-last edited on Apr 10, 2017 20:54:17 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 10, 2017 20:52:32 GMT
Chapter 33
Baj was a giant with a problem. His problem was that he was only four feet tall. Since most giants grew to at least ten feet, they were constantly mocking poor Baj, taking any opportunity to make him miserable. Even his own mother abandoned him the second he was old enough to fend for himself. His worst antagonist, though, was a giant named Jab, a few years his elder. Jab would do anything to make Baj’s life worse, and he often succeeded. One day, when Baj was about twelve years old, Jab got an idea as to how he could get rid of the tiny giant, for good. Recently, rumors had been circulating about slavers sailing up the river, looking for anyone they could capture. Jab decided to look for those slavers, and it wasn’t long before he found them. The slavers nearly attempted to capture him, but decided against it when they saw his fearsome muscles and jagged teeth. Jab told the slavers of a boy who lived in a hut not far from the river, a boy whom they could easily capture. In return, they gave him a small amount of gold and he returned to the village with a vicious grin. One morning, while Baj was still asleep, the slavers came for him. They tied him up and carried him to their little boat before he could even make an attempt to escape. He was locked up with the other prisoners, including a scowling goblin who hissed at Baj when he was thrown onto the deck.
Baj’s life on the ship was miserable. He was hardly fed and the constant movement made him feel nauseous. Sometimes, the slavers kicked them or hit them. His life was almost not worth living until one day when the ship anchored on the edge of a wide, empty field. In the field was a girl, about his age, pale and unconscious. The slavers grabbed the girl and shoved her onto the ship, next to Baj.
-last edited on Apr 11, 2017 14:12:35 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 11, 2017 14:12:11 GMT
Chapter 34
Hours later, the girl awoke, looking nervously around her, “W-w-where am I? What… what happened?”
Baj looked at her and whispered, “We’re on a slave boat being taken who knows where. Be quiet or the slavers will hear you.
The girl looked down at herself and a tear rolled down her cheek, “This… this wasn’t supposed to happen. We were just having fun, joking around. I shouldn’t be here.”
“Well, of course you shouldn’t. No one should be on a slave ship, but it’s not something we can do anything about.”
“Y-you don’t understand. I’m not from here,” she gestured at the area as best she could with her hands tied.
“How did you get to the meadow, then?” whispered Baj, growing ever more curious.
“There was the crystal, I was just playing with my friends, a flash of light, and I woke up here.” The girl went quiet suddenly, turning away and refusing to say anything else.
Hours later, long after Baj had given up on her, she turned back to him and said, “I’m Elisa. What about you?”
“Baj, the giant,” he replied, surprised that she didn’t comment on his size or roll her eyes. They spent the rest of the day in a comfortable silence and, over the next week, they talked more when they had the opportunity.
At the end of the week, the ship docked and the slaves were dragged or shoved off, even those who cooperated, and forced into a cramped cart, which was promptly driven away. They soon arrived at a large walled city, and rolled through the gate into a bustling market. Passing by a large, circular building in the center of the city, Baj made eye contact with a green-faced man, before the cart trundled along farther, coming to a stop as a small building not too far from the circular one.
-last edited on Apr 12, 2017 19:29:25 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 12, 2017 19:21:45 GMT
Chapter 35
The slaves were tossed out of the cart and brought into the building, where they lined up on a wall, not daring to move as a thin, sharp-eyed man examined each of them in turn. One of them, an elderly orke, fell to the ground and the man ordered the guards to take him away. Baj didn’t see the man again. The scowling goblin was met with a nod of approval, but the man curled his lip when he saw Elisa, thin and battered. Seeing this, Baj rose up, a bead of anger growing inside him. He was next, and the man only laughed when he saw him, “What do we have here? A beardless dwarf, perhaps?”
Baj bristled again, muttering under his breath.
“What was that?” demanded the man, drawing closer.
“I-I’m a giant,” Baj repeated, swallowing.
“A giant?” the man laughed, “He says he’s a giant!” He drew closer again, “Don’t ever lie to me again,” he hissed, “Or, I promise you, you’ll regret it.”
