CurseSealofEarth
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Tornan stood at the gates of the Arena. Mentally preparing himself to face off against the reigning Grand Champion, Agonak Gor-Malog. He thought back on all his fights from the past several weeks. Rising from the lowly ranks of Pit Dog to the new Blue Team Champion. The Battlemaster had given him some pointers on what to watch out for, but they hadn't been very helpful: "Watch out for him, don't let him get too close to you or you're finished." When Tornan had promised his father to win the championship with only his fists, as his father said only a true champion could, he HAD to b close to every fighter to win. Tornan had been confident in his speed for all his other fights, closing the distance between he and another fighter was never the difficult part. His biggest challenge in this fight was that Agronak was 1. An Orc 2. Had been reigning Grand Champion for over a decade and 3. Wore incredibly thick heavy armor. He would have to strike his face most, try to keep him disoriented.
The Announcer was bellowing out introductions at all the spectators that had come to watch. Someone had said the Emperor himself would be there, but Tornan wasn't worried about that, he was focused on the fight ahead. Tornan knew that soon it would be time to fight, he was getting jittery. He looked out at the familiar Arena where the four pillas stood in the center, covered in blood, and around the edges where the sharpened wooden spikes were. He had chosen to not wear his Blue Raiment that he had been earing since he joined the Arena, he decided he would do it with his father's reinforced leather armor, in order to keep himself quick and agile. He had always considered himself faster than the average Redguard. The Announcer reached his name after calling out all the achievements of Agronak "The Gray Prince" Gro-Malog. Tornan listened to the Announcer, making sure he said his name right. "He's fought his way all through the ranks of the Arena, you've watched and cheered his name as he silenced his foes with nothing but his fists! Let's give it up for TORNAN. . . "IRONFIST"!!
The gates flew down, so quickly that Tornan almost thought they weren't there before. He ran out of his corner as the gates flew up behind him as quickly as they had gone down. He slowed down, remembering the Battlemasters advice, he rather would see what Agronak would do. Agronak was no fool himself though, and seeing Tornan's hesitation, he stopped himself. Tornan got a good look at his equipment: A shiny, but sharp, steel blade that had an emblem of the Arena on it was in his right hand, and a Shield with the same emblem on it, clearly also made of steel, in his left hand. Tornan couldn't see any other weapons hidden anywhere, so he knew that Agronak had been anticipating a close-up battle. Agronak was wearing the Raiment of Valor, it was clearly mad of heavy armor, but it was made of a special material, it was definitely not steel.
Agronak called out to Tornan "I see you prefer to fight with your fists, that is certainly a path of great discipline. It should be though, after all it's a foolish way to fight when your opponent is using actual weapons." Tornan's anger flared at this, but quickly calmed himself. He had grown accustomed to Arena fighters trying to anger each other in order for them to make a mistake. Tornan threw back at Agronak "I guess it's better than hiding behind a shield and armor thicker than your head!" Agronak merely laughed, and then began to move towards Tornan shield first, planning on throwing him off balance. Tornan prepared for this, readying a evading stance. Agronak struck with his shield first, just as Tronan had anticipated, and he jumped back readying for his punch in the resulting opening, but Agronak was moving with his shield and went into a spin kick move, catching Tornan in the chest. Tornan fell back but quickly recovered as Agronak attempted to keep this pace to keep Tornan off balance. Agronak sliced a Tornan's legs, but Tornan stepped to his left and gave Agronak a good blow to the face. Usually Tornan would try to hit them in the side to strike the pressure points, but Agronak's armor was thick and he didn't want to injure his hands too badly. This strike only fazed Agronak slightly, he pivoted and tried to smack Tornan wih his shield again, but this time Tornan moved to the side and grabbed Agronak's leg. Agronak roared in frustration and tried to strike his sword, but Tornan had already flipped him onto his back, and climbed on top to begin attacking his head again. Tornan got only two good strikes in on Agronak's head, one to his right eye and the other to his jaw, before Agronak rolled and got Tornan off of him. Tornan was still recovering when Agronak slashed the front of his left thigh with his blade. Tornan gasped in pain but had to shrug it off, as Agronak was starting his next round of attacks.
