by Philip Blood
Quarterstaff in hand, Temmen faced the giant of a man before him. The challenger was dressed much as Aerin had first seen him on that fateful day in the forest. The handle of a Great Sword projected above his muscular shoulder. He wore straps of leather over an otherwise bare chest. Leather fighting trunks came to his mid thigh and sandals that had leather thongs winding up to the base of his knees were on his feet.
Two rows of golden chains were tattooed around his wrists and his head had short bristling hair, almost flat on top. He smiled a white-toothed grin at his adversary. His skin was not as tanned as Aerin remembered as if he had spent more time indoors since that summer when he’d led the Togs that murdered Aerin’s parents. But the same snarl adorned his face, though this time it seemed almost insulting. His deep-set dark eyes were glued to Temmon’s face as the combatants faced each other.
Temmen was dressed as a gladiator, wearing a leather vest, a round metal helm that covered the top of his head and projected down along the jaw line, but left his ears and face free. He wore a segmented leather skirt and sandals. Leather wrist guards protected his forearms nearly to the elbows.
“What is a NexLord doing battling in the Arena?” Katek said, more to himself than to his guests. Aerin chose to answer.
“He’s not a Nexlord. I fear this man brings evil with him, and I would warn Temmen to beware if I could.”
Katek glanced at Aerin, “Fear not for Temmen, he is the greatest gladiator in the land.”
"So I've been told," Aerin answered, glancing at the bright-eyed Dono next to him.
Temmen planted the quarterstaff in the sand and stepped forward while extending his hand for a warrior’s clasp of respect, prior to the beginning of the bout.
The grinning challenger slapped his hand with his own, disdaining to clasp hands.
Temmen’s jaw tightened and the crowd booed.
“This Phassic is a coward; he does not even respect his opponent!” Katek growled.
“Is that the man’s name, or a title?” Dono asked.
“That is his misbegotten name. Now hush, the bout is about to begin and I must concentrate. Temmen will expect an accounting of every move from me afterward. When this is done you two must quickly depart before Temmen returns, understood?”
“Yes,” Dono agreed for both of them.
Out on the sand, Temmen stepped back and grasped the waiting quarterstaff, without ever taking his eyes from his opponent.
Phassic reached slowly above his shoulder with his right hand and grasped the hilt of the Great Sword. He pulled it out slowly, and then extended it point first toward Temmen.
“He tries to impress Temmen, but that won’t do him any good,” Katek whispered.
Temmen frowned and glanced around the Arena, like a caged animal looking for an escape, before he pulled his eyes back to his opponent.
Aerin glanced at Katek and saw a look of puzzlement on the young gladiator.
Phassic suddenly swept the sword back and up, while he stepped forward. The Great Sword swept down in a cross-body cut that attempted to cleave Temmen from shoulder to hip.
Temmen leaped back and swung his staff to knock the extended sword to the side.
Phassic actually laughed, while he advanced and swung the sword through another arc designed to decapitate his adversary.
“What is this?” Katek muttered, his frown deepening.
Temmen’s body suddenly shook, and his quarterstaff met the sword in a solid block that caused the heavy blade to half sever the staff three feet from one end. The blow tore the staff from Temmen’s hands and he dropped to his knees in the sand.
The crowd roared so loudly that Aerin nearly took a step back from the physical wave of sound.
Phassic’s blade ripped free of the staff and he pulled it back for a backhand slash.
Just as the blade barely started to move, Temmen’s hand started to rise with his fingers spread.
The blade came down inexorably and cut down through Temmen’s shoulder, through the leather armor and all the way to his waist. Phassic's strong muscles stood out in stark relief, as he put all of his strength into the strike of the heavy blade. Blood sprayed out of the terrible wound, and a gasp of utter horror burst from the crowd.
Katek started forward, but then stopped, as if an invisible hand had grabbed him, and an unintelligible sound came from deep in his body.
A split second later the crowd roared as thousands of questioning and yelling voices sounded across the Arena.
