To know your enemy, you must become your enemy
-Sun Tzu
The vast steppes of the Khazaits stretched out before Mengus. The nomadic warrior culture of the Khazaits resembled the fierce horse lords of history, and their arena fights were no different.
The arena, unlike all the others with the enclosed spaces he was used to, was an open expanse where mounted combat reigned supreme. Horses awaited their riders, Mengus had to buy a new horse just for this occasion because his old horse wouldn't be able to step up with the horses here. His horse got de-ranked, and his new role: carrying groceries.
The Khazaits, known for their mastery of horsemanship, gathered around the arena watching horses and fighters preparing for their fight. Mengus, not entirely comfortable on horseback, mounted a steed chosen for him by Isaak, who knew a thing or two about horses. The horse, sensing Mengus on his back, flicked its ears in response.
His opponent, a veteran Khazait warrior, was on the other side of the arena. He was wearing traditional armor and he was armed with a bow and curved blade, the Khazaits' expertise in mounted archery and melee combat was evident. The Khazait circled Mengus with a lot of confidence, his horse moving on his command.
The battle started when a giant bell rang, the pounding hooves ran at each other in full force. Mengus, at first struggled to find his balance and grappled with all the problems of mounted combat. The Khazaits' movements seemed second nature, a man and steed as one.
Arrows flew through the air, Mengus tried to shoot at his opponent back but it was almost impossible. There was a bigger chance for him to hit someone in the crowd than his opponent, that's how bad he was at aiming at a horse. In anger he threw the bow on the arena floor, not wanting to do anything with it anymore. Curved blade in his hand, he ran straight at his opponent, who in response did the same thing. One chance and he took it, the Khazait warrior fell from his horse on the hard floor, and Mengus won.
But that was only the first round, his luck didn't carry over to the next round, where he kissed the arena floor with full force as he fell from his horse. For a moment he thought that all of his teeth fell out. The quest to conquer Khazait seemed more difficult than he thought at first.
Score:
Mengus - Khazait
0:1
* * *
Four months have passed, and training with all his might; Mengus is at the last city of his journey to conquer Khazait.
The four months he spent in Khazait were simply to say, very difficult. Mengus decided to conquer the unique arena style, and he immersed himself in intensive training. The Khazaits' nomadic lifestyle and exceptional horsemanship demanded a level of skill and adaptability he had not encountered ever before.
Month One: The Dance
Mengus started by familiarizing himself with the Khazaits' distinctive horseback combat. Isaak, who had some knowledge of their ways, acted as Mengus's teacher. Riding tirelessly across the endless land, Mengus practiced maintaining balance on horseback and executing swift maneuvers. The Khazaits in the nearby town and villages were skeptical at first of the outsider, but gradually acknowledged his dedication so many came and offered to help, giving some very helpful tips.
Month Two: The Art of the Bow
Mounted archery became Mengus's primary focus. He spent countless hours refining his aim, even as it is he was bad at it, but on the horseback, it was a whole different story of how difficult it is. Yet, he didn't give up. With each passing day he improved, but in all honesty, he knew deep down, he was still a noob at it.
Month Three: Into the Fire!
The final month he went to the arenas and practiced with other warriors. He faced many veterans, each with a unique style of fighting. The open battleground, with many hills and obstacles, tested all his training. His victories were hard-fought, and his defeats were valuable lessons.
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Aena had her hands full with his bruises and wounds, trying to heal him so he could be in his best shape for the next day.
Month Four: ARENA!
Time to put his training to the test.
Score:
Mengus - Khazait
5:2
Mengus in the lead, his last obstacle in front of him, the town of Cheqia, and their Khan in the arena watching.
Gripping his spear tightly, Mengus urged his horse forward into the battle. The wind whistled past him as he scanned the terrain and his opponents. The spear became one with him, and his horse as well. The fluidity of his movements and the aim for the unprotected sides and backs of his opponents looked so natural that made many think of him as one of their own, a dynamic interplay of rider and horse.
