by Hicks, Aaron
Emexida went into a defensive stance and Uktesh Stepped forward and attacked with an imperfect Lighting Flashes that was blocked. Uktesh blocked Emexida’s next move with a balanced Shield of Air, then attacked with a balanced Moth to the Flame, and followed it up with an imperfect Lighting Flashes, that was also blocked. Uktesh allowed Emexida to control the flow of the battle and Uktesh couldn’t help but feel pressured a few times. He had to ramp up to a perfect defense, but when he attacked he made sure to not attack in perfect to lower Emexida’s expectation of Uktesh’s power.
Uktesh began to include Stepping into his attack pattern and once he felt certain Emexida was used to his speed and strength he ramped it up by using a spirit enhanced perfect Serpent Strike stab that was neither blocked nor deflected. He followed that up with the god form Thunder without Lightning, while Emexida was reeling from the perfect hit.
Uktesh suddenly felt his sword pulled from his hand by the snake’s whip. Uktesh, suddenly off balance, Stepped twice to the side and backed away from Emexida. Uktesh rightly assumed that the snake would stop the fight as Uktesh would’ve won if the snake hadn’t interfered.
“Ssstop! You know you have fairly lossst.
If you continue you know what it will cossst.”
Uktesh felt a stirring in the air as the Dominus vaulted over the railing. As he was about to touch down the sand around his feet was blown away and he slowed himself down. Uktesh’s jaw dropped. He can use magic too! The Dominus stretched out his hand to Uktesh who took it, too shocked to do anything else. Before he realized what was happening he was flying through the air and only had enough time to raise his arms and begin to slow his flight before he slammed into a wall and felt both his arms break. He rolled to his feet and half-dodged, half-tripped over the rubble that was all that was left of the section of wall he’d hit. He hadn’t needed to though, as the Dominus didn’t continue his attack. Uktesh painfully rolled onto his back and passed out.
When he woke up both his arms were in casts and the snake was standing next to him.
“Ssso you remain with us among the living.
Do you know why the Dominusss wasss not forgiving?”
Uktesh shook his head,
“You beat hisss champion like you were on fire,
and made Lord Assstiau the better asss hisss ssslave now ssstandsss higher.”
Uktesh swallowed and said, “I can’t change the past, what do I do about it?”
The snake said,
“Do? You sssurvive.
Until the Ssstorm Lord’sss honor can revive.”
The snake patted Uktesh’s shoulder in a surprisingly gently gesture,
“All my carrotsss and all my sssticksss,
you shall learn all my tricksss.”
Uktesh passed out again. When he woke up he was in a cell that was not only spacious, but he had a bed with a mattress that wasn’t straw or stone, but some kind of springy material. He also had a pillow that seemed to be made out of clouds, it was so soft. He felt a hand reach over his shoulder and begin to caress his chest!
He didn’t know if he somehow Walked, something he hadn’t previously done without the dragon’s help, or if he’d developed a shoulder shuffle akin to Stepping, but suddenly he was out of the bed and facing it. A woman, little more than a girl really, sat up in the covers, that she’s not properly using to cover anything! Uktesh averted his gaze and thought of Laurilli and found that he was instantly able to ignore the pretty naked blond girl in his bed. Uktesh looked her in the eyes and said, “Cover yourself up.” Confusion crossed her face, but she didn’t move so he said, “now.”
She covered up and said, “If you prefer boys the Dominus will provide you one.”
Uktesh didn’t understand what she meant, but eloquently replied, “Huh?”
She let one long bare leg dangle from the side of the bed uncovered and said, “If you prefer to sleep with boys the Dominus will make one available for you to do so.”
Uktesh felt shocked, angry, and confused, but said, “No, I’d like to sleep with my wife. You, however, are not her.”
The girl smiled sweetly and said, “Actually I am. The empire has strict rules about fornication.”
Uktesh asked, “Fornication?”