Tornan rolled away behind one of the four pillars in the center of the Arena, using it to help himself up. Agronak was already in view and attempted to strike at Tornan's arm, but only managed to strike the pillar when Tornan ducked. Tornan went for a quick jab at Agronak's knees, and managed to land one to his left knee just on the side causing Agronak's leg to buckle. Tornan took advantage of this and tackled Agronak from the waist, Agronak losing his blade in the process. Tornan got another strike in on Agronak's right eye, realizing that it was completely closed from the attacks. With only his left eye to see out of, Agronak roared in anger and punched Tornan square in the jaw. It was a hard hit as blood started pouring out of his mouth, and that's when Tornan realized that Agronak was starting to go berserker. Tornan knew if that happened he wasn't going to be able to jus disorient Agronak. While Tornan was recovering from the punch Agronak tackled him against one of the pillars, and began to just punch Tornan's sides. Tornan knew he couldn't just sit there so he started to elbow behind Agronak's neck. Agronak howled in pain and backed off, only for Tornan to realize that he was completely in berserker rage now. Agronak ran at him and picked up his sword, so Tornan rolled to the side trying to get away from him. But Agronak quickly turned and struck only for Tornan to get sliced in the side, but not enough to really hurt him. Tornan quickly rolled to Agronak's right side and slugged Agronak's left side, staying in his blind spot as long as he could. Agronak was able to swing and get one strike across his face, just barely grazing Tornan. Tornan jumped back in order to see if it was bad. But Agronak threw his sword at Tornan, and it shattered on contact with the wall. Tornan looked at all the broken shards and picked up a small thick one. Agronak was running at Tornan, but Tornan stepped to his right and plunged the shard right into Agronak's one good eye. Agronak howled in pain and rage, and began to swing wildly around him in his blindness. Tornan quickly jabbed at his face to cause as much damage and to disorient Agronak. Tornan beat Agronak back to the other side of the arena before Agronak uppercutted him preparing to attack once more. Tornan recovered and quickly tackled Agronak but instead of him coming to the ground he heard a sickening puncturing sound. He looked up to see Agronak's head with a sharpened stick protruding from his mouth, a look of shock in his eyes.
There was a stunned silence over the crowd. You could have heard the coins dropping from the betters pockets. Then suddenly, the Arena flew into applause and shrieking. The announcer was doing his best to declare the results, but couldn't be heard over the crowd. Tornan realized he had won, he knew his father was watching now with the whole of Aetherius applauding his son's victory. Tornan tried to stand but only fell to his knees in exhaustion. The Battlemaster ran out to lift Tornan up for the crowd. Tornan had done it. He had won.
And now he was Grand Champion of Cyrodil.
The Announcer was bellowing out introductions at all the spectators that had come to watch. Someone had said the Emperor himself would be there, but Tornan wasn't worried about that, he was focused on the fight ahead. Tornan knew that soon it would be time to fight, he was getting jittery. He looked out at the familiar Arena where the four pillas stood in the center, covered in blood, and around the edges where the sharpened wooden spikes were. He had chosen to not wear his Blue Raiment that he had been earing since he joined the Arena, he decided he would do it with his father's reinforced leather armor, in order to keep himself quick and agile. He had always considered himself faster than the average Redguard. The Announcer reached his name after calling out all the achievements of Agronak "The Gray Prince" Gro-Malog. Tornan listened to the Announcer, making sure he said his name right. "He's fought his way all through the ranks of the Arena, you've watched and cheered his name as he silenced his foes with nothing but his fists! Let's give it up for TORNAN. . . "IRONFIST"!!
The gates flew down, so quickly that Tornan almost thought they weren't there before. He ran out of his corner as the gates flew up behind him as quickly as they had gone down. He slowed down, remembering the Battlemasters advice, he rather would see what Agronak would do. Agronak was no fool himself though, and seeing Tornan's hesitation, he stopped himself. Tornan got a good look at his equipment: A shiny, but sharp, steel blade that had an emblem of the Arena on it was in his right hand, and a Shield with the same emblem on it, clearly also made of steel, in his left hand. Tornan couldn't see any other weapons hidden anywhere, so he knew that Agronak had been anticipating a close-up battle. Agronak was wearing the Raiment of Valor, it was clearly mad of heavy armor, but it was made of a special material, it was definitely not steel.