An opponent, spear raised, ran at Mengus from his right. Mengus anticipated the attack, he shifted his weight and guided his horse into a lateral movement. The opponent's spear missed him by an inch, leaving him vulnerable to Mengus's counterstrike. With a fast attack, Mengus drove his spear into the opponent's side, making him fall off his horse.
The rest of the opponents, each bringing a unique style to the fight, adapted seamlessly, exploiting openings and using the mobility of their horses to their advantage.
In the final moments of the arena, Mengus found himself facing off against the last remaining opponent, a well-known Khazait warrior Hazirr. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the arena. The arena's open terrain provided a lot of space for maneuvering, and both fighters used their horses' speed to gain any type of advantage.
In the final confrontation between Mengus and Hazirr, Mengus found an opening, maneuvering his horse and throwing a well-timed attack that unseated Hazirr from his mount.
The crowd erupted into cheers, and Mengus won his final battle in the Khazait.
Mengus - Khazait
6:2
This was the most difficult journey for now, his riding level and archery improved a lot, but maybe he spent too much time here. The Khan of Khazait stood up to give applause to Mengus, a great honor for every warrior.
* * *
The Khan's keep stood tall in the town, the highest building by far. As Mengus approached the entrance, guards greeted him with a nod of respect. Now in the whole Khazait, everyone knew the name of Mengus.
Inside the keep, musicians were playing traditional tunes with their traditional instruments, and dancers danced with the music moving gracefully to the rhythm. The smell of food made Mengus hungry, it sucks that he couldn't bring anyone with him, they would love to enjoy this.
Lysa got mad at him once again for going to the keep alone. "What if something happens to you alone? You are just a peasant like us, you don't belong there!" etc., etc. It made Mengus more irritated than he wanted to admit. But at the end of the day, he kept his mouth shut, put his best suit on, and left. They just made peace after months of giving cold shoulder, and the sex was better than ever. He isn't throwing that away again, you choose the battles you will fight, and that one ain't it.
"Champion of the arena, you have honored our land with your skill! Amazing! Tonight, we celebrate your triumph," the Khan declared, raising a golden goblet filled with a mysterious beverage.
The hall echoed with laughter and the clinking of goblets as people toasted in honor of their new champion.
Many people approached him, he never met them before nor did he know who they were. Still, he had to act like he did know them, they were the type of people who talked a lot about themselves so it wasn't that hard for Mengus to stand there and just nod his head after every sentence.
As the night progressed, the Khan took Mengus aside for a private conversation. The Khan's personal chamber was adorned with colorful carpets and cushions, on them 4 women were sitting in revealing clothing. That night Mengus met his wives, but only for a short time because the Khan kicked them out to the next room pretty quickly.
Seated across from Mengus, the Khan spoke: "You have proven yourself worthy of our land, Mengus. Your skill is unmatched! I have a proposition for you. I offer you the hand of my daughter Kahzula in marriage. With you by her side, our alliance would be strengthened, and your legacy would be forever tied to the Khazait."
"Khan, your offer is - - Wow, I feel honored, and I am grateful for the warmth with which you welcome me. However, my path is a different one, I am not ready for such commitments."
"I respect your decision, Mengus. May the winds of fortune guide you. But know that the Khazait will always remember the Lord of the Sand as an esteemed guest and friend. And here you'll be known as the Lord of the Wind! The highest honor a Khazait warrior can get, I am giving it to you. And if you ever think about marrying, come visit me first, I might have some other daughters for you ready."
Mengus excused himself from the Khan's chamber and he slipped back to his camp where Lysa sat in his tent, waiting.
"Was it fun Lord Mengus?"
"Khan Mengus for you."
Her eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?"
"The Khan offered his daughter's hand, which would give me pretty good chances to become a Khan one day."
"And you accepted?"
Mengus threw himself at her, kissing her gently. "Why would I marry someone when I have you by my side?"
They embraced each other for the night.
image [https://i.imgur.com/lZ2c5CT.jpeg]