Deitric was barely able to stand in the impromptu arena with his knees shaking heavily and his sweat and blood splattered about in the dirt by his feet. The Halfing adventurer was battered and bruised all over with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth whilst his enemy also barely able to continue the fight. The black Mood was panting heavily with its long tongue lolling from the side of its beak-like snout. After a prolonged and fierce bout between the two where punches were traded with kicks, both combatants only remained standing through sheer willpower alone.

In the initial stages of the fight the Elite had an overwhelming advantage when it had used its speed and power to run rings around the Halfing. The Mood then occasionally dived in to deliver quick but fierce blows before withdrawing, like a serpent lashing out to deliver a venomous bite.

Deitric weathered through the storm of heavy blows before he started to get a feel for the rhythm of the oncoming attacks. His opponent tended to favor attack his exposed sides or back after having landed a kick or two to his legs to destabilize his footing.

So after a particularly vicious blow to his left shin, he waited for a fraction of a breath before wheeling round using his right leg and smashing a roundhouse left hook into the unsuspecting Chitpulka that was caught mid-air. Deitric was unable to fully utilize his strength and skills without the aid of a proper weapon but in the end the blow was more than enough, with the hit having connected along with a cracking sound that he felt through his clenched fists. It was without a doubt the sound of breaking bones..

But even after having receiving such a blow and fighting through so many fights, the monster just wearily stood up again before continuing in its assault. The fight was then resumed but with the monster slowly being worn down and starting to lose speed. As it was now hindered by its multitude of injuries and with exhaustion setting in, the Elite started giving more opportunities for Deitric to strike back.

The blows between the two combatants then started to become traded more evenly. Whereby initially it was mainly a one-sided affair in favor of the monster, nearer to the end of the fight the Elite was sent sprawling as often as it landed its kicks.

Seconds rolled on into minutes with the fighting accompanied not with screams of rage or any frivolous declarations and would have been totally silent if not for the sound pounding of flesh and labored breath.

At this point both combatants knew that the curtains was about to fall down on this show.

Deitric’s wrecked legs were barely functioning anymore after having receiving countless kicks from the monster and were so badly battered that he now only felt faint little undercurrents of pain from his deadened nerves. His arms and back faired only marginally better as they were still able to send him a singular screeching note of burning agony. His hands were now also barely able to form into proper fists with how many punches he had landed on the creature, but he still shakily stood with his guard up. His vision was also blurring dangerously as pain and fatigue threatened to overcome him.

Yet the boy did not give up.

For his opponent still stood opposite him with an unquenchable fire still burning in its tiny little beady eyes.

He felt so much pain, more so that when he had his testicle ripped out in the fight with the damnable Goat, but he refused to go down as the last member of his band.

“I’m *hur* the leader *cough* of the *hur* Deitric Thumpers, and I won’t *hur*..” he declared as he coughed out speckles of blood in his spittle that landed on the dirt below, ignored.

But before Deitric was able to finish whatever it was he was about to say, the boy’s eyes finally closed heavily as if he was just a child that had stayed up too late. He then keeled forwards to land heavily on his knees. His upper body then followed by careening forwards as it follow the inertia of his fall with the boy’s face landing flat on the dirt with a soft thump.

Seeing it’s opponent finally defeated, the Elite then gave into its exhaustion with an exasperated sigh. It leaned forwards and used its snout to prop its head against the ground as its legs folded from underneath it to allow it to sit down heavily onto the dirt. This time there were no warcries or jubilant slurps to announce this victory, just ragged breathing as the creature stared at the floor below.

….

Dornmit didn’t even know what to think of the situation anymore.

He came here with his heart filled with vengeance.

He only waited for the moment where he could relish in the glory of delivering his well-deserved justice upon the creature that had resoundingly trounced him before.

But his thoughts of revenge started to waver when the Steel-ranker went into the ring, for he was surely not going to get a chance to fight himself after the steel-ranker was done with the rowdy Chitpulka.

To his surprise, he then watched on as Chopeck defeated the steel-ranker within a just few quick exchange of blows that he was barely able to follow.