Once all the slaves had been examined, they were led down into a putrid, damp room, full of people and chains. The room was clearly divided into two groups, split down the middle, no one crossing the invisible boundary. Baj, Elisa, and the others, were chained onto an empty wall and the guards left. A large man on one side stood up. His chains were longer than most of the others’, and he was able to reach the new slaves without much trouble. On the other side, a scaly, green man stood, also walking over. They seemed to examine each of the slaves in turn, nodding or shaking their heads each time they moved on. Eventually, the first man spoke, “I am Garfell, the greatest slave in the entire Arena. These are my followers.” He gestured behind him at his side of the room. Among those seated there were a young, vicious-looking child; a frightened man; a female dwarf; and a mountain of a man, who grunted and bared his yellow teeth.
Then the other spoke, “I am Re’zar, a lizardfolk warrior from the great desert far to the north of here. These are my followers.” On his side were a large orke; a werewolf with a crazy look in his eye; a man holding a large dog; and an armored man with a sad face; as well as a few others. Re’zar spoke again, “Whose side do you choose? You may choose neither, but that is a difficult path indeed.”
The scowling goblin immediately moved to Garfell’s side, along with a few others. Most of the remainders joined Re’zar, leaving just Baj and Elisa alone in the middle. Garfell walked over to them, growling, “Are you sure you don’t want to choose a side? I can make your stay here quite miserable indeed, or I can cut it short. Is that what you want?”
-last edited on Apr 13, 2017 1:29:49 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 13, 2017 1:29:30 GMT
Chapter 36
Re’zar stopped him before he could do anything more, “They’ve made their choices. So be it.” Garfell grunted and the two of them rejoined their respective sides.
Baj and Elisa exchanged glances, still unsure where they were or what they were meant to do. Fortunately, their silent questions were answered- partially, at least- as the man with the dog leaned over and whispered, “Welcome to the Arena. Good luck.”
They soon found out exactly where they were. The next day, all of the new slaves were brought to an armory, where the thin man was waiting. He motioned to one of the guards, who grabbed a basket full of metal bands. With the assistance of a magician, he clasped them around the next of each slave. The bands were uncomfortable, but not painful, and Baj thought he might be able to get used to his. Once they had all been banded, the thin man spoke, “This is the Arena. You are here to fight. You will fight each other, the other slaves, ravenous beasts, and our paid gladiators. First, though, you need weapons and armor. He went around to each of them, taking notes on a yellow scroll. The scowling goblin was given a hooked sword and a blackened hammer. Elisa was given a shortsword. When the man got to Baj, he smirked, “For the ‘giant’, let’s get a giant-sized weapon.” The guard brought Baj an enormous mace, almost too heavy for him to lift. The man laughed and moved on to the next gladiator. The last one, a large goblin, got a wooden shield and a jagged blade. As soon as the weapons were in his hands, he attacked the guard, knocking him onto the floor and roaring furiously. Before he could do anything else, though, the others dispatched him. The thin man frowned, “I am done with these. Put their weapons in the holding room with the rest.” He left the room and the guards ushered the slaves out of the room, returning them to their quarters and taking back the weapons.
-last edited on Apr 13, 2017 12:23:51 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 13, 2017 12:23:37 GMT
Chapter 37
While there was no wall or fence separating the slums from the rest of the city, the boundary was very clear. One second, there were proud, sturdy shops and the next only collapsing, hastily-built shacks. Guards patrolled this border often, looking for potential trouble makers. Seeing Skrag’s metal bracelet, they quickly let him pass. Conditions in the slums were worse than Skrag possibly could have imagined. Everywhere he looked, there were more people- lying on the ground, leaning out of windows, and crouching on the roofs. On several occasions, he had to watch his step to avoid walking on the people who were simply lying in the street. He was sure most of them weren’t even alive, but, even so, the living numbered more than he had ever seen in his life before- far more than his old goblin clan- and they were packed together like a bundle of sticks. It was an apt comparison considering their bodies- incredibly thin and bony, like food was a rare commodity few could get often. The smell was also horrible- nothing was ever cleaned up, as no one would take the job. The cries of pain and desperation filled Skrag’s ears, and he could not stay long.
