Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical
-Sun Tzu
The city of Merna stood tall in the sandy realm. Its towering sandstone walls, beautifully crafted and decorated with mysterious carvings, took care of its people, shielding them from the outside world. The sun cast long shadows over Mengus while sweating in his heavy armor and swearing because of the heat. The cheers of the crowd echoing all around him, he was something like a celebrity down here.
The arena here looked beautiful, one of the best he ever attended to. A truly colossal structure with towering stands that reached for the blue sky. The sand-covered (of course) battleground awaited him, a stage where if he won, he would become the Lord of the Sand, a worthy title for any arena champion in the south. His victories in previous cities had preceded him, and even whispers of the "Lord of the Sand" echoed among the crowd.
The stands were filled with people, and no empty place was left, from all different corners of The Asarei, people came to watch the spectacle. Nobles, commoners, and even some visitors from distant lands gathered to witness Mengus in the arena. The sand beneath his feet seemed to pulse with every shout and cheer from the crowd.
A small, tiny, man stood in the center of the arena, his voice echoed as he announced Mengus as the undefeated in The Asarei, and the challenger to the title, the Lord of the Sand. The cheers of the crowd intensified, they showered him with loud cheers, the loudest he ever heard.
On the opposite side of the arena, his opponent, a well-known warrior in the south, Isaak the Eagle, awaited. The clash of their swords, the loud thud when the shields made contact, the thunderous applause, all these sounds, and more spread across the arena like wildfire.
Blades flashing in the sunlight, gasps and cheers after every contact, Mengus moved graciously around his opponent, his combat style, refined through many arena battles across the realm, looked like a well-rehearsed dance.
Isaak the Eagle
Level: 11
One Handed: 160
Two Handed: 90
Polearm: 150
Bow: 40
Crossbow: 10
Throwing: 45
Riding: 130
Athletics: 70
Smithing: 0
Scouting: 0
Tactics: 110
Roguery: 0
Charm: 0
Leadership: 145
Trade: 0
Steward: 0
Medicine: 0
Engineering: 0
Traits: Daring, Generous
"He's very good, all his stats are great, I can't afford to make a mistake here."
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the sand-covered battleground. Mengus and Isaak circled each other, looking for any weakness they could use, Mengus observed the trajectory of the sunlight. In a decisive moment, he positioned himself in such a way that his armored figure covered the sun, casting a shadow on Isaak.
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Then, seizing the opportunity, Mengus swiftly moved away from his original position, allowing the full force of the sunlight to flood back onto Isaak. The sudden change from darkness to brightness momentarily blinded Isaak, leaving him vulnerable to Mengus's attacks.
With a series of precise strikes, Mengus took advantage of Isaak's blindness. Each blow landed with great precision, and the crowd, initially stunned by the strategic brilliance, erupted into cheers.
Isaak, unable to fully recover, struggled to defend against Mengus's onslaught. Mengus pressed harder until he finally delivered the final, decisive blow.
* * *
With the new title around his belt, now known as the Lord of the Sand, Mengus had enough of the sand. He traveled the vast Asarei desert for a month, he had enough of it.
"Lord of the Sand," behind him stood Isaak, he approached him respectfully, acknowledging Mengus as the champion, and the stronger one. "I have witnessed your skills in the arena and your strategic brilliance. I want to learn more from you, to hone my skills under your guidance. May I join your party and travel alongside you?"
Mengus was surprised by this request from Isaak. Mengus thought for a second.
"Isaak," Mengus spoke, "I, too, feel that I could learn a lot about you. You are an amazing fighter, and you're welcome to join my party. Together, we can get even stronger!"
Isaak's face lit up, and with a firm handshake, the alliance between the Lord of the Sand and Isaak the Eagle was formed. The shifting sands of fate had brought them together, promising a great future beyond the dunes of the Asarei.
* * *
"This beard is starting to itch!!"
