Chapter one: Just another day,
The axe crushed down, digging itself deep into the sand of the pit. The voices of many were shouting in excitement. Unbelievable fast the elf jumped across the brute, who was trying to lift his axe again. In a matter of seconds the elf lunged at the brute with his sword, just to see the blade slide along the iron armor, causing no harm at all.
The brute, who finally managed to pull out his axe, turned round swinging his axe in a high circle at the elf. The axe cut deep into the elf?s face. A last cry of pain and he collapsed.
A loud unpleasant voice shout out, ?Barvus, the beast, wins!? The crowd was applauding and cheering, seemingly pleased of the show. ?The last fight for today will be Barvus against Cyl.?
Cyl was spectating the fight from behind the iron bars separating the pits from the slave?s quaters. ?It?s your turn!?, the unpleasant voice of a soldier barked. From the moment the doors opened and the soldier pushed him into the pit he knew that it was going to be a tough fight. He was only armed with a slim old blade and suited into crude leather clothing, while his enemy was carrying a gigantic axe. Unlike most combatants, Cyl was as tall as the ogre Barvus.
?You elf, die!?, shouted the ogre his axe lifting over his head, just to have it crushing down towards Cyl. But the strike was aimed poorly and did not even come near him. In the meantime Cyl was observing his opponent, looking for a weak spot in his armor. Barvus attacked again swinging the axe at Cyl, who easily evaded it. As the axe soared over him he finally spotted the ogres weak point, two of the plates were not totally fitting, causing them to open up a small hole at the ogre?s side. But he was not able to attack, not in his position. The ogre heaved his axe high above his head, then crushed it down at Cyl.
The edge of the axe slashed through the air, quickly proceeding towards Cyl. But just before it hit it?s target, Cyl rolled away and attacked Barvus from behind, knowing that it wont do any harm he hoped that it may make him careless. The strategy seemed to work as the ogre blindly bashed in his direction, but luck seemed to be with Barvus for the gap in his armor didn?t open up.
?I will crush you bug!?, the ogre barked as he attacked Cyl with the axe. This time he made a gravely mistake. He missed and the axe digged deep into the sand. As he bowed down Cyl quickly lunged at him, breaking through the weak part of the armor. The ogre roared in pain, but the fight was still not over.
Like a rat trapped in a corner, the ogre waved his axe around aimlessly. He trampled trough the pit crushing the corpses of his former victims. With his last breath he heaved his axe, aiming at Cyl, high above his head. He collapsed, the axe still holding above his head.
?The winner is Cyl!?, shouted the unpleasant voice. Cyl, as far as he knew it was the word for five in some foreign language. The slave keepers seemed to enjoy lowering them by giving them numbers. This number was the only name he ever knew and claimed for himself.
Most of the audience moaned, it seemed that many have bet on Barvus. Only few, those who bet against Barvus cheered. Cyl was looking with disgust at them. Day for day they came to have their fun by watching others fight to survive. Nobles, rich merchants, ?honored? people they got their daily portion of amusement in the pits.
The owner of the arena, a small bald man always wearing rich robes and only the finest jewelry, rose from his chair his right hand holding up. ?The pits are closed for today!? He let his hand fall down again.
The doors opened and two guards pulled Cyl back into the slave quarters. The air was rotten down there, the little bit of light that came into was dull and seeing the sun was a miracle down in these halls of raw, black stone.
The two guards threw him into a huge cell, where many other gladiators and personal slaves were kept. Cyl wasn?t quite sure what was worse, to have to fight in the arena, or to be forced to do the lowest chores all day and be used as prostitute.
As he laid down on the rough floor exhausted by the fights, thoughts flashed through his mind. The owner of the pit arena Sergei, Cyl heard of him from the slave keeper, he was a mage of some fame. He was told to be the greatest elemantalist in the realm.
?Get up, Cyl!?, he heard a soft elven voice and sat up. ?You nearly slept for six hours.? He looked into the woman?s face, ?Eww, fighting ogres is not an easy job, Saria.? She poked his face, ?You?re tough, you?ll do it.? Cyl felt slightly embarrassed when she poked his face, ?I am just an elf, I need to sleep to.? Saria laughed heartily, ?You are just the same lazy butt as ever.?