Skrag did not eat lunch that day because he was too nauseated to even contemplate eating. Additionally, he felt an overpowering guilt that he could eat and they could not. That afternoon, with images of the slums, and of that poor slave he had seen earlier that day, running through his mind, Skrag vowed to himself that he would find a way to help the people of the City, that he would free the slaves, and that he would stop the tyrannical reign of Gormund Crux, no matter what it cost him. He would not rest until justice, as he saw it, was created.
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 0:19:17 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 0:10:17 GMT
Chapter 38
Baj quickly learned the names of most of his fellow slaves. Garfell, the man who had first spoken to the slaves, was also known as the Brute, and for good reason- no one survived in a fight against him. His followers included Raja, the vicious-looking child; Ormuk, the scowling goblin, who had quickly become Garfell’s right-hand man; Andrasa, the female dwarf; Malik, the scared man who had a way with animals; and Burgs, a mountain of a man with spiked armor. Re’zar, the lizardfolk warrior, also commanded a group, including Person, the large orc; Mozz, the werewolf who heard voices; Pine, the man with a dog; and Conria, who, according to rumors, had once been a knight of the mighty Lion Kingdom.
Baj and Elisa were the only two slaves in the Arena who had not selected a side. Because of this, they were generally shunned by the others. However, they didn’t mind. They just hoped they would never have to fight each other in the Arena, or, for that matter, anyone else. Most of the slaves were tough and merciless- they had to be to survive here- and it didn’t help that the guards seemed to actively encourage the group division, making sure Re’zar’s allies only fought Garfell’s. They even refrained from putting the leaders into too many fights, on the off chance that they might not survive. Baj also noticed that the food Re’zar and Garfell were fed was slightly finer than the mushy slop the rest of the slaves received.
While Baj learned more about the Arena, Skrag couldn’t sleep. In the past few days, he had slept, all together, just six hours. He couldn’t stop thinking about Zargan, or the slaves, or, most of all, the slums. He knew he had to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. Lying awake, he heard a noise outside in the hallway. Curious, Skrag crept to the door and opened it, just in time to glimpse a cloaked figure sneaking into the common room.
Skrag quickly crept over to his dresser, grabbing one of his cutlasses, just in case. He then opened the door just wide enough for him to get out, snuck through the gap, and closed it without a sound. Moving quickly, but quietly, he continued into the common room, where he was just in time to see the cloaked figure enter one of the other hallways, one of the ones that led into the Arena above. Reaching the ladders, the figure grabbed one of the rungs, about halfway up the ladder. To Skrag’s surprise, it came off of the wall with relative ease. The figure inserted the rung into a small crack in the wall and the whole thing, including the ladders, turned sideways, allowing a person to move into a tunnel beyond it. When the figure was halfway through, he or she snatched the rung back up and placed it in the same place it had come from. Seeing the doorway beginning to close, Skrag quickly slunk through the narrow gap, making it through just as the gap closed. He now found himself in another passageway, the mysterious figure not too far ahead. This tunnel was much rougher than the one leading to the ladders, but it seemed to be structurally sound. Skrag followed the figure down the tunnel for a long time, long enough that he feared he would not make it back in time for waking bell. Eventually, Skrag caught a glimmer of light coming from outside. He could see that the tunnel began to slope upwards, emerging into the night. The figure continued down the tunnel, Skrag not too far behind, until it finally joined the outside world. By the light of the moon, Skrag could see that the figure’s cloak was purple, just like one he had seen before. He slowly crept out of the tunnel, still taking care not to be heard, “Greetings, Executioner. I’m Skrag.”
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 14:27:43 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 14:26:26 GMT
Chapter 40
Ishappa moved like lightning, and, before Skrag even knew what was happening, he was flat on the ground and her forearm was at his throat. “You’re the new fighter, aren’t you? How did you get her without me hearing you?” Ishappa demanded.
Skrag nodded as well as he could with his head pinned to the ground, “I’m a hunter. I trained myself to move silently.”
Ishappa nodded back, “Seems like a useful skill.” After a moment of hesitation she added, “You know, I could smash you before you have a chance to move.”
