Colosseum The Pits (KurtH6355 V. Stickdom)

[Lord Bradorian]

Lynius walked into the makeshift arena made by boundaries of the less wealthy standing in a circle around two beaten slaves, wearing nothing but subligaculum around their lowers, barely covering them. Lynius looked over at his opponent, barely able to do so due to beating before the fight because he had scratched at his owner's eye. Lynius was a Thracian slave, forced over lands after he participated in a revolt during his time in the Roman Auxilary during fighting against other Thracian tribes. Since, he had been set against several other slaves. He had bit one's throat out, smashed one's skull in with a rock, and choked a third to death. This had earned him a small, rusted and dull pugio, which he would be allowed to use in this fight. This was his fourth in a row. He was tired.


@Stickdom

 

[Stickdom]

The small arena was crowded with betting patrons, their anxious excitement was tangible on his tongue. Their focus rested on two men, one holding a knife opposite from Bracos Armilcar, once-prince of a Carthaginian city, now a mere slave thrust into the lowest gutters of the city of Rome. Taken captive in one of the Punic skirmishes, his people had been slaughtered and he humiliated by being forced to become a lowly dock slave, unloading cargo, repairing masts and riggings. That he was here in the arena now, having crushed his former master to death with part of a heavy yardarm, was better than the execution that murderous slaves were normally promised. He had been brutally beaten before hand, whips and clubs had supposedly pounded some respect into the large, tan-skinned man, but instead it had only further hammered his hatred into his heart. Win these fights and claim glory, honour, and freedom for yourself, they had told him, lose and you'll be nothing but food for the street dogs. This was his first fight in the arena, but hardly his first conquest.


They had given his opponent a knife, Bracos grunted, he was nearly a whole span taller than his opponent, the runt would need all he could get. They were dressed in almost nothing, thin and tattered fabric around their waists with a rope belt to hold them secure. That would be more than enough to protect him, if the other man could even get a hit in, he would be lucky. Bracos squatted down, condensing himself to almost half of his standing size, making himself a smaller target, his elbows resting on his bent knees as he waited for the other man to make his move.


@KurtH6355

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Lynius analyzed his opponent carefully, watching as he took a partially crouched stance. Lynius remained in a more loose, versatile stand, holding the pugio so tightly that his knuckles were white. He watched as a few patrons sat at a table with a pipe lying upon it, smoke rising slowly. The pit had a distinct smell of blood. The arena was coated with dried splotches of several bodily fluids. Spit, blood, voided bowels. Lynius was desensitized to it, but surely a former prince would not be so tolerant. Lynius dashed quickly left and right, bouncing around, his expression serious and focused, ready. "I wish not to combat you, but I'm left with no choice. If you slay me, well, I thank you. At least it's one way out of this hell." Lynius says to his opponent, before taking a feint jab from relative range, thanks to his lengthy arms. The blade would not connect, but maybe gain him ground. He was prepared with a balled fist at his side for if the opponent grew closer, Lynius having a good amount of experience with pankration and ready to use it if necessary. The knife was simply a variable to him - chances were he would not use it for a killing blow.

 

[Stickdom]

The man charged Bracos with a half-hearted apology, did he really think that it was as simple as kill or be killed? He hopped side to side like a frightened rabbit, searching for an opening to exploit. Well then, let him take it. The swing with the knife was apparently a ploy, they both knew that it was little more than a toy in this fight, either man could kill the other easily without it. Still, to be cut by the rusty, jagged blade would be most painful and certainly not help the victim's chances. So he waited for the slice to pass him by, and even as the other man advanced, he stepped in, grabbing the knife-hand by the wrist and giving it what would hopefully be a painful twist, while quickly closing the distance between their two bodies with his lunge forward and ramming the other man with his larger bulk in what amounted to a standing tackle.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Lynius was prepared for his opponent's advance. As he moved closer to him to grab his wrist, Lynius waited until he had fully devoted to it, his fingers grazing his wrist, before jerking his entire body into a deadly quick hook with his free hand into the jaw of his opponent. Figuring this would hit due to the prince's focus on his wrist, Lynius dodged back to get out of grappling range, before coming back toward his victim with a spinning back-stab with his knife hand, crouching unexpectedly for the knife to jab toward his opponent's right kneecap. If it were dodged or deflected, he would still follow through his spin with a uppercut as he arose toward his opponent's chin. Bracos may have underestimated Lynius, especially his agility and brutality.