?CYL! Com ?ere?, the unpleasant voice of a slave keeper shouted. Cyl moaned as he rose up again. The watchman gave him an worn steel sword. ?har, I wonder if you gonna? survive this fight.?
He was pushed into the pit, just right before the doors closed. ?Today you will be able to see a special fight. A single armed man against a white tiger.? Cyl gasped, a white tiger, noone ever survived a fight with a white tiger, since Cyl was a young child.
He heard a terrible roar and the doors on the opposite side of the arena opened. The gigantic feline jumped at him. The claws cut deep into Cyl?s shoulders, causing him to stumble and fall backwards. The weight of the cat alone was keeping him down on the floor. He knew that he had to act fast, or the white tiger would bite of his head. With his right arm he cut out his sword slightly scratching the feline in it?s belly. The tiger was not hurt badly, but it was enough to distract it?s attention for a moment. Swiftly Cyl freed himself. The creature attacked him again, but this time Cyl was not caught by surprise. As the white tiger approached him, he leapt into the air and landed on it?s back. He tried to pierce the tip of his sword through the creatures head, but with his arms being still unsteady from the last attack and the wild run of the creature he accidentally dropped the blade. The tiger leaped up, which caused Cyl to fall off it?s back. To make things worse the tiger stood directly between Cyl and his sword. The creature growled aggressively, indicating that it was about to charge.
The creature again jumped directly at Cyl, who evaded and instantly chased towards the sword lying on the ground. It was a race between him and the tiger. As he reached the sword he just turned round and held it crudely into the direction of the creature. A weak roar was to hear, as the body crushed into Cyl.
As nasty last gift the majestic wild cat nearly buried Cyl under it?s body. With fainting power he pushed the corpse away and stood up.
No voice was to be heard, the audience was silent. It seemed that this time anyone lost his bet. No one announced Cyl?s victory and he was just dragged in by a guard. As they reached the slave?s quarter?s one of the slave keepers pushed him onto his knees and started striking him with a whip.
?You bas
tard are the reason why many of us lost a lot of money.?, the man shouted. Saria was standing directly at the iron bars and gasped, tears filled her eyes as she saw Cyl being beaten.
A Fight of tears and despair,
?He?s awake Saria! He?s awake? Cyl heard the voice of an old friend, Cydius. Both of them have been in the pits since their childhood, both have fought many battles together. Cyl?s swordarm and Cydius? skill with an axe were quite known among the slaves. Cyl?s head ached terrible as his back did. The whip left terrible scars on his back and he was still worn out from the fight.
?Whoa, how relieving, you made it Cyl.?, Saria sat down besides Cyl, ?You worried me.? Cyl looked up into Saria?s face, she seemed so noble to him, like a high born elven lady, so fragile, her moves were so elegant and gracefull. He wondered what a girl like she did in a place like this, and why she cared about a guy like him.
?I?ll leave you alone for a moment? , said Cydius just before he leapt to his feet and rushed off. ?You were worried??
?Yes, if something was to happen to you, I wouldn?t know what to do.?, she said with a soft voice, ?You?ve always been there. You were there when I lost all hope. You were there and took in the punishment for me when I stole the slave hunter?s food. You were?? Cyl interrupted her, ?Don?t think high of it. It is nice that there is someone caring.? Saria slightly stroke his face. ?I know, ??, she looked absent minded, ?I know.? She leaned over him, then slightly kissed him, ?I have told you many times, but I love you.?
?I, ?, I love you to.?
The cell door crashed open, one of the guards tossed a small basket of bread and several bottles of water into it. Cydius fetched some bread and some bottles and moved towards Cyl. ?Come on, you should eat something.?, he gave them to him.
?What?s, ?, what?s with you??, Cyl said with faltering voice. The past events have taken their toll from him. The fight with the beast, the punishment. He was just an elf, just an elf at all.
?Come on, eat it. I wont starve.?
Cyl started eating, they barely got anything, and still it could have been worse.
If anyone cares to read through, please remind me of possible grammar/spelling mistakes, and most of all oddities with my style.
Post scriptum; If the appearance of ogres and desserts bother you, I just want to remind you that this is not happening in Yliakum, not yet (it will come towards Yliakum, a bit later)
@$?&?$/&@*** the censorment parodied my sentence into peanut butter. Please dont consider it as I337 speak when I used an @ as an a, but \"you peanut are the reason ...\" sounded stupid