Colosseum Fighting

Just after having a nice lunch, Team Fairy Castle set off for their quest. As they were setting off, Sam and Freya saw them off.

Sam looked at Mark, “You'd best not get incapacitated again.” Sam hugged Mark and whispered, “Also… try to find out from Allie if there is any way the two of us can do stuff tonight.”

Freya bowed, “Safe travels, heroes of Cassandra.”

As the group left, Freya turned to Sam, “Would you like me to show you to the colosseum?”

“I could use the company.” As the two walked through the city, Sam asked, “Why were you giving Mark a **** glare for the past hour?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to slap him without breaking any rules.”

That angered Sam, “Freya, don’t you dare fucking touch Mark. He’s MINE!”

“Right, you added him to your hoard. Frankly, I still feel justified considering what he did.”

“What did Mark do?”

“It was Mary, so I can’t tell you.”

“I see…” Sam glared at Freya, “I don’t care, honestly. You touch him, and I’ll take ****.”

“I don’t think I could anyway.”

The two continued making small talk until they got to the colosseum. “Here you are. Good luck.” Freya walked off back towards the palace.

Sam entered and found a bored-looking Petra behind a registration desk. “Tickets are one gold, silver, or copper, depending on the section.” Petra looked Sam up and down, seemingly without a care in the world. “Oh, are you here to compete?” Petra continued to drone on, “Fine… Fill out this form. I have to tell you: The colosseum holds no liability for any injury you may sustain. If you drop below ten percent of your HP, the match will be called. If you are incapacitated, the match will be called. You are to limit incapacitation to the maximum degree you can. Should you be knocked out of the arena, the match will be called.” Sam listened as she filled out the form. When she returned it to Petra, Petra read it over. “Let’s see, Lady Irving, Hero of Cassandra, Guardian Dragon Knight, species dragon, never fought in the arena before… okay, everything seems to be in order, go over there, newbie.”

“It’s Samantha Irving, not Lady.”

“Yes, Lady Irving, I’ll make sure it is corrected.” Petra put the form in a stack of papers and didn’t seem bothered by Sam’s annoyance.

Sam took a deep breath and was about to go where Petra had indicated, but instead asked. “Hey Petra, are you doing okay?”

Petra looked up at Sam wearily. “Not really, no. I can’t even get drunk right now either.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not particularly.” Petra saw Sam’s concerned look and sighed, “After Hilde got added to the harem… well, I got wasted. I broke down when I realized it could have been me instead.”

“Why? I mean, even if you aren’t into Mark…”

“It isn’t about Mark, Sam…” Petra looked into her eyes with a dead-eyed expression.

Sam recognized that expression as she had seen it in the mirror too often. “Oh.” Sam put a hand on the table near Petra’s hand, but did not touch it. “If you need to talk, I’ll listen.”

“Thanks, Sam. Maybe someday. Not today.” Petra hesitantly placed her hand on top of Sam’s. “Good luck.” Petra then gestured towards the area Sam needed to go to.

Sam gave Petra a reassuring smile and headed over to the fighter’s waiting area. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Petra take the form off the top of the stack and edit a portion on it.

Sam was **** to wait half an hour before the tournament started. Apparently, there were currently enough people for her to go for seven rounds of single elimination. The organizing ASTRID mentioned that some individuals, like Sam, were seeded higher. If she won all seven of her rounds, she would be invited back later if she wished to compete further. Sam went to watch the initial matches before her first round, but quickly grew bored and understood why she had been seeded. Some of the ‘contestants’ were just everyday people hoping for a shot at some glory. She saw people with ordinary hammers, kitchen knives, and even one gal with a pitchfork. Many were unarmed or had wooden weapons. After another hour, Sam finally got called up for her first match.

Sam heard an announcer come out of some crystals around the colosseum, “Ladies and gentlemen, for our fourth match this round, we have a special treat.” It took Sam a moment to place it, but this was Smug as a guy. “We all know how terrifying dragons can be, but fear not, this dragon is a HERO OF CASSANDRA!” The crowd erupted into cheers. “That’s right, please welcome the fierce, the beautiful, the delectable, SAMANTHA IRVING!” Sam walked out into the arena to cheers and walked up the steps to the square fighting area. “I feel so sorry for the poor sap that has to challenge her in her first bout. Please welcome Jeff. That’s it? Jeff, no last name? Well, good luck, Nolastname! You will need it.”

