Winds of Torsham (The Kohrinju Tai Saga Book 2)

by J P Nelson

  “Down past …” he waved it off, “… never the mind. After we began north, she came back to her emotionless self. Until we were well north of Alburin, close to Hilderkai, that is. That bothered her as well, became paranoid, if you will. When we turned south into Chequor, she became normal again, well, normal for her.

  “Part of me wanted to go on north and see if there might be a ransom, or reward for her. But the lure of the Grand Coliseum was greater. So there we went. Those kicks and gymnastic moves were incredible, but I could never get it into her the idea of stretching out the fight. Her kills were clean, but the matches were fast. Once or twice is fair-thee-well, but the crowd does not pay for fast fighting.

  “We took our time in Dahruban, as they had never seen a female in coliseum combat. Many of the officials were not in favor of it, and there was the Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai.”

  He saw my questioning look and interjected, “A Gladia~Kai is the formal name for House of Gladiators. There are several of these houses, or training areas, each with their own stable of fighters. Some have prestige, most do not. But there are six in particular which have powerful political pull and influence.

  “The Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai is the ruling body of all combative sports. It used to be their jurisdiction was Dahruban, but now it encompasses the entirety of the Associated Kingdoms.”

  Edgarfield folded his arms in pride, “It was during Ames’s seventh month as City-State Champion, each realm brought their finest fighters to an inaugural tournament …” he glanced at me, “… the coliseum had just been completed … a tournament to establish the undisputed champion.

  “Sixteen realms, from small holdings to established kingdoms, sixty-four gladiators.”

  The man was reveling in nostalgia and past glory.

  He smiled a smug smile, “It was Ames who took the win,” he raised his eyebrows, “obviously. Sixty thousand people, screaming, there is nothing like it.” Edgarfield poked his thumb at himself, “I am the only independent to bring anyone to title, and I have done it eight times. You will be the ninth, I am sure of it.

  “I wish to establish my own Gladia~Kai, but as an independent it is difficult.” He passed me a wink, “I was almost there once, it could be done again. With the right man, we could rule the world of Bloodbaiting, perhaps even claim domination of the Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai.”

  Edgarfield let that linger in my ears, and then continued his tale.

  “The Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai agreed to allow Lath one chance in the Primus. After seven months she received it,” he rolled his eyes, “and killed the man in seventeen seconds.

  “You should have seen how hard they tried to kill her out. They imported men for the job, not realizing they were making her more renowned in reputation. If she had been entertaining, it would have been different. But … she displayed only as much skill as was necessary to make the kill.”

  He pointed at me, “Not once, not one time did an opponent make score upon her.

  “They told me, ‘She is making a mockery of the championship.’ Of course, they were not referring to her record, but how little effort she displayed. She was not fun to watch. Twice attempts were made on her life.”

  Shaking his head he said, “Very bad. Men were found dead, she just sitting in her cell without a scratch on her.

  “Then they brought in a fighter from Tien Wu, the big island southwest of Rok’Shutai, Ginju Santoki Men’Choi The Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai spent a small fortune for a wizard from Camphry to transport the man. He was given a fight in mid-card to promote his skills. He was spectacular, using hands and feet with much prancing around. Ginju played with his opponent for ten minutes before finally killing the man. The crowd loved it.

  “The fight with Lath took place the week following her eleventh month as Coliseum Champion. It is the third time in six years I saw emotion cross Lath’s features.”

  Edgarfield opened his hands to memory as he embellished his words, “They … knew … each other.”

  He began with great descriptive skill to embellish for me the fight, but I became lost of my own accord … I felt myself drift into time as if I were there, as if I was seeing the fight before my own eyes ……

  ___________________________

  The Grand Coliseum arena was oval shaped, two hundred and seventy feet long by one hundred fifty-nine feet at its widest. In the center, a platform could be elevated from the ground level, but usually stayed below the surface.

  Edgarfield said the whole place was the biggest, grandest in the world. Even more so than the coliseum in Lh’Gohria, which they say is thousands of years old.

