A/N: Sorry about the long wait, but I didn't know how to continue this and I was busy with school stuff. Anyways, here is chapter 5 and the tournament is soon coming a to a close. I have plans of beginning a part 2 that will span all of Calradia. Enjoy.
Chapter 5
The days droned forward as the second part of the tournament ended. Two competitors from each block progressed to the semi-finals. After one more fight, I was among them along with Hunter. Today, all of the winners gathered at the main arena where we will learn who is our next opponent.
Hunter and I appeared first to the glee and leers of the spectators. We bowed in humility to King Ragnar and stood at attention in the center of the ring. The next two victors entered the arena. Hannah and an old man strode through the arena, bowed to the king, and stood next to us. I stole a gaze at her; she flashed me a smile and a wink.
The next pair appeared and the crowd explodes. A big man came out waving his arms, challenging the frenzied crowd. His arrogant display continued into the flashy bow he made for the king of the Nords.
Lord Irya, marshal to King Ragnar's armies, stood beside the presumptuous oaf; his disgust for the disrespecting attitude of the man next to him was obvious on his face. The lord loved to test himself in these events. A sword hung at his side in case he needed to rise to his lord's aid.
The next two to appear were simple folk who managed to overcome the rest: a capable swordsman from the faraway desert sands and a peasant who proved himself very lucky.
With all of the fighters in one arena, the organizer of the tournament appeared. He bowed and asked Ragnar for silence. Ragnar raised his arms and the crowd died down. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen from all over. It has been an honor providing this reprieve from the mundane and as it nears the end, I am saddened that we would have to part, but, so is life, we will all meet again in due time." The organizer walked over to the competitors and spoke: "Here are your gladiators, my friends. From Kulum at the edge of the empire, I give you Richter!" The crowd cheered and clapped. I waved back at them out of embarrassment.
"From Chalbeck Castle, a swordsister who aids the weak, I present to you the beautiful Hannah!" The crowd cheered and whistled as she waved back.
"All the way from Halmar, he guards the great khan of the sands, Tahmur!" The crowds cheered, but there were boos mixed in as well.
"A lucky character from Gisim, he proved himself capable with an axe, Urik!" The crowds roared into excitement. They were inspired by this lowly figure… as was I.
"You know his name and you love him no matter where he is from, Krados!" Everyone stood to applaud and cheer at this amazing figure. I have heard various tales of how great this man was. To fight him would be a great honor worthy of telling my children even if I lose against him.
"He is our grand marshal and strategist, the beloved Lord Irya!" The people rooted for the man who will lead them to victory no matter who the enemy is. He saluted them and bowed to his king.
"He is a mysterious archer with an impeccable eye, Hunter!" He touched his fingertips to his lips and blew the crowd a kiss. After being around him for a few days, I've learned that he is quite the flatterer and won the hearts of the female crowd.
"He is a brute and doesn't like to fight fair, Fanel!" The big man raised his arms in a triumph and bated the crowd to cheer louder. When they died down, the organizer continued. "Now that you know you're heroes, here are your match-ups."
Soon after the introductions were made, we were back in the fighter's lobby waiting for the fights to start. Most of us were in here. Urik slept in the corner, a lumberjack's axe leaning against the wall at arm's reach. Tahmur was away as well as Lord Irya and Fanel.
A storm of words rushed out of Hunter's mouth as he flattered Hannah who crushingly defeated him at every turn with her own rebuttals. I, on the other hand, sat pensively. The next fight worried me as I was facing the guardsman from the desert. I haven't seen the man fight before, so this fight will be difficult.
But, as I planned my fight, the door swung open. Fanel, like a scorned demon, spotted me in my seat and charged. Time moved quickly as he grabbed my tunic's collar and hoisted me into the air. "You're the bastard who humiliated me at the pub," he roared into my face.
"What?" I tried to mutter, but as I got my bearings, Hunter slammed a chair at the back of his legs. He buckled and fell to the floor, taking me with him but releasing his grip. Hannah grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away. I looked around and noticed Urik was gone. I turned back to my attacker.
"Count your blessings peasant that you have friends to help you, but when we meet on the floor and you're by yourself, you'd best be prepared. You'd best be." Fanel left the room. We continued standing, watching the door in fear he will come back.
"What'd ya do to make 'im so angry?" Hunter asked as he settled back onto the couch.
"Nothing important," I replied, my voice trembling.
"What do you mean nothing important? He was about to kill you!" Hannah screamed into my ear.
"The lady be right, Richter of Kulum," he said, leaning forward.
"It's alright," I assured them. "This next time, he won't have the upper hand."
Heavy footfalls approached the door; cautiously, we waited. Lord Irya, in his majestic splendor, appeared and disparagingly glared at the three. "What happened here?"
Still shaken by the events from before, the sword in my hand quivered. Tahmur obnoxiously displayed his swordsmanship by spinning his blade and deftly waving it around. He was aware of my lack of technique. I was just a farmer (not even that!) and he was born into war. This was not going to be like the other battles I've fought.
