“This world is connected.” Said a black hooded man who’s face is shrouded in darkness his build was tall and athletic. His arms covered in black cloth bandages that reveled every curve of every muscle, outstretched as if welcoming something. He wore a long sleeveless black coat that very well covered his feet, making it impossible to see the steel toe boots he wore. Before him, a door of elegant design with gold emblazoned on it lining the crescent engravings near the top and bottom of the door. Facing each other nearly forming a perfect circle.
Slowly the door parted from the center into the frame that stood alone on the open meadow of tall grass on slow rolling hills that stretched out as far as the eye could see. A forest and mountain stood in the distance like an island in the sea of grass. Within the frame it revealed a dark vortex swirling with blue, green, and red as an image tries to come into view. Within the image shows a creature with crimson red fur with black stripes of a tiger. It’s body was average size for a human-like creature though fairly muscular. The image sharpened to reveal a wolf head of several years looking at something as if deciding. His clothing was simple, a leather vest covering his upper torso along with a leather belt strung from his right shoulder to his left hip. It connected to a pouch littered belt that held up his simple brown colored pants. His tail swayed in content and concentration. His arms were decorated in only a pair of steel bracers that were to act like shields in time of need.
“Anthromorphic wolf, Akito Ironwill.” Said the cloaked figure, “I’ve been looking for you.” Slowly the cloaked figure extended his right hand to the vortex as if testing the waters then stepped in.
Akito Ironwill was busy looking through a weapon rack that could be reminiscent to that of sixteenth century England with swords, shields, spears, and crossbows. His ears heard the roar of the crowd and the laughter of children; the clucks of chicken; the bah’s of goats; and the moans of cows. An anthromorphic rhino male stood next to Akito with his arms crossed over his chest wearing leather apron, white t-shirt, brown trousers, cloth boots, and leather gloves.
“Well have you picked something yet?” Asked the rhino.
“The broadsword,” said Akito pointing at the five foot by three inch blade with a two-handed handle. With a slight grunt the rhino reached up and collected the sword, then handed it to Akito. Nodding he gave the rhino the bag of silver for the blade, the shopkeeper looked into the bag and nodded as well, taking it and leaving him be.
Akito sheathed the sword on the scabbard on his back and left the shop. Slowly the crimson warrior worked his way through the streets of the walled city of Belle Goth. A city of different races, and species of the known worlds that had found peace. Yet allowed warriors to compete in a contest to the death. Some to defend their race, species, and home world pride, in some cases either the city or family name. Each one varied from battle to battle simply because each battle took part in different cities among planet Belle. For each city was considered to be a battle ground but only under special conditions, part of them being that the building crews are ready to repair the buildings. In this battle Akito decided to take part of selfish reason’s one was to gain the title of champ to gain respect, but there was one other but only he knew of the reason.
Though his heart sank as he recalled the rumors that he heard. Morro, the white enchantress, she would be in the battle and the variations of her abilities let alone looks where numerous, yet enough to put fear that he may not make it. But it wasn’t enough that kept him from his goal. As he looked about the other special condition was being fulfilled. For the streets were empty and the shopkeepers left, then the bells ran loud and clear. It was the signal, the signal that stated that the city was evacuated no one was there but ten people himself included. His competitors were ready to begin and had already started to make their way to center of the city for the final battle. Some may come after him so he will have to keep track of his surroundings for if they wanted to, they would kill him if he had his guard down. His goal is before him, he will have to push forward now he can’t go back to his old life.
“So many childhood memories,” said Akito as he looked about, not only to keep an eye out for any attacks but to relive all his memories that led him to this moment. Walking the streets with a sword for a companion waiting to be attacked. The number of troubles he’s caused was enough to make it clear to those around him to think he won’t survive this fight. But now he has to live up to what he said, “I will be the greatest warrior, they will call me the crimson killer.” He told them but they all laughed, so now he walks the streets to prove to them that he will fulfill his dream.
However the moment of the reminiscing was soon shattered as a huge ball and chain swung in and slammed into him from the left, sending him into the brink wall next to him. As it left him, he staggered away from the wall as a sharp pain shot up from his left side, nearly under his chest. He looked up to see a wolverine anthromorph dressed no different then that of a barbarian with simple fur shorts and boots.
“Well you’re a tough runt,” said the barbarian with a heavy chuckle. Akito drew his sword and held it ready despite the pain and leaned against the wall. “Can’t take another shot like that again.” Akito thought to himself, as the wolverine hefted the ball and threw it again. The wolf barely stepped to the side watching the ball fly into the wall and lodged itself, then without thinking he acted. He leapt onto the chain and ran at the barbarian.
The wolverine swung with one free hand but the wolf leapt over spinning in mid-air. With a grunt he landed and swung high with his sword and parted the barbarian’s head from his shoulders. The head tumbled as the wolf staggered to the wall on the other side of the alleyway and sat down. The pain growing as the body fell with a loud thud, his first kill and he felt fine aside from the pain. Shouldn’t he be shaking that he took a life? No, for he had fought for his life surviving in the streets. He had a family but the family he had wasn’t much to be proud of. For it was simply a group of street rats, the homeless males and females of the different races throughout the known worlds, that scurried about collecting food and stole. Akito being the oldest had gone so far as to kill those that got in his way, even the other street rats, some ranging from five years of age to his age of twenty three.