  The place was packed; you could see all kinds of people sitting in multiple tiers of benches, from ornate platforms twelve feet above the arena, to the seats several levels high. Acoustics in the coliseum were incredible. Casual communication could not be heard, as one might expect, but if sounds above a certain level were made, such as a loud voice, it could be clearly heard all the way to the highest bench.

  The fight announcer made his way to center of the arena and held up his hand. Out of sixty thousand people, not one sound was heard.

  In a deep, rich voice you could hear the man speak, “From the mystic land of Ti-i-ien Wu-u-u … the ki-i-ing of the we-e-est-er-r-rn war-r-rs … the sla-a-ayer-r-r of dra-a-agon-n-ns … mas-s-ster-r-r of mar-r-tial wa-a-ays …” the west gate of the arena opened and gouts of flame erupted, “Gin-n-nju-u-u San-n-ntoki-i-i Men’CHOI-I-I!”

  The crowd went wild as a man hurtled through the flame, did a flip in mid-air with his clothes on fire, and landed on his feet. The flame around him dissipated as he executed a series of colorful hand movements and kicks. Chants of, “Gin-ju, Gin-ju, Gin-ju,” erupted all around the coliseum.

  He removed his cloak with a flourish to reveal a splendid physique, smooth face, tasseled jet black hair, dark olive skin, emerald green leggings, gold colored sash, and he was barefoot.

  Ginju posed to the crowd, walked about in a strut, performed splits, cartwheels, back-flips, and a multitude of flashy moves in a diva-like fashion. They loved him.

  The adulation lasted for several minutes as he moved all around the arena floor. You could see the Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai leaders in their special box; they were pleased.

  Finally the announcer raised his hand once more, but it took the crowd more than a minute to calm down for him to speak.

  “From parts unkno-o-own … off an auction-n-n block in the Fair Susan Hil-l-ls … un-n-ndefe-e-eated-d-d in six-x-x year-r-rs … the CUR-R-RENT … Col-l-lise-e-eum Cham-m-mpi-i-ion-N-N …” the east gate opened, “La-a-ath-h-h the LE-E-Etha-a-al!”

  There was no flare, no fancy entrance. The deafening sound of boo’s and jeers could be heard as Lath stepped into the arena. Standing tall, her creamy golden hair streaming around her shoulders, this time adorned in black leggings with a black halter top.

  As she saw her opponent, you could see recognition in her eyes and body language. Lath was not happy, she was mad.

  You could see that Ginju also knew who she was. He spread his hands wide and flashed an evil, taunting grin.

  The combatants came to their marks thirty feet apart as the announcer left the arena.

  Acclaimed Grandmaster Edquin so’Dahkem, head of the Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai, stepped up to the front of their platform. Allowing the moment’s tension to build just a bit longer, then with a triumphant smile he called out, “ENGAGE!”

  Chapter 29

  THE TWO OPPONENTS circled each other warily; Edgarfield saw her move with caution and careful contemplation. He said it was almost as exciting as a sexual encounter, and more than many he had had … although his words were more explicit. Gone was her listless demeanor, gone was her casual and offhand attitude. He was watching with giddy excitement at his champion in the arena.

  Tentatively, each threw a technique as the other brushed or deflected, clearly feeling each other out. Ginju took a more upright stance, constantly balancing from one foot to one foot. Lath moved low, almost c
rouching, but with remarkable agility and fluidity, “She was almost serpentine,” Edgarfield declared.

  Words were exchanged as the two moved back and forth, but not loud enough to carry into the stands. Mutual animosity reaching far into the past was apparent to any who could see. Likewise, the level of clashing skill was far beyond any the people had seen in years.

  Years ago, use of weapons was forgone in favor of prolonged pugilistic matches. All too often, fighters were thugs and bandits who had been apprehended, sold as prisoners, and put into the ring or pit. If these had any true skills, it was of the most basic nature. As a rule, survival was based on innate ability, attitude, and brute strength. The more promising would be purchased by various Gladia~Kai, and cultivated into machines of bloody entertainment.

