The Books of Renly.
Chapter 8: A Chance of Death Blood or Glory

Outside the crowds were now filling the mass rows to capacity, on the steps vendors could now be heard calling selling ale, food and taking bets on the champion warriors and beasts alike, cheers and chants for the favored warriors could be heard as the crowds grew louder and settled on their positions for the battles ahead. The banner men of some of the fighters waved large pikes in the air on the pit floor showing off house sigils for fighters representing their houses. A melody played from a small court band as jesters played out mock battle in costume, cheers would roar from the crowds as they pretended to slaughter each other, fire breathers imitated dragons as they belched large fireballs towards the crowds gathering above. All the while men were throwing barrels of poison onto the blades surrounding the pit as a jester pretends to sip a small amount and feins his death upon consuming it before jumping to his feet laughing. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNʘᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The noises and excitement began to reach a climax when broken by a horn and silence fell upon the pits with the scurrying of the performers an announcer proclaimed the entrance of the lord of the Hatch clans, a man of nearly nine feet tall emerged from a darkened corridor stepping into the light of the day onto his private viewing platform, his armour built of blackened steel rumored to be enhanced by the wizards in ages gone trimmed with the words etched into the metal only visible as the light struck the letters and reflected into the crowds, a hammer attached to his back, the head of which the size of any man’s torso cast from the volcanoes deepest blackest rocks cooled instantly with glacial ice to forge a hammer so hard it had been seen to shatter a man’s armor off his body turning it into dust upon contact. The man that carried these was not one to trifle with jolly of voice until the moments of battle where his roar becomes one of ultimate terror, his hair was as black as the armour he wore his beard plated with thick leather visible in the opening of his helm, his loosely pinned hair upon his back, raising his hands he called to the crowds “are we ready to wash this pit with blood” the crowd burst into a roar loud enough to be heard outside the city limits. “Then we shall wait no longer my subjects for today I have gathered every soul and creature, the champion of the pits today will take the honor of my third daughter and a house to rule under my guidance, fight well warriors,” reaching to take the hammer from his back and slamming onto the ground before him sending a wave dust straight out from his platform across the vast pit its speed ignited the dust mid air burning away in the sky’s, the back doors of the cages were released and all manner of creatures ran from their cages into the pit.

The first round of the pits consisted of only creatures allowing them to tear each other limb from limb before the warriors entered most of them would be injured or exhausted by the time they would enter the fight and today the first was going to be a long one. Our fighter had rode his hound into the pits sat upon his back they began listing the creatures to each other as they spotted them through the peep holes of the corridors and the noises echoing round the arena as the creatures called to all combatants they were entering and to stay clear of them. The charge of creatures halted in the pits and the stand off began locking eyes each opponent around the pit judging just who will attack who, they might be creatures but cooperation could be judged here as most knew the larger creature posed the biggest threat and co operation would be tolerated, buying them time until they were certain they could win the day alone. If we get through this day hound a name we shall have, you see those ogres over there the hounds are going to attack it they are fixed upon it, the catgars are the shady attackers they will be looking for the sly attack against the Mamothants they are their natural prey their confidence will lead them there. The trolls we can hear will be busy with the dragon when they get out we have two minutes before that, they are not quick enough for us to worry about them for now. That leaves the dragon babies’ fire as it is ready and it knows how to use it, we cannot tell if its wings are clipped or not we will have to beware of that. “fear not master their nature at that age is one of a frightened child they will lash and slash their claws its fire will not last long it is still young and cannot hold much in its body.” the hound answers back to him lowering its nose to smell the scents of the ground.

The tension was magnificent, broken when the dragon let off a panic driven fire blast swiping a stream left and right trying to ward off any would be attackers, as if at once some of the creatures charged into a heap at the center of the pit the slower of the creatures heading towards their fixed targets. Our friend and the hounds added to the fight as a late to release gate fell inside one of the corridors, the hounds burst into the pit and as if at once headed into battle deciding to tear into the ogres the most devastating of creature that required a quick nimble and strong opponent to counter that mass strength and tough thick skin. They began by slamming their bodies against them trying to topple the giant ogres was their best bet. An ogre on its back was easy picking for several hounds but pushing over the massive creatures was going to be challenging, in the forest they would slip on fallen trees or deep rooted tree stumps none of which are here. One hound attempts another slam into the body of the ogre but has no lucky escape as the ogre caught it gripping its back legs together slamming the hound on the floor each side of its body crushing the bones in its body the hound yelped only twice and fell silent, the crowd cheers with each slam. We need to act as a log when the next hound slams into that thing once it’s on the floor it won’t last long.

