Chapter 16
Leading anom down the cobblestone streets, and passed the masses of people staring at him, he was able to see all the cities residents. The majority seemed to be dwarves, but the city also had a good amount of beast people, satyrs, humans, jotnar, and even a lizard man, selling some kind of fruit in the market. The city was flourishing, and everyone seemed to be in high spirits, with dwarves selling their works, and all the races seemingly getting along in the massive place.
Finally making it to the coliseum anom was finally able to see how immense it truly was, standing next to it. The architecture looked almost identical to roman architecture on earth, only much bigger. The walls stood over 200 feet tall, and dwarfed all the surrounding buildings in the city. Walking through the entrance he could see the walls were used like a cascading staircase for people to stand, or sit in, with each seat in front of the other, pushed down a few feet so everyone could see.
He was taken to a stone entrance, under the coliseum seats, and into a staircase, leading underneath the main coliseum floor, where he could see other races and people arming themselves getting ready to go into the ring. This is where he was told to wait and left by his guide. He waited there for a few hours, listening to the fighting above his head and watching as the group of people standing with him became less, and less.
Once someone was called, he could hear a fight above, then, either applause or booing, and then they would usually call another person. If the person was lucky, then they would return wounded. The truly fortunate return with light wounds. He was able to see a Minotaur return, lightly wounded, and a massive bear of a human return with deadly wounds. Almost none returned though.Several hours later he was directed towards a platform, which acted as an elevator from the baseme, pulling up into the coliseum floor, when the ceiling overhead opened up, revealing him to the massive, cheering crowd.
The crowd went mad once they saw his stature and physique and would not settle down until Arges, who was now in the main seats above the coliseum floor overlooking everything, motioned to them like a Caesar motioning to his people to quiet down. "This mountain giant has traveled to our guild today to request an armor worthy of his strength and prowess. He has agreed to show us his strength today in battle and if he is successful I have promised to provide him with one of my armors."
Silence, and shock, spread to the crowd, as he could hear the thousands of people, whispering, and talking to each other. He was able to hear a few of them, whispering in their surprise about Arges promising to make an armor for someone. Then all at once the crowd began to jeer and hoot at him, clearly upset. This lasted until Arges once again motioned for the crowd to silence themselves, so he could talk again.
Looking out, Arges spoke to the crowd. "If there are any here who feel that my work is too much for this giant let them come forward and bring their own armor for him to wear in the battle. If it is able to withstand this one’s might, I will consider the matter closed and also reward the craftsman. Are there any who wish to attempt this challenge?"
Looking at the crowd, a group of rich looking dwarves approached Arges, and requested the chance for their clan to participate. Arges agreed as the lead dwarf looked to the back of his group and signaled them. These dwarves quickly left, and reappeared twenty minutes later, with three carts full of armor being pulled out from the bottom of the coliseum. "I wonder if this is done often. Maybe they do this in order to test their armors and see who is the better blacksmiths?" Anom thought to himself, watching as the carts came closer to him. With the dwarves leading it towards him, he began to offload the armor and asked him to put on the armor.
Looking at the armor, Anom asked. "I mean you no disrespect but how could this armor possibly fit me? You have never measured me, and I’m sure you didn’t just make this. If it doesn’t fit or is too big or small it will impede me in my fight and I’d rather fight without it." Looking at him like a country bumpkin, the dwarf reluctantly began to speak to him. “You underestimate our guild. This armor was designed for giants and can shrink or grow from a giant 25 feet tall to 30 feet tall. We have armors for larger giants as well as smaller. so, you do not need to worry, it should fit like a glove."
Looking at the armor given to him, it resembled the black armor he saw the guards wearing when he first came in the mountain. It felt cool to the touch and looked exquisite with black steel and gold trim around it. He first put on the gambeson, followed by chainmail, and then the back steel plate armor, with a visor type helm.
