Tested (The Life of Uktesh Book 1)

by Aaron Hicks

  “Halt! What goes here!” Shouted a guard from the street, Uktesh smiled and moved towards him, “Halt, I said!”

  “This man stole my money. I chased him down and took it back! Arrest this man as a thief.”

  The man in question finally got up, and Uktesh saw that it was the same contestant that had groped Heathyr, “Sir, this boy attacked me as I came into this alley! I’m but a humble tournament contestant, assaulted even before I honor this fair city with battle. I demand you arrest this boy, and have him give me back my money!”

  “One of you lies. I’ve a mind to believe the gladiator. He has the look of a warrior about him, and you, boy, surely could only have defeated him through stealth and trickery!”

  “What? I just told you what happened! I have witnesses who saw me get robbed, and chase down this man.”

  “Friends of his, surely, guardsman, to make his story more plausible.” said the thief.

  “Is what he says true? Are these witnesses your friends?”

  “No, one is sure, but the other six or seven were giving us directions.”

  “He admits that one is his friend surely they all must be!”

  “I’ll just take you both down to the magistrate. He’ll settle this out.”

  “Wait! I can prove the money’s mine! I know how much is in it.” Uktesh said, “The thief wouldn’t have had enough time to count it all.”

  “How much is in it?” asked the guard.

  “I’ll whisper it to you, then he’ll whisper it to you, and you can judge who’s telling the truth.”

  The guard nodded, “That makes sense. Come tell me how much is in it?”

  Uktesh whispered to the guard, “Nine gold pieces, and a golden necklace.”

  The guard turned to the thief, “Your turn.”

  “No need for me to whisper, nine gold pieces, and a golden necklace.”

  Uktesh was shocked, Did he really have time to count it all, or did he hear me? He heard the guard mutter, “Well that didn’t work.

  “What’s going on here?” asked a voice that demanded answers and one that Uktesh recognized instantly.

  The guard looked over his shoulder and did a quick double-take, before he dropped to a knee, “Lord Youreth, nothing that need concern one of the Triumvirates.”

  “Crime concerns me. From what I understand, you’re trying to ascertain if this boy ambushed a loyal citizen or if he was stolen from by one of the contestants in this year’s tournament. Is that the gist of what you’re doing?”

  “Yes, my lord.” he said still on his knee.

  “First, get up. If one were to attack you, you’d have almost no chance. Second what’s your name boy?”

  “Uktesh.”

  “Thirdly, what’s your name sir.”

  “Irtith,” he said, lifted his chin, and puffed out his chest. Now that Uktesh got a better look at him. He saw that the man was only five feet five inches, barely taller than Uktesh. He was sickly thin, and his skin had a gray pallor to it.

  “Really? I’ve heard of you, came in fourth in swords two years ago is that correct?” asked lord Youreth.

  “It’s true, and I only lost to the champion, who as I hear it isn’t competing this year. Thus I return.”

  “Ah yes, he’s occupied with the war, a truth which we’d feared would mean less fighters. But strangely with most of our champions and top fighters in the army, the masses must’ve felt they had a better chance this year.”

  “I myself would’ve joined the army,” said Irtith quickly, “but my family needed me at home. We sent my younger brother to fill the quota.”

  “I see. A tough thing to lose one’s family for a time.” Uktesh could practically see the images of lord Youreth’s daughter, full of life, racing through his mind. “I’ve made my decision. It will be mandated and carried out tomorrow. If you both will submit to becoming a tournament contestant and the first fight of the day, then the winner of that fight will be the victim, and the loser the thief. You will fight using real weapons. What say you?”

  “I agree to your judgment, my lord. I am only participating in sword this year will that be ok?”

  Lord Youreth looked at Uktesh and raised his eyebrows, “That’s fine with me.” said Uktesh. “However, I was going to bet five gold coins on the match and find the owner of the golden necklace to give it to them.”

  “Very well, to sweeten the pot whoever wins will get their money back, plus five golds from me, and if you win, I’ll personally see to it that the owner of the necklace receives it.”