  Occasionally freemen with varying skill level entered the game, but it was rare they had the same brutish attitude of the thug. As a result, those with higher technical skill usually fell to those fueled by an animal rage.

  On this night, this Primus, only one truly daft would fail to see here were two exemplars of high level martial science. These were no pair of thugs, these were warriors of the highest order, trained in the arts of combatual death, masters of their respective crafts. This pair belonged not in the arena, but on the battlefield fighting for some worthy cause.

  But they were in the arena, here and now. And one of them would die, mayhap even the twain.

  Whatever the course, this match would be electrifying … even now in the opening moments of this contest; the darting in and out of these combatants generated an intensity one would have to experience to appreciate.

  Quickly, Ginju saw an opening and darted in with an extended spear-hand to the abdomen, but he was deflected with an slapping technique, which he followed by rolling his fist over Lath’s hand and into a back-fist to the temple … both moves so fast they seemed to blur together.

  Side-stepping, Lath brushed the temple-strike and stepped forward with an inside-stomp to the knee, a move she had been seen to destroy more than one opponent with. Before she could press down, he performed his own side-step … just as she went into an areal spin to deliver a tornado-cross-kick to his face.

  The dirt from her foot smeared his forehead as he almost failed his evasive back-flip, and as she planted down he sprang forward in a one-footed chicken-kick. Catching his ankle in a cross-wing-block, he leapt up to cross-kick with his free foot.

  Lath dropped the one foot to deflect the other, then aimed a deadly blow with a pivoting corkscrew-punch into his groin … but he caught her fist and swung his leg over her body into a reverse straddle over her arm. His back now to Lath, he jumped up and cmarkd his seat up to her shoulder, rolled forward and threw her over.

  Ginju clearly wanted to catch her arm and wrist in the throw, perhaps trapping her in an elbow-breaking arm-bar. But as she was thrown, she was able to contort and twist into landing on her feet, followed by a high and far reaching back-hand-spring. As Lath landed, he gyrated his legs in a whirling motion and executed a spin from his back onto his feet … the two faced each other from twenty feet apart.

  They showed no awareness of the arena, their focus was now exclusively on each other. Again they spoke in heated words, but too low for others to hear. What were they saying?

  In their box, the Dai Tauro Gladia~Kai Masters were clenching their fists and shouting with the rest of the spectators, a most unusual action for these distinguished officials.

  Again they circled. As if on cue they launched assaults on each other. Each strike was met with a parry or redirection as hands and feet moved in a flurry of motion.

  Lath executed a lightning fast spinning-crescent-kick with her right foot. Ginju dropped under the kick into a half-split, and then swung his own right foot low into a sideways sweeping hook against her left ankle. Even as he connected, her right foot came down, and instead of a sweep she executed a full back-flip, landing on her feet.

  She immediately placed both hands on the ground and swung the right heel in a reaching, sweeping hook-kick to where his head had been. He, however, rolled out of strike zone. Lath followed him with an areal spinning-slap-kick as Ginju rolled once more under her airborne body. As she landed, she executed a cartwheel in his direction, and as he changed his own position she followed into a barrel-roll with an over-the-top round-kick.

  Again, Ginju wasn’t there. As she landed on her feet he was launching a side-stepping right cross-strike, emphasizing his fore-knuckles with a leopard’s-paw to her lower torso. Lath, however, caught the fist, stepped to the inside and straightened his elbow over her shoulder. Pulling down hard to shatter the elbow, he was already in the air, leaping over in a flipping motion. Landing on his back in front of her, he wasted no time and planted both feet into her ribs, then heaved with his legs to the heavens in an attempt to throw her over.

  As she went upward, Ginju tried to reverse her grab by seizing her own wrist, but she did a full flip forward and over, landing flush on her feet. Wasting no time, he rolled back into a hand-stand and came up on his own feet … just in time to evade a fast moving skip-in-side-kick.

  Both spun about with simultaneous spinning-back-fists, their forearms connecting at the same point, then with blistering speed each rebounded with reverse spinning-axe-hand chops to the other’s head … again … both hands meeting, this time at wrist point.

