by Philip Blood
"Did he?" Gandarel asked, and that made them all pause. "Don't get me wrong, I saw his hand reach in the direction of his sword and I saw him start to move forward until he saw the gladiators at the exits. I even saw the look of hatred in his eye as he accepted the trophy and purse I so reluctantly wanted to give him. In my eyes he was guilty, but he could not be convicted on what I think he was going to do, nor by what you think he was going to do. There is no doubt in my mind that your swift actions saved my life today, but I can't arrest the bastard on what I think he might have done."
Aerin took a deep breath, then let it out and closed his eyes in an effort to reach calm. Finally, he spoke, "I understand, Gandarel."
"Good, but let me tell you what I can do." He called in his Guardsmen. "Men, the man named Phassic, that just won the tournament, may be a threat to me. I have no proof, but I want him hounded. I want to know every move he makes and every law he bends. If he sneezes I want him arrested for littering. If he drinks I want him arrested for drunkenness. Make his life hell," Gandarel commanded.
The Guardsmen Lieutenant nodded, and from the hard look in his eye, things were going to be difficult for the fake NexLord.
"And if you find one ounce of evidence of foul play I want his head on a pike," Gandarel added. "Now I must go, my friends. I need to get back and alert the council of this business. Again, I thank you."
With that Gandarel left, and his Guardsmen were around him, with their hands on weapons ready to take on any threat.
Aerin turned to Katek when Gandarel had departed, "So what are your plans now?"
The young gladiator still kept his emotions chained behind a stone mask over his face, but the pain and uncertainty bled out through his eyes. "I must find a new teacher. I must train harder and seek Taumiz's guidance."
"Taumiz?" Dono inquired.
"He is our patron Saint; he looks out for the gladiators," Katek explained simply. "He helps those who work hard, keep discipline, uphold the honor and train in the ways of the gladiator corps."
Aerin bit his lower lip; a habit he had when deep in thought. Dono noted the familiar habit and said, "What are you thinking, Aerin?"
"I know the greatest warrior alive, perhaps he could teach you."
Katek turned a steel gaze on Aerin and he had a very serious expression on his face. "Please don't take this as an insult, but that is a claim that is hard to believe."
"Yet it is true. I've seen him kill three Togroths in a heartbeat, using only a quarterstaff," Aerin explained.
"I will not call you a liar since you claim to have witnessed this yourself. Is this the man that has taught you the quarterstaff?"
"He has been a part of my instruction, yes," Aerin replied.
Katek looked apologetic, "Then either he is not such a wonderful teacher or you are not an apt pupil."
Aerin bristled, "Hey, I didn't do so badly against you!"
Katek held out his hands to forestall Aerin's outburst, "I did not mean to insult your skill! You are very good. Perhaps one of the best amateurs I have seen. But I need to be better than the man who killed Temmen," and here Katek's voice faltered for a moment.
"I understand, but do you know that I have only been learning to fight for two years?"
At this announcement Katek frowned, "That is not possible, you are too skilled."
"It's true," Dono put in, "I have been there since the start."
Katek paced around the room in thought for a moment, and then spoke: "I will see this teacher of yours and then perhaps Taumiz will guide me."
He gathered a few items and put them in a traveling pack, then picked up a bundle of leather armor that had three weapons wrapped up inside. He selected a quarterstaff and announced that he was ready to go.
"If this works out we can come back and pick up the rest of your things," Aerin noted.
"This is all I own," explained Katek, "the rest belonged to Temmen and it will all be buried with his body."
"Do you need to be here for his burial?" Aerin asked.
"No, I have already said my good-byes when I brought him in from the sands. What is left here is just clay." Still, as he said the words, Katek's eyes traveled to the bloody body of his master as if wishing could bring him back.
Aerin nodded, giving his respect to the strange boy's beliefs. After a brief moment to let Katek say any silent good-byes, Aerin and Dono followed as Katek led the way out the door. They headed out and started up a stairway that led to the gladiator's exit from the Arena.