A man walked out onto the stage with a wooden shield and a real sword. Jeff looked like a fairly average guy and bowed to Sam. “Lady Irving, it is an honor to be able to fight you. I do not expect victory over you, but I will not run from this fight.”

Hmm… he sort of reminds me of Mark before he got ripped. “Jeff, you remind me of a guy I know. I’d rather not have to muss up your face. Sorry, but I’m going to use you to practice something a bit.”

Jeff raised his shield, “Lady Irving, if I can help a Hero of Cassandra even a little bit, I’d be pleased.”

Smug came over the loud crystals, “3! 2! 1! FIGHT!”

Sam unleashed her dragon aura, trying to make a targeted strike against Jeff. Hmm… fuck it, I want to make getting control of my dragon aura my goal. Sam immediately felt the goal settle in place, and it got added to her active compulsion list. Jeff’s knees were quivering in fear, but Sam had to give it to him; he hadn’t run from the arena. She didn’t move, just refining her aura control, keeping him paralyzed with fear. A minute later, Jeff collapsed into unconsciousness.

“WHAT IS THIS!? After a bit less than two minutes of both combatants simply standing still, Jeff has been rendered ****. “SAMANTHA IS THE WINNER!”

__

Thanks, Jeff, or Astrid, if that’s actually you. Still not good enough control to really use it with the rest of the team around, though. I would likely hit some of them. Sam strode back to the waiting area. Apparently, she wasn’t allowed to watch the bouts of others at this point. An annoyingly long time later, Sam was called out for her next bout, which she was both disappointed with the result and happy with the practice time. The second opponent, at least, was capable of moving while she used her aura, but it was laughable to Sam how slow her opponent moved. She was pleased with her rapid improvement in her aura control. She had gotten it to form a narrow cone in front of her, one she thought she might be able to use without hitting Allie.

For her third bout, she walked out to Smug’s slightly annoying introduction yet again. “Please welcome back to the arena, THE AMBER EYED TERROR! THE AZURE DRAGON! THE HERO OF CASSANDRA! SAMANTHA IRVING! Will her opponent this time finally land a blow on her? Please give a resounding welcome to a rural farmer who has dreams of a better life, ARNELLE!”

Sam looked over her opponent. She wore navy overalls and a checkered shirt underneath. She had a large straw hat on and a pitchfork in her hand. She was chewing on a piece of straw. Arnelle tipped her hat to Sam, “Howdy, friend. I reckon I heard tell you're a dragon. That right?”

“I am.” Sam said with a curt nod.

“Aw, not much for gabbin', are ya? Don't make a hill of beans to me if you're a dragon or not. My Pa done fought dragons before, even slayed a few, too. I ain't fixin' to quake in my boots like those poor souls you ran into last. So you best be plumb prepared.” Arnelle spat out the piece of straw she was chewing on and readied her pitchfork. Sam saw a slight glow emanate from the pitchfork.

Is that really a magic item? I suppose to reach this point, she would have had to fight quite a few people, and she appears relatively unharmed. Maybe she’s actually a threat.

The moment Smug started the bout, Sam hit Arnelle with her dragon aura, but Arnelle only hesitated for a second as she charged Sam. Arnelle finished with a lunge at Sam. Which Sam easily deflected. Arnelle unleashed a series of quick jabs, throwing off Sam’s concentration of her aura control. Now this is more like it. Maybe she can help push me further. After all, it isn’t like the other team will just quake in their boots either, even if my aura helps.

Sam kept blocking and parrying Arnelle’s blows, all while fixing what she perceived as flaws in her aura control. While Sam was focusing on trying to jab Arnelle with a pulse of aura, Arnelle stabbed at Sam again, but had never intended to land a blow on her; instead, she caught Sam’s sword in between the tines of her weapon and twisted, flinging Sam’s sword from her grip and out of the arena. Arnelle immediately stabbed again, but was astounded when Sam simply dodged to the side and grabbed the haft of the pitchfork and yanked it from her grip while also shield bashing Arnelle to the ground. Sam whirled the spear around and pointed it at Arnelle’s neck. “Please surrender, Arnelle. I don’t want to hurt you needlessly, but you don’t stand a chance against me without your weapon.”

“I forfeit,” Arnelle said disappointedly. Sam offered her a hand up and returned the pitchfork to her. Arnelle sighed, “You warn't even rightly tryin', was ya?”

“No. I will say you have talent. I’ve taught quite a few people how to fight. I can say, you know how to fight. I apologize for looking down on you because of your attire.”