He thought it would feel bulky, and uncomfortable, but it quickly morphed into his shape. "This is the nicest piece of armor I have ever put on, but it is extremely, worryingly light, which makes me nervous." Anom muttered to himself. After putting on all the straps and pieces and putting his sword on his side and holding his poleaxe, he was ready for the challenge. Looking up at Arges, he nodded to him once the dwarves left the field.
Waiting for the field to clear, Arges spoke up. "Let him face the thralls of the deep! Show us the might of the mountain tribe!" Almost immediately he heard a clank, and was drawn towards the back gate, where a few Minotaur’s were slamming down sledgehammers, on a metal pin, that was holding the massive door locked. After a few more swings, the pin was finally pushed out of the lock with a crack and the door was set ajar, finally unlocked.
Retreating immediately the door was smashed open, and he discovered his enemies. At the front of the gate was a massive 14 foot tall spider, with a black, and red, bulbous thorax. The spider was around the size of an African elephant, and had a tower on its back, where a group of smaller creatures were perched, holding bows and arrows, and a few holding javelins.
Following this behemoth, was a group of smaller spiders, around the size of horses with the same goblin like creatures riding them into battle, wearing armor that looked identical to the insects they rode on, and carrying lances. Behind these creatures was a massive 40 foot long black millipede, with dozens of goblins riding it and carrying little armor.
The goblins only carried a long dart gun as a weapon with belts of needles strung across their shoulders for extra ammo. Behind this group was a dozen grey rhinos carrying riders with lances. The horns on these beasts seemed to be tempered in metal and looked very sharp and sturdy.
Not giving the enemies time to strategize, he grabbed his poleaxe and adjusted it again to have the heads of the axe, hammer, and spear, grow much larger and heavier. With his size and weight, it wouldn’t be a problem to swing and began to charge towards the nearest, biggest enemy, the spider. Once he began his full charge forward, the spider and all the goblins took notice of him charging and were stunned upon seeing his speed, size, and figure.
The spider in its shock stepped backwards as anom spanned the distance between them in seconds. Reaching the massive black and red spider, he grabbed his poleaxe and swung his hammer down, directly on its head. Crack! Screee!! A horrible screaming cry came out of the spiders jaws as green blood soaked the land and flew everywhere. The goblins responded almost immediately, shooting their arrows and javelins covered in poisons and who knows what else towards him, only to have them hit and fall off his armor, doing no damage.
The smaller spiders, nearer to the queen also pointed towards him and began to charge him, as the giant millipede began skittishly moving towards his area, just inside the smaller goblins with blowguns area of attack, but out of his. Hundreds of needles were instantly shot, targeting his joints and any part of the armor that might be pierced to hit him. The rhinos began to line up, in a strange formation, getting ready for something. However, anom knew, that in order for this to not go bad, he had to at least kill one of the large bugs, immediately.
Pulling his poleaxe back up, he switched sides to the axe head, as he readied himself to decapitate the massive spider. However, before he got the chance, the massive spider rammed into him, with its full weight. While ramming him, the massive spider began to vomit a green liquid onto his waist and leg, that began to crackle, sizzle, and corrode the armor. "SSSSSSSS!" Giving up on the overhead swing he stabbed his poleaxe down, using the sharp spear point on the bottom of the pole handle, impaling the spiders head.
Using the rest of the poleaxe as a lever, he wrenched it sideways, breaking the spider’s neck and chitin armor, holding her together, as her head pulled off, still impaled on his weapon. Overwhelming silence surrounded the area, for a split second, as the shock of his almost instantaneous win, was being processed by the crowd. Then, a massive wave of applause and cheering broke out, followed by the crowd, chanting for him. However, the goblins were not as enthusiastic, as they began to charge him in blind rage.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Peeling the spiders head off of his poleaxe, he began to check the battlefield for his next opponent as the group of smaller spiders began to encircle him and check for flaws in his defense. They quickly found the area around my leg that was hit with the spider’s acid and discovered their projectiles were able to pierce into that section of armor a lot more easily.
Staying out of the range of his poleaxe, the spiders began to shoot webbing from their thoraxes, and connecting it to anything large, or heavy, in the area. At first it was just one which I quickly cut loose however, it quickly turned into dozens of these webbings attaching to every part of his armor that they could. These webbings began to sizzle, and pop, as they attached to the armor, as they were highly acidic.
