The Arena

CLANG!!!

The dueling swords met the air, one preventing the other from dealing a deadly blow. The two combatants each took a half step back before the man wielding a two-handed sword lunged forward to stab his opponent. His opponent, a smaller but more athletic woman deftly dodged and drove her shield into the point of the sword, driving it into the dirt. She swung up her sword to hit him in the neck, but he dodged at the last possible moment causing her sword to strike him in the shoulder, drawing blood.

"Ooh!" a loud, booming male voice said. " Looks like first blood has been drawn and the point has been awarded to Kia! Her skill has improved greatly since her arrival. But will it be enough to overcome Bratha? He is the second most decorated fighter, just behind Nathen."

Bratha pulled up on his sword, but she had droven it in good. It would require a moment to pull it out, and with her not giving him that moment focused his attention on something else. He dodged a midsection swipe before lunging back out and grabbing ahold of her shield. She refused to let go, so he began to pull and shake her around, preventing her from getting a proper swipe in. Finally, he swung her around, and the momentum was too much for her and she let go. She tumbled and rolled a few feet before getting back to her feet quickly. She quickly scanned her opponent. His leather armor had metal plating at the shoulders and upper chest, protecting his vital organs, much like hers. But he had metal plating at his knees and feet, she just had leather. Her thoughts were interrupted by Bratha charging her, intending to knock her over with the shield, she sidestepped to his left and stabbed her shortsword towards his unprotected armpit, the tip of the sword nicking his armpit before the shield came back, swinging at her head and making a nice THUMP on her head.

" A devasting strike by Bratha! While she did get a little strike in, it may have cost her life, as she is clearly stunned and is struggling to find her footing. Now Bratha is going to use this time to get his sword unstuck. He has it now, and she is still struggling. Folks, get you betting cards ready, this one is looking over."

Bratha lunged forward with his sword, intending to stab her, but his stab was deflected at the last second, and the sword struck her hip. She stumbled back, so he stabbed again, and again she deflected it, this time to the other side. She fell to the ground, and he raised his sword to finish her off.

She saw it at the last second. The metal plating separated around his ribs and in sheer desperation, drove her sword towards the opening before he drove his sword down.

" It's all over folks!! I don't believe it!! Just when you thought all hope was lost for young Kia, she managed to squeak on by! For those of you who counted her out, I would reconsider!!"

Kia clutched both hips, her bleeding was slow, but she would need help moving and soon she could hear the thundering sound of footsteps as the healers came out onto the Arena. They gently lifted her up onto the stretcher and took her to med tent and tended to her injured hips.

Soon, night fell over the tent and Kia was awoken from her slumber by a male figure at the entrance of the tent. She didn't need to guess who it was. The armor, while dented and stained in areas, covered him head to toe. He had a single sword on his hip, almost two hand lengths long at the handle.

" Impressive." Nathen said. " Bratha was skilled, and not easy to bring down."

" I'll take it as a complement." she responded.

" I wouldn't. Luck and lack of proper armoring will not always win you battles, and if you intend to leave here alive, you would do best to learn from today."

Kia fell silent. Words of both anger and also questions flooded her mind. But before she could say a single one, he began to leave the tent saying.

" Rest up. And no strenuous work, or training. You'll damage your body, and you would surely lose. And I have high hopes for you Kia. High hopes indeed."