Aerin felt the wave of horror, blood lust, and confusion, all at once, from the thousands of spectators who witnessed that killing blow.
Phassic stepped back and sheathed his bloody Great Sword over his shoulder. Then he raised his arms for applause while turning in a slow circle. Blood from Temmen’s body was splashed across his bare chest and his mouth was wide open as he yelled at the top of his lungs. Aerin couldn’t hear what he was yelling over the noise of the crowd.
Temmen collapsed to his side in the sand, like a tree toppling after its base has been cut while Phassic paraded around the sands to accept his due. Screams, boos, and even a few scattered cheers bombarded his ears, but he accepted it all as if bathing in adoration.
Katek wiped his arm across his eyes swiftly to remove the tears, and then stepped out onto the sand. He walked to the body of his teacher, a man who had been a father to him most of his life. The young man reached him and confirmed his worst fear; his master was dead. Katek reached down and pulled the arm of his teacher up over his shoulder, and then staggering slightly under the weight, he lifted him in a shoulder carry. Even though Katek wasn’t his full height yet, he would let no other man take his teacher from the battle sands that had been his life. Temmen’s blood ran down Katek’s bare chest, back and legs. The crowd hushed as the apprentice carried the massive, battle-scarred hero of the people from the Arena floor.
Katek staggered a little as he neared the opening, but when Aerin started forward, Katek gasped, “No!”
Aerin held his place and Katek finished his walk on his own. As he neared the door the crowd began to clap in unison, a slow rhythmic sound that echoed around the Arena. It was a tribute to the man they had watched as their champion for years of tournaments.
Katek placed his fallen master on the table and then collapsed to his knees, his lungs panting from the effort.
Aerin saw the lost empty look in the recently proud Katek, and it touched a nerve in his own soul. He walked over and picked out a quarterstaff from a rack, and then turned for the opening out into the sands.
Katek, covered in his master’s blood, stepped in his way.
“What gives you the right to redeem Temmen’s honor?” he asked, his face in pain, but resolute.
Aerin’s face was no less determined. “I have every right to my own honor; that man murdered my parents, and I’m going to kill him.”
That gave Katek pause and his face softened. “I apologize, you have a claim to him as well, forgive me. However, know this, Temmen taught me many things, and one of them is this, you choose your battles and you don’t fight to lose.”
“I can kill him,” Aerin stated.
Katek raised an eyebrow, “Can you? Yesterday when we fought I noted that you were very good with that weapon, but I was better. Do you know that never in my life have I beaten Temmen in a single bout? Yet the man you would challenge killed the greatest gladiator in the land.”
Aerin was angry, “Would you let him get away? When he killed my parents I could do nothing, but now it is different, and I won’t let him escape again.”
“So instead you will go out and die on the sand? How does that avenge your parents? Listen to me, this is not the time, but a time will come. When you are ready, or I am; then one of us will kill that bastard. Make no mistake, I intend to be ready before you are, but I’ll give you a chance.”
With that statement, Katek reached to his belt and pulled out a dagger. He pulled his waist long braid of brown hair out with one hand
and reached back to cut if off near the base. With one quick yank of the sharp dagger, it was severed.
Katek walked to Temmen’s body and placed the braided hair on his bloody chest. “I swear by my master’s death, when my hair has reached this length again, I will find this man and he will hear my challenge. Until that day, I will train until I am ready to reclaim my master’s honor on the sands of the Arena, or wherever I must go.”
Aerin closed his eyes and regained his will; the blood lust of the crowd had nearly overwhelmed him. He knew Katek’s words were true; he could not take Phassic, not yet. But he swore to himself that he would be ready before Katek, and then let the fake NexLord just try to hide!
“I will listen to the wisdom of Temmen and choose my battle when I am ready,” Aerin said to Katek.
The young gladiator nodded with his face set in stone.
Dono had watched this entire exchange with wide eyes, but now he looked onto the sand. “Phassic is calling for the Warlord.”
“What!” Aerin exclaimed.
