Edwin was used to the chilling desert nights of the arena, but the last night was especially difficult. The endless possibilities of fighting a former member of the Paladin Order haunted his thoughts. That being said, Edwin had won harder bouts in worse conditions, but anxiety still knawed at his psyche. The sun began to shine an orangy glow through Edwin’s barred window as Mak accompanied by two uniformed guards came to escort Edwin to the arena. Mak was nervous, although he disguised his worry with a cold gaze. He communicated in brief grunts as he directed Edwin outside his cell to a closed gate. Edwin took a deep breath, the weight of the closed gate before him weighed heavily on his mind.
He reminisced on the hundreds of times he’s stood in front of this door, for the same reason. To fight. I have fought hundreds of beasts, unphased. Yet why do I falter now? A sweeping calm fell over Edwin as the gates opened to the familiar cheering crowds and bright desert sun. Mak handed Edwin his glaive, but before letting go of the glaive Mak whispered to him.
“Mok Rokar.” He said. Edwin grasped the glaive with confidence as he made his way out in front of the crowd. The roar was like a cacophony of emotion like he’d never felt. Edwin’s heart pounded as he raised his glaive in the air, rallying the crowd once more. As Edwin basked in the attention, flourishing his glaive, a silence fell as a gate on the far side of the arena opened. The metal chains groaned as the gate heaved open. A figure emerged from within brandishing a large hammer. Silver plate armor reflected off the sun, obstructing the figure from complete view. A paladin shrouded by sunlight.
As the figure came into clear view Edwin made out that it was a man. He stood tall and had a haughty air about him. Edwin reflexively scowled, the man was a reflection of the paladin order. An organization tarnished by their greed and blinded by pride. The hammer the paladin carried was a beast of a weapon, the handle alone would have weighed a hundred pounds if not more. Despite this the paladin held it effortlessly, raising it into the sky, and for the first time Edwin heard the man speak, and he was addressing Edwin.
“I hear you are a warrior of great renown here, among the mongrel demibloods.” The man motioned pompously to the orcs in the crowd, though his comments were drowned out by the sea of spectators. Edwin laughed at the man.
“You would do well to humble yourself, former Paladin.” The man sneered attempting to look unphased, but was betrayed by the pronounced vein on his forehead which writhed in anger.
“Please. Even a former paladin could make short work of any man or orc here.” The man gave an arrogant smile as he stroked his clean-shaven face. Edwin knew to an extent that the man was not exaggerating. Edwin had watched and even participated in what was called a purge, where small elite forces of Paladins were sent to dispose of hundreds at a time. As Edwin reminisced, a horn signaled the two combatants to ready themselves. Edwin gripped his weapon tightly, sweat beading off his forehead. He had no trouble besting paladins in the past when sparring. But without the use of his holy power, Edwin felt nervous.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Edwin breathed in deeply as a final horn bellowed throughout the arena signaling the combatants to begin.
“Before I kill you, what’s your name, warrior?” The man asked the question in laden sarcasm, as he wielded his great hammer with ease. Though it was common for Paladins to exchange names, the man was not asking out of respect, but rather pride for his own name.
“I do not owe a failed warrior my name.” Edwin’s opponent only laughed before replying.
“Sir Sedrick is my name, I would say to remember it, however, I suspect you won’t be capable soon.” With his last taunt, Sedrick dashed toward Edwin with near incomprehensible speed. A golden light trailed his movements as he aimed a blow for Edwin’s side. Edwin awkwardly positioned his spear so as to barely block the blow, however, the hammer still glanced off his hip.
With a flash of golden light, Edwin was sent flying, slamming into the stone arena walls. An audible grimace from the crowd filled Edwin’s ringing ears as he attempted to steady himself. Still gripping his glaive in hand, Edwin propped himself up with the weapon’s end. Sedrick approached Edwin smugly. “Impressive you’re still alive,” he said, before attacking once again. For the next few minutes, Edwin felt himself thrown around the arena, being slammed from one side to the other. Despite taking hit after hit, Edwin subtly reinforced himself with holy magic to minimize the damage. Still, with each blow his body ached more. He felt more like a ragdoll than a warrior.
As Edwin lay in the dirt, beaten and caked with blood, Sedrick walked over to him in his pathetic state. “Not the first time I’ve had to put down a cocky desert rat.” Sedrick grasped his hammer in preparation for a final blow. “A sad end to you, a hefty bag of gold for me.” Sedrick threw the hammer down on Edwin’s skull with more force than any of his other swings.
In the moments before the hammer connected, Edwin fell into a deep contemplative state. Clearly outmatched, Edwin looked towards the sun for an answer, and within it’s light he found one. Would he truly be content with running his entire life? He felt deep in his soul a resounding ‘no’, and so with a stout determination, Edwin raised his head and at that moment took up the mantle of Sunblessed once more.
As the hammer finally connected, a bright light blinded Sedrick and he took a reflexive step back, shielding his eyes. When Sedrick’s eyes adjusted, he stood mouth agape. Edwin walked towards him, unscathed.
The look in Edwin’s eyes was one of resilience as he reached his hands towards the sun and called down his true weapon.
“Ven, Lumina!” He said, and a streak of flame shot down from the heavens, sending a wave of energy through the arena. Edwin stood, now with a glistening, burning sword in hand. It shimmered with heat and regality as Edwin wielded it. For the first time in years, Edwin spoke not as an Arena Combatant but as a Paladin. “I am Edwin. Former Paladin, and Sunblessed.” Behind the gates, Mak stood solemnly, before he walked out of view. In that moment Edwin felt a tinge of regret, but ultimately shook it off as he stood to face his opponent once more.
Sedrick stood in awe,
“You’re the Sunblessed?” With an outstretched hand, Sedrick’s hammer shot back to him. “You’re supposed to be dead.“ Edwin did not answer with words, but instead readied his sword, ready to resume their bout.