War God for Hire- Gladiator

War God for Hire- Gladiator
by
David Burke


License Notes: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This ebook is licenses for your personal enjoyment. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
War God for Hire- Gladiator
Copyright © 2021
David Burke
Cover art copyright
© David Burke
Cover art created by Yanaidraws


Contents
Prologue - To End War
Chapter 1 - Grim Beginnings
Chapter 2 - Rough Landings
Chapter 3 - Reincarnation?
Chapter 4 - Not So Mundane
Chapter 5 - The Essence of the Matter
Chapter 6 - Career Counseling
Chapter 7 - Digging for Trouble
Chapter 8 - Harsh Realizations
Chapter 9 - Saber
Chapter 10 - Speed First
Chapter 11 – Introductions
Chapter 12 - Finding a Place
Chapter 13 - Training Time
Chapter 14 - Harsh Realities
Chapter 15 - More Lessons
Chapter 16 - Focusing
Chapter 17- Can’t Wait
Chapter 18 - Waking Up
Chapter 19 – Guests’ Arrival
Chapter 20 – Wrestling
Chapter 21 - Memories Unremembered
Chapter 22 - Training for the Lash
Chapter 23 - Girls’ Night
Chapter 24 - Shocking Match
Chapter 25 - Learning Himself
Chapter 26 - A Fiery Welcome
Chapter 27 - Getting Reacquainted
Chapter 28 - Interruption
Interlude 1 - When Exes Meet
Chapter 29 - Clean Up
Chapter 30 - Behind the Scenes
Chapter 31 - To the Victor
Chapter 32 - A Plush Prison
Epilogue - All Eyes Upon Him


Prologue - To End War
The hellscape exploded around Krig. He was tossed from his mount. Skylar would have to fare for herself, but she was an elder dragon, so he put her out of his mind. Legions of devils, dark undead mages, and the other minions of his sister, Dod, awaited him.
He scoffed. He might not be the strongest of the gods, but none of them could face him in single combat and win. Nor did Dod possess the power on her own to wrench him from the void between worlds and pull him into her nightmare realm.
No, the mere fact that he was here meant that more of his family were gunning for him. Bring it on. He was the god of war, after all. Coming up next to the hellish troops of his sister were the giant, lumbering stone elementals favored by his sister, Jordan, goddess of earth and stone. And on the other flank, the wyverns, dragons, and even swirling elementals of his brother, Himmel, god of the sky.
That left only four more unaccounted for. Begaer, goddess of lust, would never join in. She might hate him, but fighting was not her way. She preferred more horizontal activities and had even propositioned him over the eons. Gross, but true.
Bedrag, his deceitful brother, was probably hiding somewhere, ready to strike at the losing side. Hav wouldn’t come here. She and her minions were ill-suited for battle in the hellscape and, truthfully, she got along with him better than any of his other sisters. All she cared for was the depths of her great oceans.
And, of course, the oldest of them, Lige, would watch but not intervene. He named himself god of justice, but truthfully was just a busybody who liked to get into people’s fun.
It was then that a golden light appeared overhead. Lige’s booming voice that so grated on Krig sounded forth, “You stand accused of disregarding the council of the gods. Your incessant warfare consumes too much of our time and that of the mortals. It has been decided to put an end to this. I will stand judge over the only type of trial we know that you would accept, little brother, trial by combat.”
Horns sounded behind Lige. That must have been the signal, because all the troops moved forward. He noticed that his siblings stayed put. Even outnumbered three to one and without any of his minions beside him, they still feared him.
So be it. He leapt into combat. This was the place he felt most at home. His sword cut in great sweeping strokes that were the end of existence for those who faced him, be they living, dead, or animated. His shield absorbed fireballs, spear thrusts, great boulders flung at him, and so much more without giving way.
Krig knew that this battle would have looked impressive to any mortal onlooker, if such could survive. But the true battle was so much more impressive. Divine power met divine power. The crimson aura of war split asunder a green shield of Jordan’s earthen power and pierced her chest. Flickering flames of purple and black death danced from Dod towards him, only to be crushed and shattered by hammers of crimson force.
At least that was the way that it would have looked to a mortal viewer. In reality, they were wielding power faster than a mortal could perceive. A greater degree of subtlety went into it all than one might expect. It wasn’t just the brute force of power against power and the strongest god remained standing.
No, there were a thousand feints, thrusts, parries, and counter thrusts every second. Most took place on wavelengths imperceptible to the mortal eye or ear. Many even took place in adjacent dimensions. The real victory came from getting an enemy to overextend themselves. Then they could be destroyed with little effort and less risk.
If any of them was an expert at this, it was Krig.
It wasn’t that he fought dishonorably. That wasn’t the kind of war god that he was. Nor was he the blind smashing type either. He pushed himself to excel at all that he did and believed that there was no greater way to test yourself than upon the field of battle. Only then did a man know what he was made of. And what were the gods, but simply