by Hicks, Aaron
Uktesh said, “Good, looks like the dragoon is mine. We’ve picked!”
The voice said, “Osiris in his infinite wisdom has decided that this will no longer be a grand melee. With six on six he wishes to see one on one fights until one side is defeated.”
Their six opponents didn’t like that, but they also didn’t have a choice. Uktesh heard the drunken voice of Neftalix shout, “I love it! At least give Uktesh a shot to save me!”
Uktesh turned to see that in the crowd to the right were seven people. Each one was chained to a separate headman’s block, and every one had a priest with an axe behind him.
The voice stated, “The first to fight has to be Uktesh!”
Uktesh stepped forwards as the rest of his group moved toward the wall. The opponent who moved to fight him was the centaur. Uktesh shouted, “Wait! I’m to fight the dragoon!”
The voice came back and said, “In the first round you don’t get to choose; your opponents do. You’ll choose the second, them the third, you the fourth, and so on.” Uktesh looked back to Larut who shrugged.
Uktesh shouted at his opponents, “Cowards! I challenge the dragoon!”
The dragoon simply smiled and folded his arms. The centaur, however, said, “I will be more than enough to take you out. The rest of your team will die this round or the next it doesn’t matter. We won the moment your help was only human.”
The voice boomed, “Begin.”
The centaur Stepped away and Uktesh Walked to his right where he knew the centaur was going. He Struck the air with a true Palm Strike, and as the centaur finished his Step, Uktesh’s spirit-enhanced titanic Strike blasted into the joint between man and horse and suddenly his opponent was no longer a centaur, just simply a man without his lower half, dying. The man, however, threw his spear and Uktesh caught it before he walked away. Priests came and took away the torso and four were needed to drag the horse section away.
Uktesh walked back to the group, who looked stunned. Uktesh said, “I’m sorry Larut, I don’t know why I thought we got to choose our own opponents.”
Larut said, “It’ll be fine. I’ve been training too.”
Uktesh clapped him on his shoulder and said, “Good.”
Though if he fights the dragoon…
I know.
The next up was the naga, who Ceftin went to fight. The naga was armed with a trident and Ceftin a sword and shield. The voice boomed again, “Begin.”
The two naga’s exploded in a burst of slithering movement that looked to Uktesh like two snakes fighting. Their bottom halves coiled together, while their upper halves were doing their best to stab each other. Unable to pull away from each other they had to accept wounds and continuously attack and defend. Uktesh knew that Ceftin had the upper hand thanks to his weapons, but the other naga was easily holding his own as both started to accrue cuts.
Uktesh watched Ceftin deflect a stab with his shield and stab with his sword only to have it deflected by the butt of the naga’s trident. They slowly tilted to the right and as Uktesh watched they both dropped their weapons as they began to roll around the pit, their claws ripping long strips of scale from the other. Uktesh lost track of which one was Ceftin and which was the enemy as they continued to roll through the sand. Uktesh saw one swipe some scales from the chest of the other, which darted forward and bit the arm of the one that had just wounded him, only to be bit in the neck in return. They continued to roll together, each attacking with as many claws as they could. Slowly the death roll slowed down until it stopped and one of the naga’s stabbed it’s hand into the chest of the other and pulled out the other’s heart. Uktesh heard retching from the audience before he heard a shout from the crowd for a good fight.
Uktesh watched the naga slither to the weapons and when he picked up his sword and shield Uktesh whooped with joy and ran to Ceftin. The naga sagged onto him and Uktesh carried him back to the group and with the help of Airos laid him gently on the sand where he breathed hard and said,
“Next time you fight,
your own fight.”
Uktesh knew he was tired if that was the best rhyme he could come up with. Airos stepped forward and said, “I’ll go next.”
The other giant moved onto the sand and Uktesh saw that they both were unarmed, but Uktesh knew that Airos would probably have a magical item or two.
The voice boomed, “Begin.”