As they walked through the city people stared at them; Katek was dressed as a gladiator though his hair was shorn off into a short nub of a ponytail. His body was still covered in Temmen's dried blood, for he had not washed before departing. Regardless of the people's stares, Katek walked with his chin set at a high angle and his gaze proud, as Temmen had taught.
They finally reached Mara's residence and entered the courtyard training area.
At Aerin's call, Mara and Tocor came out of their separate rooms and looked down from the second story to see why he was making such a ruckus.
Mara's face was unreadable, as always, but her eyes twinkled at seeing the blood coated gladiator. Aerin had been watching to see what kind of reaction she would have, and this had not been what he anticipated.
As usual, Tocor was stoic.
Aerin proceeded to explain the day’s events and introduced Katek. When he was finished Katek spoke.
"Aerin has spoken to me of a master fighter, so I have come to see if he is worthy of being my teacher," he said boldly.
Tocor raised an eyebrow at the proud speech from the blood covered youth.
Mara had not spoken at all yet since Aerin's return.
Aerin gestured to Tocor; "This is the warrior I told you about."
Tocor favored Aerin with a frown from his golden eyes, but spoke to Katek, "I could teach you, but I am not the teacher here."
Katek was puzzled, "Who then?"
Tocor pointed to Mara, and Katek's eyes took in the old woman. She leaned on a cane, and her gray and black peppered hair hung down on either side of her lined face. She met his frank appraisal without complaint or comment.
"Please accept my apologies, as I mean no disrespect, but I do not think this is the place for me," Katek said, and then leaned down to pick up his bundle from the ground.
Mara spoke for the first time. "How well did Temmen teach you that quarterstaff, boy?"
Katek paused, "I'm fair, for a gladiator."
"Tocor, step into the practice sand," Mara instructed.
Katek left his bundle on the ground and straightened to see what Mara was up to.
"All right, Katek, you wanted to see if Tocor was good enough to teach you, so here is your chance."
Katek eyed the large Quarian who stood holding a quarterstaff in his right hand. The young man stepped onto the sand with his own weapon held ready.
Mara walked closer, "I did not teach Tocor to use the quarterstaff, so that isn't a fair test of my teaching skills, but I did have a hand in his unarmed combat instruction. Tocor, I don't want you to use a weapon."
Tocor stepped to the side of the sand area and planted the dull end of the quarterstaff a foot into the ground with one hard jab. He released it and moved back into the square.
Katek looked at the ground strangely, since it hadn't looked that soft to him. He straightened from his crouch in puzzlement. "What weapon are you choosing?"
"None."
"You’re choosing to fight, bare handed, against a gladiator, even one un-blooded?"
Tocor shrugged.
Mara spoke, "Force him out of the square or to the sand and you win."
Katek looked back at Tocor, "If this is what you wish." Shaking his head, Katek moved around the square, staying out of arm's reach. Suddenly he whipped the staff around, sending one end headed for Tocor's right knee.
Tocor moved in a blur and the staff was suddenly in his hand. Katek staggered and nearly pitched out of the square.
Tocor h
anded the staff back to the young fighter. "I think you weren't ready, let's try it again."
Aerin spoke from outside the fighting square, "I warned you he was the best."
"Hush," Mara said to him from where she stood.
This time, the Quarian stepped to the exact center of the square, put his arms to his side and closed his bronze flecked eyes.
Katek circled slowly. He was dazed by the man's speed. He vowed to be more careful this time, and not flag his move ahead of time. Katek moved behind and slightly to the side, before suddenly jabbing the staff at Tocor's left kidney.
Tocor sidestepped smoothly and the staff missed. Next, Katek swung the other end around in an arc toward Tocor's head. The quarian ducked and the staff passed over him.
Katek attacked and his staff blurred into continuous motion. He delivered strike after strike in rapid sequence in an attempt to hit the sinuously mobile Tocor. Through the onslaught the Quarian moved, spun and dodged and the wooden quarterstaff never touched him.
