AVARICE ONLINE: KEL'VAN RED HAND

by Titus Nettles

  Kevin automatically responded without thinking.” Uhm, Kevin.” Already regretting in his mind why he didn’t makeup something...well…something more orc sounding. Yeah. That was really dumb.

  “Kevin the Orc. “

  Meat grinder squinted his eye and looked at Kevin as if he had tasted something vile. “Youngling Kel’Van, stand here in the center of the ring to face your opponent.

  Kevin raised his hand as if he was still in grade school. “Umm…actually sir…” one-moment Meatgrinder was instructing Fer’shad where to stand, the next moment, in a blur, he was standing over Kevin with pectorals heaving in front of his nose and Meat grinder’s face staring cold and dead down upon him.

  “Are you questioning me, “Youngling Kel’Van? If so, I can make sure you wake up from the rebirth pool most directly.”

  Kevin, now feeling the orcs breath cascade off his forehead, started moving post-haste towards the center of the ring. No need to make an enemy of the person in charge of you if you could help it.

  ” Mmmmmmm,” growled Meat Grinder. Then followed the younglings to the center of the ring.

  “The two of you will fight unarmed until I declare a winner. Is this understood?”

  “Yes.” declared “Fer’shad.

  “Yeah,” repeated Kevin.

  “On my mark…. Fight!”

  Fer’shad immediately rushed Kevin, with arms wide, trying to grab the smaller Orc. Kevin ducked and sidestepped to the left, leaving Fer’shad clutching nothing but air. “This Orc was definitely bigger than me and almost as fast. But is he as agile as me?” thought Kevin.

  It almost looked like a heavyweight fighting a middleweight.

  “No time to check his stats,” thought Kevin. He warily got into his boxing stance, fist almost an arms length in front of his face, his chin facing down but his eyes looking forward and up. The orc youngling looked confused at Kevin’s stance. But then started circling him as a predator stalks his prey. Kevin kept turning, matching his direction, steadily keeping his fists in front and eyes watching his opponent move.

  The Orc was smiling at him as if the fight was not in doubt. He lunged again; Kevin shot a stiff jab to his face that stopped him in his tracks

  “Gruhh,” sounded the surprised Orc.

  Kevin could only guess why the Orc didn’t put up even a pretense of trying to protect his face. Fer’shad threw a wild haymaker, Kevin bobbed his head, threw a right cross, then two quick left jabs in succession to his face. Blood started to drip from the Orc’s right nostril. The other orcs started “ahhing and “ooohing” at the blows delivered Fer’shad face. He quickly wiped the blood away with his forearm.

  “Not laughing anymore, are we?" smiled Kevin.

  As Fer’shad began to stalk him again, he suddenly rushed at Kevin, this time pulling up short and then sweeping his feet. Anticipating another lunge, Kevin stepped right into the sweeping foot, walking right into his left leg. He tripped, falling almost into the Orc’s chest. Fer’shad raised his fists over his head and hammered them over his opponent's back, slamming Kevin down on one knee. Fer’shad then kneed him in the face while he was busy seeing stars from the first rain of blows. Kevin landed on his back, and Fer’shad quickly tried to land on top of him.

  Kevin pushed him off with both feet, sending Fer’shad backward on his heels. He then quickly rolled over and stood up, just in time to see Fer’shad rushing him again. He pumped two jabs again into his face, followed by an uppercut. Blood began to flow freely from Fer’shad visage once again. Kevin started breathing heavily from recent blows from the Orc. His adversary was big, and wasn’t a savvy enough boxer to cover himself, but he was fast and could move. Couple that with size and strength, it was only a matter of time before he would wear him down. Kevin decided to go on the offensive. He surprised Fer’shad with two right jabs, and when Fer’shad threw a right punch towards Kevin, he ducked under it. Out of routine, he threw a left punch downstairs to his gut…and met slabs of muscle. While the punch visibly hurt Fer’shad, he was close enough now to grab Kevin with both hands in a bear hug and throw Kevin into the ground face first.

