[The Akeldama Coliseum] A Curious Spectacle (Ifran, Bones)

[Belaya Smert]

Day 57 of Summer, 511 AV

Anxious to find something to do other than lay around in Miro's house all day long, Belaya had decided to head to the Akeldama Coliseum. He had heard Miro constantly talk about the day he had met Delanie Moon there, and wanted to check it out himself. Belaya could hear the cheering, but the sound seemed to grow fainter and fainter as he kept walking towards where it seemed to be coming. As he rounded a corner, it suddenly sounded as if someone had removed the cotton from his ears as he could feel his entire body vibrate from the noise. He could hear the wolf within him wanting to be released from its bonds, but quickly reigned in that temptation, knowing what likely awaited him if he did so. Gripping his katana's hilt, he prepared to bring it out of the scabbard at a moment's notice while he walked up to the black iron gates of the Akeldama Coliseum. Stopping, he looked around, seeing no one for a few minutes. Looking about, he saw that two others were walking up separate streets, both apparently intent on going into the Coliseum as well. His scarred eye twinged, but then it usually did that when he was nervous or anxious.

Well, might as well find out if I have to fight these buggers. They can't be as tough as Del. Deciding caution was for the smart, Belaya called out, "Hey, assholes! I don't have all day, every moment I wait for your asses to get up the road and to the gate is another moment I could fall over dead from a heart attack. I'd much rather get to the fighting, where I'm more likely to die from a wound to the stomach and take a slow time at it as well. Maybe kill a few jackasses while bleeding my life out too."

[Ifran]

Ifran had come to observe at the Coliseum, but a pair of bronze khopeshes were strapped to his back in case the need to practice or wield them in earnest came about. It seemed the wiser choice to travel armed when one's reputation and wits might not be enough to keep one safe. Reputation or lack thereof notwithstanding, Ifran walked down the street like he owned it, having better luck with finding where he was going nowadays if not an expert on traversing the shifting ways and byways of the city of illusions. Someone was screaming obscenities, but he didn't even spare that person a glance. Such things were beneath him. It wasn't that he couldn't spin an artistic barrage of impressive vitriol, but an overuse of profanity was often the mark of a lesser mind. Of course, nothing was what it seemed to be in Alvadas more than most places. At the gates, the screamer finally got a brief look. In that glance, Ifran saw a long-abiding sadness behind the bluff and bravado. There was the clutch to his elegant blade bespeaking more nerves and pent up emotion than should be there if he wanted to survive a life of coliseum fighting. "Pardon," was all he said, though his voice throbbed with understanding. Eypharians were a strange lot like that.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Once more, Bones awoke on this fine morn to stretch his limbs, and prepare his body for what lay ahead. He lived in a rather small building, and moved a couple of things aside to work out. He did several reps with some weighted bars, lifting them up easily. He usually kept at least a hundred pounds on it, though he used more when in dhani form. THough even for his human one, this seemed almost like nothing. Keeping his arms extended, he held the bar up for a minute, and then set it down. Finished with his little warm up, he walked out the front door, to see were it led today. It was always a surprise for him, since his house had no windows, and he tried to be careful. Today it led out onto... The street! Well that was a rarity. Usually it led to some odd place, but know it was actually in a normal place. Taking this as a good sign, Bones followed the road along, seeing were it would take him. It was not long before the coliseum came into view. It seemed to be taking him here a lot actually. There he met a few other people, possibly combatants? Well he would find out soon enough. Darting out his tongue, he tasted the air, inspecting the two as he neared them. One was pretty simple, he appeared human... But that animalistic look in his eyes, and that scent... Maybe a kelvic? He could not be sure, but it was possible... And the other, he appeared different also. Though Bones was not sure what... Then it hit him... he had six arms! Never having seen this race before, he made a double take, wondering if this was another trick of the city. He tasted the air once more, checking the scent... Not human... They had a foul odor most of the time.. This one was different than he had seen, but he was not sure what... "Ah... Ssso you are not human eisser? Good, I prefer the company of ssose who are not ssso closed minded asss a human. Which racesss are you two? To be honessst I have never ssseen one with sssix armsss..." "Are you alssso going to fight in the colissseum?"

[Belaya Smert]

Belaya paused a second to let the others get closer so they could hear better, and so that he didn't have to yell. Looking at the one with the slit pupils, "I'm Belaya Smert, and I'm a wolf kelvic. I won't change into my other form, for personal reasons, but you can trust me on this. Or not, at least you'll know that our mistrust is mutual. You can tell me your name later, when we get inside. Mister Six-Arms here just earned the name Pardon, since he won't seem to say anything else. Well, are we going to go fight together in the arena and possibly end up dying in a pool of our own blood?" He stood there waiting for the others to answer him, but at first all he got were some quizzical looks.

