megamania
Hero
UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 138
“THE OPENING BATTLE”
Belinda watches from the tight crowd as the trumpet players march back to the safety of their door. A man dressed in long flowing white robe hovers off a balcony that hangs about thirty feet over the playing field.. With a magically enhanced voice he begins the games.
“Welcome fellow Balicians and other viewers of the games. Welcome to the Great Balic games. Welcome to THE games of Tyr Valley.”
Belinda ignores the hype and walks along the rows of people. She has little interest in the games. Especially if this one is the best of them. The games are always bloody and violent. It is more about brute force than the brains and cunning needed to survive in the real world. Here, in the real world, was the true greatest battle.
She suspects Mania is a combatant. He fits the description of a new warrior almost perfectly. Especially about the part of not being one to bend to the slaver’s rules and fist. If Mania is anything, he is defiant.
The smell of unwashed bodies mixes with roasted ztal and silt nuts. Once the speaker finishes the crowd erupts in unison shouting and standing up. Belinda moves on to the merchant class. She hopes to find Cosa though the odds are poor.
Six gith hop onto the field. They look about in obvious fear and confusion. Crude stone spears of theirs are tossed out to them. They pick up the weapons and smell them as if to be sure they are real. A roar emits from the main gates and this roar is followed up by the roar of the crowd. The gates flare open and out rush a leaping ball of fire. Then it turns and Belinda recognizes it as a Fire Beast. A large cat-like creature made of pure fire. It stops and stares at the crowd. The fires crackle and leap from it as it sparks from a mixture of strong emotions. Fear and Loathing of the city and its people.
Belinda knows the gith do not stand a chance and moves on. The merchant crowd smells better but also are wary of her presence. They know who belongs and does not. She is a stranger. She continues on pretending to have purpose other than looking for a specific rogue skilled mage with red hair. The crowd goes crazy as the first gith charges the fire creature and is crushed and set aflame by the pouncing beast. The other gith hesitate briefly before charging the elemental beast.
“Truly a beautiful creature. I came today as much to see her as any other match. Do you feel any kindred to her my dear slave?”
Cosa hears Sirus speaking to her but the drugs make it hard for her to separate his voice and the meaning of his words from those of the roaring crowd.
“Your pet seems very quiet today brother, have you broken her already?”
“Humm- ah dear sister. What brings you to these grand games? Certainly not to chastise me or my newest convert?”
“What makes you think she is a convert?” answers a woman in white satin robes with red trim. Her black hair with red dyed tips hang out from a separate hood with a gold and silver headband.
“She survived the test of the open flame dear sister. That is why.” Smiles Sirus but with a voice filled with venom. “I will make her wife. You are invited of course.”
“To the orgy and harem of what- 10 wives now. No. No thank you dear brother. I think I will practice my psionics instead.” Her voice is filled with sarcasm.
Knowing he has psionic abilities where doesn’t he smiles. It is the usual games each time. The only time they do not fight is when at the rituals of fire. It was her that prepared the three women for the testing of the flame. She witnessed the passing and acceptance of the woman by fire. She witnessed the miracle that all clerics gain.
The ground howls as a gith gets in a powerful strike that obviously hurts the fire creature.
“Do you see- even the fire can be harmed by the material beings.”
“Betrayer!” Curses Sirus. “I should burn you here and now for that.”
“And let everyone know you are a fire worshipper? I don’t think so brother.”
“quiet” says Sirus as he calms down and looks about to see if has overheard them. The woman places her hand onto Cosa’s shoulder and quietly words a few words then removes her hand just as quickly.
“Someday dear brother- I will lead the enclave- NOT you.”
“If you were not my beloved sister, I would kill you.”
“Don’t look not, but the fire beast looks like it is about die first.”
Sirus turns to see a third gith burst into flames. He curses then looks back and she is walking away already. “Many accidents can and will happen in Balic.”
Belinda is working through a crowd of elves. Her hands touch everything of value on her person to be sure they remain there. Instead she receives a cheap feel. She ignores it knowing to slap the elf will lead to thievery of the unprotected item and a conflict with five elves. She passes to a new section and spots a strange looking sight. A dark skinned scaly creature dressed in blue robes. The robes remind her of an elven tribe she knew that ventured to Salt View once a year. The creature seemed to be accepted by the elves near her. Some in the same clothing.
“Belinda? Belinda that is you!” speaks in her mind.
She turns and spots an elf dressed in blue with wooden bead necklaces and trim.
“Curse my luck. It’s my husband.”