“It’s traditional, the Warlord hands the winner of the Tournament their trophy and reward on the sands in front of the crowd,” Dono explained, “Since there is no Warlord, the heir will present it, and that means Gandarel.”
Aerin dashed toward the entrance into the Arena. “That’s it; this is why he is here. He’s out to kill Gandarel!” It all fit together, Aerin was positive at last.
"Wait!" Katek yelled and Aerin froze on the first step, looking back at the young gladiator expectantly. "What do you intend?"
"I... I don't know, but I have to warn Gandarel," Aerin explained.
"Your warning could trigger the attack if you just blurt it out. Is there another way?" Katek asked.
"Well we don't have much time, the officials are lining up in the Arena, and I believe Gandarel will come out at any moment,” Dono stated while watching the unfolding scene.
"Does this Gandarel know you?" Katek asked.
"Yes, he is our friend," Aerin explained.
"You can come onto the sands acting as my attendants when I go forth as Temmen's second. We will get close and then you must signal your friend in some way."
Aerin considered for a moment, "All right, but hurry."
"One moment, we have time," Katek stated, and then quickly left the room for a moment. When he returned Katek picked up a quarterstaff and then went to the exit into the Arena. He quickly had Aerin and Dono strip off their tunics and go with bare chest and on bare feet. He arranged them each a pace behind him, to his left and right.
"There, not gladiators, but at least you can play the part of attendants. Keep your emotions in check! The power of the crowd will be coursing through the sands; do not let it sweep you in."
Dono nodded and Aerin swallowed hard. He had just realized that he would be going out before all the spectators.
Katek waited a moment longer until both boys had control of themselves before he nodded and stepped out into the sunlight. There was a smattering of applause for the bloodstained boy that was Temmen's second. The other two boys stepped out and felt the gaze of the crowd on their backs. Katek set a slow and measured pace across the sands, nearly driving Aerin crazy.
The victor of the tournament didn't even bother to look at them.
The judges of the tournament formed two rows of five men, leaving a path down the center where Gandarel now approached. His Guardsmen split up and waited by the entrance, leaving Gandarel to walk before the crowd alone. In his left hand he held the gladiator statue that was the trophy of the tournament, and in his right was the purse of gold crowns that was the prize. Even Gandarel was not used to being before so many people at one time, so he didn't even notice the two attendants standing a pace back from Temmen's second. There would be a smaller purse presented to the loser and Katek would accept as his second.
As Gandarel reached mid-way along the path between the judges, his gaze finally took in the three smaller boys standing by the giant that had so cruelly felled Temmen. Gandarel had heard the judges discussing the last blow; Temmen had been signaling his acceptance of defeat when his opponent had struck him down. The signal and blow had been close enough that the judges couldn't call it a foul blow, but they were not happy with the death he brought on, seemingly on purpose.
Just then, one of the boys to Katek's left moved out a little and Gandarel's eyes took in his face, he nearly stumbled when he recognized Aerin. His being here made no sense at all.
Aerin was a pace behind Katek and so stood slightly behind Phassic as well. At Gandarel's look of recognition, Aerin raised his left palm and traced a triangle on it with his right hand's forefinger then dotted the center. Gandarel remembered that symbol well from when the dead Guardsman had traced it in his own blood. Aerin then pointed at Phassic.
Recognition flooded Gandarel's mind, as he remembered seeing this man's face, and he realized this was the man that murdered Aerin's parents.
Suddenly the handle of the Great Sword projecting over the shoulder of Phassic loomed largely, and Gandarel pictured the blow that had shorn Temmen from shoulder to hip. He paused in his advance.
Gandarel's Guardsmen noted his sudden change in motion and came to more attention. Someone else noted it as well, and Gandarel saw Phassic's hand drift slightly upwards toward the hilt of the Great Sword. The man's grin had vanished and Gandarel could see him assessing the Guardsmen's distance.