Panting, Katek stopped his attacks and looked at the untouched Quarian waiting calmly before him. Katek stepped back and took a knee to the sand signaling his loss.
"I am ashamed at my arrogance. I had not thought such skill possible. Why is it that you are not the teacher here? I have never witnessed such skill in all my life in the company of what are accepted to be the country's finest fighters," Katek stated.
"Because Mara is the better teacher," Tocor answered simply.
Katek studied Mara for a moment. "I do not understand."
"And that is why you need a teacher," Mara explained. "I could teach you how that man murdered Temmen, and how you can withstand his power, but it would take more than teaching you skills with weaponry."
"Then I accept you as my teacher."
Mara gave him a frank stare, "But, young gladiator, what makes you think I will accept you as my student?"
"But..." Katek said in consternation. "You called me back..."
"Yes, because you thought us incapable of teaching you and I needed to prove you wrong, but you have not proved you are a worthy student. What sacrifices are you willing to make to learn to fight like Tocor? How do I know you won't quit what you have started?"
Katek seriously considered Mara's questions and looked at the Quarian who hadn't even broken a sweat from their bout. "I will give you my complete attention, dedication, and obedience. I swear on my master's grave that I will not quit, no matter what you do or make me do. If I do not understand I will learn."
"You will have to be willing to give more than that, Katek," Mara demanded.
Aerin was stunned; Mara had taught him without making him promise anything.
"Ask me, if you can teach me what I need to face Phassic, I will pay it."
"You must swear, on Temmen's memory, that you will give up the life of a gladiator if you want me to teach you," Mara decided.
Aerin was shocked. From what he had learned, the gladiators were a brotherhood that had raised Katek his whole life.
But Katek did not hesitate. "I will give up the life of a gladiator, but I will not swear to never fight in the arena again."
Mara nodded, "That will do. Tocor will show you your room and tomorrow we will begin at sunrise. You may call me Sen Mara."
"Thank you, Sen Mara," Katek replied dutifully.
"Do not thank me until you realize what you have signed up for, young man."
Chapter Eight
"Through loss, their bonds are found."
- From the Prophecies of Gold
Dono rejoined the practice sessions after two days of rest, but it took Lor three weeks to heal. When Lor arrived via the roofs and descended to the practice yard, Aerin and Katek were sparring with practice swords. At Lor's arrival, they paused and bowed to each other to signify the practice bout concluded.
Lor placed her hands on her slim hips and frowned at the presence of the new boy, Katek. "I'm gone three weeks and I'm replaced?” she asked.
Aerin actually blushed, and Lor laughed at his reaction.
“You were gone?” Gandarel snickered, “We hadn’t noticed.”
"You are the boy who was wounded by the gang," Katek stated, looking Lor over.
Lor gave him an overdone look of respect, "He states the obvious well, what else can he do?"
Katek scowled. "I can give you a set of bruises that will keep you moaning in pain instead of sassing your betters."
Lor smiled slyly, "Ooo, he's tough, come then," she enjoined him, backing into the practice sand and giving him a ‘come hither’ signal with her forefinger. Lor took the hilt of the practice sword that Aerin had left stuck into the sand and waited for Katek.
Aerin was worried about Lor; though Katek had gaps in his teachings that Mara was filling, weapons skill was not his weakness. Besides, Lor was just returning from an injury, and Aerin had further concerns because he knew she was a girl. "Lor," Aerin said in a cautioning tone of voice, "I..."
"Are you about to force me to punch you in the mouth?" Lor interrupted in a questioning tone.
Aerin stopped speaking, shrugged, and said, "No, it's your funeral."
"Or his," Lor noted as Katek raised his sword to an on-guard position.
As usual, Mara turned up at that moment as if she already knew Katek and Lor would be facing off. She leaned on her cane but did not say anything to stop the bout.
Lor made the first move, with a quick jab that was more of a feint than a real attack.
Katek stood his ground and parried economically.
Lor smiled at the obvious competence shown in Katek's parry.
