Bright red furs are now soft pink. Two white horns are now four on top of Pula's forehead. What's more, Pula looks even bigger than she used to be. She is now at the same height as my shoulder, and she now looks heavy to carry. I don't think I could carry Pula again in my arms.
Anyway, what happened to Pula's appearance?
My brows furrowed in curiosity and confusion, but still, I'm relieved that Pula is now awake.
"Raaaawwwrr!" Pula roared, growling as she jumped down from fourth floor to the ground of the arena. Dust spread as she descended down.
"Monster!" The crowd gasped in shock.
I pay no attention to them as I kept my eyes focused on Pula's new appearance. "Pula," I called softly.
Pula turned to look at me. "Grrr, rawr!" She growled, running as she dash forward towards me.
"Restrain that monster!"
I heard the gladiator woman commanded behind me.
The two soldiers beside me responded, "aye general!"
Those two soldiers started running towards Pula, pulling out the swords on their scabbards resting beside their waist, and afterwards, they surrounded the pink savage, making Pula stop on her tracks. Their sharp blades pointed at the gnashing rabbit.
Pula growled at this, while my brows creased.
'I have to help Pula,' I thought to myself urgently.
I struggled, removing my whole left and cut off right hand from the ropes that is binding both of my wrists, but the tied ropes are too tight. They tied it around my wrist about four times in different ways.
Although it is hard to untie the ropes on me, I didn't give up. I wanted to help Pula, so I struggled wiggling out, pulling out my cut off right hand from the bind.
With a bit more struggle, I manage to remove my right hand out of the tied ropes freeing myself.
I moved my feet to stand, but before I could walk, I felt a kick behind my knees making me kneel again to the ground. I then felt someone grab my hair pushing my face down, crashing my head to the ground.
I grimaced from the impact, and on my left peripheral vision, I saw the gladiator woman kneeling next to me as her hand put pressure on my head, restraining my movement and making me unable to stand up.
"Dare to escape in front of this general?" Said the gladiator woman in a cold expression.
I frowned, propping myself up on my elbows, but the gladiator woman kept a tight grip on my head pushing me again to the ground.
"You are so weak," she commented disdainfully, putting pressure on my head.
I glanced up, checking how Pula was faring. I saw her fighting the two soldiers with ease. I smiled to myself, feeling relief in my heart.
"Is that your pet?" The gladiator woman said beside me.
I knitted my brows, frowning at her as I chose not to reply, but she smirks at me taking the horn-like speaking trumpet on her waist, then she brings it near to her mouth.
"Archers!" The gladiator woman called in a yell. "Aim at that monster!"
"Aye general," the soldiers on the first floor of the audience seat said shortly.
The crowd cheered, chanting, "ge-ne-ral!"
My eyes widened in alarm as I struggled more against the gladiator woman restraining me. However, she put more pressure on my head, whacking my head on the ground.
On the corner of my eyes, I saw archers preparing to aim, and my heart pounded in my chest anxiously.
"Pula!" I yelled, calling out.
Pula turned to look at me. [Master!]
A youthful feminine voice said in my head.
My eyes widened in surprise. "Pula can…"
[Master just wait a bit more, and I'll be there to come and save you.] said Pula in my head comfortingly, kicking the soldiers to the side as she came running jumping to me.
"Archers!" The gladiator woman called in dissatisfaction.
The soldiers then aimed their arrows at Pula, releasing the string and the sharp pointed steels came flying at a fast speed towards the pink sprinting bunny.
"Look out!" I yelled warning Pula.
Pula dodge the arrows with ease as she dash forward to my direction.
The gladiator woman clicked her tongue at this. "Again!" She ordered.
More soldiers came out, and I saw the silver haired man, holding a crossbow with a bandage on his head.
They all took aim at Pula, but the rabbit dodge with ease.
I smiled proudly to myself as I stared at the pink bunny. And the gladiator woman pulled my hair, lifting my head up.
"What are you smiling about?" The gladiator woman sneered, piercing my head hard on the arena again and once more.
Blood slid down on the side of my head, running down to the side of my face. My head started spinning slowly in circles as I felt an aching throbbing pain at my temple.
[Master!] Pula yelled in my head, getting distracted as she dash even faster.
In the corner of my eyes, I saw Jabez and other archers preparing to aim again. "Pula…look out," I muttered weakly.
"Shut up!" The gladiator woman said irritatedly as she crashed my head again to the ground.
[Master!] Pula yelled as she rush forward, growling. [Wait for me master…aahh!]
My eyes widen seeing the arrows hit the pink bunny. Pula's speed slowed down as it came to a stop, and her body fell to the ground.
"Pula…" I called, waiting for Pula to stand up again.
But Pula remained silent as her body laid on the arena unmoving.
The crowd cheered. "Kill the thief, kill the damn monster!"
While the gladiator woman laughs to herself. "Stupid monster."
I didn't pay them any attention as I called out once more. "Pula."
Pula remains unmoving and silent. Anxiousness grew further in my chest as my heart pounded in worry.