“Yes, but you won’t.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Instinct. Also, you decided to talk to me, and you wouldn’t smash someone you’re in a conversation with.”
Ishappa sighed, letting Skrag up, “Why did you follow me?”
“It was instinct again. I was curious, and awake.” Skrag got to his feet, brushing himself off. “How did you find out about that tunnel?”
Ishappa was quiet for a long time, “I saw it, in a book- a map of the city created long ago. These tunnels are everywhere; it’s like an underground maze.”
“A book? Where did you find it?” Skrag’s mind was racing. If he could get that book, he could help everyone in the City. He could accomplish the goals he had set for himself.
“That is none of your business. It concerns-” she was cut off by the sound of flapping wings and a mighty roar as Zargan landed next to his rider, smiling as best a dragon could.
“Zargan! I am so sorry I was unable to see you before, but I only now found my way out of the city,” Skrag said, suddenly feeling happier than he had in a month.
“It is okay, my friend. We have found each other now, and that is what matters.”
Ishappa blinked twice, unsure what to do, “You- you have a dragon.”
“We have each other,” Skrag replied, “This is Zargan. Now, what were you saying about that book?”
“Fine, but know that what I am about to tell you must be kept secret at all costs. I’ve only told this story to one other person ever.”
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 16:48:32 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 16:48:12 GMT
Chapter 41
“Gormund Crux is not the true master of the City. He is merely a figurehead. He thinks all of his guards are totally loyal to him, but, in fact, they, along with most of the City’s aristocracy pledge their true allegiance to his brother, Edmond Crux. Edmond is using the Arena as an attempt to build a small army made up of the best fighters the surrounding lands have to offer. While Gormund is fat and greedy, Edmond is thin and clever. He uses his skill in manipulation to make his brother think his decisions and plans are truly his own.”
Skrag interrupted, slightly confused, “How do you know all of this, if it’s supposed to be a great secret?”
Ishappa sighed, “My true name is Isabel Crux, and Edmond is my father. I ran away because I was tired of what he was doing to the City. Before the Cruxes came into power, there were no slums, no slaves, and no rules about who can enter and exit. I found a book that showed all of the tunnels underneath the city, and decided to make my escape. I came to the Arena to find out what it was like, and to test my skills. Edmond thinks I am lost somewhere outside the City, but that is clearly not the case. One day, I want to be strong enough to challenge my father’s power and restore equality to the city.”
When Ishappa finished talking, Skrag spoke again, “In that case, I would like to help you. I have been to the slums and seen the horrors that reside there, I have seen the fear in the face of a slave, and I have experienced the pain of being unable to leave.”
“Really, you would?” Ishappa seemed taken aback at his sudden offer.
“We would,” Skrag replied, nodding to Zargan who quickly agreed. “Now all we need is a plan, and some allies. I think I know where we can find some.”
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 18:54:09 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 18:53:33 GMT
Chapter 42
The three of them met again the next night, eager to discuss plans. Skrag spoke first, “I know we can count on Arik. He wants to get out of this city as badly as anyone, and he feels the same way about the slaves as I do. I think we can get Go and Syldar, too. They have told me how they feel about helping other people, and about the slaves.”
“You remember how I said I had only told my story to one other person?” Ishappa asked, and Skrag nodded, “That person was Shadowwrath. If it means helping me, he will do anything. We can count on his full support. As for Rennar, I think he might be willing, and, from what I’ve observed, he would be a most valuable ally.”
Skrag added, “If I talk to Luke, he might be willing to join. He feels somewhat indebted to me for sparing his life. I don’t know about Leidiriv, but it won’t hurt to talk to him, too.”
“The same goes for Dwalin,” Ishappa continued, “He seems very stubborn, but he might be persuaded. Then there’s Brian. There’s no way he’d help us. As for Ishal, there’s something about him I don’t like. I don’t think we should talk to him, if we can avoid it.”
“What’s wrong with Ishal?” Skrag asked, “He seems perfectly friendly, and helpful.”
“Just trust me,” Ishappa said, “It’s instinct.”
“Okay, but if it seems like we need more help, I think no harm can come of it.” Skrag agreed.