The girl grinned mischievously at him, “It means we can’t have sex if we’re not married. It still happens, but only under certain circumstances is it legal. That doesn’t mean we can’t have fun if the Dominus orders us to. But you and I don’t have any restrictions. You’re my master and I’m your slave. Forever.”
Uktesh asked, “We’re married?” That’s doubtful, don’t I have to agree to it? “How old are you?”
She laughed and said, “You’re one to talk, but I am seventeen, how old are you?”
Uktesh said, “I’m sixteen.”
She stood up, not bothering with the cover anymore. Oh gods she’s blond everywhere, think of Laurilli! Laurilli’s blond too! Damn it, don’t think about her like that! She’s got beautiful blue eyes, not like the mud brown of this girl’s eyes. Though he had to admit her eyes were lovely in their own way too. Damn it! Think about how slowly she’s walking toward you and how she’s able to roll her hips like Laurilli when she was doing her dance training. Ahh! No don’t think about that. Get angry! Not the other thing! Think about how you told you she wanted her to cover up and she hasn’t! She’s disobeying you! Uktesh Stepped past her, grabbed the covers, and wrapped her up in them. Uktesh smiled kindly at the girl and asked, “I’m you master, you’re mine to do with as I please, right?”
She batted her eyes at him, and said, “Yes master.”
Uktesh dimmed his smile slightly and said, “I think the Dominus wouldn’t like it if you did something that made me request a new girl, right?”
She looked fearful for a moment before she replied, “You are correct master,” and dropped the covers to stand bare in front of him.
Uktesh grabbed her chin roughly, locked his eyes with hers, and said, “Then when I tell you I’m not interested, and to cover up, you will do as I say! I don’t want what you’re offering,” Woah that sounds wrong, he amended, “at least not from you. I assume that you don’t want to disappoint the Dominus.” She shook her head, “Then when he sends you here come clothed. I assume literally sleeping with me is something better than what you would be asked to do if you weren’t with me.”
She nodded, “Yes master.”
Uktesh said, “Enough of that, I’m Uktesh. What’s your name?”
She said, “I’m Talia.”
Uktesh said, “Then what do you think you should do next Talia?” She bent over and picked up the covers before she wrapped them around her. “Now where are my clothes?”
She said, “You are wearing your loincloth.”
Uktesh closed his eyes, tried not to sigh, and asked, “Where are the rest of them?”
She looked confused again and said, “You’ll be given armor when you fight in the arena.”
Uktesh said, “But it’s cold out. What do I wear outside?”
Talia said, “You’ll get used to it.”
I doubt it, he sat on the bed and said, “How often were you sent to Emexida?”
She said, “I wasn’t. He had a different slave. Each new gladiator champion gets a fresh virgin wife.”
Uktesh glared, “You’re not my wife!”
Her face paled and she said, “Please don’t send me away! If I’m with you and you wanted to I might not mind it. The beasts that pay for our virtue are horrible, and most of the time violent. I’ll be good to you, I swear it. You don’t have a wife here I’ll be your wife. Better than the one you were forced to leave behind”
Uktesh couldn’t stop his sigh this time and said, “I’m not angry. I’m happy with the wife I currently have.” She smiled, “My real wife that is. Where are your clothes?”
Her shoulders slumped and she said, “I thought you weren’t angry?”
Uktesh pinched the bridge of his nose trying to relieve
his sudden headache and replied, “I’m not, but I’m also certain that without clothes sleeping on the stone floor is going to be torturous.”
Her eyes got wide and she said, “I can’t! I’ll freeze to death!”
Uktesh blurted, “Yeah. Why is it so cold?”
She said, “Doctore requires it cold to survive.”
Uktesh asked, “Who is doctore?”
Talia said, “Ceftin is.”
Uktesh said, “What?”
Talia said, “Doctore is his title as the trainer of this ludis. Ceftin is his name.”
Uktesh said, “Oh ok, but who is he? And why does he need it to be so cold?”