Like a bubbling pool both fighters rippled armor flowed over both of them. Airos wore a gold-plated armor that covered most of his body, but left from mid-thigh to just below the knee and from bicep to mid forearm bare. He had two massive broadswords that looked like long swords when he held them. His opponent, however, had no patch of skin exposed, and held a massive sword that looked to be a two-handed sword made for a giant. They both had barely let their armor settle when they charged each other.
As Uktesh watched the skill they employed, each Stepping, and moving from true, to titanic, before Stepping again, Laurilli grabbed his right arm and said, “Let me have the dragon again.”
Uktesh said, “I should’ve thought of that!”
You don’t mind do you?
The dragon thought back, no, as he started to flow from Uktesh to Laurilli.
The giants continued to flow from one form to the next. The explosion of sound that they created far exceeded the best Uktesh had made against the metal pole, he’d practiced with. Uktesh watched as they flowed from one form, that he knew, to another that he’d never seen before. They Stepped more often than attacked; each trying to get the upper hand and each failing. Without warning Airos stumbled to his knee, and brought his left sword up to defend his back, while his right sword stabbed up behind him. At first Uktesh was confused, until he saw the other giant Step into the path of Airos’ stabbing sword. The sword defending his back blocked the suddenly weakened swing. Airos stood and without a word stabbed the other giant through a gap in his helmet armor. There were eight bright flashes at the giant died, and Airos wasted no time looting the fallen gladiator of his magical items.
He walked back as a dozen priests came out to drag the body away, and said, “These will help whoever’s up next.” The minotaur stepped forwards and Thulmann said, “I won’t need those. Thanks though.”
He strode forward and the voice boomed, “Begin!”
The minotaur charged Thulmann, and without magical armor or weapons, Thulmann remained in place. As the minotaur neared, Thulmann grabbed his swords, readying a strike. The minotaur Stepped, Thulmann unsheathed both of his swords, and stabbed out to both side at the exact same height at the same time.
The minotaur finished his Step and charged into the point of Thulmann’s left sword. Thulmann adjusted slightly and the minotaur impaled its own eye on Thulmann’s right sword. Thulmann dodged out of the way in time to avoid the attack and sprung to his feet instantly. The minotaur mooed a shout of pain and fear. Thulmann struck the end of his sword with his palm and imbedded it deeper, then hit it a second time before the minotaur collapsed to the ground.
Thulmann pulled his sword from the body and headed back to the group while eight priests ran out to get the body of the minotaur. Once he was back in the group and the body had been dragged away the dragoon walked forward and Larut sighed, “I guess I’m up.”
Before he could grab the armor or weapon Airos had brought back, Laurilli put on all the rings, the two bracelets, and the necklace and shouted, “Ex-quip!” The armor rippled around her, she looked at her right arm, and Uktesh knew the dragon was telling her something. She held the massive sword in her hand and it dragged behind her. Then she did something and it melted again. Larut grabbed Uktesh and said, “I was supposed to die saving her! You said this one was the strongest! I’m sorry!”
Uktesh said, “Let’s believe in her. She’s not suicidal. She has a plan.”
Larut grabbed his hair and turned to watch. Laurilli unsheathed her rapier and the voice boomed, “Begin!” She Stepped forward and brought her rapier down in a chop that the dragoon d
idn’t even block. Her thin sword shattered on his shoulder armor. He laughed as she shouted, “Ruin!” and brought a rapier out that was clearly magical. He brought forth a magical sword of his own and blocked her attack. She screamed and brought her rapier down again and again, in a futile attempt to break through his guard. The dragoon continued to laugh as he blocked her tiny sword. Midway through one futile attack and the next, her rapier melted only to be replaced with the massive giant two-handed sword the other giant had used. She doesn’t need to swing it anymore! Gravity will do the work for her! The dragoon never saw the change, but he felt it when the massive sword broke through his defense and deep into his shoulder and neck.
Blood sprayed from the wound and his arm immediately fell limp to his side. He Walked away which dragged Laurilli with him as she held onto the sword. He Walked again and smashed her into the wall of the pit. She cried out in pain, and he Walked again to slam her again. She stubbornly held on to the sword as he continued to slam her against the wall and she continued to cry out in pain. Larut shouted, “Just let go of the sword!”
