Read Taken: The Life of Uktesh Book 3 for Free Online

wooden version looks like the metal version should be.   He grabbed two swords and stood in front of the gladiator, who looked relaxed.  He realized the man he was about to fight wasn’t really his enemy so he reached out his hand and said, “I’m Uktesh.”
    The man looked to the snake who nodded, “Be welcome, I am Cielex,” before he took Uktesh’s outstretched hand.  The snake turned to look above where Uktesh had just exited. Standing there were dozens of well-dressed people including Neftalix and Astiau.  Clearly, though, the leader was the graying man in the middle who had an aura of authority that made people stand in deference to him.  Unlike Neftalix and Astiau, the leader had a platinum ring in his lip.  The snake raised his hand and Uktesh saw it now held a whip. The man in charge nodded.  The gladiator shouted, “We salute you, Dominus,” and pointed his sword at the man.
    Uktesh felt the whip crack against his back and pointed his sword at the man and said, “I salute you, Dominus.”  The man nodded again and the gladiator took a fighting stance with his shield blocking most of his body.  Uktesh stabbed the shield with his left sword, purposely exposing that arm to a counter attack, which Cielex fell for.  Uktesh Stepped to Cielex’s exposed right side and poked him with his sword.
    Rather than stop all action, as they would in a tournament, Cielex spun and slashed at Uktesh, who barely dodged in time.  He got slammed with Cielex’s shield and fell to the ground. Uktesh rolled and blocked the sword attack, braced for the shield push and when it hit pushed back with all his might.  Cielex didn’t move at all. Instead Uktesh found himself being pushed toward a wall.  Bracing was a stupid idea.   Uktesh started backing up and Cielex stayed with him. Each picked up speed as they raced toward the wall.  Inches from the wall Uktesh Stepped to the side as Cielex, suddenly without any resistance, tripped and slammed into his shield and fell unconscious to the ground.
    Uktesh walked back to the weapon rack and put his swords away, then walked to stand next to the dragons.  By the time Uktesh had settled himself, Cielex was stirring. With a roar he came to his feet only to find Uktesh unarmed, dozens of feet away, and clearly the victor.  His shoulders slumped. The snake took his shield and sword angrily and said,
    “Congradulationsss, you’ve earn a ssspot in the Ultimate Rumble.
    Make sssure to sssurvive the firssst round before you ssstumble.”
    Cielex’s shoulders slumped further and he nodded as the snake said,
    “Omero, you’re up,
    come back here pup.”
    Uktesh assumed he was the pup in question so he grabbed his sword as Omero, the twice-damned giant, walked to stand in front of Uktesh. He was slightly closer to the end of the line than the beginning.  As Uktesh assumed they were in order of rank Omero was slightly better than half way. 
    Omero was eight feet tall and built with more muscles than even Larut.  He was also unarmed so Uktesh asked, “Is it okay if I use these?”
    The snake nodded and raised his hand with the whip to the man again, and again he nodded.  Omero and Uktesh both said, “We salute you,” though Uktesh forgot the Dominus and was rewarded with another whipping, so he quickly added, “Dominus.”  Uktesh sprung backwards as Omero made a quick grab for him.  The he reversed and Stepped in and delivered a perfect Sweep the Leg that broke the big man’s leg at the kneecap.  Uktesh had to Step back twice to avoid the falling giant.  Although down, the giant was not done.  He knelt on his broken leg. Wow!  The pain tolerance! Then he punched out at Uktesh. 
    Uktesh threw one of his wooden swords at Omero and when he blocked it, Uktesh Stepped twice, and threw his last sword at Omero.  He Stepped twice more to get behind Omero and one final Step moved him in where he adapted the imperfect Sword Raises the Sky to jump in the air and then the