This flurry of acidic webbing was followed up quickly by the massive millipede, finally making his debut, and as fast lightning, wrapping around his chest, and biting into the back of his knee and leg, which had little, or no plating, as the armor had deteriorated. Pain brought one of his knees down, and he was immediately rammed by the rhinos. Bam! Bam! Bam!
The rhinos were starting to pierce his legs and knees, following the millipedes lead. He could feel multiple stabs going into his legs, piercing the damaged armor section and the back of his legs. Unable to use his poleaxe, he reluctantly released it, and grabbed his side weapon. The flaming sword that he had picked up from the balrog in the caverns.
Pulling the flaming sword from its sheath, the spider webs close to him burst into flames, completely destroyed. Gripping the sword, he thrust it upwards, into the millipede who had begun to make the armor around his hip and leg into Swiss cheese. Scroar!!! A strange sounding scream and roar came from the millipede as he plunged the sword into the gaps of his chitin armor. He quickly tried to pull away as he cut off a large number of his legs. Finally free, he grabbed the small goblins climbing around his helmet, trying to use their blow darts to target his eyes and face, and crushed them in his hand.
After he looked to the ground where a few rhinos were still trying to retreat, he lifted his leg and kicked the closest rhino into the coliseum wall. Slam! Boom! Looking at the remaining spiders and rhinos on the ground, he now knew an easy way in dealing with them, as he walked around the area, smashing the rhinos with a kick, and crushing the spiders with a stomp. Putting his sword back in its scabbard, he began to notice his armor was smoking. "Damn, my body is getting too hot again."
Picking up his poleaxe he began to concentrate on the injured millipede lurking behind the remaining rhinos and spider riders. Sprinting forward, he swung his hammer into the rhinos and spiders, when kicking and stomping was not possible. Finally making it to the massive millipede, he swung his hammer down on its head, as it launched itself towards his waist. However, the missing legs must have slowed down the beast’s reaction time, as its charge was much slower than it had been.
He caught the millipede half way through its jump as his hammer descended on its skull with a wet crack. The beast now stunned, and bleeding, threw itself onto his legs, and attempted to crawl up his back using its massive pinchers to try and poke holes in his armor, or pierce the gaps in between. However, as it was crawling up his back, he stabbed his poleaxe down onto its body using the spear tip on the top, spearing it to the ground, as it wailed in agony.
Grabbing his sword again, he pulled it out and turned around as the creature attempted to use its size to wrestle with him and pull him to the ground, as the remaining goblins attempted to jump on him and find a spot in his armor they could use to poison him with their needles. Fortunately he had thick skin and the needles couldn't fully puncture him.
Finally wrestling to face the millipede he pushed it over using his weight, and drove the flaming sword into the cracks that my poleaxe had previously made, as the millipede screamed in anguish, and then finally went silent and still. Victorious, he felt a sudden hit on his back armor, turning to see a rhinos horn that had pierced his now degrading armor.
The armor almost looked like it was painted with oil and had a strange discoloration to it where the rhino broke through. Looking closer, he noticed his armor was smoking and the gambeson was burning from the heat of his body, which was glowing a dull red. This must be heating up the armor and allowing it to be punctured. Angered, he pulled the sword out from the now dead behemoth and cut the rhino and its rider in half.
Standing up, he began to sweep the rest of the battlefield of any survivors, and when he finished, his gambeson truly began to light on fire, no longer just smoke. Walking back to the area that he had been in the beginning, he wanted to see what Arges would have to say about the fight. Taking off my now discolored and oxidized helm, from the acidic spider webbing, and placing it in front of him, he awaited his judgement.
Looking at the rich dwarf, he did not look like he was very happy with the armors performance, and had a gloomy and disappointed look on his face. Arges looked at the dwarf and approached the front area of his seat to speak. "Anom, the giant from the mountain giant tribe has shown that he does indeed possess astounding strength that not many smiths could hope to cater to. If you could Anon, would you be so kind as to take off your top armor and whatever is left of your gambeson?"