  As the man was trying to quickly get up on his hands and knees, Fer’shad jumped on his back. He began wrapping his neck in vice grip within his arms, while his knee put massive pressure on his spine, pinning the smaller Orc’s body to the ground. While firming his grip, the Orc began pulling Kevin’s body further and further up, as if he was trying to break the smaller Orc in half. The smaller Orc started frantically trying to paw at the massive arm around his neck to breathe and wiggle his way from under the knee, pinning him to the ground. The vice only got tighter. Kevin began seeing black spots from both the lack of air and the pain in his back. As he began to fade out, he barely heard Meatgrinder yell.” Alright, that’s enough. Fights over…good show though, younglings.” By the time two new orcs began to walk to the center of the ring, Kevin was out cold.

  CHAPTER 3

  “Kel’Van…. Kel’Van.”

  Kevin, through bleary eyes, tried to make out where he was at. He sat up abruptly and quickly regretted it. Instant vertigo nearly made him miss the fact that he wasn’t lying on the dirt floor of the gauntlet ring. From what he could tell, he was on a bench right outside of it. Hearing a raucous of people cheering and screaming, he noticed most of the crowd was still watching another pair go at it in the ring.

  “Kel’Van, are you well enough to speak?” Should I recall the Shaman?” replied Fer’shad.

  Kevin looked at Fer’shad quizzically. “Why do you keep calling me that?” It was Fer’shad’s turn to look puzzled apparently. “Is that not what I heard our trainer say earlier? My apologies if I misspoke.”

  It’s not my...” Kevin began. Then he shook his head in frustration. ” You know what Fer’shad, it ain’t even that important.” He didn’t want to get in another fight with the guy at the moment. Besides, it sounded better than Kevin. I mean really…”Kevin the Orc wasn’t gonna put fear in anybody,” he wearily thought.

  “Shaman?” Kel’Van asked.

  Fer’shad pointed to another orc lying on the bench further down from him. A female orc was standing over an injured warrior. She wore a brown and grey garment trimmed in black. Her black hair was tied in a tight one braid that ran down her back. She was standing there, laying hands on another Orc who held his arm which appeared to hang at limp at his side. A blueish light began to pulse around her hands, and then the orcs’ arm with her eyes closed. After a few seconds, the Orc began to flex his arm and smile at the Shaman. She merely bent her body in recognition and walked towards the back of the gauntlet to get a better view.

  “She’s been here the whole time,” said Fer’shad. “It seems Ulgo Meatgrinder’s way of leveling younglings proceeds him. They always have a healer everyday posted in the camps.”

  Kel’Van’s Orcish ears twitched. “Leveling?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m almost close to level 2 now…”

  Watching Fer’shad sitting down, and eyes squinted, he looked as if he was reading an invisible sign in front of him that only he could see. Which, in effect, made Kel’Van look at his own D.S.

  “Wow.” Kevin thought. So, we can level without killing a mob?”

  Fer’shad was still staring off into space when he answered.” What is a mob?” Kevin shook his head.” What I meant to say is enemies. We can level without killing some?”

  Whatever Fer’shad was looking at, he was apparently finished with. “Hmm,” he grumbled as he stood up to give Kel’Van his attention.

  “Ulgo Meatgrinder said that for early younglings, just getting into regular training would improve our levels until 5.” By that time, we would be strong enough to hunt outside the valley. You, of course, were…well, you were sleeping when he explained that to us.”

  Fer’shad had the decency to look away when he said that bit about Kevin being asleep. Kel’Van laughed inwardly at his discomfort and decided he rather liked Fer’shad.

  “I have
no doubt our next sparring match will put us both at level 2, youngling Kel’Van.”

  “Hmmm…” Kel’Van nodded. Aching body aside, he had to admit that Meatgrinder’s way of leveling had merit. What better way to level your troops without killing them than by brutal combat where you could control the level of intensity. It’s no different from how any military trains its combatants to be sufficient when you think about it. Not to mention that he got the new skill “unarmed combat” out of it. And from what he was gathering so far, is that Orcs were a martial culture.

  “Wait a minute,” said Kel’Van. “You just said our next sparring match. How do you know it will be me you are fighting?”

  Fer’shad smiled and pated his meaty palm on Kel’Van’s shoulder. “While you were ah…sleeping, he praised your ingenuity at fighting a larger opponent and my tenacity of bringing you down. He called us a “match set” that would help improve one another weaknesses.” Fer’shad turned his head towards the gauntlet circle. “And I must agree, I think his assessment is correct, I think we can learn a great deal from each other.”