"Pula…" I called repeatedly. "Pula, pula, pula, pula…please..."
Yet, no matter how much I called, Pula remained silent.
As if she was…
I swallowed.
That thought made my heart stop as I hurriedly moved my feet and elbows.
I crawled towards Pula, but before I could; the gladiator woman kept a tight grip on my hair, banging my head again to the ground.
"Pula, your pet, is dead," said the gladiator woman as she laughed, thrusting my head to the surface of the arena over and over like a sadistic maniac.
"How does it feel to have your pet stolen from you, huh," said the gladiator woman mockingly.
Dark noise started ringing even more in my ears, and I felt something within me snap; my sight darken from the blood dripping down from the side of my head.
The wind howled, and the ground shook. I could feel a ferocious power inside of me, wanting to take control.
'Kill them,' said the voice in my head repeatedly. 'Kill, kill, kill…'
"How does it feel, tell me?" The gladiator woman asked again in a ridiculing tone.
I clench my jaw as I use my left hand to grab her neck, choking her throat hard. Her mouth opened trying to gasp for air, and bit by bit, her grip on my head became weak.
Slowly, I felt the hand pressing on my head grew feeble; little by little, the gladiator woman released her hold as it went to grab on to my left hand, choking her to death. Her face paled, gasping for air as she stared at my bloodshot eyes.
Every second, the gladiator woman became suffocated; her hand grabbing my left hand struggled to remove it. I took advantage of that as I used what I learned from my hellish training.
Grabbing her hand, pulling her over my shoulder, and throwing her body on the arena as I flip the two of us on the ground.
I kick the gladiator woman over and over; like I am possessed by the demons within me. My conscience was there showing me pictures of my family from earth in my head, but they slowly disappeared as I kept seeing Pula's lying body on the ground; in the corner of my eyes.
At that, I thrusted my leg at the gladiator woman even more. Thrashing my legs in her gut over and over; until the pitter pattering water droplets from the dim sky fell down; dripping down on the arena.
The rain showered the filth and blood on me as it drenched heavily on top of my head.
I could hear the people in the audience gasping, and in my peripheral vision, I could feel them staring at me in shock. I can't blame their reaction since I'm also quite surprised at my own strength.
As I beat the gladiator woman with my right leg; I felt an invisible power surrounding me and roaming inside my body. I no longer could hear anything around me besides the ringing of that dark noise whispering to my ears in evil.
The voice in my head repeatedly said, 'kill.'
So I did, whacking the gladiator woman: in her stomach, in her face, in her arms, in her legs, and everywhere.
I kick and kick, feeling madness growing in my heart; thinking that this is how it feels to just beat someone instead of talking and explaining to them. It is indeed easier.
I kick the gladiator woman so many times that I can't count them on my fingers or my toes. I broke her face as much as I could. I don't want to see her face. Her filthy mouth that spoke and ordered to kill Pula is now swollen and bleeding. Her teeth in the front row are now missing. I also made sure to break her arms, her legs, and her ribs.
Well, she said to tell her how it feels to have Pula stolen from me, then this is my answer. This is how it bloody feels. I made sure to make her understand how it feels to have her intestines twisting in pain inside of her. I made her suffer and made her understand how pain felt when she was the one receiving it.
"Stop lass!"
Stopping my leg from kicking mid-air, my head snapped to the side, and there, I saw Alexandra standing a few distance away from me. Rain soaking her from head to toe.
Alexandra had her brows furrowed, staring at me in concern. I only stared back with no emotion. Looking at it now, don't they look a little similar?
My eyes narrowed at Alexandra's face, seeing nothing but the face of that gladiator woman.
Suddenly the person on the ground grabs my leg that is hanging in the air. The gladiator woman pulled my leg, throwing me off the ground, splattering a bit of dirt water all over my body.
After that, I saw her pulling out the sword from the scabbard resting on the side of her waist. The gladiator woman raised her hand, dashing to strike at me. I pulled the dagger stabbing my left leg as I stood up, dashing forward to thrust the blade to her throat.
"Die!" Yelled the gladiator woman as she rushed to me with the sword, and I rushed forward as well without saying anything.
The gladiator woman and I are just a few breaths away from killing each other. Her sword is just a few inches away from slicing up my neck, and the dagger on my left hand is just a few centimetres away from stabbing her throat.
Just a few more pushes from the both of us, and we both might end up dead, lying on the wet ground of the arena, but I know that I'm the one closer to that goal. The dagger already pokes the skin of the gladiator woman, and I just need to exhort a little more to pierce her throat.
Just a little more and I could finally avenge Pula.
However, someone else suddenly appeared beside us in the middle of the fight, grabbing me and the gladiator woman to a stop. Her hand grip on my left hand, stopping me from thrusting the dagger to the gladiator woman's throat. While her other hand held the gladiator woman's hand holding a sword.
"Stop!" Alexandra said, yelling at me and to the gladiator woman.
The gladiator woman knitted her brows, staring at Alexandra. "Niece…?" She called.
'Niece?'