“Shoot, yeah, these were Pa's. I reckon they don't work quite the same here as they do back home. But Aah seen a notice they were needin' folks to hold the line, and that there was good farmland right along where they'd be fightin' things.”

Sam walked off the stage with Arnelle. “The items are more effective on a farm?” Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That's right. These overhauls here make me quicker, this ole hat gives me better sense and reaction time, and this pitchfork's all jazzed up with armor penetration, bonus damage, and it comes right back to me when Aah throw it. They're actually a set of things, too. Each piece is doubly effective if the user's out on a farm. Don't rightly know why or how that works, Aah'm not smart as all get-out for that kind of thinkin'. But the set bonus only works on a farm, too, and only if you got all three things. It doubles the work again and gives the pitchfork a special sumthin' when you throw it. That's how Pa done slayed them dragons. Defendin' the farm.”

“That’s interesting. I didn’t know item sets were a thing. Thanks for the info. It was nice meeting you, Arnelle. Maybe we’ll cross paths again sometime.”

“It's been a pleasure meetin' ya, too, Sam.” They shook hands, and Arnelle took her leave.

+1 CP Play your part, Hero of Cassandra, acknowledging a fellow warrior.

Sam sat down and browsed the BP store on her phone as she got comfortable for the wait for her next bout.

Thirty minutes later, she was brought out; this time, she recognized the opponent without an introduction. The Smug still gave one for both of them. “RETURNING TO THE ARENA IS ONE WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, THE ONE, THE ONLY, PRICKLY PETRA! A regular combat here at the colosseum, she has her work cut out for her this time, though. As she is facing THE AZURE DRAGON! We have yet to see this fierce woman come even close to being pushed. Will Petra be able to make Samantha try? LET’S FIND OUT! FIGHT!”

Petra and Sam eyed each other across the arena. Petra said, “Play time is over, Sam. I’m going to give you one warning: try experimenting with your aura and you will suffer for it.”

Sam gave a nod of acknowledgement, and the two began their clash. Sam heeded Petra’s warning and didn’t bother trying to use the aura as a targeted weapon, but let it blanket the arena. Petra had a spiked buckler and a rapier, and she was fast. Sam recognized that Petra was right; she would have been distracted enough if she were fooling around, that Petra would have landed some blows. With her focus, though, Petra couldn’t penetrate her defense. Sam blocked her strikes for about a minute before seeing an opportunity to end the fight without actually harming Petra all that much. She sidestepped and slammed her shield into Petra, sending her flying from the arena. “A RING OUT! PETRA HAS BEEN FLUNG FROM THE RING WITH A SINGLE BLOW! WILL ANYTHING STOP THIS TERROR OF A DRAGON? JOIN US NEXT ROUND TO FIND OUT!”

Sam went over to Petra to make sure she was okay. Petra was already standing and brushing off her outfit. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just fine.”

“Why did you help me?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about. You won fair and square. Now, Hero of Cassandra, I have things I must attend to.”

I guess she doesn’t want to admit that she showed favoritism with that warning. Sam shook her head. Well, at least the fights are getting interesting. Even if I haven’t actually been damaged yet.

“THESE NEXT TWO NEED NO INTRODUCTION! WE HAVE THE AZURE DRAGON SAMANTHA IRVING VS. THE WIZARD OF TIME, AND THE CURRENT COURT WIZARD MAJA!”

Sam entered the arena and saw that Maja was in the court wizard outfit she wore when training Talia. Huh, guess they are reusing that character, interesting… Sam took a defensive stance almost immediately upon entering the arena.

Smug did the countdown, “3. 2. 1. FIGHT!”

Sam dashed forward, trying to close the distance, but a moment later, Maja appeared to be a blur of motion, and she was hit in the back with three bolts of ice. When she turned around, though, she didn’t see Maja, but she noticed a shadow on the arena floor. She looked up just in time to see a flying Maja become another blur. This time, Sam reacted on instinct and turned and blocked the two icebolts to her right, only to be hit by one in her back. Shit, this is tough. I knew this strategy seemed like bullshit when Talia and Laura did it. At least she can seem to only get off three bolts instead of something like twenty or more like Laura. The distraction in her thoughts cost her two more ice bolts, hitting her from behind. Talia said something about a greater area costing more mana to affect. Sam transformed into a dragon, becoming as large as she possibly could, practically filling the entire arena. Sam could feel the distorted time bubble Maja cast on her, but it barely had any effect, with Sam so large. Sam flew up at Maja and grasped her in a claw.