Talia said, “He’s the naga.” His blank look made her add, “the giant snake man. We think that failed god form attacks cause a person to be reverted back to the creature their ancestors used to be. So because his family has lived by the sea for as long back as he can remember, he must have ocean naga blood in his bloodline somewhere.”
Uktesh’s jaw dropped, “You mean at some point someone in his blood line mated with a giant snake man or woman?”
Talia said, “Sure. All the ancient species possess magic that could turn them human for a short time. We believe they were curious about our kind. If they were still around today you probably wouldn’t know you were talking with one until they clued you in.”
Oh, Uktesh next asked, “You’re not a giant snake woman are you?”
Talia laughed and said, “No.”
Uktesh had a lot more questions, but as he was starting to freeze he asked, “Where are your clothes?”
She nodded to the bed, “At the foot of the bed.”
Uktesh said, “Then you better get dressed because, I’m going to need those covers soon.”
She walked over to the foot of the bed and got dressed under the covers. Finally she understands what my words mean! Once she was dressed she handed him the covers, which he wrapped around himself grateful; for her lingering warmth. She sat on the ground and shuddered. Her clothes could barely be called that, as they left more skin exposed than covered. Uktesh lay down and closed his eyes, but soon she asked, “Can I please just sleep under the covers with you?”
Uktesh said, “No, that’s just begging for me to break my vows.”
She said, “I promise I won’t try anything.”
I can’t be sure I won’t, though. He knew he wouldn’t tonight, nor the next night nor the one after that, but how many nights of sleeping with a woman willing to do so much more would he be able to resist? As much as he loved Laurilli he had to assume that the answer wasn’t forever. He already had to keep Laurilli firmly in his mind to ignore the girl’s lingering smell on the covers. Soon he could hear her teeth chattering, but she didn’t ask to join him again. He sighed, opened his eyes, saw that her lips were turning blue, and said, “Fine, come in here.”
Uktesh would’ve swore she Stepped under the covers she moved so fast. She was freezing and it took a long time for her to stop shivering from cold. Talia said, “Thank you,” before he fell asleep. He woke up to find his arm around her shoulders and his man bits quite ready to take her up on her offer last night.
He lifted his arm off her, found that he also had to relieve his bladder, he pushed her shoulder and said, “Hey wake up.”
She said, “I’ve been up for a while. Something kept poking me.”
He felt himself blush and said, “Where do I go to relieve myself?”
She misunderstood him and said, “I’m still willing.”
Uktesh said, “No my bladder, where to I relieve my bladder.”
She pointed at a bucket, “There’s a bucket in the corner.”
Uktesh said, “What if I had to relieve my bowels?”
She pointed at the bucket, “There’s a bucket in the corner.”
Uktesh sighed. I miss the Isle de Tramonto. He rolled over Talia and out of the bed. As soon as his bare skin was exposed to the cold he regretted his decision to leave the warmth. You could always make it warmer too, the evil thought popped into his head. He pulled his loincloth to the side and began to relieve himself as he mentally fought with his darker side. No, I’m married, and I love Laurilli and don’t want Talia.
You might be married, but she’s probably dead. The dragon surely thought that she was, and you definitely do want her.
No I don’t! It’s the morning! This probably would have happened without her in the bed.
You can lie to her, you can even try to lie to yourself, but you and me, we both know the truth.
Damn it! Uktesh finished and readjusted the loincloth while he shook his fist at the wall. Maybe I’m attracted to her, but that doesn’t mean I have to do anything about it!
There was no response and Uktesh Stepped back to the bed to get under the warmth of the covers. He turned so that his back was to Talia’s and as he drifted to sleep his darker side thought, it doesn’t mean you don’t. Uktesh woke up to find that Talia had wrapped herself around him and was snoring into his ear. He first lifted his leg until hers slid off of it, then lifted her arm from around his shoulder, and lastly rolled slightly so that she was on her back and not on him.
