The Games of Saberhaven
Ferret vs. Quim
Cheers go up as the doors open and the announcer calls the names. Ferret steps through, putting the finishing touches on a spell. Ferret is a newcomer to Saberhaven, but he is reputed to be a very strong combatant. The crowd barely sees the small man's slicked-back silver hair and dual ioun stones before he fades from view...
At the other end of the Arena, Quim steps through, also putting the finishing touches on a spell. Though he has only fought three times before, he has proven an able competitor, and some in the crowd actually chant his name.
Quim finishes his spell and points, and across the Arena a bolt of lightning crashes down where Ferret had just faded out. The crack of thunder that follows momentarily silences the crowd, but then the cheers begin again. They don't know whether Ferret was affected or not, but this is the sort of action they like...
Quim frowns, as he is unable to see his opponent. He raises his staff, and suddenly a huge thicket of thorns springs into being, completely covering the druid and about a 40' x 30' x 10' area of the Arena floor. From the higher seats in the stands, it almost looks like a carpet, rather than a twisted mass of unnaturally large thorns.
Invisibly, Ferret curses, and lowers his bow just as he was about to let fly his arrows.
For seconds, there is silence. Nothing moves. No sound is heard. The seconds grow longer and longer...
The crowd is stirring uncomfortably as within the Arena, nothing stirs for over a minute. They were hoping for a pyrotechnic battle--they see a thicket of thorns and little else. They are beginning to mumble with disapproval...
...but a roar goes up as, from out of nowhere, a jet of flame lances into the forest of thorns and explodes with cataclysmic fury!
"Quim was in there..." one horrified supporter whispers. For a second, it looks as though the battle is won--though neither contestant can be seen.
Then Quim steps out of the blazing wall, seemingly unconcerned by the flames enshrouding him, instead peering at the sky from whence the fireball erupted. He quickly weaves his hands, mutters a prayer, and waves at the sky.
Nothing happens. Quim frowns.
Shrugging, albeit with a look of concern, the druid whips out his sling, and smoothly nocks a bullet. Quim rears back, and lets fly towards his unseen enemy. The bullet arcs gracefully through the air, finally thudding into the ground a couple hundred feet away. It encounters nothing in its path--certainly not Ferret.
Quim frowns again, but then his eyes widen in shock and pain, as a slight shimmering passes before him. He slowly lowers his head and stares down at his abdomen. It has been sliced open like an over-ripe fruit. He grunts, and reaches down, trying to keep his insides from spilling out. Blood splashes everywhere. A growl of pain escapes clenched teeth.
Quim drops to a knee, and his eyes harden as the druid musters his incredible willpower. His body slowly begins to shift as the druid attempts to change forms... then Quim grunts and collapses in a pool of his own blood.
The crowd roars its approval as the judges award the victory to Ferret. Priests and guardsmen rush into the Arena to tend to the disemboweled druid.
Ferret appears out of nowhere, and bows to his fallen opponent. He then turns to the crowd, and bows to them as well. He grins, then disappears.
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