  “Oh, well.” Kel’Van thought. “Better the devil you know than the one you didn’t. When does the next match start?”

  Still observing the gauntlet, Fer’shad replied, “It would not be long now…There are only two pairs left to fight, and then we begin weapons training. We shall be the first to start since we are the most rested.”

  “Aww, crap,” replied Kel’Van.

  Fer’shad just grinned and patted the hunched over Kel’Van on his back.

  The weapons drill had the atmosphere of a small boxing match as Kel’Van and Fer’shad picked their weapons of choice. The crowd of orcs just hooting and yelling for the action to start.

  “Don’t bother agonizing over what’s the best weapon.” Ulgo Meatgrinder yelled out.” Just concentrate on the weapon that calls out to you.”

  Fer’shad looked over to Meatgrinder and then turned his head toward the massive two-handed weapons. He eyed a double-bladed ax, then at the last moment, picked up a long pole with the shape of a hammer at the top with an ax shape on the other side of it. Kel’Van sighed inwardly to himself. Usually, in group functions, he would play either a Mage or a tank role. In Avarice, though, he was a solo player, and he almost always picked a one-handed blade so that he could use magic in the other hand. He immediately chose the wooded version of a one-handed sword…. right before Fer’shad chose his weapon. Which made his choice seem all the while terrible; considering the other Orc’s size, height, and strength advantage, he now had all the reach as well.

  “Alright then,” was all Kel’Van could say when Meatgrinder said, “Begin!”

  Just as before, Fer’shad circled Kel’Van looking for an opening. He swung the blunted side of the weapon in an overhand swipe and barely missed his target, who had dodged left and rolled from the ground back into his original position. Kel’Van tried to feint right, but Fer’shad blocked the way with both hands on the long bar of his weapon. Fer’shad swung his two-hander from the left, and Kel’Van barely was able to jump back in time to avoid the blow.

  “This is not going to be easy," thought Kel’Van, who was holding both hands on his blade, circling in conjunction with Fer’shad. The other orc had the size and reach advantage. Not to mention, he was almost as fast and agile as he was. The only way to get inside was to try to dodge and get close enough to hurt him. Which Fer’shad was making very difficult with his blocking and agility. Kel’Van had to admit grudgingly that Fer’shad’s choice of weapon while needing more skill, was perfect for his natural abilities. The only thing he had going for him was that as a PVP guy (player vs player) he had experience using a similar blade for over 3 years.

  Ulgo Meatgrinder started spurring Fer’shad on….” Hey, what’s taking you so long? Smash the bug already, hahaha!”

  The crowd started echoing the trainer’s sentiment and egging on the more massive orc, which only seemed to anger him and put a scowl on his face. Kel’Van began to see opportunity rear its head. Fer’shad rushed Kel’Van swinging his weapon across like a baseball bat directly at his ribs. Kel’Van jumped back, the hammer missing him by inches. Then Kel’Van swiped his wooden sword, slicing at the larger Orc’s arm as it swung by.

  ” Arrgh,” Fer’shad cried out.

  The crowd went crazy with cheers and shouting…” Get Him Kel’Van!” could be heard across the crowd.

  “No matter where you are, people always root for the underdog, huh?”

  Right now, though, he was more interested in walking out of this in one piece. His sword was blunted wood, so it didn’t draw blood, but a nasty purple welt was beginning to form on Fer’shad’s forearm. Kel’Van wrapped both his hands on the hilt of his sword and jumped back to create some space. Again, Fer’shad rushed him, except he led with a quick jab with the head of his hammer. Kel’Van quickly jumped to his left, but once the hammer end jabbed past his body, Fer’shad quickly reversed the hammer side of the weapon to its bladed half and pulled backward, catching his opponent’s body and swinging him sideways to the ground.

  “WHOAH,” the crowd roared, excited to see the unexpected move by Fer’shad. Kel’Van tried to recover quickly, although that blow almost knocked him senseless. He was just about to try to get more space between them when his opponent tried to land another bat like swing to his face. The blow was coming too fast, so he tried to deflect what he could from the impact by raising his sword to his side.