Right before Sam slammed Maja into the ground, with full ****, Maja shouted, “COURT WIZARD MAJA SURRENDERS!” Sam stopped the slam just before impact. Sam released Maja and ignored Smug’s exclamations as Maja said, “Court Wizard Maja is impressed with how quickly you have progressed. Court Wizard Maja is a little surprised you are competing in these matches, though, instead of traveling with the rest of your party.”

“I feel like I’m still getting used to my body. I need proper challenges to hone my edge. I’m still not used to my speed and strength. I instinctively hold back, and I need to learn not to.”

“Hmm… fair enough, if you make it to the end of today, Court Wizard Maja can promise you a fight that will push you.” Maja gave Sam a slight bow and left her to wait for the next round.

Really, a fight that will push me? I'm wondering if that was Maja or the character saying that?”

“Welcome to the start of the SEMI-FINALS! It hasn’t been long since we saw this scaled warrior bare her claws. WELCOME, THE AZURE DRAGON SAMANTHA! None has seemed the match to this dragon, but I think her challenger this time might just be! PLEASE WELCOME THE SILVER MAIDEN!

Sam saw Freya step onto the stage clad in shining mithril plate armor. I want that armor! Freya wielded a large naginata in both her hands. Sam grinned at Freya, “Nice armor. I think it would look better in my hoard!”

Freya went a little wide-eyed at what Sam had said. Freya looked at Sam and recognized that the dragon lust was taking hold of her. Oh shit. MAJA! CASSANDRA!

Time stopped, and Cassandra appeared on the platform. Cassandra sighed, “Sam, you won’t rest until that armor is part of your hoard, will you?”

Sam found she couldn’t move except for her head, “No… it will be part of my hoard. Sorry, Freya, I will simply be incapacitating you and then stripping it off you.”

Cassandra sighed again. Just one thing after another. “Fine, if you really want it, I’ll make it available for Empire Merit. If you strip Freya, there will be severe negative repercussions for your team. You’ve been warned.”

Sam considered that for a moment and then nodded her understanding.

“Great.” Cassandra shook her head in frustration. This entire LARP is becoming a bigger headache than I thought it would be. Cassandra vanished from the arena, and time resumed.

Smug shouted, “3! 2! 1! FIGHT!”

Neither Sam nor Freya hesitated to engage the other. Sam traded blow after blow with Freya. Now this is a fight. Sam was grinning from ear to ear.

Freya made a wide sweeping slash, creating distance between the two. “Why are you grinning? I’ve come out ahead in our exchanges.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed into slits. “I know… HA HA… That’s why I’m smiling!” Sam’s hands and feet turned to claws, and scales formed on her arms and legs. “I can stop holding back.” Sam flew at Freya, stabbing at her chest. Freya found herself on the defensive now, having trouble maintaining enough distance to effectively use her weapon. Sam kept up the pressure, staying close and disrupting Freya’s stance.

They continued to fight for another minute until a poorly timed strike from Freya resulted in Sam coiling her tail around the haft of Freya’s weapon and ripping it from her grasp. Disarmed, Freya surrendered. Freya also did not stick around to chat but grabbed her weapon and fled Sam’s presence as quickly as she could.

Sam watched her prize walk away from her, stoking the fires of her anger. It’s okay, my precious… You will be part of my hoard soon…

Five minutes of waiting, and she was called back out to fight. She wasn’t surprised to find Sleiva waiting on the arena platform for her. “THE FINALS HAVE ARRIVED! WE HAVE TWO CREATURES OF LEGEND HERE TODAY! THE AZURE DRAGON VS. THE MINOTAURESS!

Damn, she looks different. She was fit before, but now, DAMN! She would give Laura a run for her money. Slevia had shot up another foot and had a pair of horns on the side of her head and a cow's tail coming from her backside. She was wielding a massive two-handed axe. As Sam was walking out, she fully transformed into a dragon, increasing her size so that she was slightly larger the Slevia was.

Slevia was grinning. “Hey, Sam. You excited?” Sam simply bared her teeth in a grin and slammed the ground with her tail in response. “Yeah, me too. Remind me to thank Flora. After the round ends. I love fighting. So few will fight me, though.”