The party was headed towards Aira, the capital of the Southern Empire. The upcoming tournament in the grand city had gained a lot of attention, and there were rumors that Queen Raagea herself might bless everyone at the event with her presence. Known for her legendary beauty, the Queen was in everyone's dreams at least once in the entire realm.
A month has passed since he left the cruel desert of the Asarei. He didn't miss them at all. The weather was nice, a little chill, he didn't sweat like a donkey's ass, and the most important thing was that he was close to home. Almost a year has passed since he left home on his journey to fame, he should go back and visit his family and friends soon.
In preparation for the tournament and the possibility of catching the Queen's eye, Mengus decided it was time for a change. Now he wasn't just a no-one. His invincibility in the desert spread even up north, and on the arena leaderboard, he was now 3rd. Soon, he'll attack the number one spot!
He looked at himself in the reflection of a small pond, his unkempt hair and beard made him remember that he used to like something like this in his past life too. Only that, he didn't care about his looks back then because of other reasons. It made him sick, this had to go, fast.
Being reborn, he turned his life upside-down, he changed everything he did wrong in his previous life. He tried to be more talkative, to have more friends, to hang out with his friends, to have a girlfriend (he did this...kind of), and most important part, to have good relations with his parents. Now, thinking about it, he hadn't visited them in almost a year, not even a letter. Maybe he couldn't fix his all mistakes from his past life immediately, but he has time. Soon he'll go back to his village, as the greatest arena champion in the realm.
With the tournament being a significant event, he wanted to leave a good impression now, especially if Queen Raagea was indeed in attendance.
"What are you looking at Lord of the Sand? You're not that handsome." Lysa teased him, observing his funny expressions.
"So you think I'm handsome?"
"Th-that's not the point now!"
Mengus laughed. "I heard tales of Queen Raagea's unmatched beauty. If she's to be at the tournament, I want to look the best way I can."
Lysa's eyes narrowed slightly. The idea of Mengus grooming himself for someone else didn't sit well with her.
"I don't see why you'd bother. She's a queen, you're a peasant like me."
"It won't hurt to leave a good impression. What do you think?"
"Do whatever you want. It is your hair."
"Not just the hair, this too." Mengus pointed at his beard. "You're not getting jealous, are you?"
Lysa rolled her eyes. "Jealous? Of what? If we slept a couple of times it doesn't mean we're married, right? Do whatever you want."
"It's just a bit of grooming. You might even like the new look." Mengus teased her, still not knowing how have they slept more than once together.
After that day she didn't look him in the eyes for weeks, then she crept into his bed one night and they did it again. Weeks later the same scenario. This went on for 4 months before they started thinking of it as completely normal to share their beds every night.
* * *
The way to the finals was easy for Mengus, a routine. The crowd cheered as he went out, the air filled with excitement. Mengus scanned the stands, hoping to catch a glimpse of Queen Raagea, but she was nowhere to be seen.
His opponent in the finals turned out to be none other than Lysa, her eyes flashing with anger, even Isaak didn't stand a chance against her. The crowd soared as the Lord of the Sand faced off against his companion.
The match began like every other, swords clashed, and shields met with a resounding force. Lysa's attacks were fierce, driven by anger to punish Mengus for his comments from the day before. Mengus, though surprised by her strength, had everything in control.
He fought with the same skill and experience that had earned him the title of Lord of the Sand. He won't lose. Amid the battle, Mengus couldn't help but wonder why was Lysa so mad. Did he overdo it this time?
In the final moments of the match, Mengus managed to outmaneuver Lysa, securing the victory. The crowd erupted into applause, roses flew from the stands into the arena.
Breathing heavily, Mengus approached Lysa, concerned and confused. "What was that all about? Didn't know you can hit that hard." his voice was low enough for only her to hear.
Lysa, still catching her breath, shot him a defiant look. "I'm not some prize to be won or lost. Remember that."
With those words, she stormed off the arena, leaving Mengus standing there, wondering about the complexity of their relationship and the emotions that had surfaced in the heat of battle.