Author's Notes: Hey everyone I am glad that you liked the last chapter. Well let's go, as always I own nothing.
Panic reigned on the ship, men ran about in terror while Holtz and the other officers roared at them in an attempt to restore order. The dark elf ship shot towards them and Karl could hear the excited cries of those aboard it. Holtz's efforts slowly bore fruit and the crew got to their posts. Men loaded the swivel guns while Olaf rallied Karl and the other hired marines.
The ship bore down on them and for a moment Karl thought they were going to be rammed. Then at the last second, the ship turned to come along side. The guns fired but their aim was poor and the shots went wide. As the smoke cleared Karl saw what looked like large bows mounted on the deck of the other ship, each manned by several of the corsairs.
"Get down!" A voice yelled, Karl noted as he headed for the deck that it was Walter. Just as he hit the deck there came the sound of several heavy thuds as the great bows launched their missiles. Then the air was filled with whistling of the heavy bolts and then the cries of the wounded as the bolts found targets. As soon as the bolts were launched the corsairs' ship came alongside the Wave Dancer. Elven pirates threw grappling hooks and soon the two ships were lashed together and they began jumping onto the human ship.
Karl pulled out his pistol and fired at them as they swung aboard. His first two shots went wide but the third struck one and threw the elf into the sea. He cursed when he saw them dropping ramps, he should have waited for that instead of wasting his shots. He thrust his pistol into his belt and drew his swords as three of them came at him.
As they drew near he got his first good look at them; they were taller than he was and far more slender. They could be considered beautiful but their slender faces were too cold and cruel to be attractive. They wore robes of dark purple and had capes made of the green scales of some creature over these.
One of them, seeing him, pulled out twin curved swords and charged him. The other two called out of him but he did not listen and kept coming. Karl swung at him with his long sword; the elf dropped down and the blade passed over his head but it had only been a feint. Karl lunged forward and thrust his short sword into its face. As the elf fell dead the other two moved in. These two seemed older, if the scars were anything to go by. They were clearly also much more experienced than the first had been.
They did not rush at him instead they circled him on either side, forcing him to divide his attention. At some unspoken signal they attacked; they were fast, he wasn't sure if they were as fast as the vampires but they were clearly more deadly. One would dash in and when Karl turned on it the elf would jump back out of his range, meanwhile the other would lunge in and strike. While the wounds were not deep he soon saw that they were not meant to be, they were just waiting for him to collapse with blood lose and exhaustion. If he had still been human it would have worked but he wasn't human anymore.
He waited till one came at him again. As before he lunged and as before the elf jumped back but this time Karl followed him. Feeding power into his legs he lunged after his tormentor and closed with him. He lashed out at the elf and their blades locked. If it had been a contest of strength Karl would have won but the elf moved like quicksilver and their blades had barely touched when he seemed to flow around Karl. Karl lashed out at him with his long sword but the elf ducked under him.
He stabbed with his short sword but this one wasn't going to fall for that trick. It danced to the side and its blades flashed against Karl's flesh. A sensation part pain part cold shot through his arm; his sword fell from his hand and his arm fell limply to his side. He cursed, his arm would regenerate but it would take time and he was not sure he would last that long.
Just then he felt a sharp pain in his neck. His good arm went to his neck and he felt a small dart at the back of his neck. A sudden feeling of nausea overcame him and everything started to spin. He collapsed to the deck and everything went dark.
He did not know how long he had out but when he came to he found himself in darkness. His whole body was stiff and he felt like was going to be sick. He head ached and his body was hot and sweating. Fortunately his arm had regenerated. Slowly sitting up he looked around him. From the sounds and the smells he was in the hold of a ship. Since it was clearly not the Wave Dancer he could guess where he was. Looking around the hold he saw that it was full of people. He saw a few of the crew, including Walter, but most he did not recognize. They were all dirty and thin and looked like they had been there for some time. They all wore collars on their necks connected by a chain. His hand went to his neck and he found a collar there as well. If he tried to rise he would pull up the people around him so he stayed still.
Eventually a hatch opened and two of the elven pirates entered. They held swords and whips in their hands. The latter they flicked out at the people around them, causing them to cringe back. Once they had cleared an area a pair of humans came down holding a large pot. They emptied its contents into the middle of the room, a colorless runny mush.
As soon as the elves were gone everyone rushed at the mush and began scooping it into their mouths with their hands. It smelled vile and Karl was sure it tasted worse but he was hungry and he was sure he would need his strength for whatever was to come. He tried to talk to Walter but was unable to.