Smug began the countdown, but before he got to two, Sam and Slevia had already begun. Slevia charged Sam and landed a huge overhead swing, but Sam had let the strike land to gore Slevia with her own horns. Her horns hit both of Slevia’s shoulders, causing a spike of arousal that disoriented Slevia for the briefest of moments, and her grip on her weapon slackened ever so slightly. Which was when Sam shot straight into the air with Slevia still at the tips of her horns, and Slevia’s axe clattered to the ground. Slevia grabbed Sam’s horns and twisted herself onto Sam’s back as she was flying. She punched the back of Sam’s neck, and Slevia tried stabbing Sam with her own horns. Slevia could tell she was having an effect, but not a significant one, without her weapon. Sam asked, “Slevia, how high can I drop you from and you be okay?” Slevia’s eyes went wide as she looked at the thousand-foot drop to the ground.

“Uh… shit. Not this high.” Slevia paused fighting as it was clear Sam had paused only to ensure Slevia’s safety. “I mean, I won’t die, but that would hurt, like bad. Can you really get me off your back here? I mean, I have a fairly firm grip.” Sam doubled her size, which caused Slevia’s grip to not be that firm.

“I can also shrink myself to be about the size of your arm… actually, the size of my arm in my humanoid form. Think you could hold on if I went from this to that in a second or two?”

“No… Fuck! You ate my axe swing to your back on purpose, didn’t you? Just to get me up in the air without my weapon.”

“Yep. When the round is over, if you want to spar more, let me know.”

“Oh, you are so fucking on! Also, I surrender. Care to take us down?”

Sam started a slow descent, shrinking down to a more reasonable riding size. She let Slevia dismount before returning to her human form. “WHAT’S THIS! SLEVIA THE MINOTAURESS HAS INFORMED THE JUDGES SHE SURRENDERED IN MID-AIR. THAT SAMANTHA COULD HAVE DROPPED HER FROM A THOUSAND FEET UP! WE HAVE OUR VICTOR!” The crowd exploded into thunderous applause.

Sam turned to shake Slevia’s hand, “Good fight.”

Slevia shook her hand. “No, it wasn’t, it ended too fast. It was a solid victory, though.”

“Slevia, you’re talking more normally right now. Before you would talk, rather… well, stunted.”

“Ah. Yeah. So… I can talk more normally the more aroused I am. Would you be—”

Slevia’s question was cut off as Smug shouted over the loud crystals, “WHAT IS THIS! WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST APPARENTLY! A LEGENDARY FIGURE IN THE ARENA WANTS TO CHALLENGE OUR NEWEST CHAMPION! THE FELINE THAT WILL DO ANYTHING FOR A PRICE! THE GRAND CHAMPION OF THE ARENA, THE ONE, THE ONLY, LITTLE MISS-ter”

Slevia grumbled, having forgotten about that. Sam saw a notification pop up in mid-air.

Task: Defeat the Grand Champion (Optional)

• Risk: Very High
• Reward: 2500 XP, 15 CP, Dragon’s Bulwark (Set piece ⅓)
• The Grand Champion of the arena is interested in a duel. The duel can be postponed to a later date, but the XP and CP rewards may be lowered. The set item will be rewarded if completed at any time. Risk level is evaluated based on your current strength.

Sam read over the task. That is a lot of XP and CP. Plus a set item? I feel like that warning in the description is meant to say it is doable technically, but at least nine times out of ten, I’m going to be incapacitated. Plus, I sparred with Little Miss. While I want a rematch, I don’t think I’m even close to matching her.

“I’m sorry, but I must decline today. I need to recover and tend to my duties to defeat Smug. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be back when I have time, so wait for me, OH GRAND CHAMPION!”

The crowd had lost a little enthusiasm at her declining, but then broke out into more cheers at her announcement that she would fight the grand champion later.

+1 CP Play to the Crowd

As the roar of the crowd died down and the crowd began to leave. Sam saw a slightly disappointed Slevia begin to leave. Sam ran after her. “Sleiva, wait a second.” Slevia stopped and looked at Sam. “You were about to ask me a question, right? Before you got cut off. What was it?”

“Not sure if it matters. Might be the wrong time.”

“If you’re sure…” Sam was slightly disappointed, and she wasn’t sure why.

“I’ll catch you later, Sam. Say hi to Mark for me tonight.” Sam watched Slevia walk away, her cow tail flicking behind her. Sam felt let down, as if she missed out on an amazing opportunity.

Quest completion: Samantha +200 XP, +250 Empire Merit, +5 CP