The crowds were going insane as the two gladiators entered the arena. On the left, Timik Lilac-Crown, the Great Blade, lifted his great sword, Crownbreaker, into the air, greeting the audience with his signature pearly white smile. On the right, Retvik Rethianos, the Lightbearer, remained somewhat silent as he raised his shield but did little else. Battles between house fighters, essentially the home team of the Great Arenas, were rather rare these days, as there were so many challengers from outside. But the Lightbearer was coming up to his 300th win in a row, and there had been a few people wanting to deny him that 300th win and break his streak, to stop Retvik from earning the Triumphant Crown and going down in history as one of the greatest gladiators ever.
Timik was one such person. In fact, Timik recently held one of the longest streaks himself, but had lost what would have otherwise been his 250th win. And he had lost it to Retvik, who had gone on to overtake him. On top of that, while Timik had never been able to build a team to do multi-gladiator matches, Retvik had started a Dessaron team back in January and had an astonishing 100% win rate, having ruined the win streaks of both Retha Squad One and the Fangs of the Whenvern.
Really, Retvik was proving himself to be too good, and SOMEONE had to take him down a peg. And with the Happy Cold, the top Skyavok Gladiator and one of the few individuals to have beaten Retvik in a 1v1 match in recent times, having some sort of gentlevok’s agreement with the terrifying Rethan, Timik believed he needed to step in. Even if it meant risking the new win streak he was building.
It didn’t matter. There was a reason why Timik called his sword Crownbreaker. He was the one who ended Ct’Tak the Mighty’s streak, striking the colossal Banikan down and ending his 302 win streak. If anyone was going to end another streak, it HAD to be Timik.
The match had been scheduled for a while, but Timik and Retvik had both had scheduling conflicts, and what with Retvik’s siblings having been hurt recently, Retvik had taken time off to help them recover. Timik had wanted to stop Retvik before he reached his 295th win, but, should Timik fail today, Retvik would claim his 299th win and be one away from a colossal new record.
But to make things more… chaotic, someone somewhere had suggested that this match be a melee-only match. One weapon, lighter armour, no guns or bullets. Nothing but physical prowess. Timik was absolutely fine with that, it meant denying Retvik of his main weapon of choice, a gun-staff. And since Timik was huge and muscular for a Temthan, that meant he wasn’t put off by Retvik’s size either.
As the audience quietened down, Timik turned to Retvik and saluted him. Retvik bowed back, then briefly adjusted his shield and prepared for battle.
A loud gong rang across the arena, and the two gladiators slowly circled each other. Although Timik was smaller than Retvik, he had speed and range on his side, with his blessed Crownbreaker sword having more range than Lightedge, the heavy shield Retvik was using. Really, Timik was surprised that Retvik hadn’t gone for a halbard or something closer to a gun-staff.
Darting forward, Timik dived past Retvik, striking him with Crownbreaker. However, as Timik peered behind him, although he was certain he had hit Retvik, Retvik seemed completely fine. He assumed maybe he had just caught Retvik’s armour, but he didn’t have time to think further as Timik dodged out of the way of one of Retvik’s charges, and, again, sliced at the Rethan warrior.
Again, contact had been made, but, again, Retvik seemed unbothered. That time, Timik guessed he had struck Retvik’s shield.
Timik prepared for another charge, but all of a sudden, Retvik changed direction. Timik had expected Retvik to try and hit him with his shield, but instead Retvik flicked his tail to one side. If this had been anyone else, it would be fine, but Retvik’s tail was as massive and heavy as the rest of him, and Timik suddenly found himself losing his balance.
Immediately, Retvik took advantage of this. While Timik did manage to catch himself from hitting the ground, he quickly realized he had lost track of his target, and he needed to awkwardly spin around to work out where Retvik had gone.
Except Retvik was just standing there, waiting for Timik to reorientate himself.
Timik had seen this before. He didn’t want to end up the same way that little Talok did. Granted, Timik was much larger than Talok, but that had been an embarrassing (and rather amusing) match to watch but not to experience. Timik held his blade out before him in a defensive stance, ready to stop another charge.
But Retvik was still just standing there. And, worryingly, he was smiling.
“It seems silly that we are fighting with weapons.”
Timik blinked. “What? You want to fight hand to hand?”
“You are more than your blade. I am more than my shield. We ought to prove that.”
The champion Temthan gladiator eyed the Rethan brute some more. “You… you have to be joking.”
“No. I am not joking.”
Timik glanced down at his sharp claws and the talons on his feet, then glanced back at Retvik. Compared to him, Timik’s natural weapons were capable of rending flesh. As long as he didn’t let Retvik grapple him, Timik could easily win this fight by bleeding Retvik out.
Or he could have been a massive asshole and stabbed Retvik with his sword after Retvik had disarmed himself. That was the far easier option. More dishonourable, yes, but there was a lot riding on defeating Retvik before he could hit that 300th win. Only two Banikans held the 300-win streak in the past, and Timik didn’t want a brute Rethavok to become the third being to hold such a record before a Temthan managed to do so.
“Alright! You’re on, Lightbringer!” Timik proudly announced. “You’re going to lose this though!”
Retvik shrugged, then dropped his shield. Exactly as Timik predicted. Timik grinned, then charged at Retvik, sword at the ready.
But Timik never reached his target. In an oddly swift action. swifter than Timik had predicted, Retvik kicked his shield up and at Timik, hitting him directly in the stomach, utterly winding him. As Timik fell to his knees, gasping for breath, he could do absolutely nothing as Retvik ripped the sword from his hands.
“Shame. I thought you would have preferred a more honourable fight. Is there really that much pressure to end my streak?”
“You… you’d… be surprised…”
Undeterred, Retvik kicked Timik over, so he was lying on his back, before raising Crownbreaker and pressing the blade to Timik’s throat. Knowing he had been beaten, Timik sighed loudly, then tapped a red emergency button on his little health meter device and submitted, forfeiting the match. He closed his eyes, expecting Retvik to finish the job and stab him, forcing him to be teleported out of the arena and into the medical bays, but that moment never came.
“Come on, friend.”
Timik opened his eyes, and Retvik was still just standing there. But he was holding his hand out, waiting to help Timik to his feet. Timik hesitated, then accepted, and Retvik quickly pulled him up. The crowds were cheering, but not as much as they could have been. They’d wanted a long, drawn out and bloody match, but Retvik had chosen otherwise.
“I’ll be blunt, I don’t deserve your honour…” Timik frowned. “You were willing to handicap yourself and I took advantage of that.”
Retvik shrugged, then smiled some more. “Eh, it does not matter. I still won. And I appreciate the attempt.”
Timik’s frown faded. He activated the small microphone built into his helmet, then took Retvik’s hand and raised it into the air.
“Applaud your winner, people!” Timik shouted at the crowds, causing them to erupt into cheers. “You’re looking at the next wearer of the Triumphant Crown!”
“Do not speak too soon, friend…” Retvik lowered his voice as the two house fighters waved at the crowds, the made their way out of the arena.
“Eh, Retvik, friend, I think you’ve got this!” Timik smiled. “You’ve fought hard, you deserve it. And either way, you’ve set a record of your own. You should be proud.”
Retvik grunted. “Oh, I am proud. Nervous, but proud. I have no idea what is coming next…”