[The Akeldama Colosseum]Double the fighting and fun[Ulric]

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones gave a quick nod of a reply, followed by saying "Yesss...." It appeared most of them were gone, and they had almost taken out all of the beasts. Though he had no idea how many they had destroyed.... He had lost count in the onslaught of fighting. Then he was back in action, weaving and striking with his body and blade. As one creature came near, he swiped with his gladius, taking the head of one of them, and kept going without stopping. Grabbing with his empty hand, he clutched a yukman by the neck, and lifted it off the floor, tossing it sideways into a nearby one and knocking them both down. Still he did not stop, moving to stab with his gladius, and thrusting it into another chest. As it stumbled back, clutching at its chest, it yanked the blade from his hands, as it fell down. Now unarmed, Bones kept fighting, now using his bare hands. Grabbing the nearest one with both hands at its shoulders, and pulling both ways. With a great ripping and breaking sound, the beast broke in half, falling apart. Grabbing up one of the random body parts near him, a leg, he started to bat at the nearest creature, beating at there bodies with a piece of another ones.... Bones kept on attacking all of the beasts near him, until finally his vision cleared, and he realized he was standing in the middle of a heap of demolished creatures, random body parts and bodily fluids soaking the dirt ground... Near him was Ulric, standing there... Finally sound came crashing in... The noise of the arena, of both of them breathing, and the crowd shouting.... He had lost himself in the battle so far.... He had lost himself.... Looking once more over at Ulric... And then around at the ground with the bodies.... "What happened?... I Ssink I missssed the end... Have you ssseen my blade? I ssink I lossst it..." Looking around, he turned over a corpse, trying to see where his gladius had disappeared to...

[Ulric]

Ulric spread his arms wide, throwing his head back as he roared to the crowd. “Alvadas, would you stare upon the face of death?” The words rasped in his throat. He felt his pulse racing, the fiery throb where he’d been clawed. “You would see me die for your sport?” He surged forward, rage searing his chest. He saw red for a moment, and then he was among the monsters, bashing one in the snout, cleaving through the curve of a spine. He elbowed a heavy form aside, hacked through a patch of gravel and gems to hew deep into a throat, making the thing drop to the ground. “Would you, Alvadas?” The shield swept aside another foe, edge descending to pulp a snarling brow. He cast a sidelong glance at the snake, saw a monster stagger back, another swiftly coming to take hold of the wrestled sword. That wouldn’t do. Taking a step forward, Ulric spun his hips as brought the shield back. Then he flung the circle of metal as a discus, watching it whistle over the sands. The force made the gravely head snap to the side, threads of blood lashing out as it went down with a low shriek. “You would cower in the stands?” Ulric took a two-handed grip on the axe, hacked deep into a monster’s chest. He kept fighting, hewing down the hurt, shrieking things as he made for the writhing snake, only to find there were none standing. The ring was strewn with tangled carcasses and the crawling, moaning forms of the injured. “You are as nothing,” he spat at the crowd, his voice thick with contempt. “You are nothing!” Taking up the gladius, he hurled it at the crowd, hearing the roar turn to screams. There was a thunk as it stuck in a wood beam. With a low chuckle, Ulric moved to regard Desank. The Gasvik was drenched in dark, drying blood, but its mouth was curled back in a sneer. Then he glanced at the hissing snake. “You fought well,” he grunted, observing the carnage on the ground. “I hope you know how to climb, though.” He gestured at the quivering sword. Across the ring, he heard the squeal of the rising grate.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Finally coming out of his wild rage, Bones looked over to see where he was pointing. There sticking into a bit of wood that made up the railing for the front row, stood his gladius. Bones quickly went over to it. Using a bracket for a torch as a hold, he lifted himself up, and yanked the sword out, dropping back to the ground. Putting away his blade, he recalled that his shoulder had been cut open, and placed his hand on it, pushing with pressure to help stop the flow of blood. Though at this point it was almost completely stopped, as it had started to coagulate. Soon there would be no blood flow at all, just a big gaping wound that would take time to heal, and would leave a scar. Finally, he walked on to the open iron grate, which was now all the way up. Following Ulric inside, he returned to get his stuff, and to see Shale. He was ready for a meal and a good rest, as that fight had been pretty intense. "Yesss Ulric, ssat wasss a good fight.... We ssshould do it again sssome time..."