Aerin sighed. He knew Lor thrived on challenge, and there was no give in her, even if she was overmatched.
There was a flurry of quick attacks and parries. The wooden swords echoed in the courtyard with the sounds of quick impacts. Then Lor stepped back out of immediate engagement range and tossed the sword from her right hand to her left.
Katek raised an eyebrow as his opponent stepped back into range.
Lor attacked and Katek stayed on the defensive, for a moment, as he sized up Lor's skill while using her left hand.
It was his undoing.
Lor was truly ambidextrous, and while Katek studied her sword skill, she dropped one of her leather juggling balls into her right hand. In a flash of speed, Lor took Katek's sword out of line to her left and launched the small sand-filled leather ball at his head with her right hand.
It completely surprised Katek, and the ball struck him squarely in the forehead. The impact startled him more than it stunned him, but Lor spun in on the ball of her right foot and swept his legs out from under him with her left leg. Katek came down hard to the sand, landing on his back, and Lor's sword smacked him at the base of his throat. The blow was just hard enough to make him choke, but not really hurt him.
Lor was back on her feet in a second, while Katek massaged his new bruise and looked at her in anger.
"You have cheated!” he declared, after getting his throat working again.
"Oh, and what rules were we using?" Lor asked in amused puzzlement.
Mara stepped forward and into Katek's view. "Katek, if that sword had been real, what would have happened?"
"He would have cut my head off!” he exclaimed, still angry.
Mara continued, "And would you have then been able to complain about the rules?”
Katek scowled.
"As I have explained," Mara said, "we practice with the simple rule not to permanently hurt each other. That is the only rule, and Lor did not break it. This is not about the Arena or about games, it is about fighting and how to win. It is about survival and beating your opponent. Lor used a switch to the left hand to hold your concentration and then used surprise from a hidden weapon to startle you. Lor finished up with hand-to-hand skills when you would have expected the use of the sword. Have you learned a lesson from this?"
Katek considered for a moment. "Yes, don't focus on the weapon, focus on the person. And just be
cause you are more skilled with a weapon than your opponent, doesn't mean you will be the victor of the fight."
"Though it doesn't hurt," Mara added. "Excellent, now I believe you owe Lor an apology."
Katek faced Lor and bowed, "I thank you for the lesson. Perhaps I can return the favor one day."
Lor laughed at the double-edged apology. "You know, Katek, if we don't kill each other; eventually I think I'm going to get to like you."
"It will be a long and bruising road," Katek agreed, "but one I believe will be worth the trip."
Lor grinned at him.
Katek picked up the leather ball that had been his downfall and tossed it to Lor, "Where did you get that from anyway?"
As the ball arrived there were suddenly six of them in the air in a swirling pattern before Lor.
"What ball?” she asked.
"Juggling leather balls," Katek said in disbelief, "what good is that?"
Dono laughed, "They helped him to kick your butt."
Katek smiled ruefully, "Point taken."
"Besides," Lor stated, "I can juggle other things as well... I've been practicing."
With that, she added a dagger to the pattern of balls. A moment later, Lor spun toward the wall targets and launched one of the leather bags in a high arc. Before it could land, she snatched the dagger out of the juggling pattern and whipped it underhanded at the target. Flying in a straight blurred line, it struck the falling leather bag and pinned it to the center of the target.
"Applause is not necessary, but appreciated," Lor noted.
Dono and Aerin actually did applaud, and even Katek joined in after a moment. Gandarel only smiled and said, "Showoff."
Mara nodded, in a businesslike manner, "Nicely done, Lor. I'm glad you like the throwing dagger I gave you. Speaking of juggling other things, I had Tocor make you a ‘coming back’ present."
The large man stepped up to Lor and handed her a black soft leather bag. When she opened it five highly polished steel balls rolled out into her palm. They were all about the size of a plum, the same as her leather juggling balls
Mara watched intently. "Do you think you can juggle those? They are a lot heavier than those sand-filled leather balls of yours."
