As the warriors began to surround Kaz and his escort, one of the guards handed him a much abused short sword. Kaz grunted, but did not otherwise protest. His weapon should have been better, but he knew not to expect otherwise. Polik and the high priest wanted to take no chances.

Thinking of the pair, he quickly scanned the crowds. The emperor was usually seated in a box at the center of the longer side of the arena. His box was higher than most other seats. Beside him would sit Jopfer and members of the Supreme Circle.

Sure enough, the box was occupied. Kaz squinted. Polik was there, a little heavier and wearier than years ago, but otherwise hardly changed. He still bore the physique of a champion, but Kaz could not see how he could have won every challenge he had faced in all these years. The emperor was clad in an elegant robe of brown and red and wore a crested helmet that was obviously used only for ceremonial purposes.

It's true, then, the prisoner thought. The warlords brought Polik in because he could be managed, and the high priest and circle kept him in for the same reason.

Polik was not looking at him, but was arguing with another minotaur, an armored figure that Kaz guessed was a member of the circle. He was tapping his chest again and again. It took Kaz a few moments to realize that Polik was complaining about the medallion. Even from so far away, most would recognize it as a symbol of a high-ranking champion. Those who still recalled Kaz would likely also remember that he could have challenged Polik if he had not abandoned the circus. The emperor did not like to be reminded of that.

The emperor pointed at Kaz, then at the warriors. The minotaur beside him shook his head, but Polik was adamant. His companion signaled a guard. A few quick words were shared, then the guard hurried off.

Horns blared. Kaz glanced to the side and saw a herald walk out. They were about to announce the battle. Not caring what the herald was going to say, he continued looking around. Polik and at least three members of the circle were in the audience, but the only representatives of the priesthood were Merriq and a pair of lesser acolytes. Of Jopfer there was no sign.

His target would be Polik after all.

"Wake up, you fool!" whispered one of the guards. "Or are you planning to just stand there and let them run you through?"

Kaz snapped out of his reverie, realizing that the herald had finished and the warriors were readying themselves. Once they were all in place, eight surrounding Kaz and the other eight forming an outer circle, the guards backed out of the way and returned to where Ganth and Hecar were being held.

Kaz had only a moment. He had to dispose of the weapon, distracting his opponents at the same time, then summon Honor's Face to him. Only Honor's Face, with its magic, could do what Kaz desired. Only the axe could fly as straight as he desired, and end Polik's reign once and for all.

Another horn sounded. The gladiators paused, clearly confused. Kaz was also confused. The new signal commanded the gladiators to retreat, which they undertook in slight disarray.

Yet another horn sounded. This time, no gladiators paraded out. Instead, a gate to the side opened. The minotaur's eyes widened. He knew what the gate meant. Someone had made a change in plans. Kaz no longer faced warriors.

A roar echoed from the corridor behind the half-open gate. Instead of gladiators, Kaz was to fight an animal.

The second roar was greater than the first. The crowd was excited. The audience, too, knew this was to be no ordinary confrontation.

Then, a great head thrust out of the tunnel, massive nostrils sniffing the air in suspicion. Reptilian eyes slowly adjusted to the light. A maw of dagger-type teeth opened, and a thick red tongue darted out and in.

A meredrake, a creature larger than the largest bear and resembling the dragons of lore, lumbered out. While only a reptile and not related to the great leviathans, it was still a vicious beast. This one was nearly full-grown.

Many in the audience clearly saw the unfairness of the match-up, and even though Kaz was supposed to be a criminal, there were grumbles of protest. Polik pointedly ignored them, watching the prisoner with satisfaction. The reptile stalked toward the center of the field. The meredrake's tail swished back and forth, the beast growing more anxious as it smelled so many minotaurs.

Then it saw Kaz.

The meredrake hissed. One minotaur was not a threat to it, but rather a meal. Meredrakes were always eager to eat.

Kaz gripped the short sword in one hand. He did not want to make his move right away. He wanted to study the monster for a minute to determine how to fight it. If the meredrake moved true to form, he had some hunches. If it surprised him, then it was very possible that Kaz would die, ripped to shreds by claws and teeth.

It was not how he had hoped to die. He only wished he could take Polik with him.

The beast raised its head and opened its jaws wide. To anyone else, the sight might have been enough to terrorize the hapless victim. Kaz, though, had faced dragons and other creatures far stranger and more deadly than a meredrake.

Hissing, the meredrake abruptly charged to Kaz's left, moving with a swiftness and dexterity that its lumbering, reptilian form did not suggest. The crowd roared, protest mingling with cheers.

Kaz roared at the charging beast, which stumbled momentarily. The seasoned warrior shifted his grip on his blade so as to be able to throw it, then threw the worn but still serviceable blade at the monster.

The sword flew with the accuracy of a javelin, and the speed with which it moved was so great that its intended target had no time to get out of the way. The blade sank into the meredrake's shoulder. This time, the monster did more than stumble. It roared in pain as it raised one paw to knock the projectile from its wounded body.

Even as he released the blade, Kaz held his other hand high. Honor's Face materialized. The crowd's tone shifted to confusion, but Kaz did not care what they thought. The great reptile had already batted away the sword as if it were a twig, something Kaz had not expected it to be able to do so swiftly, and the minotaur needed something better.

Kaz stumbled back as the monster charged forward. The meredrake got one set of claws on the bottom of the axe head and pushed down. Honor's Face was ripped from the minotaur's grip.

The huge monster charged forward again. Kaz threw himself onto the back of the beast, which hissed and tried to shake him off. The minotaur held tight and willed the axe to come to him.

It did… just in time for the warrior to lose his seat. Kaz slid off the reptile's back to the loud reaction of the crowd. He did not know whether the audience was disappointed that he had failed or hoping that now the meredrake would turn around and tear his chest open.

The meredrake turned. Kaz fell on its tail, seizing the appendage with his free hand. The tail dragged him along when the reptile moved, at first baffling the beast. After a few almost hilarious turns, the meredrake finally realized what was happening and whipped its tail to its open maw.

Kaz released the appendage and rolled in the opposite direction. Rising to one knee, Kaz brought Honor's Face around and dug the gleaming blade deep into a half-raised paw. Blood splashed over the minotaur's head. Kaz tried to blink away the blood, which stung his eyes so much he could barely see.

It nearly cost him his life. In agony, the meredrake swung wildly about, throwing Kaz and the axe into the air as easily as a child might toss a pebble. Kaz could do little to control his fall. He struck the ground with enough force to shake Honor's Face from his grasp.

Only the enraged reptile's thundering movements warned the minotaur that he was once again in its path. Kaz rolled quickly to the side. His vision had returned, just in time to catch sight of the meredrake's jaws trying to close on his leg. The warrior snapped his leg back and kicked it forward into the meredrake's snout.