SEGMENT 138
“THE OPENING BATTLE”
Belinda watches from the tight crowd as the trumpet players march back to the safety of their door. A man dressed in long flowing white robe hovers off a balcony that hangs about thirty feet over the playing field.. With a magically enhanced voice he begins the games.
“Welcome fellow Balicians and other viewers of the games. Welcome to the Great Balic games. Welcome to THE games of Tyr Valley.”
Belinda ignores the hype and walks along the rows of people. She has little interest in the games. Especially if this one is the best of them. The games are always bloody and violent. It is more about brute force than the brains and cunning needed to survive in the real world. Here, in the real world, was the true greatest battle.
She suspects Mania is a combatant. He fits the description of a new warrior almost perfectly. Especially about the part of not being one to bend to the slaver’s rules and fist. If Mania is anything, he is defiant.
The smell of unwashed bodies mixes with roasted ztal and silt nuts. Once the speaker finishes the crowd erupts in unison shouting and standing up. Belinda moves on to the merchant class. She hopes to find Cosa though the odds are poor.
Six gith hop onto the field. They look about in obvious fear and confusion. Crude stone spears of theirs are tossed out to them. They pick up the weapons and smell them as if to be sure they are real. A roar emits from the main gates and this roar is followed up by the roar of the crowd. The gates flare open and out rush a leaping ball of fire. Then it turns and Belinda recognizes it as a Fire Beast. A large cat-like creature made of pure fire. It stops and stares at the crowd. The fires crackle and leap from it as it sparks from a mixture of strong emotions. Fear and Loathing of the city and its people.
Belinda knows the gith do not stand a chance and moves on. The merchant crowd smells better but also are wary of her presence. They know who belongs and does not. She is a stranger. She continues on pretending to have purpose other than looking for a specific rogue skilled mage with red hair. The crowd goes crazy as the first gith charges the fire creature and is crushed and set aflame by the pouncing beast. The other gith hesitate briefly before charging the elemental beast.
“Truly a beautiful creature. I came today as much to see her as any other match. Do you feel any kindred to her my dear slave?”
Cosa hears Sirus speaking to her but the drugs make it hard for her to separate his voice and the meaning of his words from those of the roaring crowd.
“Your pet seems very quiet today brother, have you broken her already?”
“Humm- ah dear sister. What brings you to these grand games? Certainly not to chastise me or my newest convert?”
“What makes you think she is a convert?” answers a woman in white satin robes with red trim. Her black hair with red dyed tips hang out from a separate hood with a gold and silver headband.
“She survived the test of the open flame dear sister. That is why.” Smiles Sirus but with a voice filled with venom. “I will make her wife. You are invited of course.”
“To the orgy and harem of what- 10 wives now. No. No thank you dear brother. I think I will practice my psionics instead.” Her voice is filled with sarcasm.
Knowing he has psionic abilities where doesn’t he smiles. It is the usual games each time. The only time they do not fight is when at the rituals of fire. It was her that prepared the three women for the testing of the flame. She witnessed the passing and acceptance of the woman by fire. She witnessed the miracle that all clerics gain.
The ground howls as a gith gets in a powerful strike that obviously hurts the fire creature.
“Do you see- even the fire can be harmed by the material beings.”
“Betrayer!” Curses Sirus. “I should burn you here and now for that.”
“And let everyone know you are a fire worshipper? I don’t think so brother.”
“quiet” says Sirus as he calms down and looks about to see if has overheard them. The woman places her hand onto Cosa’s shoulder and quietly words a few words then removes her hand just as quickly.
“Someday dear brother- I will lead the enclave- NOT you.”
“If you were not my beloved sister, I would kill you.”
“Don’t look not, but the fire beast looks like it is about die first.”
Sirus turns to see a third gith burst into flames. He curses then looks back and she is walking away already. “Many accidents can and will happen in Balic.”
Belinda is working through a crowd of elves. Her hands touch everything of value on her person to be sure they remain there. Instead she receives a cheap feel. She ignores it knowing to slap the elf will lead to thievery of the unprotected item and a conflict with five elves. She passes to a new section and spots a strange looking sight. A dark skinned scaly creature dressed in blue robes. The robes remind her of an elven tribe she knew that ventured to Salt View once a year. The creature seemed to be accepted by the elves near her. Some in the same clothing.
“Belinda? Belinda that is you!” speaks in her mind.
She turns and spots an elf dressed in blue with wooden bead necklaces and trim.
“Curse my luck. It’s my husband.”
