Bleys Icefalcon
First Post
It doesn't hurt anymore Harn thought to himself. He knew this was both good, and bad. A Mul of the Ard-Thras, one of the major Gladius Houses of Raam - he was one of the best trained fighters of Gathric's Ludus, but he was no match for the Nameless One, the massive Half Giant from distant Nibeney. Ever since the match, he'd been drifting in and out of consciousness. Broken on the outside and in, it was only his Mul heritage; being comprised of equal parts toughness and stubborness, that kept him alive.
He could still see Gathric's face - searching his own, before he rose and headed back towards the massive mellikot, which had carried him - and two others, the elf maiden Oma and a pulped human male he'd never met before. He was unable to turn his head and watch as the mellikot rode out of his field of view.
They'd been given to the desert. Too badly hurt to offset the costs of healing and rehabilitation. The Law of Raam was clear, though there were few to enforce it - when death was near, the Blood Price was to be paid. A waste of decent blood, but it was the Law. Hurt as he was he could still hear the steady breathing of Oma. Unconscious but not as badly hurt as she seemed. The human was another matter. his breathing was short, and wet. He was broken on the inside too, and with each labored breath he could hear a bit of the man's life leak out.
He tried to move for the thousandth time. He failed. His neck was very badly broken, though the pain was gone now. It maddenned him that he wanted so terribly to scratch his leg. Why would he need to scratch something he could not feel? Resigned he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but sleep would not come. Badly broken, his heritage demanded he fight. But the damage was too much. So awake and alert, he waited.
He didn't wait long. On his cheek he could feel the tremors. One of the great worms was coming, drawn by the human's blood. Years ago he's spied one from the city wall, its massive body ridges rising above the sands. And now he'd be eaten by one. At least it would be over. Again he triede to move. Again his broken body would not.
The vibrations were more intense now, he blinked his eyes at the sudden sands spraying about. Then he saw a looming shadow. This was no worm! This eyes flew wide in wonder, and terror.
This, was a Dragon!
He could still see Gathric's face - searching his own, before he rose and headed back towards the massive mellikot, which had carried him - and two others, the elf maiden Oma and a pulped human male he'd never met before. He was unable to turn his head and watch as the mellikot rode out of his field of view.
They'd been given to the desert. Too badly hurt to offset the costs of healing and rehabilitation. The Law of Raam was clear, though there were few to enforce it - when death was near, the Blood Price was to be paid. A waste of decent blood, but it was the Law. Hurt as he was he could still hear the steady breathing of Oma. Unconscious but not as badly hurt as she seemed. The human was another matter. his breathing was short, and wet. He was broken on the inside too, and with each labored breath he could hear a bit of the man's life leak out.
He tried to move for the thousandth time. He failed. His neck was very badly broken, though the pain was gone now. It maddenned him that he wanted so terribly to scratch his leg. Why would he need to scratch something he could not feel? Resigned he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but sleep would not come. Badly broken, his heritage demanded he fight. But the damage was too much. So awake and alert, he waited.
He didn't wait long. On his cheek he could feel the tremors. One of the great worms was coming, drawn by the human's blood. Years ago he's spied one from the city wall, its massive body ridges rising above the sands. And now he'd be eaten by one. At least it would be over. Again he triede to move. Again his broken body would not.
The vibrations were more intense now, he blinked his eyes at the sudden sands spraying about. Then he saw a looming shadow. This was no worm! This eyes flew wide in wonder, and terror.
This, was a Dragon!