  “Thank you. That’s not all I was worried about, but also that I might have some coin to spend this night with my girlfriend.”

  “You, a possible thief, test my patience. I’ll give you two of the gold pieces for tonight. If you lose the match tomorrow and survive, you’ll either come up with the money you owe me then, or you’ll work it off in my fields.”

  “Thank you. That’s most generous.”

  The guard didn’t think so though, “Sir, if this boy isn’t the thief, he’ll still have no chance of beating the fourth best swordsman from the tournament two years ago.”

  “We must believe then that the gods will help the winner and punish the loser.”

  “Indeed! Well said, my lord,” said Irtith, “if I may take my leave.”

  Lord Youreth nodded and Irtith left quickly. Youreth took out two of the gold coins and passed them to Uktesh, “I must admit I feared ever finding you again, young man. I wanted to thank you for what you did this morning. After I had some time to think about it, I realized that you helped me more than I’d thought, first not striking back at me to injure, second finding my daughter’s killer, and third not accepting the necklace, which, if you win, I’ll be taking back if you don’t mind. Fortune prick me but I nearly trampled some people getting here, when I saw you fly off the carriage.”

  “You knew who I was?”

  “Kid, you make an impression.”

  “My lord, you know this boy?” asked the guard.

  “Indeed I do, a more honest child I’ve never met.”

  “Then why didn’t you allow me to arrest the thief?”

  “Because now he’s going to fight Uktesh, and from what I remember that’s punishment enough.” He turned back to Uktesh, “From what I understand this won’t be a challenge?”

  “Well, the fourth best is a title not easily won. But from how quickly I was able to beat him twice today, tomorrow shouldn’t be a terrible stretch.”

  “Twice?” asked the guard.

  “He groped Laurilli, the younger woman, earlier today. That does remind me, I broke his collar bone and nose for that, but he didn’t seem much injured.”

  “A mystery that won’t be solved today. Go enjoy your festival. You, young guard, are you a betting man?”

  Uktesh turned and started to walk out of the alley, their voices followed him as he went, “No, my lord.”

  “Truth be told I am not either, because it isn’t gambling if you know for certain something will happen. So trust me, gather all your money and bet it on the fight tomorrow. The odds will be hugely stacked in Irtith’s favor. Why you could easily win twenty to forty times the amount you bet.”

  “Really, my lord? Too bad I don’t have,” their voices receded until Uktesh couldn’t hear them anymore. He quickly found Laurilli and together they went to watch the jugglers and the fire breather. While they walked, Uktesh filled her in on what took place.

  Together they watched the many acts that were being performed all around them and even stopped at the henna tattoo stand to each get a tattoo. Laurilli got one that made it look like vines flowed down her face, which gave her a wild Armian look. Uktesh decided to get a life sized third eye on his forehead that was half open, though the pupil was vertical like a cat’s. Laurilli said it just looked like a weird number zero on his forehead. Uktesh tried to scrub it off, even though he thought the eye turned out great, but it had already set in. Only after that, had they learned that the
tattoos, while not being permanent, lasted three months! “Great!” exclaimed Li, “I’m going to look like I need a bath for months!”

  “It’s not so bad, at least you don’t have a zero on your forehead. Cheer up, just think of what Dekan and Baloce will say about it.”

  She nodded, slightly cheered up about it. She decided that since it was going to last for a while, she wanted something that looked more decorative and got the vines enhanced so that it looked like her whole face had sprouted vines. After the artist was done, Uktesh saw that the art was inspired, not only did it look lovely, but it also gave her a fierce look that would help her in the fights.

  They were still in front of the mirror looking at their tattoos from different angles, when they first heard, then saw the first of the fireworks going off, and realized they’d spent the entire day already. They quickly went to the market square and found Heathyr, Tylor, and Repus sitting on a wall by the fountain. Heathyr looked at Laurilli and said to Uktesh, “I thought you were going to stop her from doing anything so foolish, but I see she’s just a bad influence on you.” She stared at his forehead, “Why the zero?”