Uktesh said, “You don’t get it. The first trick, breaking the sword and the useless attacks until her real one, was just the first trick. This one may be the more effective of the two.”
Larut looked confused and now the crowd was getting into it too, as they shouted for her to let go of the sword. She held on with all her might. Each time she crashed into the wall her cry became more pain-filled. Uktesh looked to the tunnel that he’d exited from, and saw Heathyr laughing for all she was worth, and knew she’d caught on too. In that magnificent armor, armor meant to block magical weapons, a wall wouldn’t do any serious damage. The dragoon had been slowing down for that past few minutes, and now he was breathing hard and clearly near to death from loss of blood.
He was determined and Walked again, and again slammed Laurilli into the wall, only to this time have it work! She slid to the ground with the sword no longer in her hand. The dragoon blinked at her in shock, or maybe he thought that the blood loss had caused him to start to see things. Either way he left the massive sword where it was, he walked over to her, lifted her limp form, using the only hand he had that still worked, and opened his mouth to bite off her head, or some such horror. She, however, kicked the imbedded sword, which caused him to forget to bite her and when he looked at her, Uktesh knew that he was seeing a magical rapier form, seconds before Laurilli stabbed him in his eye. He dropped her and she rolled away from his falling bulk. She stood up, reached under his fallen form, and suddenly all her armor melted into jewelry.
Laurilli pulled the jewelry from her body, handed it to Larut, and said, “And Uktesh thought he was tough,” before she collapsed into Uktesh’s arms.
Uktesh guessed that the armor didn’t protect as much as he’d thought. Larut handed Uktesh the rapier ring and said, “I think this is hers.”
Uktesh held her close to him and said, “Don’t underestimate her. This one will be tricky, like Laurilli against the dragoon. She’s smaller than you, but don’t assume that means weaker.”
Larut ex-quipped his armor and brought out the massive sword. He hefted it over his shoulder with some difficulty and said, “No fear of that. I assume she’s as strong as you and that I need to get lucky to beat her. Uktesh grinned at Larut, and Larut snorted a laugh, before he scolded Uktesh, “You’re such a child some times.”
Uktesh said, “What? You’re the one that said, you’d need to, ‘get lucky,’ to beat a harpy. I just didn’t know you were into feathers. I’ll have to let Sara know.”
Larut shook his head as he walked into the middle of the pit with the harpy. Uktesh heard the voice boom, “Begin.”
Uktesh felt the dragon flow out of Laurilli and into Uktesh again, she’s fine. I checked her for a concussion before I left and healed it.
Thank you. Did she come up with that plan or did you?
She did. I told her just to start swinging away with that massive sword, that I’d enhance her strength as needed.
That would’ve drained her quickly.
Yeah, but it was the best plan I came up with.
Thank the gods she’s smarter than you.
I know, right!
Uktesh shook his head and watched as the two fighters circled each other, actually she’s circling him, he’s spinning. She’s trying to make him dizzy! Uktesh shouted, “Larut! She’s trying to make you dizzy!”
Larut stumbled to his left and shouted, “Yeah! I figured that out!” Uktesh saw the harpy disappear and then reappear behind Larut, her sword pointed at his back.
Uktesh shouted, “Behind you!”
Larut laid the massive sword flat on his shoulder, spun in a circle that he lowered by bending his knees, which brought the sword spinning into the harpy, who was hit and quickly Stepped, Flew? away though she left her right talon behind. She shook her head, looked at the rest of the group that had hardly been injured by their fights, and must’ve thought about the futility of trying to fight five more one-on-one battles without both her talons. She flew straight at Larut who stuck his sword out and she impaled herself on it!
Larut raised his hands and Laurilli had recovered enough to run to him and throw her arms around him! Larut unex-quipped his armor and sword and held her for a moment, before he grabbed her waist and threw her in the air, only to catch her as the rest of the group laughed and joined them. The voice boomed, “There you have it. The fourteenth Osiris games have concluded! The Storm ludis will pay their gladiator the one hundred gold coins for surviving the test of a true tribute.”
