asked looking to Thor then briefly at me. "ZEANNA, YOU'RE UP!" I shuddered as I heard a guard scream my name, I looked to Thor and back to Valkyrie as I sheepishly left towards my doom. "Please help us, we need your help" I heard Thor rush as I walked away. I sighed as I heard Valkyrie object.  "Bring her in for processing" I heard a guard squawk before I felt hands grip my arms. I struggled briefly before the reminder of the electrocution filled my memory and caused me to settle as much as possible as I was dragged towards a new location. I was pulled onto a chair and cuffed down to its handles and feet, I struggled slightly once more before a barber walked towards me with something attached to his hand I looked at him in fear unsure what they were going to do to my hair or body for that matter. "Now, don't you move. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be." The man stated, I took in a deep breath. The man pressed a button on his wrist and various tools sprung from his hand, I flinched but still made no noise as the man approached my head.

The barber manically laughed before I felt my locks being pulled tightly in various directions, I hissed and squirmed as the man brutally twisted my hair in several angles. When he was finally finished I had no time to even think before I was pulled from the chair and shoved into another room. The door was slammed shut behind me and all that filled the room were new garments. I looked around the room before noticing what I assumed were my newly gifted clothing folded on a bench. I wrinkled my nose at the minimal armour but happily smiled as I realised I could change out of my old and grim outfit.

I rushed from my worn and dirtied clothing and hummed in content as I felt the clean linen of a white toga caress my skin. The toga fell just above my knees and was accompanied by a thick brown leather belt and shoulder strap. A pair of sandals that tied up to my knees were also present. As looked over the outfit it was clear that the Grandmasters pleasures had been acknowledged. A knock on the door screamed five minutes so I quickly grabbed my chest plate and slid it over my head. The silver metal was cool against my clothed skin and once tightened at the side fitted me snuggly. I layered my fore arms with the protective armour and huffed. At least I didn't look like squalor on my death bed, but it was still clear that I hadn't been dressed for protection, more for male preference. I just hoped my competitor was garbed the same way.

Moments later I was dragged out of the small room and shoved towards an older woman, she dipped her index finger in silver paint and lunged towards me, I winced but soon realised she was only applying war paint. She pulled back looked at her work and nodded before the sword I had previously chosen was shoved towards me and I was directed to a large gate by more guards. I turned to see more of where I was before the door to the previous room where I had just been was slammed shut and I was left in near darkness.

A small sliver of light dripped in from the gate before me. The gate was metal and this combination finally enabled me to see what I looked like after the gladiator 'makeover'. All though the image was distorted my auburn hair had been parted and tightly plaited to my scalp on the left side while the other half laid in loose curls around my right shoulder. My face had geometric symbols painted across my left eye and I truly looked like I was some sort of warrior princess. I looked down at myself for the last time before the roars of an unforgiving crowd battered my hearing.

With the reality finally hitting me, my breaths quickened and my knee's began to quake. I can't do this. I'm not a fighter, a champion. This woman has battled many and never been beaten how could I expect to win my freedom? Tears began to prick my eyes as I thought of everything that had happened over the last four years. Hell, just the last two weeks were scary enough. I angrily wiped the tears from my eyes and took a deep breath. "He may be an arsehole but remember what Loki said" I breathed, attempting to calm myself. I jumped up and down on the spot attempting to prepare myself. I held my sword tightly in my right hand letting the blade brace the floor slightly. I looked to my left hand and caused my power to lace between my fingers. The gates began to open as the cheers of the crowd engulfed me. I looked out towards the colosseum, it was then that my eyes illuminated gold.

'You are smart Zeanna, remember your powers'