He fell back asleep only to be awaken by her leaving the bed, it feels like I’ve only been asleep for a few moments. He sighed and stretched out. Finally, the bed to myself! He heard the sound of her relieving her bladder and wondered if she was going to leave to wherever she stayed normally, or if she was going to come back to the bed. When she finished she quickly got back under the covers and Uktesh scooted to the edge of the bed again, and faced the wall. When he woke up again it was to feel of her lips on his cheek, “Thank you. I’ll see you tonight.”
She was gone before he could ask, “Tonight?”
He groaned and stretched out on the bed,
“I hope you’re not too tired,
I won’t allow my training to be mired.”
Uktesh groaned and saw the snake sitting in the corner. Sitting? Standing? Crouching? Uktesh yawned and said, “Training? Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I beat your best, what more can you teach me?” Not to add both my arms are broken and in casts.
The snake whipped Uktesh with its tail,
“Of yourssself you are full,
like a ship with a leaking hull.
Failure is what you will do,
if you don’t believe what I say to be true.”
Uktesh said, “Fine just stop rhyming. I’ll train with you.” He wearily followed the snake man out onto the cold sand and said, “I just realized I don’t know your name?” Time to see if Talia was lying to me.
The snake replied,
“I have my own story,
but you may call me doctore.”
Uktesh glared and said, “Seriously? What’s your name?” The snake man raised his whip so Uktesh quickly added, “Doctore.”
The snake ignored his question and said,
“If power isss what you ssseek,
you yourssself mussst become meek.”
Uktesh felt like being snide, but instead said, “Yes, doctore.”
Doctore laughed a creepy laugh and said,
“The boy, from pain, can learn!
Now to sssee if without pain ignorancsse will return.”
Doctore waited, but when Uktesh didn’t say anything the snake man said,
“I know you know the formsss one through four,
but do you know that there are more?”
Uktesh felt his eyebrows rise in shock, “More? I know balanced, imperfect, perfect, and god. Are you telling me there are more?”
Doctore said,
“The namesss change, the ssskill remainsss the sssame.
You know one through four by far the mossst tame.”
Uktesh said excitedly, “There are more? How many?”
Doctore said,
“There are ssseven,
but beware the last may sssend you to heaven.”
Uktesh said, “There are three levels I don’t even
know about?” Uktesh sat down and said, “I’m going to need to name them real quick, obviously the last one is the god form, but what do I call after perfect?”
Doctore said,
“Five, sssix, and ssseven, true, titanic, and god.
To call them anything elssse would be odd.”
Uktesh said, “OK, but what should I call the one between perfect and true.”
Doctore said,
“Name what you know,
I would move along this show.”
Uktesh said, “Balanced, imperfect, perfect, true, titanic, and god.”
Doctore sighed loudly and said,
“The form before balancssed, what isss it called?
That isss the form that hasss you ssstalled.”
Uktesh said, “Before balanced, I guess it would be unbalanced.”
Doctore said,
“There you have them all.
Let’s begin before I fall.”
Uktesh began following the instructions Doctore gave him and he quickly formed a question. “What do you mean all the forms are the same? Please without a riddle or rhyme.”
Doctore asked,
“Can you make a sssoft third?
To not even hurt a bird?”
Uktesh thought about the riddle, “Yes!” He shouted excitedly, “I can make a perfect hit less hard.”
Doctore said,
“Third isss not perfect,
it is imperfect, correct?”
Uktesh thought about it and said, “Yeah, sorry I forgot. So what you’re saying is if I can make a third softer, I could make a second harder? If that’s true then all my skills I’ve learned can be used in any form? Then why do we have a Bull Rushes Down and a Hawk Soars?”
Doctore said,
“Sssame name, or different name,
isss the ssskill outcome the sssame?”
Uktesh thought about it and said, “Yeah, the both make you run faster. So then I could do a fourth form Cresent Moon or a second form Palm Strike?”