  He groaned and said, “It’s a third eye.”

  Day One

  Uktesh felt a powerful panic force its way through his dreams, to wake only to find that a man he didn’t know stood over his bed. Without any conscious decision, Uktesh flowed into one of the three balanced unarmed attacks that are executed on your back, Wind Howls. His feet flashed up and around and kicked into the person. He also propelled himself up and he threw himself backwards off the bed, to avoid a knife that slashed towards his stomach. How many times am I going to be attacked on this trip before I even get to the matches? Uktesh thought to himself. He noticed that there were four men in their cabin, three of the new arrivals and a man who Uktesh could only assume was Irtith, who must not trust himself as he tried to end his first match early.

  Uktesh saw that Myrtin was on the ground, a pool of blood spread under him. Quickly Uktesh looked to the beds that contained Li and Heathyr, and found that they were still asleep. You come after me and kill my friends! “I’ll kill you!” Uktesh flowed into Bull Rushes Down, but he didn’t continue the attack because a knife blade descended to where his leg would be in moments. Instead Uktesh planted his foot on his own bed and used the imperfect Frog Leaps to jump up to the low ceiling and flipped in the air so that his feet were planted on the ceiling for a moment.

  In that moment, he saw his companions startle awake. and two of the attackers move towards Laurilli and Heathyr. But Uktesh couldn’t worry about that. He pushed off the ceiling in a second imperfect Frog Leaps and felt his muscles tighten with strain. Less than a second later, his fist connected with Irtith’s face and broke his nose again. Uktesh flowed again into an imperfect Leaf Falls and kicked Irtith’s legs out from under him.

  He rose to find that the one nearest to the door and therefor nearest to Tylor’s friends was down with a throwing knife in his chest. One of the two that had moved towards Laurilli and Heathyr was down, two daggers in his back. The third had tried to grab Laurilli, Uktesh assumed as a shield, but she fought back and utilized everything that he’d taught her.

  He saw as she dodged under hands that only grasped air, she used Flower Awakes to the Sky. He smiled as she adapted it to kick her right foot into the man’s face, and bought herself enough time to get back up and in a defensive stance. Uktesh Rushed into the man from behind and slammed him face first through the wall and heard his neck snap. Laurilli, who had moments earlier been in an even fight against an armed opponent, crashed into Uktesh and started to cry into his chest. By now the other fighters were awake, but Tylor and his friends were all fully armed if not fully armored. Uktesh didn’t see Larut, but assumed he’d gone to get a healer.

  Myrtin was rolled over to find that his throat had been slit. Laurilli took one look and buried her face more tightly into his chest. He continued to stroke her hair, as he saw Tylor take charge of the would be assassins. Irtith chose that moment to sit up and make to stand, but Esolc quickly walked to him and a hard boot to the face had Irtith slump back into unconsciousness again. “Why? Why would he do this? He had to have been confident he could beat you tomorrow. He was the fourth best two years ago, why would he try something like this?” sobbed Laurilli.

  “I don’t know. Maybe the two times I beat him made him think twice about his chances in a fair fight. Maybe that’s how he became the fourth best last year. Maybe he just wanted to hurt us. All I know is, once our fight starts, one of us is not leaving it alive.”

  Larut returned with the healer and a magistrate. The healer took one look at Myrtin and shook his head. The only attacker who had survived was Irtith and he was only minimally injured, so the healer left him to wallow. The magistrate asked questions about what had happened, why the man had a grudge, and dozens more, all of which Tylor answer quietly, tears unshed in his eyes. Men came and took the bodies away. Guards came and took Irtith away and promised to bring him to the tournament, which started in two hours. Once they were gone, the other on looking contestants left and said they needed to warm up, which left the group to sit, stand, or pace in silence. Uktesh broke the silence with an apology, “I’m so sorry. This is my fault. If I hadn’t,” but he paused to think, and knew he wouldn’t have done anything differently when Irtith had grabbed Li.