[Ulric]

Ulric scarcely heard the roar of the crowd. He began to head for the gate, dark eyes defiant as he left the center of the ring, only for a strange urge came over him, making his feet leaden. Sucking in a deep breath, he glanced at the streaks of gore on his worn leather armor, and then bent to plunge sticky fingers under the warm sand, as if the touch of grit could purify them. He was, in that moment, suspended between past as present. The wraith of boyhood dreams stood before him with head raised in cold disregard, spectral hand ever turning away from his grasp. Then the wraith was gone. The only thing he felt was the glare on his brow. Not even the gnawing agony of his shoulder could spur a grimace. With a grunt, he regarded the crowd, saw their faces made ugly by the scent of blood and sundered glory. There was no purpose to this. They chose to rest flaccid cheeks on sun baked stone, showering a slew of worn, desperate men with delusions of coin and sour wine so that they would fight. But this was not real fighting. These bakers and smiths, simple cobblers, wives, and elders did not know what it was to come upon a man in the dead of the night and slay him for a crust. They didn’t know how it was to beat a face into pulp with their bare hands. They sought to get a taste of the fear they fled with every waking step. Ulric did not pity them. To exist in peace and safety was a blessing he would never share. “Take a good look at them, Desank,” he sighed, the embers of rage reduced to mere cinders, sifting upon the wind. There was no sport in slaughter. As he passed beneath the grate, he saw the snake making his way slowly down the dank corridor. “Snake,” he spoke solemnly, inclining in his head, and offered up his hand. They had cheated death.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones followed along behind Ulric, who seemed to be a bit lost in thought. Then he turned to Bones with an outstretched hand. Bones was not really sure how to respond to that... Obviously another human gesture he did not know. But he gripped the mans hand nonetheless. For a moment the thought of tightening his grip crossed his mind... All it would take was a bit of pressure, and the hand would be but nothing but meat pulp...Useless... But he fought that sudden desire, and just gripped it firmly. "Ssat was quite an experience... I look forward to ssseing you once more in the glory of battle... Whesser on the sssame ssside again, or asss foesss.... I know it will be a mighty fight either way..." Bones looked Ulric in the eye. There was something exchanged between people, imperceptible, a understanding... Which could only be gained when one fought and killed with another... Formed a union even if only for the moment to both of there advantage, with the danger of death perilously close... If they found themselves in battle again, they both new the others ability, to respect each other, and that they could depend on them when there goals coincided. That was about as close to being a friend with a human as Bones would probably ever get. Much closer than he had with his other random acquaintances he had met along his path, and was not close to really, even if they thought they were... They both understood the other... Walking along to the preperation room, Bones took on his human form, and dressed in his clothing, and picked up his pack and gear. Then he walked over to greet Shale, and see what his pay would be, before leaving. Looking down, he noticed that his shoulder had clotted and stopped bleeding.

[Fallacy]

XP Award! Name:Ssafirsotibones XP Award: Gladius- 3 Unarmed Combat- 1 Running- 1 Brawling- 1 Climbing- 1 Lore: Walking into a bathroom while occupied Humans are children A few fans Fighting Yukmen Bones is mad Battle amnesia Notes: Name:Ulric XP Award: Unarmed Combat- 3 Shield- 5 Bearded Axe- 4 Dagger- 2 Throwing knife- 1 Rhetoric- 3 Lore: Terror of the North Akeldama Colosseum Fighting Yukmen Eye wrenching Master Battle Rage What fighting is not Notes: Both of you are awarded 4 GM for fighting I must say this has to be one of the best threads Ive read in a while. I was very interesting and, Ulric, I love how you write. I can feel your character on a level, and its really neat. Keep up the great work you two. I hope to see more threads from the both of you in the future. Any questions or concerns about the rewards gained please send a PM