He now didn’t feel so bad having lost to Chopeck after witnessing it beat the adventurer of a whole rank above him, but it did make him wonder as to how strong was this monstrous Chitpulka really?

Then he started to feel a inkling of fear as he witnessed the Chitpulka go on to defeat his rival and friend with an amazing display of skill and power.

The thoughts of his own turn to fight were momentarily forgotten, as he then observed another Orcish Defender in action against the Elite. Unsurprisingly the weird orc had also lost.

His fear was replaced with awe as the monster continued on to easily dispatch the mesmerizing goblin twins who themselves were able to dart about all over the place.

But his own fear resurfaced as his master had to personally step in to intervene in the final part of the Hebdican boy’s fight, where it had seemed that Chopeck had went berserk.

He didn’t even think he would stand a chance himself anymore at this point.

He watched on as the halfling stepped into the ring after having pointlessly protested against his master. It was better to learn that there was no point in arguing early on he supposed.

The slugfest that then ensued was absolutely brutal and ridiculous. But as it watched on it stirred something inside of Dornmit. It was the feeling of respect for the indomitable will of Chopeck.

He knew that if he was ever put in the same place, he would never have been ever able to put up as much of a fight as Chopeck had.

But he did hope that if the time came for him to do the same one day, he would not be found lacking.

“So.. What are you waiting for?” asked his master from within the grounds without even turning to look at him.

“What was that master?” asked Dornmit in surprise and without thinking as he still was lost in his own thoughts.

“It’s your turn now boy, don’t you want to give it back a walloping?” asked his Leonid master before turning round with one of her hands on her hips. His master Gazelle now looked at him with a impassive look as she waited for his reply.

I wanted it before.. but not like this, he thought as he felt a sense of shame well up from his torso before creeping up his shoulders and making his ears tingle. His gaze was now past his master and on the Chitpulka that was absolutely spent and sitting in a pathetic little heap behind her as it panted weakly.

Before Chopek had darted about like a nightmarish shadow as it defeated opponent after opponent as it slurped in it’s annoying way, but now all previous bluster was gone and the creature looked absolutely fucked. Dornmit was sure that the Mood was barely even able to stand anymore.

The thought of even going over to finish of the Elite, after it had given its all against so many opponents and still emerging victorious just felt so… dirty. Just the idea itself felt like taking something coarse and rubbing it against his own personal sense of honor.

That is no mere Chitpulka… that there is a true warrior, thought Dornmit as shameful tears welled up in his eyes. He was nearly crying because here he was only thinking about his petty little revenge, when what was his childish thoughts when compared to the Chitpulka that was just defending its home?

“No master,” he whispered quietly in shame.

“What was that?” Gazelle asked as she cupped a hand to her feline ear. It was akin to burning a Firekin considering her high perception.

“No master, I cannot do it,” replied Dornmit as he looked up into the eyes of his master.

“Are you disobeying me Dornmit?” asked his master as the corner of her lips started to curl up to expose her sharp incisors.

“I cannot do it master, it would be dishonorable to steal away the glory from the monster after it had proven itself to be so worthy of… respect,” replied Dornmit with a small tear trickling down his face as he truly felt what he had spoken.

“Hmm, is that so?” asked back Gazelle before smiling. “Well that is indeed a good thing to see that you know right from wrong. Sometimes the only thing that stands between being a good person and bad is only your conscience. You will without a doubt later in life, decide to not follow orders blindly and pay the price, but it will help you sleep better on some nights my boy.”

“Now come boy, the healer should be here in a moment… but you better run off to find your little friend Nosal to heal up this wee Chit,” she continued as she took a few steps towards him before making a massive leap that easily cleared the fence.

Dornmit was filled conflicting emotions as he turned to follow his master.

He turned back to look over his shoulder at the scene of utter carnage behind him with the prone bodies all over the courtyard. He then glanced over once more at Chopeck who was still knackered on the ground before giving a tiny curt nod towards the resting warrior.

Then turning round he started to jog after his master who was already shooting of towards the Brownwhisker’s home.