[Ifran]

There seemed to be a bit of a traffic jam here, and so he stopped with all due dignity. They identified themselves as a wolf Kelvic, whose name he committed to memory, and the lisp of the other made it likely he was a Dhani. The snake people of Siku had a variable reputation among the Eypharians of Ahnatep, but Ifran was a stranger in a strange land, so he did not judge yet. Glancing from one to the other, he seemed amused. "Neither of you seem like the sort who would survive for long in the Coliseum. Perhaps we should simply spar. After I show you how far you must come, you can thank me for it."

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones watched the others with there responses. The first seemed a bit talkative, and far to willing to tell things about himself. His statement had been noticably devoid of any useful information. Whereas the kelvics had said a lot about him, and even what type of Kelvic he was... Better to keep such things to yourself. Bones watched on with a neutral expression, inspecting the others, darting out his tongue absentmindedly to taste at the scent of the air... It seemed the other one was a bit more serious, and if he had to choose between the two of them, he was pretty sure the six armed one would be better in a fight. Though his weapons were a bit odd... They were not steel as most people used... Which was fine so long as he did not have to fight against a steel blade, which would probably damage the weaker metal. Bones thought it was a bit funny, as he made a comment on him not lasting long in a fight. He had been fighting in the coliseum for years now, and had not lost yet. Though in that place, a loss usually meant death, so it went without saying. But Bones was feeling in a generous mood. "I am not to bad at fighting, but I could always ussse sssome extra practice. Did you have a particular place to ssspar in mind? Or do you ssstill want to go on to the coliseum? And what kind of fighting do you do?"

[Belaya Smert]

I wonder if we'll ever get to doing something. These guys sure like to talk. Well, being mildly annoying hadn't worked, so Belaya decided that he would wait out the conversation and let them decide what to do. Looking at the two, he said, "Well, you guys go ahead and decide what you want to do. I'll just sit here and let my mind wander. Kick me when you've decided what to do, I might be asleep."

[Ifran]

It was his first time to the Coliseum, but they didn't need to know that. With an elegant shrug of his top shoulders, he moved past Belaya to find the entrance. He had come on a reconnaissance mission, and if he ended up sparring, well, all the better. But their conversation was less than scintillating, and he was bored. Perhaps they would catch up with him later, or vice versa.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones watched as it seemed all of a sudden the other two were in a great hurry. He was just not of the type to do so. Sure, if he was in danger of being attacked, he would rush, and his battle spirit truly came alive as he reveled in the fight... But for the most part, he was pretty laid back, and took things as they came, did not rush to meet things, and to start conflict all the sooner. Perhaps it was just due to his age, but these young ones always seemed to be in a hurry. But perhaps age helped you to realize to cherish things, and to not try to rush through life... Also due to how long his race lived, he felt like he had plenty of time to experience things... That could be another reason for the way he was. Following along the others who were a few paces ahead, he went into the coliseum, a place he knew quite well. Walking down a long dark stone passageway, he came to the equipment room, which was a place for combatants to get ready before matches. There stood Shale, as he shouted at some guy clutching a bloody stump were his left arm used to be. Looking over, he saw Bones, and gave him a quick nod. "Ah, so you are back, well what are you waiting for Snake Man, get ready for a match! This idiot here got mauled and didn't even manage to last five chimes!" Bones would quickly move away, setting down his equipment, and preparing for his match, first and foremost by transforming, taking on his dhani form he always fought in. In the meantime, Shale would turn to the two newcomers, inspecting them and getting ready to question them. "So, you two think you are worthy to fight in the Coliseum? Ready to fight and possibly die for the enjoyment of the paying viewers? You think you can last a fight without getting torn to bits like this guy here? Well what skills have you got? What can you do? And who are you?" This was Shales version of an interview, testing the applicants, and seeing how they did when under pressure, if they could not survive a questioning from him, they would not survive a chime in the coliseum.

[Belaya Smert]

Not knowing what the man who had just appeared was looking for, Belaya merely nodded and said, "My name is Belaya Smert and I'll fight," for once not saying much. He bristled, feeling the feral predator beneath the surface of the man look back at him in challenge. Knowing this wasn't the place, he barely managed to keep the wolf inside him from attacking the man, merely gripping his katana tightly instead. He then stepped back and let the six-armed being he had nicknamed "Pardon" forward to state his real name and answer the predatory man's questions.