“It looks like we’re down to Zelfern. I’ve been at this arena far longer than you, but I hardly know a thing about him. All I know is he’s been here as long as the Arena itself and his only goal is to become its greatest fighter. I don’t think he’d be likely to follow our plan.”
“No, I don’t think he would. The first, and only, thing he ever said to me was, ‘Don’t get in my way.’”
“That’s settled, then.” Ishappa said, “We’ll meet again tomorrow with any allies we manage to gather.”
“Okay. See you tomorrow. Goodbye, Zargan. We can talk more tomorrow night.”
“Goodbye,” Zargan spoke, watching Skrag walk back down the tunnel. He stayed only until the half-goblin was out of his sight, but Ishappa stayed much longer, thinking, and wondering if she had finally got her chance to save the city she had called home for so long.
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 19:44:13 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 19:43:35 GMT
Chapter 43
In the morning, Skrag approached Arik, describing his and Ishappa’s situations and asking him if he’d like to aid them. Arik replied quickly, saying, “You know I’d do anything to get home, and why not help some other people while I’m at it?”
“Good,” Skrag replied, “We meet at ladder B tonight.”
At breakfast, he talked to Go and Syldar, both of whom said they’d certainly consider it. Skrag nodded, “If you decide to join us, we meet at ladder B tonight.”
During training, Skrag wandered over to Rennar. As they practiced sparring, Skrag spoke about what was going on, and how he and Ishappa would like Rennar’s help.
Rennar paused in the middle of a strike, scratching his head thoughtfully, “Why not?” he said eventually, “I’ve always thought there was something strange about this city, and I’m ready for my next great adventure.”
“Excellent,” replied Skrag, “Now, I’d like your help convincing some of the others.”
Leidiriv was next. Skrag and Rennar approached him during lunch, seating themselves on either side of the half-elf. “We would like your help in a mission of sorts,” said Skrag, before explaining what was going on. Then Rennar spoke. The man was a natural leader, his voice could move mountains, or at least inspire someone to try.
Leidiriv was quiet for a long time, then he said, “I will help you, but if it becomes likely that we may be compromised, I’m out, no questions asked.”
Skrag nodded, telling him about the meeting, before he and Rennar stood up and moved to sit by Dwalin. As expected, the dwarf was very stubborn and refused to give an answer one way or another on the matter, even with Rennar speaking the best he could. However, they did get Dwalin to swear not to speak about the plan to anyone other than them.
The day was drawing to a close when Skrag made his way to Luke, alone. The Iron Wolf was sharpening his sword, but he looked up when he heard Skrag approaching, “Oh, it’s you. Come to cash in that favor?”
“Actually, yes,” Skrag said, “I have a few things I must talk to you about.”
When Skrag finished talking, Luke nodded and said, “Of course I’ll help you. I owe you my life, and if there are three things an Iron Wolf believes in they are loyalty, honesty, and integrity.”
“If Iron Wolves are so loyal, how could you have left them?” Skrag asked.
-last edited on Apr 14, 2017 23:01:52 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 14, 2017 23:00:34 GMT
Chapter 44
Skrag and Arik were the first to arrive at the ladder, but it wasn’t long before they were joined by Rennar, Luke, Leidiriv, Go, and Syldar. They waited a few moments in an awkward silence before Skrag said, “Let’s go. It doesn’t look like Ishappa will be showing up. She’s probably already there.”
The others mumbled a few words of agreement before Rennar asked, “How do we get past the ladder. You said it moved, but you never described quite how that works.”
“Honestly,” Skrag replied, “I don’t know how it works. I just know how to activate the mechanism.” He grabbed the rung and took it out, placing it in the crevasse as he had done once before. As the wall began to turn, he ushered the others through, slipping in just as he closed it. Skrag hadn’t been paying attention the first time he had been in the tunnel, but he had since noticed torches lighting up the passage. It wasn’t long before all seven of them emerged into the open air. Skrag could tell that Arik was having a difficult time comprehending that he now had the ability to leave the City at will, but that was true for most of them, and for Skrag himself the first time he had walked out of the passage. Just as he had thought, Ishappa was already there, and Shadowwrath was too. They were talking quietly, and Skrag approached them with a little bit of hesitation. “So, what do we do now?”
