First Blood
May 21, 2023 17:24:24 GMT -7
Post by Managarmr on May 21, 2023 17:24:24 GMT -7
The previous week of training to become a warrior had been... interesting for Wayland. He had been told before starting that every step of the process would be rigorous and demanding, that he would be worked to the bone and would leave a different person, so he was understandably confused when the seven days came and went without much trouble. In fact, most of the training exercises that he went through felt rather basic, likely due to the fact that they also felt unnervingly familiar--almost like they had already been ingrained into him in a past life. Everything from calisthenics to battle tactics and even the comradery shared between the guildmembers seemed to come with a hearty serving of déjà vu. By the end of it all, while some of it had been hard, none of it stood out as particularly rigorous or demanding, and the only thing that was noticeably different about him was that he now owned some armor and a big sword.
Now he had made it to his final test, but instead of being in the training fields or obstacle courses he'd grown accustomed to over the past week, he found himself in a bloody sparring pit on the edge of the warriors' area. It was one of the few places within the guild that he hadn't seen during the previous days, a circle of rough dirt with high wooden walls surrounding it. Small areas for fighters were built into the walls, the roofs of which served as a platform for viewers to stand upon and watch the battle below. There was almost no reason to have it really--given that the other dueling rooms in the guild hall were much more well-kept and easily accessible--but the fact that it was out of the way and less tidy meant it was the perfect place to host any of the rowdier fights the guild might have need of. Much like the one Wayland was going to do today, per his own request for an actual battle before graduating from a trainee to an official warrior.
He glanced towards Briggori on the wooden walls above, receiving a thumbs-up and a 'go-get-em' smile in response, before stepping out onto the dirt. It was only upon reaching the middle of the sparring pit that images of men in scant armor spilling blood onto sand flashed through his mind. The rusty gate behind him clanked down with a dire finality as the one opposite him raised with a metallic whine. Thrust through the entry at the threat of jabbing spears was what he had been told was a goblinoid. Specifically a loner of its kind; an outcast.
Are all of them this ugly, or did I just get put up against a particularly unfortunate one? He watched as the green creature with its misshapen head, protruding yellowed teeth, and dark beady eyes clutched the dagger in its hand with a white-knuckled grip, looking around itself in what seemed like a panicked daze. The slight tinge of pity that Wayland felt despite how ugly and dumb the little thing was clashed against his urge to start the battle already. But is it really okay to kill this thing? It doesn't seem all that evil. Maybe I can just offer it mercy and get it to submit. That would still count as winning, right?
He hefted his greatsword in one hand and pointed it towards the goblin to get its attention, and although he was pretty sure that it didn't speak the same language as humans did he still opted to give it a try. "I hope you're ready to die, filth." Before he could stop himself, the words had already been spoken. He quirked an eyebrow at his own slip of the tongue and the cruel tone that came with it. ...? That's... not what I meant to say at all.
Regardless of intentions, the goblin had already whipped its head around towards the source of the noise, noticing for the first time that there was a human in the pit with it. The creature let out a series of shouts in its garbled tongue, quickly looking around once more for any exits before realizing that flight was not an option. Being forced to settle on fight, it held out its dagger and charged at the man with deadly intent.
Now he had made it to his final test, but instead of being in the training fields or obstacle courses he'd grown accustomed to over the past week, he found himself in a bloody sparring pit on the edge of the warriors' area. It was one of the few places within the guild that he hadn't seen during the previous days, a circle of rough dirt with high wooden walls surrounding it. Small areas for fighters were built into the walls, the roofs of which served as a platform for viewers to stand upon and watch the battle below. There was almost no reason to have it really--given that the other dueling rooms in the guild hall were much more well-kept and easily accessible--but the fact that it was out of the way and less tidy meant it was the perfect place to host any of the rowdier fights the guild might have need of. Much like the one Wayland was going to do today, per his own request for an actual battle before graduating from a trainee to an official warrior.
He glanced towards Briggori on the wooden walls above, receiving a thumbs-up and a 'go-get-em' smile in response, before stepping out onto the dirt. It was only upon reaching the middle of the sparring pit that images of men in scant armor spilling blood onto sand flashed through his mind. The rusty gate behind him clanked down with a dire finality as the one opposite him raised with a metallic whine. Thrust through the entry at the threat of jabbing spears was what he had been told was a goblinoid. Specifically a loner of its kind; an outcast.
Are all of them this ugly, or did I just get put up against a particularly unfortunate one? He watched as the green creature with its misshapen head, protruding yellowed teeth, and dark beady eyes clutched the dagger in its hand with a white-knuckled grip, looking around itself in what seemed like a panicked daze. The slight tinge of pity that Wayland felt despite how ugly and dumb the little thing was clashed against his urge to start the battle already. But is it really okay to kill this thing? It doesn't seem all that evil. Maybe I can just offer it mercy and get it to submit. That would still count as winning, right?
He hefted his greatsword in one hand and pointed it towards the goblin to get its attention, and although he was pretty sure that it didn't speak the same language as humans did he still opted to give it a try. "I hope you're ready to die, filth." Before he could stop himself, the words had already been spoken. He quirked an eyebrow at his own slip of the tongue and the cruel tone that came with it. ...? That's... not what I meant to say at all.
Regardless of intentions, the goblin had already whipped its head around towards the source of the noise, noticing for the first time that there was a human in the pit with it. The creature let out a series of shouts in its garbled tongue, quickly looking around once more for any exits before realizing that flight was not an option. Being forced to settle on fight, it held out its dagger and charged at the man with deadly intent.