Meanwhile the catgars had set upon the mamothants, being a large creature with 2 sets of large tusks standing fifteen feet in size, weighing as much as thirty men and the strength of fifty usually used to move heavy loads between towns and cities. Not always content with their keepers any that don’t do as asked end up in pits all over the realm these two were no exception, locked on the mamothants the catgars a large feline nimble and quick their powerful jaws could deliver a lethal bite with four large teeth that could pierce the hardest of hides, circling and stalking their prey they were snapping their jaws at their opponents and using their claws to slash the legs and underbelly of their foe as they darted between their legs. One of the catgars was caught as the mamothant swung its large trunk making a deadly and on target strike sending the catgar flying in the air as it tried to make a pass at catching its trunk meeting a gruesome and painful end as it became impaled onto the the spikes surrounding the pits, another was crushed as the back legs of the creature were clawed at the knee and it lost its footings.

The trolls had been advancing out of the corridors, now into the pit had set their sights upon the dragon, immune to the dragons fire and unfed these creatures although slow had an unknown level of strength but little intelligence never the less a creature lethal through its size and actions alone. The dragon spreads its wings making itself look as big as possible and sending out a wave of flame across the pit scorching several creatures as they fought their battles. One of the ogres was now flailing and roaring as its flesh burned from the acid flames, seeing their chance our fighter took position behind the ogre bracing as three of the remaining hounds all turned to fight the injured ogre jumping into the air and slamming their bodies at once against him sending him over our friends crouched behind. Once down the hounds set upon it tearing and scratching at the ogres thick hide eventually breaking through to its very flesh, before long cracking bones and the screaming of a death rattle became the only sound auditable around the pits as the ogre gave in to its attackers and the pain. Jumping back to their feet our fighter’s and creature’s sights was now looking for the remaining ogre who had decided to take on one of the mamothants locked tusk to hands the ground shock as they stomped the ground to gain traction to overthrow one another. The dust of the floor beginning to cover the action, through thick dust clouds and dodging in and out the catgars could be seen attacking both the creatures.

With the death of the ogre the hounds dismounted it’s now lifeless corpse sniffing the air while circling the dead ogre looking for their next target, it did not take the four remaining hounds to fix their gaze on our fighter atop of his hound who had moved from the pack as they tore into the ogre. The bigger and more threatening of any of the hounds left in the pit made them a likely target for the claws of their hounds counterparts but not before some of the larger creatures left alive, our fighter lent forward grasping as hard as he could, as the hounds began to flank their larger counterpart looking for an opportunity, a moment’s lapse of judgment that they could seize to take down their new target. Drawing a breath the hounds growled at our friends in an attempt to instill terror into them, except they received no such reaction instead our hound drew his own breath and returned their threat only louder and more spine chilling the crowds gasping at the sound. The three of them lowered their heads half wincing yet almost in sync not deterred they could be seen getting ready to pounce, our fighter whispers into his hounds ear draw them near the dragon’s breath i will dismount the fire should not affect your hardened hide, we can use it for cover and maybe we can kill one or two of them if they get caught by it. The hound signals in agreement taking its eyes off the pack of hounds to check where the dragon currently was within the pits.

Sensing their moment has come the wayward hounds began their advance, our fighter and hound calmly holding their ground until the last moment before leaping over the advancing attack, sending two of the hounds clashing into each other’s snouts with a thud they came to an instant stop, at first a yelp, roars and cheers of the crowd drowned out the subsequent cries of the hounds as they clambered back to their feet trying to shake off their impact and shame foiled attack. Not wanting to let this larger hound out smart them they launched another ill planned attack. Now all at full pace they headed towards the dragon’s breath stretching out across the pit our fighter seeing an opportune moment to switch things up dismounts undercover into one of the clouds of smoke. Covering just in time to feel the wind of the hounds as they passed close by in pursuit of his hound. However once their attackers cleared the cover of the smoke and refixed their eyes upon their target they stopped dead panting staring at our hound sniffing the air, something was not right our hound thought now stopping to see where his attackers had gone to turning it’s back to the dragon just in time to receive a wave of fire land onto his soft fur on its back howling in pain as the heat seared and scorched his exposed skin, it turned against the torrent of flames to put the hard of its skin against the flames. Weakened he stumbled and fell to one side with a thud and a wince as it hit the ground, still and not moving “ohh” the crowd called.

Through a small clearing of the smoke the fighter caught glimpse of his hounds fate and closed his eyes bowing his head for his friend if only to show a moment’s respect. His hands wiping a tear from his cheek and gathering himself setting ready to continue, he looked up to see the hounds as they turned towards him, they had relocated him and were readying a new attack and he was their target, this makes no sense he thought there are bigger creatures than me on this field why did they attack us so quickly. Looking over the head of the hounds he could make out the gaze of the Nomeys fixed upon him and the hounds with a grin remembering the words of the wizard, so that’s it he said to himself now i know how this is supposed to end for me, taking one last look at his friend hoping to see it move he steps backwards deeper into the smoke plumes.

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