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The_Archiver -> Gladiator (11/12/2011 21:08:49)
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Chapter 1
Battle
The doors opened up as Rick walked out of them. Armed with his Glory Blade, he felt confident that he could defeat any enemy he would be pitted against. As he walked into the light, the crowd’s cheers turned into a single deafening roar. Rick was afraid he would go deaf from the sound. He continued to the center circle of the arena.
As he approached his stand he saw that his enemy was Lonis, the legendary half-cat warrior. But after his initial shock he saw that Lonis was not accompanied by his soul accomplice, Lomgov. Rick was then sure that he could take him.
As the announcer started to give the regular speech about the rules and regulations, Rick stared at Lonis, watching his eyes flick from left to right, nervously watching everyone. When their eyes locked on each other they stared straight through to each other’s soul. Suddenly, the announcer broke through their glares as he finished his speech.
“In the offensive spot, Rick ‘Dinky’ Jones, the warrior and savior of Fearside, and in the defensive spot, Lonis, the feared and legendary warrior of Lom!”
“Now, we will have the official pledge given by the two warriors.”
Rick decided to go first. Clutching his blade to his heart, he saluted Lonis and began to speak.
“Lonis, I salute you with my life. My spirit is yours to claim if you do so succeed in slaying me. But as the offensive, I will fight mercilessly and without pause. Your skill will be tested, so you shall be brought down.”
Lonis then went.
“Rick Jones, I salute you with my life. My spirit is yours to claim if you do so succeed in slaying me. But as the defensive, I will defend flawlessly and without rest. Your skill will be tested, so you shall be brought down.”
As the announcer finishes his quick declaration of the expectations of the audience, Lonis and Rick give a final salute and draw their weapons. Rick was surprised that, despite the ferociousness of Lonis’s legend, he drew only a small staff, with small spheres on each end. Rick grew only surer that he could beat him.
Before either of them could do anything else, the announcer started the countdown.
“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...”
The staff in the arena ran to the cover of the heavy doors.
“...4, 3, 2, 1, 0, LET THE FIGHT BEGIN!!”
Rick pushed all other thoughts out of his head.
“I need to fight, I need to kill him.”
And with that, Lonis and Rick rushed at each other.
Rick brings his sword down hard, aiming to split Lonis’s head. But, his title of half-cat wasn’t just for looks. Lonis brings his staff up, blocking the blade, and then slams the end into Rick’s gut. Rick goes down, but tries to get up as fast as possible, but it is for not as Lonis sends his foot straight at his head. A bone cracking snap echoes through the arena; Rick lies on the ground, a huge dent in his forehead, blood trickling out from his nose. He isn’t moving, and as Lonis stares, he sees his chest fall.
Lonis raises his staff to the crowd, who sits there, in awe of his quick victory. As the crowd slowly begins to clap the announcer silences everyone with three words.
“Wait for it.”
The audience suddenly stops, staring bug-eyed at Lonis. Lonis waits for a few seconds, and then slowly turns around. There, with his blade above his head, the blood leaking from his nose stands Rick.
“I told you I would kill you.”
The audience watches as the blade goes cleanly through his head. The body drops, and a pool of blood quickly covers the ground around him.
After the other fights had concluded, people began to leave their seats; of course they didn’t forget to leave their favor for the winners and their sorrow for the losers. Rick just stands at the gate, holding the healing bag to his head, that kick hurt, but he’s glad the healers are skilled.
After the crowd had gone Rick joined with the other victors in the Iron Room. As he walks in he sees Serpent, Nerrfy, Witch and I-9 sitting at one of the tables.
“What hails to the victor Rick?” asks I-9 as Rick sits down.
“Not much, we lost Lonis. He nearly killed me with that kick.”
“We heard about that, how did you stay conscious?” Witch asks as she finishes her drink.
“If I hadn’t seen his kick coming I’m sure he would have killed me. Thankfully I got just enough magic to shield that kick so I didn’t eat it, but I fought to stay conscious that whole time.”
As the next few hours go by, the group gets more and more tired and eventually only Rick is left.
“We gonna be closed in while, you leave soon?” asked a worker. Rick looked up from his drink; he was lost in thought about the future of these games and what they would do to the country.
“Oh yeah, sorry; I’ll be leaving in a while.” After another hour the same worker came over to Rick and picked him up and threw him out.
“What the hell was that for?” Rick walks back through the empty streets and behind the dark houses. He enters his house on the edge of town and goes up to his room, hits the bed and falls asleep.
END CHAPTER
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