  “Bullshit!” Uktesh was shocked by the interruption as much as the language, “We’d all have done the same thing you did. I don’t know how they got the drop on Myrtin, but that’s the only way those four could’ve beaten him, leaving him unable to give us a warning. No what happened, happened. The only thing we can do now is honor his memory by winning. I-” his voice faltered and the tears he’d been able to hold in spilled out.

  “I will always miss my friend, but it will never be on your shoulders Uktesh. The only person left to blame is the man you fight next. We need to warm up and get ready for today. Myrtin leaves behind a wife and three kids, and while we all know that money is never able to replace love, I propose that half of what we win go to them. That way we’ll fight better, stronger, faster, because we will not just fight for ourselves, but for a man’s mark on this world.” Silently everyone nodded and started to file out of the room. They packed their gear and took it with them as they left.

  Uktesh slowly packed his belongings and tried to think of something he could’ve done differently. But the only reason he would’ve done anything different is if he knew about the attack, and if he knew about the attack he could’ve stopped it, and if he could’ve stopped it he wouldn’t have a reason to change anything. Around his thoughts went until finally he thought, I did the best I could, that’s all anyone can ask of anyone. He finished by shoving his shirt in his pack and found Li had waited for him, “Where’s your mom?”

  “She went ahead with Tylor and the others. She said we needed to talk, but I don’t think she’s right. I think you know that nothing, except precognition, would’ve changed what happened yesterday and this morning.” Uktesh nodded. “But it still feels like it was your fault?” Uktesh nodded again. “I know what you mean, and I feel the same way.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Well if I hadn’t dropped my guard and been groped, none of this would’ve happened.”

  “Or maybe it would be you dead in the market, for humiliating him.”

  “That may be true, but it doesn’t make me feel better, just like my words probably don’t make you feel better. They don’t change what happened or what needs to happen now.”

  “I’ve never gone into a fight actively planning on killing someone.” Uktesh whispered.

  “I know.” She sat next to him, “You’re not a murder. You never will be. But right now, today, you need to be a force of vengeance.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll be able to kill him. I want to, but I just don’t know if I’ll be able to do it when the time comes.”

  “Whatever happens we trust you.”

&nbs
p; She hugged him, the thing he needed most at that moment. They held each other as tears fell silently down both of their cheeks. They silently supported each other. Uktesh knew there wasn’t anything he could say, and guessed that Laurilli knew there was nothing she could say to dull the ache he felt. “I love you,” he whispered, “and thank you.”

  She pulled away only to gently kiss his lips, “Don’t lose. I couldn’t stand it if he took anyone else away from us.”

  They collected their packs and walked to the coliseum. The roads were already bustling with people who were trying to get the best seats, even though there was still an hour before Uktesh’s match. They all stopped at the bookies window and bet the five gold maximum on Uktesh, and Youreth had been right the odds were forty to one that Uktesh would lose. Uktesh and Laurilli walked to the staging area, each wrapped in their own thoughts. I shouldn’t have come here, we have plenty of money, and now a precious friend is dead.

  Uktesh separated from Laurilli and took his two swords from one of the attendants who lined the walls and waited. If I had woken sooner, or if I had been on watch, then most likely I would be dead too. He didn’t know if he believed that, he thought that if he had been on watch, he would’ve figured out what was about happen. Even though that thought belittled the memory of Myrtin, still he couldn’t help that he had the feeling that he would’ve done something differently.

  When there was only ten minutes till the fight, and the coliseum was already completely full, three guards walked Irtith in. At the sight of him all the doubts and second guesses flew from Uktesh’s mind. He’s the one that’s to blame! Uktesh knelt in the sand, carefully laid his sword in front of him, sat straight on his heels, and closed his eyes. I need to calm down. An angry warrior is a foolish warrior, and a foolish warrior quickly becomes a dead warrior. He repeated that to himself and tried to calm himself unsuccessfully until an announcer came up to him and asked, “Kid are you ready?”