  “BOOM!”

  The sound from the blow carried to the crowd watching with anticipation as Kel’Van tumbled and rolled on the ground. He groggily got on one knee, tried to get up with his left hand, using the sword to lean on.

  Ulgo Meatgrinder stood up, preparing to declare Fer’shad the winner after the next blow. Fer’shad was raising his weapon above his head.

  “It was a good fight, Kel’Van…but I think I send you to sleep now," smiled Fer’shad. The crowd clapped in anticipation of the final blow. As the hammer end of his weapon began to descend upon his opponent, Kel’Van raised his arm. With his right-hand glowing blood red, Fer’shad heard his opponent whisper one word.

  “BURN.”

  A torrent stream of flame seemed to jet from Kelvin’s red hand. It hit the blunted hammer dead on, causing a fierce heat to blaze across the stunned orc’s face. Fer’shad instinctively covered his face and stepped back. The heat had only lasted 3 seconds. But when he looked at his weapon, the hammer portion was gone, leaving only a smoking, slightly burning, long stick held high over his head.

  The crowd was so quiet, they could hear a pin drop. Kel’Van pushed himself up with his sword and cast heal, then his palm went bluish-white as he touched his body. He now stood hale and ready, as if he was just about to start a battle.

  “I don't think so, Fer’shad. I’m not quite tired yet.”

  The crowd roared at the spectacle. Feet stomping and cheering exploded from Kel’Van’s display of magic.

  “Enough!” yelled Ulgo Meatgrinder.” This round is over. Kel’Van, this is a training exercise for weapon usage, not a shaman’s contest. Go to the side and wait your turn to battle Fer’shad once more.”

  As Ulgo Meatgrinder walked toward the two combatants, he looked at Fer’shad, who was still holding his weapon's smoking remains over his head.

  “Give me that youngling. You look silly holding that thing. Go sit with your partner and wait your turn.” He gruffed. Then with the destroyed weapon in tow, he walked away from the two combatants.

  As Ulgo Meatgrinder went back to his seat, he whispered to one of the assistants that were with him to take over the training. He had a person to see about what had just transpired on his gauntlet ring.

  Before Meatgrinder could leave, the orc assistant asked, “What shall I tell the trainees when they ask about me to explain about Kel’Van’s powers?”

  The Ulgo quietly said. “They are younglings for a reason. They don’t understand what just happened out there was an impossi
bility. Tell them he is apparently a shaman adept, of which as far we know, isn’t lying anyway.”

  “Then where was his elemental Ulgo Meatgrinder? How can this be possible?” the orc asked.

  Clearly, he was as disturbed by this as much as Meatgrinder was. The elder orc looked at the smoking stick in his hand and shook his head. “That’s what I aim to find out, orc.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Ulgo Stonefist was deep in thought. In the halls of war where he held court with his Generals, the problem of defending and expanding their territory was taking place. The Holmgren or the deep Orcs of Holmgrin caverns was barely beaten back by the patrols only a few leagues away from the southern border of their valley home. To the North and Outer western parts stood the wilderness where monsters and the unknown dwelled. They haven’t of yet put out more exploration to reign in the land because of the Deep orcs at their backs. Once they found a way to quell that danger, they could concentrate on claiming that open land of resources again.

  “It may well be that we need a larger force before we even attempt to attack the cave at all,” said Shaman Earth speaker.

  He was not as tall as the other two orcs. He was dressed in a light brown and untethered tunic that loosely covered his bulging muscular frame. He wore his white hair loose that covered his neck and top of his torso. In his hand, he held a staff with a shimmering rock that rotated around the top like a moon orbiting a planet.

  “Hopefully, the new recruits from the rebirth pool can assist with that in the coming months,” replied Stonefist. “As of now, trying to do anything outside of maintaining our current strength within the valley would be foolhardy indeed.”

  Shaman earth speaker silently nodded his head in agreement. Their valley was well protected and strong. Yet to ignore the Holmgrin Cave for long would only lead to problems later. Ulgo Stonefist scratched his beard as he noticed Ulgo Meatgrinder standing in the doorway, waiting to be acknowledged before entering.