He did not know how long they were in the hold of the ship. It was always dark and the only change was when food came. He soon figured out that these did not come at a regular time. When they did the guards had slaves take out the bodies of the dead, there were always a few of these. Now and again the guards would pick a prisoner and haul them out, these ones never came back, though screaming could be heard. Karl was eventually ale to talk briefly with Walter and learn that most of the crew had died when the ship was taken and the rest were here.
The cracking of whips and cries of pain woke Karl from his sleep. "Up filth!" One of the elves spat at the cringing humans. "Welcome to your new home!" Blows and curses from the elf and his companions drove Karl and the other captives onto the deck. Ice cold rain beat down on them as they were herded down the gangplank onto a stone dock. They were at a city which seemed to be built into the mountains. Hundreds of elves where on the docks and in the buildings. They were hurdling abuses and throwing filth at the humans as they disembarked. One of the humans tripped and fell, the spikes on his collar tore at him and he screamed in pain, which provoked a chorus of cruel laughter from the watchers.
They were driven from the docks deeper into the city. They reached a large square which was a mass of auction blocks and cages. On a large platform in the center an elaborately dressed elf stood and the prisoners were brought before him. He walked up and down the line inspecting the humans; first he separated the men from the women, completely ignoring their heart-wrenching cries. Then he separated the healthy looking ones from the sickly looking ones. To hide his regenerative abilities Karl had kept his arm close to his side. Seeing this the elf made a sign to his guards, who pushed him into the group of sickly ones.
They were driven down one of the streets. Karl and eleven others were forced into a building. Once they were inside they driven into a tunnel; they followed the tunnel for what seemed like hours. Karl gradually became aware of sounds, like cheering and shouting above them. Suddenly there was an exit blocked by an iron shod grate; beyond the tunnel was an arena of some kind. It was a circular pit covered with sand. About twenty feet above the floor was a great crowd of elves attended by slaves of various species. As Karl and the others stood there the guards came up and unhood the chains from their collars. Then the gate was opened and they were shoved into the arena and the gate closed behind them.
Across from them a second, far larger grate opened and two elves rode into the arena, they wore elaborate armor and each carried lances and had wicked looking swords belted at their waists. It was their mounts, however that drew Karl's and the others attention. They were mounted not on horses but giant lizards. They walked on their hind legs; their front legs were shorter and had long hook-like claws. At a signal from someone in the stands the two rode to opposite sides of the arena, with the humans in the middle. They then lowered their lances and spurred at the humans. The humans cried out and scattered, the elves had clearly anticipated this and with whoops of delight gave chase.
Each speared one with their lances and then drew their swords and started slashing at any humans who were close enough. Their mounts got into it as well, clawing and biting at any that escaped their riders, soon only Karl and a few others were left. With the spikes on his collar Karl could not change but he could augment his strength and speed. With the wolf urging him on he charged towards one of the riders. The rider had clearly not expected to be attacked and his mount was too busy eating one of the humans and did not react. The elf became aware of him just as he leapt at him. Even taken by surprise the elf was fast and Karl felt the blade bite into him as they crashed together.
Even after being starved for who knew how long Karl was still heavier than the elf and the two crashed to the ground. The elf's mount turned to snap at Karl; Karl grabbed the elf and thrust it between himself and the beast. The elf cried something at the creature but it paid him no mine and it bit down. The elf's armor crumpled and he was bit in half. As the creature chewed on its erstwhile rider Karl grabbed the elf's sword, clambered to his feet and ran. The crowd roared, either in approval or outrage Karl could not tell.
The other rider had seen what had happened and was coming at Karl fast. Looking to the side Karl saw the body of one of the first men killed, part of one of the lances sticking out of his back. Grabbing it he ripped it free of the body. As the rider closed with him Karl went down on one knee and braced himself. The beast could not start in time and it impaled itself on the lance. The impact threw Karl onto his back and the elf from his saddle and onto the ground. Karl rushed forward hoping to cut the elf down before it could get back to its feet, Karl could tell that it had been dazed by the fall.
He suddenly tripped and fell as something wrapped around his leg and jerked tight. Looking back he saw some kind of barbed whip was wrapped around his leg. It was held by one of the guards that had herded him and the others into the arena. The others ran up to Karl; one knocked the blade away from his hand while two others attached hooked poles to rings on his collar. They jerked him to his feet and hauled him from the arena.
