Chapter 3

June 17

The crowd screamed for blood.

Huddled in the heavy armor provided by the tournament managers, I was stuck in a daze. The battle was about to begin, but I couldn't help but think about that night. The next morning, I found myself alone in the room. Hannah disappeared. Not even the innkeeper was sure where she went. "She just came down with all of her stuff, paid, and left," he told me.

At the arenas, I checked the listings for the fighters. She was still competing in the tournament; however, she was fighting in a different block than I did. There were about one-hundred-thirty fighters in the entire tournament. They scattered the fighters into four blocks of thirty-two. I was trapped in block B while Hannah's name fell under block C. I couldn't go see her, since the games played at the same time across the many arenas Tihr had.

A horn startled me and the three horsemen at my side flogged their horses into action. I had a sword and a shield given to me at random. Eight others had the same equipment while the rest were given crossbows or javelins. Everyone pushed me aside as they charged towards the enemy. There was a clash of swords and the neighing of a horse before I too started lurching forward. By the time I got there, three warriors had fallen on our side and a horse was running wild, trampling those who got in its way. I raised my shield and caught three bolts and an arrow before I met my first opponent.

He appeared to be a looter from around the snowy hills of Curaw who enjoyed waving his sword around. Not having much skill, he had a lot of openings. He charged at me without any regards to what was happening around him. I stood my ground and rammed him with my shield, throwing him on his back. I gave him a quick whack on the head with my wooden sword and he was out cold.

I looked up just in time to see a horse charging at me with full speed. I threw down my shield and jumped out of the way. The horseman kept going for the archers who were feverishly trying to knock him off the horse. They failed and one of the archers got trampled by the horse while another was struck by a spear.

I retook my shield and kept going towards the archers of the other team. Another guy joined me in the charge, but when I saw him again, he was riddled with arrows and bolts. Undaunted, I continued alone, although, my mind couldn't keep up with the battle, diverting itself to that night.

I fell upon two of the crossbowmen. One shot me in the back as I confronted his companion. The other threw up his arms in a futile attempt at deflecting my swing that knocked the wind out of his lungs as it struck his chest. He spun and dropped to the sand floor. He struggled to get back up, but I dealt him a "killing" blow to the back and he fell with a groan. The other had thrown down his crossbow and had attained himself a sword from a fallen foe.

He jabbed and poked at my defenses, trying to find a way through.

I also returned the attacks, but he jumped back or deflected the strikes. I stabbed straight and he ducked below, giving me a glancing blow to the knee. My leg gave way, and I was kneeling to the one who would end my chances at victory. He was about to smack my head, when an arrow pierced his side and threw off his balance. His blade fell short of my arm, and I shot up. My fist collided with his face with bone crushing strength and he fell over.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see a member of my team. "Are you alright friend?"

"Yea," I replied, trying to get up. I felt my knees buckle and the guy held me up. There was a final struggle and the crowd roared. Victory was ours and only five of us remained standing to wave at the crowd and salute the king. Clerics and medics came into the field and carried the unconscious and wounded away. As we left the field, I asked him who he was.

"Me? I am a simple hunter from the hills of Elherdal. You can just call me Hunter," he smiled. There was something odd about this fellow, but I blamed it to my aversion of people from outside my village. "What about you?"

"I am Richter from Kulum."

"Well, Richter from Kulum, I hope we can become great friends." His arm supporting my weight, we trudged through the tunnels into the underground waiting lodges of the arena.