Quickly taking off the destroyed plate armor, chainmail, and rags of wire that were still holding what used to be the gambeson together, the crowd was shocked. Going silent in awe of his body scorching red like a piece of metal. Arges looking at my physique looked genuinely surprised. Some of the fire giants even began to ask their elders if I was a half breed of their bloodline. This was shot down by Arges who told them, "this is a physique of an ancient lineage, not a fire jotnar." After seeing the heat radiating out of him Arges began to look at him completely different.
Before he seemed bored and cool headed but now he was staring at me like an uncut jewel or someone who has just found treasure. Motioning for everyone to calm down he began to speak again. "Your body heats up as you move, becoming hotter and hotter as time goes on in battle, am I correct?"
Surprised, Anom replied. "Yes, you are right. My body is also exceptionally durable and tough. Pointing out my leg where the millipede had latched on the chainmail and gambeson and pierced through to my leg. Pulling the armor off, there was only a shallow wound that had already stopped bleeding. Underneath the wound was a pile of burnt gunk that my body had burned and forced back out the wound from the heat. Very little can survive in my body. Poisons, venoms, I have yet to find something that can weaken me from within. However, I do still get injured it is just harder to harm me. This is why I’m looking for the best armor I can find. I also weigh considerably more than most other giants. So I don’t mind and in fact prefer larger, heavier armors."
Growing more curious, and interested, Arges asked. "How much more than an average giant? Pointing out to a fire giant and asking him to bring out a set of sales he looked back to me more and more interested. Do you mind if I weigh you?" Feeling more and more like a prized bull, Anom replied. Of course not.
Waiting around, he received a barrel of water, until the giant returned with dozens of giants in tow, pulling a massive scale out into the coliseum. Motioning anom to take off his remaining armor, and walk towards the scale. Thehe giants were growing somewhat interested, as he walked onto the plate.
The massive balance scales other side was empty until the giants began to load steel blocks marked with 500lbs onto the other scale end. One, two…ten…twenty… forty… fifty… fifty two finally the scales stopped 26,000 pounds. He was easily four or five of these smaller giants. Even massive giants around his size or bigger could be easily toppled over by his weight. Arges looked at the weights in shock and surprise until a sudden look of understanding came over him. The crowd was even more rambunctious and clamored around the stadium in glee. "I feel like a circus animal."
Smiling widely, and obviously happy, Arges spoke. "You truly did not disappoint. I first thought you were a young and arrogant child so I put you to the test. I apologize and I will keep my word to you. However, if you would be interested, I would like to discuss a proposition with you. If you agree to it then I will not simply make you one of my armors but I will give you a masterpiece. I will also give you something that I am positive you desperately desire. What say you?"
Supposed at his words, Anom replied. "I am always happy to make another friend. However, I do not know what you would ask of me. If it is at all possible then I will gladly do it." Happily, Arges retorted. "I am sure you will not disappoint. Be my guest and stay in my manor. Explore the city, and after I finish your armor, I will introduce you to my partner. I’m sure you will be very interested in meeting." With growing interested, Anom replied. "Very well. We shall do as you said then."
Over the next week he was able to see the underground mountain in its entirety. The mountain was massive, going down miles into the earth. The lowest floors were boiling hot, with red hot lava flowing into rivers, and pooling into lakes. This was where Arges’s personal forge was located. Inside the lowest level of the mountain, surrounded by the compressed earth from above, the cavern burned red hot.
His forge funneled magma from the earth’s center, and was surrounded by rivers of fire and lava. It was a large cave with dozens of metal columns holding the roof from collapsing with tools and molds scattered throughout, and dozens of machines lining the walls. He was able to see many of his works which were beautiful, and terrible, beyond description. After a week, he was called to his forge and told he would be meeting his companion. Walking into the underground forge, he saw Arges working next to the river of magma and machines. Sitting on a boulder and polishing a piece of armor as he motioned him to come over.