They hauled him down a tunnel till they came to a cell, he was thrust in and the door was locked behind him. He was not there for very long when the door was opened and he was ordered out. These elves were different from the earlier ones, their armor was better than that worn by the earlier guards and these had a symbol on their shields, a coiled skeleton of a serpent. Again hooks were attached to his collar and chains were placed on his wrists and he was hauled out of the cell, up the tunnel and into the streets. Night had fallen and the crowds had dispersed though throughout the city Karl could hear the sounds of revelry and tortured screams could be heard.
He was led through the streets till they reached what appeared to be the more prosperous part of the city. They came to what was either a palace or a castle, being surrounded by high walls topped with spikes, many with heads impaled on them. The guards called out to the sentries and a side gate opened and they entered in. They did not go to the main buildings but to a squat low building that was heavily guarded on all sides. Karl was taken to a set of double doors, which seemed to be the only way into the building and forced inside.
Inside there was a set of stairs leading down. Not having anything else to do Karl walked down the stairs; they led down into a large room lit by a large fire in the middle. Shifting his eyes slightly to take maximum advantage of the light he saw that he was not alone, there were five other people in the room. Karl stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked at them as they came up to look at him.
Leading the group was an older man, Karl put his age at around sixty. He was balding, his beard was thinning and his face covered with scars and had clearly lost weight. Despite all this, however, he still looked formidable; while his body had thinned his muscles were still visible and Karl guessed in better health he would be terrifying to behold. It was his eyes that were the most intimidating; they blazed with a fervent determination and a will that would not be conquered.
Beside him was a younger man, maybe twenty or so. He had dark brown hair and like the older man he sported numerous scars. He was muscular but not as bulky as the older man had been. He may not have been bulky but his muscles were well defined and he moved with the natural grace of a trained swordsman.
On the old man's other side was, to Karl's surprise, was an elf. He had the thin build of all the other elves but he was even thinner than the others, he clearly had suffered from malnutrition and he had far more scares than the two men. He may have been battered and worn but he clearly was not beaten. Karl could almost smell the blood on him and his black eyes blazed with a hate that bordered on madness.
Further back was a dwarf. Karl had not realized that it was a dwarf at first as he had neither hair nor beard. The dwarf seemed very conscious of this fact and seemed reluctant to get too near to the light and draw attention to his hairlessness. Like the elf his eyes showed a hate bordering on madness but along with the hate was shame, a shame so great that it almost overwhelmed the hate.
Finally there was a woman. Like the dwarf she was a surprise to Karl. She had blond hair pulled into a ponytail, other than that she was completely bald. Her teeth were filed to points and her bare arms were covered in numerous tattoos. She was thin but her arms were ropy with muscles. Her eyes reminded Karl of chips of ice and she seemed to be keeping her distance from the others.
"So it seems a new brother joins us." Said the old man.
"We have eyes Gray-beard." The woman said in an accent that reminded Karl of Olaf; "We can see what you see. Better in the case of knife-ears!"
"Silence Norscan whore!" The elf spat in a voice more hate-filled venom than anything else. "I grow weary of your voice. It is bad enough that I am trapped here with you, Chaos-lover, without having to listen to your rasping voice grating at my ears!"
"Enough!" The old man interposed; "While I agree with you Agliar let us get greet our newest member." He turned back to regard Karl. "I am Wilfried Schatten, priest of Ulric. I was taken three years ago when they raided the coastal village I was posted at."
"I am Sir Coty Lavergne, knight of Bretonnia." The younger man said. "I have been here two years. I was taken after we were defeated in battle with these wretched creatures."
"I am Agliar Shadowblade, Shadow Warrior of Nagarythe and how I came here is none of your concern human." The elf said.
"I am Yuviel of Norsca," the woman said; "I was taken at sea returning from raiding your Empire. Though I took more than one of the knife-eared ones before I went down. Don't bother asking him," she said indicating the dwarf. "The stunted one would rather wallow in his misery than do anything about it."
Before they could start up again Karl interjected. "I am Karl, they took me at sea. What is this place?"
"This is the palace of Lord Araror Bonesnake. A powerful lord here in Karond Kar. He is a collector of sorts. Most slaves don't survive being thrown into the arena for the first time. When one does Ararnor sometimes buys them as he did with us here. We are sent to fight till we die and he makes a very tidy sum from the bets. Many have come and gone, none last." He indicated the room with one arm. "This is your home now till the sands of the arena claim your blood. Welcome."
Author's Notes: Well there you go. I hope you liked it, more a lead in chapter but as you can see a set up for what is to come. Please pray for all who need it and may Jesus bless you all.