Realm of Opportunity

12: Challenger

^^ Full-Orc ^^
(Orcs have 4 tusks, Half-Orcs have 2)

--- Dorian ---

Lugging the giant bag of books was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, honestly.

Firstly, because of thieves. The ungodly number of thieves. (And yes, I say that, knowing full well it is a nasty pun.)

By the time I left the main market, I'd broken three wrists, sprained two more, and snapped one particularly stubborn fellow's shoulder as well.

I didn't even bother asking Bete why he wasn't helping me. The bastard was on the rooftops, staring down at me, as if he was testing me again.

I turned off the Main Market street, towards the Castle, and heard Bete hiss gently.

I looked up, curious, and felt a burning sensation in my shoulder. I looked down, and hummed, noticing the dagger buried in my left shoulder.

I set aside my bag, then pulled the dagger out slowly, sniffing it. "No poison... good. Bete? If you're not going to help me fight, guard my bags, please? They're kind of precious. And don't let anyone at the Familia know I have them, either. I'm not the type to share my hunt, past what's due."

He chuckled. "I can understand that."

A second dagger came out of the alley, and I cut it out of the air with my sword, tossing aside the first one. "Not going to work, little assassin/thief, whatever you are... come into the light so I can kick your ass, huh?"

A tall, rather handsome elf stepped into the light, drawing a heavy one-handed sword, not unlike the one I'd thought of buying last week. That helped me measure his strength, and decide a battle of pure strength wasn't in my best interest anymore. Skill, then.

I darted forward, leaping over him when he lashed out. My sword flashed downwards before he recovered, and slit the muscles of his right shoulder cleanly, making his arm fall, useless. I landed on the other side, and leapt again, just as several daggers landed where I'd been crouching.

"Awww, you brought friends!" I chuckled, nonchalant, but my eyes mapped the alley, searching for the others.

The elf switched his sword to his left hand. "I'll handle him myself! I underestimated him, is all!" He seemed to be arguing with his people...

"Aww, are they your babysitters? So nice to see younglings still with proper care and supervision..." I taunted, smiling.

He glared at me, and then touched his sword to the ground, making a magic circle appear.

I hummed, and watched as he began casting, then leapt forward, slamming my knee into his larynx, and my other knee into his teeth, shattering his pearly whites. The circle dissipated just as quickly as it had formed, and he fell, completely mute, clutching his throat weakly.

I looked into the dark alley. "I hope you're satisfied... if I did that right, he'll never speak again, and he'll definitely never use magic again. I hope he was expendable. Now get out of my way."

Two more people came into the light, one carrying a spear, the other a pair of daggers, and both walking a confident Swagger.

I narrowed my eyes, and huffed. "Two on one, daggers and Spear against sword? I like your tactics, but I wish my enemies were stupid... BRING IT, YOU STUPID YANKS!" I roared at them to jumpstart their slow movements.

I leaned back, as the person with the daggers nearly cut my head off. I brought a knee up solidly, and he leapt back, his nose bleeding heavily, and he spit out a tooth.