Kaylo as a Gladiator
The noonday island sun beat down on the arena floor, warming the blood from the day's first kill as it soaked into the sand. A great cheer went up from the crowd as the victorious lizardman clashed his scimitar against his buckler in salute. As two lean goblins dragged the severed parts of the dead tiger clear of the battle area, the roar of the spectators subsided into an anticipatory murmur. High above the sweaty drunken stink of the commoners, two richly attired figures reclined in the luxurious shade of a private booth. A pair of gaunt slaves undulated huge fans to create a cooling breeze for their masters. One figure was dressed in a robe of black velvet of simple yet elegant design. His face was pale, with sharp severe features and a patch over his left eye. His companion was well tanned and athletic, though clearly at home in his slightly garish court clothing. He sported a neatly trimmed goatee. Unlike his pale companion, his brow was moist with sweat. "What a show! Never have I seem a fighter with such ferocity."
"Indeed, your highness." replied the man in black, "The humanoid is an excellent combatant."
"He is more animal than that tiger! I must have him as one of my personal warriors."
"I can arrange a deal, though I don't think he will go cheaply. He is a favorite of the crowd."
"No matter. See what you can arrange."
"He is but three victories away from freedom, perhaps your majesty would like to offer him employment should he become a freeblade."
"Hmmm, yes indeed. Freeblades work cheap. They are used to slave wages, after all, so even a pittance will be enough to retain him. Arrange for me to meet him later, so I can discuss things with him. Oh, and make sure his last three opponents aren't too tough. I don't want him dead needlessly."
"As you wish"
The band located in the arena pit began to play dramatic music." Ah the next fight is about to begin. Lets see now." He picked up the pamphlet and turned to the second page. "A minotaur versus a team of three halflings. Very intriguing..." The man began to read the description of the combatant:
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Presented for the pleasure of you Lords and Ladies, we bring you only the most fierce and skilled warriors who gladly do mortal battle for your amusement. For this second glorious combat of the day, we bring you Kaylo the minotaur as the challenger against the triple blades of the Garnagle Hairfoot battle clan!
Biographies:
Kaylo the fighting minotaur: Joining us for his tenth battle, we bring you Kaylo. He was raised by murderous pirates, who found him abandoned on the shores of a lonely island. This cruel band plundered up and down this fair sea, and amongst this lot, Kaylo grew into the most fearsome and ruthless of them all! His skill with twin daggers was legendary on the high seas, and it took the brave crews of 3 royal House Kraxos Patrol ships to finally subdue him. But now, he battles not for greed of gold, but rather to delight and amuse this fair audience!
Garnagle Halflings: This deadly trio all specialize in different weapons, but they all share an incredible agility and deadly accuracy. Ballo is a master of the shortsword, Dyltos a champion of the halfling sling, and Hafner an artist with the spear (those in his little hands it looks like a pike!) but make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, what these little warriors lack in size they make up in unbridled ferocity and deadly skill.