The horn was blown and the fight begun. I witnessed the warrior give a howl like our ancestors when they charged into battle enraged, and he ran at my position without a care. I raised my shield, expecting a blade, and met his full weight as he drop kicked me to the floor. My shield was ripped from my arm and the sword flung far from my reach. I stood up as the crazed Khergit howled and came at me again with sword upraised.
I jumped to the side and tripped him with my legs. Getting back up, I retrieved the shield in time to meet another attack. His sword struck my shield with enough strength to shatter it. His relentless assaults were hurting my arms, but I couldn't accept defeat. Not when I'm so close to the prize.
Before he can recover from his last attack, I planted a foot on his chest and heaved. He went sprawling back as I got into action. I made a run for my sword, picked it up, and turned to the nomad. He was coming back, swinging his sword around with intimidating speed. I couldn't catch up to what he was up to, but, for a moment, I felt a clarity come over me. Everything seemed to slow down. I raised my blade.
Ching… ping… kling…
Every strike I parried without knowing how. An invisible hand guided my movements. I caught a glimpse of his worried look as I began to counter every move he made. Now, Tahmur was forced to fall back. Even though I had gained the upper hand, none of us were giving away any openings, but the looks on his face were favoring me. He was used to attacking, his footing was off. He tripped over his feet. He knew what mistake he made and accepted the dishonor, but he wasn't done yet.
Tahmur rolled away from me and was back up. He took up a predatory stance and started circling me. I kept my eyes on him, waiting for him to strike. My grip tightened as he came up behind me. I couple read his intent and saw what was coming.
The Khergit attacked my unprotected back, his blade gleaming as it caught the sun. I stepped to the side and his blade soared through. In my two hands, the sword fell on his neck. Were it real, his head would've been cleaved his head from his shoulders. Blunt as it was, he fell unconscious.
I do not know how I came to win this battle, but when realization finally came over me, the crowds were shouting my name.
The next fight brought Hannah and old Krados. Tales abound of the old fool's greatness despite his looks. Age has only brought him more experience that was deadly to the careers of professional fighters who dared to face him.
Hannah, undaunted by the reputation of the man she was facing, graced the field. She saluted her opponent in reverence of his skill and took her spot. Krados nodded in approval and crossed his arms. It was an awkward way to start a battle. I believed for a moment, that this man was drawn to the same prideful failing as many of us, but his mere presence controlled the field.
The horn blown and the fight began. Hannah chose a defensive posture while advancing slowly. Krados calmly walked forward without drawing his weapon. They stopped within feet of each other. Krados said something that was lost to the crowds' cheering. He dismally shook his head and drew his weapon. He made quick strikes at her shield, nothing threatening or powerful. He was poking for weaknesses and testing her as a teacher tests his pupil.
Hannah, not one to stay still, stabbed from behind her shield. Krados was forced back. He knew all that he needed to know about Hannah's strengths and was prepared to deliver his finishing blow. He charged forward, ducked under Hannah's swing, and tripped her with the flat side of his blade. He gripped the hilt with both hands and drove the point down—
Into the ground beside her head. Krados reached down and helped Hannah up. He laid a hand on her shoulder and spoke. They parted, Krados the victor.
I forced my way through to the base level of the arena and found her near the exit speaking to the organizer. Tears rolled down her cheeks as our eyes met. She softly smiled.
When the organizer left, I approached her. "Looks like we won't be able to fight each other," she said, wiping her tears with her hands.
"It is alright. We don't need the tournament for that," I told her.
"Aren't you going to watch Hunter's match?" she asked.
"No, I'm sure he will do alright."
She stared out to the city. "Do you know what I planned to do with the money if I had won?" I shook my head. "I was going to help build schools in some villages. I struck a deal with an engineer, but I still needed more money. I guess there's no helping it."
"Don't give up," I told her, grabbing her hand. "You still have Hunter and I fighting in this thing. If one of us wins, we can part some of the prize-"
"No, I couldn't do that to any of you," she interrupted.
"Also, cuz there's only one o' us in this," a voice said from behind us. Hunter, cradling an injured arm and wearing a bandage around his head, limped over to us. "I'm out. That lord o' yours is really good. You're gunna have trouble with these people."
"Hunter! Should you really be going around like that?" Hannah shouted. She eased him down to the bench.
"Thanks, Love, but it's only a flesh wound," he smiled. Then, he got serious and turned towards me. "That guy who called you out is fightin' next against the small boy from Gisim. You should watch it. He is your next opponent."
"Right," I said, "I'll come back."
Shoving my way through the crowd, I appeared at the stands and watched the debacle on the arena ground. The brute had thrown his weapons and charged forward unarmed. The boy grasped his axe in both hands and prepared to win an easy victory. If only that was the case.
As his weapon tore through the air, Fanel was already inside his swing. He grabbed the boy's hands with one hand. He balled the other and jammed his mailed fist into his opponent's stomach.
Urik, unable to handle the pain, released his weapon and passed out in Fanel's arms. The brute dropped the limp body and raised his arms to revel the in the cheers of the people. As he turned, our eyes locked and a cold feeling ran down my spine. He raised a thumb and drew it across his neck. At that moment, I didn't know what to think, but I knew I wasn't fighting any ordinary man.