At that moment, all around them, Gladiators stepped out from each of the entrances onto the Arena sand, they covered every exit. Phassic's slight movement forward toward Gandarel halted as he took in all the escape routes covered by battle-hardened gladiators.
His hand ceased its move toward the hilt and he settled back onto his heels.
Gandarel made a slight hand gesture and his Guardsmen came forward to flank their charge. Only when they were in position beside him did he move forward again. The crowd muttered, but they were more interested in the strange occurrence of the gladiators surrounding the sands, than in Gandarel's Guardsmen. Most attributed the Guardsman’s move to protect their charge to the arrival of the gladiators and not to anything Phassic had done.
Phassic's eyes darted from Guardsmen to gladiators as Gandarel presented him with the trophy and the purse, but he made no moves.
Aerin stood waiting for this to be over. His most hated enemy in life stood a mere three paces to his left, wearing the Great Sword that had killed Temmen.
The air seemed suddenly thick, and a low and rough voice whispered to Aerin. It seemed to float in on the breeze and Aerin couldn't tell where it was coming from. "I see you, boy, and I remember you. Come to me, Aerin, let me live within you. Your fear is already a part of me."
Aerin started to shake from the horridness of the voice, but no one else seemed to hear it. He looked toward Phassic's back, but the large man was still facing forward. Suddenly Phassic's bald head seemed to twist unnaturally all the way around, his grinning visage turning suddenly into Aerin's father's worm-eaten face.
Aerin gasped and looked toward Gandarel and then back at Phassic, but the man's head was suddenly back to normal and no one seemed upset except Aerin.
After the presentation to the winner, Gandarel stepped to Katek and presented a smaller purse, along with heartfelt condolences for the loss of such a great gladiator.
Katek accepted the purse and nodded, but he said nothing.
Gandarel then left the sands. Phassic and Katek headed for their exits, with Aerin and Dono following Katek as before.
As soon as they were back in the chamber with Temmen's body, Dono exclaimed to Katek, "So that is what you were doing when you left, calling out the other gladiators!"
Aerin ignored their talk; he was trying to shake off the fear and the strange images he had witnessed.
Katek nodded, "We are a brotherhood."
The door flew open and four Guardsmen streamed in, followed thereafter by Gandarel.
"What, in Gedin's bad dreams, are you two doing?" Ganda
rel demanded.
Dono's mouth opened, but he didn't have a thing to say.
Aerin brought himself back to reality and answered, "We came to see the Gladiator tournament."
"But..." Gandarel added.
Aerin glanced at the Guardsmen, "It's a long and complicated story."
"I see. Guardsmen, leave me, two of you wait outside the door, and two at the entrance from the Arena," Gandarel commanded.
When his men were out of easy earshot Gandarel stepped up to a startled Aerin and stuck out his arm to accept a swordsman's handshake. Aerin took it in confusion.
Gandarel spoke, "It seems that I owe you my life once again, my friend. Though I wish you would stop having reasons to save it. You are my closest friends and I thank you from my heart." Gandarel shook Dono's hand as well. "However," he continued, "how in the world do you keep getting yourselves into the thick of things!"
Aerin explained how things had transpired. When he mentioned Katek's part, Gandarel took the time to thank the young gladiator as well.
"So," Aerin added at the end of his account, "have you arrested Phassic?"
Gandarel averted his eyes and his voice held a lot of pain for his friend, "Aerin, I'm so sorry I have to say this to you, but I cannot."
Aerin started to speak, but Gandarel interrupted him. "Let me finish. I am the heir to the Seat of Stone, but as my teachers keep telling me, that does not make me a god. I am as bound by rules as the next man, actually, far more so. I cannot treat anyone, and I do mean anyone, outside of the laws or they mean nothing. In this case, I only have you as a witness to this man's guilt. It is literally his word against yours. Now I know that you are telling the truth and I believe you beyond any shadow of a doubt, but that isn't good enough. The law says he must have a fair trial and by the rules of the land, he could not be found guilty by your testimony alone."
Dono broke in, "But he just tried to kill you!"