Ishappa replied, “It’s simple. We plan, get ready to make our escape.” She turned to the small crowd, “You may know me as the Executioner, or Ishappa, but-”
Before she finished her sentence, Zargan landed next to Skrag. Everyone panicked, unsure what to do with a large dragon in their midst- Skrag had neglected to tell them about his friend. “Calm down,” Skrag said, “He’s with me. Now, let’s turn our attention back to Ishappa.”
-last edited on Apr 15, 2017 2:58:20 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 15, 2017 2:57:59 GMT
Chapter 45
Everyone’s attention slowly returned to Ishappa, though they still remained wary of Zargan. Skrag, seeing this, smiled, and whispered to his dragon, “I think they like you.” Zargan chuckled, but was soon silent as Ishappa spoke once more.
“As I was saying, you know me as Ishappa, but that is not my real name.” She pulled off her hood, revealing her resemblance to one frequent spectator at the Arena. “Gormund Crux is my uncle, and my father is his brother Edmond. As Skrag has probably told you, Edmond is the true power in the city, and my uncle is merely a puppet.” Her revelation caused a few murmurs of dissent, but she continued anyway. “Our goal is to free the slaves, unite the people and end the corrupt regime of my relatives. Today, we must plan how we will do this. First of all, to get the slaves, we need an ally among them. I fear that without one they will not trust us.”
“Who among them would join us? They are split into factions- one will never follow the other. Besides, who can find that ally? The guards keep them separate from us,” said Luke.
“Syldar,” said Ishappa, in reply to Luke, “as the healer, you are able to mingle with the slaves on occasion. You can scout them out after the fights tomorrow. I trust that you can select a proper ally?”
Syldar nodded, “I can. I can also give a scrap of paper to whomever I choose with instructions for what we need him or her to do. However, I do see another problem. There is no way to free them. The rings on their necks can only be unlocked by a spell, one which I have never learned.”
“Leave that to me,” replied Leidiriv, “I can follow you, invisibly, and listen in.”
Skrag smiled, seeing their group of allies coming together, “That’s settled, then,” he said, “Now, let’s get to the real planning.”
-last edited on Apr 15, 2017 14:18:19 GMT by RuleJJ
Post by RuleJJ on Apr 15, 2017 14:15:48 GMT
Chapter 46
The following morning, at breakfast, the fighters were presented with the list of fights to take place that day.
1. Raja vs. Pine 2. Ishal vs. Andrasa 3. Baj vs. Burgs 4. Person vs. Ormuk 5. Go vs. Conria 6. Skrag vs. Zelfern 7. Mozz vs. 3 wolves 8. Arik vs. Ishappa 9. Shadowwrath vs. Brian 10. Garfell vs. a bear
Seeing his name, Skrag glanced over at the spot where Zelfern was sitting. The supposed elf’s eyes seemed to bore holes into his son-to-be opponent. Skrag shivered, quickly looking away. Meanwhile, the others had begun discussing their plans. Go said he would leave Conria alive. Ishappa said the same for Arik, who joke that he might win, though they all knew that was an impossibility. Shadowwrath was less decisive, “Let’s see what happens,” he said, “that fool almost deserves to be smashed.” Most of the others agreed.
It was about an hour later when the guards came by, escorting Raja and Pine, with his dog, to their respective sides of the Arena. Syldar, Rennar, Luke, and Leidiriv, along with Dwalin, none of whom had to fight, were up at the Arena to watch. The rest of the fighters were waiting for their turns. It was tense and uncomfortable, an awkward silence rarely broken.
Meanwhile, the fight was about to begin. “For our first fight, we have a very special slave!” yelled the announcer, “Raja has yet to fight another person in the Arena, though he has battled many a ferocious creature! We also have Pine, and his dog, Sapote!” The crowd cheered. Raja was already a fan favorite, and many were eager to see the child fight. “Well, then, let’s open the gates and let the fight commence!”
Raja charged forward as Sapote did likewise. The fight was short and vicious. Soon, the guards escorted Raja back to the cell, while others cleaned the Arena floor.