My eyes narrowed at Alexandra. "Professor," I said in a low hoarse voice with no emotion. "Where were you?"
"I…I was looking for you, lass," Alexandra replied, sounding guilty.
In the corner of my eyes, the gladiator woman looked back and forth to me and Alexandra. "Niece, you know this criminal?"
Alexandra sighed at this.
I, on the other hand, ignored the gladiator woman as I remained my eyes concentrated on Alexandra. "I understand now, professor…" I trailed, then my eyes narrowed down on Alexandra's hand stopping me as I continued nicely and said, "please remove your hand, I have someone to kill."
"No," Alexandra said firmly. "She's my aunt, la…"
I kicked Alexandra on her leg, making her release her hand on me, then I proceeded to stab the gladiator woman who had her eyes widened in shock, but before I could push the dagger a little more, I felt three punches behind my back.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Jabez with his crossbow, smirking at me. I glance behind my back, seeing three arrows inserted deeply to my flesh.
I felt the power surrounding me disappear making me feel weak again. My knees fell to the wet ground as the power roaming inside my body vanished. The burning behind my back from the whip, the dizziness I feel from my head, and every aching pain I felt all over my body is back.
The sudden excruciating pain overwhelmed my whole body, and I felt weak. My eyelids became heavy as I fell to the wet ground of the arena.
"Lass!" Alexandra exclaimed, running to my side hurriedly, supporting my body. Then she turned to the gladiator woman and said, "aunt, please call a healer!"
"Why? She's a criminal, niece," The gladiator woman replied with knitted brows, looking at Alexandra in confusion and anger.
"She's not a criminal, aunt…" Alexandra argued, sighing.
"Niece, she stole my gold coins and tried to release Bakunawa," The gladiator woman reasoned as she explained.
"Why would she steal your money when she has more from her Urduja Clan!" Alexandra explained in anger.
The gladiator woman widened her eyes in shock. "What did you say?"
"Aunt, I need you to call a healer!" Alexandra said urgently.
The gladiator woman knitted her brows and said, "you have to explain it to me later!"
"I know…" Alexandra sighed again as she held me.
The gladiator woman stared at me with a complicated expression before she left, giving orders to her soldiers. The soldiers made the confused crowd leave the arena, and afterwards, the only ones left were me, Alexandra, Pula, and Bakunawa.
As I felt my body growing more cold each second; I remembered that night when I also almost died trying to protect Alexandra from Lilith.
I looked at the red haired woman and weakly said, "professor, why did you not help me?"
Alexandra frowned as she looked away in guilt. "I wanted you to learn your lesson, but I didn't expect that things would go this way, lass…"
"Did you make it all happen?" I said with no emotion as I stared at Alexandra.
"What? No!" Alexandra replied, looking at me.
"I see…so you just chose not to help?" I said, smiling bitterly as I felt betrayed.
Alexandra sighed and didn't reply as she remained silent.
With the little strength left of me, I pushed Alexandra away as I crawled towards Pula.
"Lass, you need to save your streng…"
"You have no right to tell me what to do," I said through a grunted voice, cutting her off as I continued to crawl, and slowly, I reached my left hand touching Pula's soft pink fur drench with rain.
My hand trembled, feeling Pula's body as cold as the rain. I swallowed, feeling nothing but apprehension inside me. Pula's original warm fur is now freezing under my touch.
I inhaled sharply, holding my breath, and gulping hard. As I felt Pula's unmoving cold body, it made me confirm things and remember warm memories.
During my hellish training, the only one who comforted me was this rabbit. Pula would stay close to me, warming me during nights I felt cold missing my home from earth. When I feel uncomfortable or feel sad about something, Pula for some reason could feel it as she would always comfort me.
Pula, to me, is not a pet; she's a family; my only family in this world.
My eyes blurred from the tears building up on my eyes, and I choked feeling a lump on my throat.
"Pula…" I cried her name softly under the heavy rain.
I prop myself up on my elbows as I crawled on top of Pula's cold body, hugging her close to me and crying out her name.
I hugged her carefully, trying to send my body's warm to her winter-like fur, but no matter how much I embraced Pula; her body stayed freezing under my warmth; her body was as icing as the chilling rain.
"Pula…" I called her name repeatedly, but she didn't respond. Not even once. I felt a shudder running down my spine, making me feel uncomfortable in my heart. "Pula please wake up…"
Yet the rabbit didn't respond, remaining silent.
"Pula I need your comfort, please respond to me…say something…anything…"
Still nothing, and I whimpered, biting my lip, suppressing myself from crying. I can't cry. Because Pula is not…
My lips trembled as I hugged Pula even more.
"Pula, you don't need to comfort me, but please…please just wake up…"
As I rested my head on Pula's body, I felt no warmth, and my heart was beating so fast and loud in fear. I'm so scared; I don't know what to do.
"Wake up sleepy rabbit…I'll give you as many purple carrots as much as you want…please Pula…I can't lose you…"
Slowly, my throat grew tired as I felt my eyelids become heavy, closing my eyes to a deep slumber.