Odds: For those of you wishing to place wagers, bets on the Garnagle clan pay 3:2, on Kaylo 2:3
The trumpet sounded and the powerful minotaur strode into the center ring. He was clad in gladiatorial studded leather and armed with three javelins at his back and two wicked looking daggers at his side. He paraded around the perimeter, arms held up and uttering fierce bellows. With the sound of the second trumpet emerged the three opponents. They wore matching chainmail, but each was girded in different color sashes, one green, one red and one blue. As the halflings took combat stances, the minotaur wasted no time in launching his attack. With a thunderous bellow he ran full ahead towards them, a dagger in either hand. The middle halfling, with the green sash and a short sword yelped and ran back, but the other two held their ground. The blue sashed warrior grimly planted his spear in the ground and set to await his foe. The halfling with the red sash and sling nimbly hopped back to a safer firing distance where he spun up his sling in preparation of launching his first missile. Kaylo continued his charge but shifted his direction toward the unyielding blue sash. He approached until he was but 10 strides away when he stopped suddenly. In one fluid motion, he pulled back his arm are hurled one of his knives into the chest of the startled halfling. The look of pain and shock on his face was quickly erased by the protrusion of Kaylo's second knife from his forehead. It was then, as the crowd roared in approval, that the first sling bullet hit Kaylo. One, two then three lead balls slammed into the minotaur's body and head, momentarily dazing him. By the time he recovered his senses, the little slinger was already launching another missile. Kaylos tried to dodge the ferocious hail, already groggy from his wounds. He sidestepped another bullet then unleashed one javelin at the nimble halfling. The missile narrowly missed, as Red nimbly dodged it. Kaylo's second javelin was more accurate, hitting Red in the shoulder. The wound was not fatal but it gave Kaylo the opening he needed. Shaking off the pain from the sling pellets, he gripped his last spear and charged at Red. Bellowing loudly, like a roll of thunder, he bore down on his foe. Red paused when he saw the attack coming, sweat and blood now wetting his clothing. The sight of the charge, combined with the pain of his new wound was too much, and he broke and ran. It was a mistake. With a mighty growl and turn of his thick arm, Kaylo hurled the last javelin into the halfling's exposed fleeing back. The force of the blow sent the now lifeless body skidding across the sand.
It was at this moment that Green found his courage. Perhaps it was a need to avenge his fallen comrades, or perhaps something else, but the swordsman was now bent on victory. With a snarl he took off towards the now weaponless minotaur. Kaylo saw his predicament, but set his feet in the sand. He howled loudly but this time Green didn't even flinch. He would not be so easily intimidated again. Their was only one chance for Kaylo's. He gritted his teeth and lowered his head and ran forward to meet the charge. The two opponents met nearly on top the fallen body of Blue. Kaylo nodded to himself in satisfaction, his timing had been right on. His smile turned to a grimace of pain as he felt the sharp steel impale itself in his thigh. With groan, he crashed face first to the ground. Green sensed an advantage and dove in for the kill. It was his mistake. With unexpected speed, Kaylo rolled away from the blow while simultaneously sweeping out with his legs. The halfling tripped and fell down. Before he could rise again, Kaylo had plucked a dagger from the chest of the dead Blue sashed body, and sat down on the prostrate Green. He held his knife to the now helpless halflings throat, then turned to the spectators. "What will it be, you filthy humans?" he bellowed. In the private booth the gaudily dressed lord rose, his hands clapping in childlike delight. "Death!" he cried, "Death! Death! Death!" The crowd echoed his words, though some seemed to grumble at the disparaging remarks made by the minotaur. Nonetheless, Kaylo obliged the lords wishes and a put a quick end to the last of the Garnagle battle clan.
As the goblins cleared away the bodies, the foppish lord sat down.
"What an impudent minotaur. If he hadn't amused me so well with his fight, I would have him put to death now."
"What shall we do with him my lord? Such humanoids must learn some... manners."
"Agreed. Tell the priests not to treat his wounds this time. I think the pain of his injuries with have him begging the human healers for mercy very soon..."
"As you wish, your majesty..."
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Back in the gladiator's compound, Kaylo limped to his cot. He shared a cell with a huge ogre named Grath, who was sitting on his bunk in apparent meditation.
"Kaylo, I hear your wounds will go untreated."
"Yes, that's what those humans think fit punishment."
"You've got to learn to watch your mouth. We know you hate humans as much as any of us, you just have to be smart enough to not show it all the time."
"Hmmmph"
Grath sighed. "I had better heal you."
"Among the minotaurs, we say 'the pain in the body is not one tenth the pain in pride.'"
"Just the same."
Kaylo grunted in pain. "Very well. I had rather receive pain from Ogre gods than human anyway. I still can't believe the humans are too dumb to realize you are a cleric of Agrar." "Typical human arrogance, they think only they are ever given divine powers." Grath produced his holy symbol and muttered some prayers. A soft green light stretched out from the symbol and closed the worst of Kaylo’s wounds. "There. May Agrar be praised."
"Praise Agrar," replied Kaylo. "Now for some sleep."