The Champion

Instinctively, you peace together that this is not just a fight of survival, but of showmanship. Even if you win, you could be put to **** if you don’t make for good entertainment. Attacking the champion, while the greatest challenge, would court the greatest favor and be the best bet to get out of here alive. While keeping distance from the human woman, you close the distance between you and the champion to fight. He keeps position the same and holds his shield tight to cover his midsection, shifting only to keep you and the others in his view.

Testing your oponent’s tactics and strength, you take a horizontal swing towards his chest. The blow is easily blocked and ricochets off the metal shield, leading to a great clang that echoes through the arena. As you regain yourself, the champion lunges forward with his sword, missing your body as he retreats back on sure footing. This simple exchange displays a dilemma in tactics, and possibly in your ability to make a decent show. His shield and relative position in the arena will block most of your attacks, and the reach with your two handed axe exceeds the reach of his sword. The victor and the loser will be decided by someone making a very brave gamble to break the stalemate, or someone making a stupid mistake, and paying the consequences.

At least, that would be the case if not for other circumstances. The woman with the tomahawks, capitalizing on the champion and you being focused on each other, was attempting to flank you both from the side. She can't do it without getting noticed, and the champion tries to shift his position to keep both of you on one side, but to little avail. Not knowing who her target is, you also try to move so that you can see both of them. The woman threw one of her weapons at your shared opponent, which flew near the head and was just barely dodged. The close call and unusual tactics was heralded by the crowd, shouting loudly and hands thrust into the sky

The next attack turns the tide in her favor. Throwing her other tomahawk towards his lower body, it finds it’s target and lodged in the champions quadriceps. The pain brought the fighter down on one knee, wounded but still willing to fight. Unarmed, The redheaded woman made a frantic dash in close to try and retrieve her weapon but paid the price, suffering a stab wound to her gut in the process. The rapid turn of events put the entire crowd on their feet in a mix of applause of condemnations, everyone cheering for their desired outcome. Wounded and heavily in pain, the male fighter is hunched over his leg as he struggles through the pain, hoping to dislodge the weapon

You see a daring opportunity to end this all right now. Bringing your axe high into the air, you come down hard in a vertical stroke to cleave his head right off his shoulders. In a combination of bad aim on your part and a **** attempt to block at the last second, your strike does not hit true, instead coming down on the steel helmet. The crowd collectively gasps in a seconds hesitation, thinking that the battle might still be over. The helm is badly damaged, and the fighter inside is no doubt injured and badly shaken, but still alive, and still trying to fight on. As he slowly regains his footing and sense of balance, you do as well, having been thrown off center from putting all your weight in that attack.

You’re clearly in better health than he, but he’s the more experienced fighter, mentally prepared for anything you may do, and in desperation for his life will fight ever harder. What he was not prepared for, was a surprise attack, not from this person least of all. Some of the crowd had tried to warn him, but it was impossible to make out any specific voice. You both had seemingly forgotten about the half-elf, who had slowly and quietly gotten behind the gladiator champion, and driven his spear straight through the champions midsection, shredding a lung and most of the ribs protecting it. As the spear is withdrawn blood dripping from the metal tip, the champion falls lifeless to the ground. The audience, louder than ever, is a mix of cheers and boos. Just as you prepare to deal with the half-elf, thinking of her as your next opponent, thunderous trumpets blare. The audience goes quiet, and the half-elf drops her weapon. You do so as well, unsure what comes next.