Agronak called out to Tornan "I see you prefer to fight with your fists, that is certainly a path of great discipline. It should be though, after all it's a foolish way to fight when your opponent is using actual weapons." Tornan's anger flared at this, but quickly calmed himself. He had grown accustomed to Arena fighters trying to anger each other in order for them to make a mistake. Tornan threw back at Agronak "I guess it's better than hiding behind a shield and armor thicker than your head!" Agronak merely laughed, and then began to move towards Tornan shield first, planning on throwing him off balance. Tornan prepared for this, readying a evading stance. Agronak struck with his shield first, just as Tronan had anticipated, and he jumped back readying for his punch in the resulting opening, but Agronak was moving with his shield and went into a spin kick move, catching Tornan in the chest. Tornan fell back but quickly recovered as Agronak attempted to keep this pace to keep Tornan off balance. Agronak sliced a Tornan's legs, but Tornan stepped to his left and gave Agronak a good blow to the face. Usually Tornan would try to hit them in the side to strike the pressure points, but Agronak's armor was thick and he didn't want to injure his hands too badly. This strike only fazed Agronak slightly, he pivoted and tried to smack Tornan wih his shield again, but this time Tornan moved to the side and grabbed Agronak's leg. Agronak roared in frustration and tried to strike his sword, but Tornan had already flipped him onto his back, and climbed on top to begin attacking his head again. Tornan got only two good strikes in on Agronak's head, one to his right eye and the other to his jaw, before Agronak rolled and got Tornan off of him. Tornan was still recovering when Agronak slashed the front of his left thigh with his blade. Tornan gasped in pain but had to shrug it off, as Agronak was starting his next round of attacks.
Tornan rolled away behind one of the four pillars in the center of the Arena, using it to help himself up. Agronak was already in view and attempted to strike at Tornan's arm, but only managed to strike the pillar when Tornan ducked. Tornan went for a quick jab at Agronak's knees, and managed to land one to his left knee just on the side causing Agronak's leg to buckle. Tornan took advantage of this and tackled Agronak from the waist, Agronak losing his blade in the process. Tornan got another strike in on Agronak's right eye, realizing that it was completely closed from the attacks. With only his left eye to see out of, Agronak roared in anger and punched Tornan square in the jaw. It was a hard hit as blood started pouring out of his mouth, and that's when Tornan realized that Agronak was starting to go berserker. Tornan knew if that happened he wasn't going to be able to jus disorient Agronak. While Tornan was recovering from the punch Agronak tackled him against one of the pillars, and began to just punch Tornan's sides. Tornan knew he couldn't just sit there so he started to elbow behind Agronak's neck. Agronak howled in pain and backed off, only for Tornan to realize that he was completely in berserker rage now. Agronak ran at him and picked up his sword, so Tornan rolled to the side trying to get away from him. But Agronak quickly turned and struck only for Tornan to get sliced in the side, but not enough to really hurt him. Tornan quickly rolled to Agronak's right side and slugged Agronak's left side, staying in his blind spot as long as he could. Agronak was able to swing and get one strike across his face, just barely grazing Tornan. Tornan jumped back in order to see if it was bad. But Agronak threw his sword at Tornan, and it shattered on contact with the wall. Tornan looked at all the broken shards and picked up a small thick one. Agronak was running at Tornan, but Tornan stepped to his right and plunged the shard right into Agronak's one good eye. Agronak howled in pain and rage, and began to swing wildly around him in his blindness. Tornan quickly jabbed at his face to cause as much damage and to disorient Agronak. Tornan beat Agronak back to the other side of the arena before Agronak uppercutted him preparing to attack once more. Tornan recovered and quickly tackled Agronak but instead of him coming to the ground he heard a sickening puncturing sound. He looked up to see Agronak's head with a sharpened stick protruding from his mouth, a look of shock in his eyes.
There was a stunned silence over the crowd. You could have heard the coins dropping from the betters pockets. Then suddenly, the Arena flew into applause and shrieking. The announcer was doing his best to declare the results, but couldn't be heard over the crowd. Tornan realized he had won, he knew his father was watching now with the whole of Aetherius applauding his son's victory. Tornan tried to stand but only fell to his knees in exhaustion. The Battlemaster ran out to lift Tornan up for the crowd. Tornan had done it. He had won.
And now he was Grand Champion of Cyrodil.