  Without a break in momentum, they again spun in reverse direction in synchronized motion. He launched a side-kick to the ribs, a blow which glanced off of her rotating torso … only a fraction of an instant before her right foot slapped horrendously against his face … a double strike … as the ball of her foot hooked back, and followed with a round-kick to the other side.

  First Blood!

  Ginju rolled with the blow as blood flew from his mouth in both directions. But her foot was still in the air, as with unbelievable precision she instantly curled her leg back with an under-hooking circle, and followed with a powerful side-kick to his chest.

  As the kick was delivered, several of those masters swore as their chosen hurtled back, desperately fighting to stay afoot, landing hard on his back thirty feet away. The coliseum was breathless as Lath wasted no time and with a blood-curdling scream she leaped into the air, contorting her body in a spiral, and landed with a billow of the dirt with a stomping movement where Ginju’s head had been.

  Without reservation, his skill and trained instinct preserved his life as he rolled, not back with momentum of his fall, but sideways and up to his feet. Her back to him for an instant, he leaped forward into a double-kicking movement. His left thrusting into her kidney, and as she arched back with pain he stepped upon her shoulder with his right … vaulting straight up in a back-flipping motion … but as he was inverted directly above her, he thrust down with intertwined fore and middle fingers, called a dragon’s-toe technique, into the hollow points of her neck and shoulders … his rotation continued as his feet landed upon her shoulders, followed by a forward inverting flip allowing him to land in front and facing her.

  The crowd was beside themselves, and the masters jumped in child-like exultation … Lath had been scored upon in a decisive move.

  For an instant, they held posture as once more unknown words were exchanged. A smile of satisfaction crossed his face as he wiped blood from his mouth. She rolled her shoulders and arched her back from pain of received blows, as she showed an expression of deadly resolution. Circling about each other, it was as if a hunter was stalking his prize game, the ultimate trophy, and the beast was not going to go down easy.

  Was Ginju as strong as Lath? This could not be determined. But, he had matched her speed for speed, reflex for reflex, and he knew just where to strike.

  To most observers, it would seem the pair to be beautifully and evenly matched. But to the experienced eye, to Edgarfield, there was something much more. Ginju was not outmaneuvering Lath by means of calculated skill, he was prepared for her, he had studied her, he knew what she would do. No
t from good scouting, from personal experience.

  Ginju feinted a side-striking movement, then ducked low. Rolling forward, he launched a low side-kick with intent of shattering her right knee. But as he made contact she turned, absorbing the blow as she went down, then side-rolled upon her feet.

  As she rose, he caught her with an upward chicken kick to the face, making her head snap back. He immediately followed with a right-wise spinning motion, culminating in a powerful left fist below her belly button which he punctuated with a loud, lingering yell.

  The blow caused Lath to fold forward, whereupon Ginju seized her hair in both hands and rammed his knee viciously into her forehead. Before she could react to the strike, he yanked her upright, then stepped in and threw her over his shoulder with a snap-mare, hard to the ground. Releasing her hair with his right hand, he raised Lath into a sitting position and pointed his elbow to the heavens, then brought it down with all force onto the top of her head.

  Edgarfield said in amazement, “By all rights, the blow should have shattered her skull, killed her.”

  She thrashed in reception of the strike, and Ginju did it again. Believing the kill to have been accomplished, he stepped back with hands outstretched.

  The masters in their box were shouting exultations.

  As she writhed upon the sand, still not expired, he took a running step and leaped high into the air, coming down onto her forehead with his knee, rolling away with the rebound. It seemed for a moment Lath was entering into convulsions, but she raised her wavering left hand upward as she fought to roll to her right side.

  Noticeably amazed, Ginju lithely sprang forward and again grabbed her by the hair. Savagely, he smashed his right fist into her forehead once, twice, then a third time, opening a wicked cut. As she staggered on her feet, he let her go, set himself up from a sideways position, and with his right foot smashed a 360˚ round-kick into her face, knocking her back as her feet flew out from under her.