“Sure bust a rib in your first fight, smooth Akito.” He said to himself sarcastically, then stood up once the pain faded and continued on. The body of the barbarian soon faded as the cloaked figure appeared. The man pulled his hood back revealing pail skin with snow white hair that tumbled down past his shoulders stopping just below his shoulder blades. His face marked with a single scar from his right temple to the far left of his lower jaw. The man smiled as his red eyes glowed emitting an evil aura.
Akito walked for what felt like hours till he heard an arrow coming, barely he brought his sword up to deflect the arrow, but was caught by surprise by a round house kick in the head that sent him to his hands and knees, then another that connected to his injured side that sent him into a pile of garbage.
“Damn,” he muttered as he dug himself out and stood. Before him was a hunter, a coyote anthromorph hunter. Holding a bow and arrow aimed at him, the clothing of this hunter was simple for this hunter; leather vest, boots, green trousers, and leather belts that held who knows what for a hunt. Akito growled and ran at the hunter, but the hunter merely smiled and fired right at him. The wolf ducked low and threw his sword at the hunter, causing the coyote to jump. Akito expected this and jumped at the hunter, the hunter’s face flashed shock as the wolf’s fist connected with the hunter’s leg. A planned move by both fighters as the hunter was going to kick the wolf, and the wolf knew that the hunter would result to using his legs to hit the warrior. As the punch followed through breaking the coyote’s leg on contact, Akito rolled in the air and came down with the heal of his bare foot into the hunter’s skull. The force of this maneuver sent the hunter head first into the concrete. Landing with the loud crack of bone against concrete.
The warrior landed a step away grabbing his sword and without hesitation swung it up then down onto the hunter, cleaving the hunter in two. Once done the crimson warrior withdrew his blade from the corpse and with a single swing removed the blood that drip from it. Then takes a deep breath sheathing the sword and ventured to the center of the city. As to how the other combatants are doing he does not know but does know that there are now eight more to go including himself. What felt like another hour passed he reached the center.
Within the center of the city was a single platform raised to act as an arena for those that have reached the area, let alone the final goal for any that are left. But it would seem that he wasn’t the only one that made it for there were two combatants within the arena staring each other down as if they had just finished one barrage of attacks panting short of breath. On one side was a human dressed in scantly clad armor, cut up in random locations on her body but none to harmful, her hair red as fire, her eyes green as morning grass. She wielded a simply sword and shield, both worn from hard battles, the shield dented from hard blows and the sword dull from use. On the other side was an anthromorphic vixen in white enchantress robes, it was Morro it had to be. Only Morro would have such clothing let alone wielding only a staff.
“Narnia!” Akito called out as he ran to the human, she looked to him and dropped her guard as the vixen pulled her staff back and let loose a fireball at the human. The wolf responded quickly and stepped in the way acting like a shield. His body burned from the fireball but he still stood. He turned and flung his sword at the vixen as hard as he cold, but it bounced off the hastily made shield. Akito grumbled and charged at the vixen raising a fist. The human followed close behind him, once again Akito threw himself at another hastily made spell acting as the distraction. The human came in and shoved her sword into the vixen’s chest right into the heart, then pushed it up, blood gushing up as the body fell.
Akito stood for a moment, his body burned bad, and his right arm missing entirely, before falling flat on his back with a grunt. The human rushed to him with tears in her eyes not sure where to touch him but cupped his cheek, the wolf brought his left hand up and cupped her cheek.
“I guess…they were right.” He grumbled trying to talk.
“You were a fool to try, Akito.” She said with a sweet tone looking at him with tears in her eyes.
“Those tears…are they for me?”
“Akito, please don’t leave me.”
“I won’t leave you…I can’t leave you.” He said with a smile and looked into her eyes as if asking her not to be upset.
“You won’t, because you were not meant to die.” Said the cloaked figure that entered the area. The human stood up and was ready to fight as the man walked up and looked to Akito.
“Who are you?” Asked Narnia.
“I am….a traveler, and a healer of sorts.” He said with a smile and walked around to Akito’s right side kneeling down.
“A healer huh? I thought everyone was evacuated.” Akito said finding more strength to talk.
The man placed his hand on Akito’s chest and an odd green aura emitted from his hand into the wolf. Groans came from the wolf as the burns painfully healed themselves and his right arm seemed to come from the concrete and attached itself to his shoulder. Soon the arm was made but it was not of flesh and bone, but of metal and wire. Which reached up and grabbed the man by the shirt and threw him away. The man laughed and vanished into the ground.
“Akito Ironwill, fate has chosen you to face me in the future and will want our battle to be decided buy skill alone.” Echoed the man’s voice from the wind. Akito sat up looking to his arm, then to Narnia.
“I…I’m alright? Ugh.” He said astonished then tackled by a crying human and nuzzled his chest.
“Yes you are Akito, and you are the victor.” She said sobbing into his chest. Chuckling he wrapped his arms around her.
“No I’m no victor, we both are. But I don’t think they ever had a tie like this.” He said with a grin and held her close as bells rang. People were returning to the city, word had come that the battle was over and the victor was chosen. But how will they deal with a tie such as this? Will they give them both the title? Or will they be forced to fight over it? One can only tell.