As one the priests brought all seven of their axes down. Six axes descended on the necks of leaders of the Houses who’d failed, and the seventh axe fell onto the chains of the Storm House’s leader, Neftalix.
Neftalix once free shouted, “No! My family will be avenged!”
He held up two fingers in each hand, used two fingers to grip the other two together horizontal to the ground. When he released his fingers all four were glowing white! He slid his left hand up his right arm. The glow from his left fingers faded and his right glow grew brighter. He held his hand palm down as if to receive a kiss, then pointed his glowing index and middle finger at Uktesh.
Uktesh felt someone crash into his side. He saw lightning burst forth from Neftalix’s fingers and strike where he’d just been. It hit the person pushing him out of the way. The lightning arched out of them, and Uktesh caught the tail end of the power as it blew the two of them apart. Uktesh skidded along the sand only to end it by crashing into the side wall of the pit. Uktesh looked up from where he lay only to see that everyone, even Airos had been thrown to the ground, but the thing that caught and kept his attention was the smoldering remains of a woman with blond hair!
Laurilli!
No! The dragon roared in his mind and Uktesh felt his fangs extend, fangs? His body became light, and the world turned red. He briefly saw the giant crawl backwards in fear. Uktesh felt himself rise above the pit until he was level with Neftalix. Uktesh felt his claws extend, claws? He beat his wings once and flew through the air toward Neftalix. Wings? What’s going on? Uktesh tried to stop his body but it wouldn’t respond. He watched as Neftalix ex-quipped his armor that he’d earned for defeating a Dungeon guardian. Neftalix’s ex-quipped sword flashed at Uktesh in a True attack that Uktesh blocked with the scales on his forearm. Neftalix attacked again in a Titanic attack. Uktesh absorbed the shockwave of the attack. He punched his claws through the front of the armor and out the back of it just as easily. He held the dead body of his tormentor over his head and threw it into the pit, even as the magical items began to shine out the death of their owner.
Uktesh looked down into the pit at the blackened body of his wife and Walked to her and he cradled her in his arms. As he cried he felt the claws recede, the scales revert back to skin, and the wings fold back into his body. He felt womanly arms go around his neck, and knew he needed to apologize to Heathyr for not protecting her daughter, but he couldn�
�t find the words. He felt broken and numb. He felt like letting the dragon take over again and just letting him remain in control. “Who was she? Laurilli asked.
Uktesh blinked his eyes open and pushed Laurilli an arm’s length away, “Laurilli! You’re not-” he looked down at the body he had been cradling and asked, “who’s this?”
Ceftin put a claw on Uktesh’s shoulder and said,
“Thisss isss the woman whossse love,
you chossse to dispossse of.
Thisss isss the woman who in harsh reality,
would ssstill not allow you to fall to brutality.
Thisss woman isss your wife,
though now of another life.”
Uktesh felt his eyes water again, “Talia? Why? How’d she even get on the sand, or know to do it in time?”
Airos said, “She and a few other people jumped onto the sand when Larut became victorious. When we were distracted by the former Storm lord’s ranting I noticed that she never stopped running toward you. I did not know what was about to happen, or I would’ve blocked the lightning myself. I believe my armor would’ve insulated me from the worst of it. She, however, it seems did know, and made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Uktesh smoothed her hair and kissed her blackened forehead. He felt sorry for her that he would never be able to return her love, that her life had been cut short because of him, and because he’d hadn’t truly saved her from Neftalix; she’d saved him.
He stood and lifted her body with him as he did. He felt Laurilli let go and he thought back to one of the many conversations he and Talia had had in his bed as they tried to stay warm.
Uktesh had asked, “Where do you want to live when this is all over?”
Talia had sighed, stretched, trying to entice him again, and said, “I don’t know. I’ve only known the Empire. I think I’d like to see this Isle de Tramonto and the leviathan lagoon.”
Uktesh had said, “That’s just because I said it was so nice.”
Talia had responded, “Nope, I want to go there because you said it’s warm. No more huddling under the covers for warmth once the sun goes down.”