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Message: <blockquote data-quote="seasong" data-source="post: 505904" data-attributes="member: 5137">Slavery, pt IIIAthan talked a good talk, but when the chips came down, he was as angry as anyone else. The day had started as most slave days did, until he saw a young boy in the beating circle.The orc doing it was Gach, who had captured Athan so many months ago. Athan had since learned to avoid him, as he seemed to feel that the shaman's debt was also Athan's debt, and lorded it over him where ever possible. Gach was very formality driven, and prone to feeling insulted.Today, apparently, Gach intended to arrange to take a beating for the boy's accidental death, because he seemed to be trying to get the boy around the circle by the head.Athan remained calm enough to remember the orc words he wanted to say, but not calm enough to not say them."YOU! ME! NOW!"To Theralese ears, it sounds somewhat like grunting (Ur, Meh, Haa). To orcs, it was a throw down as old as time, the opening words to a duel.There was silence.Athan was called Uthehn (a 'chewing bull') among the orcs, and was generally not considered much of a threat, despite his strength. He seemed too simple minded, too pretty. But deep in the brains of the nearby orcs were faint memories of a different Athan, one that had hurled death over the tops of shields, and killed more orcs than Gach's entire warband.To Gach, however, Athan was already beaten. He laughed, and stopped kicking the slave to face Athan. "You? Me? Now? Your accent is appalling. If you are twice as good at fighting as you are at speaking, I would be laughed at for bothering.""I thought you prefer fights easy," Athan managed, pointing at the crumpled slave. Orcs around Gach laughed at that one, but Gach did not find it particularly humorous."Very well, slave, I who gifted you to the shaman will now..."He was interrupted by the arrival of Olgah, who looked furious."What goes on here!? Uthehn, why are you challenging the one who gave you to me!? Are you that daft?"Athan, forcefully, "I owe him nothing. If he kept me, he already dead."More orcs had gathered, and a number of them cheered the two on. Olgah simply glared at them, yelling, "You wouldn't be laughing if it was your that!" and was greeted with laughter.Common sense, meanwhile, seemed to have found Athan, if a bit late. He realized that the orcs were taking his challenge seriously - it had not occurred to him that the orcs would respect his challenge. This penetrated, primarily, because Gach had begun selecting a large knife about the length of Athan's forearm, and some of the orcs were drawing a circle on the mountainside with yellow pigments.The circle was fifteen feet in diameter, just enough space to maneuver in. Gach stepped to the edge, tested his knife one last time, and stepped in. Athan considered, and, in a final rush of youthful testosterone, stepped into the circle.Orcs began pounding their chests, making a soft imitation of the war drum thump. Gach cut a circle in the air, waiting for Athan to get a bit closer. Athan waited, hands out and ready, but did not immediately approach.A moment. Two. Three.Athan rushed in, and was stabbed deep in the forearm for his trouble. The blade sliced in, out, and was already arcing back for another cut when Athan slammed into the orc. Both went down, Gach landing on his back, and reversing his knife grip to stab inward.Athan had no such option. He arranged himself to minimize where he could be stabbed, sank his teeth into the orc's neck and BIT.Blood sprayed as Gach stabbed Athan in the shoulders and arm, and tried to roll him off. But the stabs became more feeble, and Athan continued to stay on top. Gach finally managed to knee Athan in the groin, but Athan knew what would happen if he let go. He kept his head at Gach's neck, trying to tear out the enemy's life.Athan won.And then he fainted from blood loss and shock.The others were not allowed near him, particularly Merideth. He would heal or die on his own. In the end, he lived, but without her healing, he had a three point scar on his right shoulder, to match the birthmark on his left.</blockquote>

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