Perhaps it is the noise in the Colosseum that attracts the beast. Perhaps it is the smell of blood.
Either way, a monster comes knocking. A monster comes out of the darkness of a moonless night, just hours from daybreak. The far edge of the world seems sanguine; the wine-red light of a tentative, peeking sun spills out across the desert but is not yet bold enough to stretch beyond the Colosseum’s abandoned walls. Not like this creature, drawn in as if searching for carrion.
He drops down into the abandoned sands of the arena. He inhales the scent of blood already going stale, and sweat that has gone staler. There are no strong scents, no pull to suggest bodies and this distresses the beast. In the old days, when he had fought, there had always been bodies—
Now, in the arena, the memories flood him. Yes. There used to be food, always. And now there is nothing. The beast laments it, scuffling forward through the sand, dropping his three heads to search. Perhaps a scrap of flesh…
He jerks up his three heads at a distant clang. It comes from within the iron gates, where they had… they had once kept him, stuffed into a cage, drawn out bloodied to fight, and fight, and fight.
Yet the old beast’s lips draw back into a trio of grisly smiles. He had… had he not been made for the purpose? And besides, the noise means—flesh.
He enters the tunnels past the arena through the gate left ajar.
The manticore blinks away the torch-light that illuminates them, and his shape. It glints off his body; that of a lion, but impossibly larger. He has a stallion’s head yet it bursts, over-full, with canine teeth and split, cracked lips. The manticore’s tongue lolls out as he snuffs around another corner, twitching his scorpion’s tail.
He begins to follow the freshest scent; it sweats, still, Solterra’s endless heat. Good. Good. The manticore does not know why a man visits his old haunts; there is more clanging.
By now, Rufio might realise something is amiss. The crickets are silent. Although the blacksmith had been hired to come in during the early mornings to repair and sharpen weapons, he had yet to be disturbed in this task. The manticore comes around another corner of the elaborate tunnel-and-cage system, one designed for imprisoned slaves and beasts. Oh, he remembers it well, in the belly of the Colosseum. Yes, he had fought here, had lived here, during Zolin’s reign.
“C-come out, aziz-am. You must be so alone—come out, come out, wherever you are—“ The manticore's voice is thick, and wet, and muffled by so many teeth. But it booms through the abandoned, fire-lit tunnels. He shambles deeper along, searching, seeking, nostrils flared and wide eyes glancing.
@Rufio
RULES:
1. This will not be a judged fight. Instead, this counts as a "feud." However, it will follow the same guidelines AS IF it were a judged fight/challenge. This format is quoted below:
1. Form/Entrance: Character #1 enters (and posts the fight form).
Character #2 has 1 week to respond.
2. Entrance/Attack: Character #2 enters and has the option to make the first attack.
Character #1 has 3 days to respond.
3. (Block)/Attack: Character #1 has the option to block, and makes their first attack.
Character #2 has 3 days to respond.
4. (Block)/Attack: Character #2 has the option to block, and makes their next attack.
Character #1 has 3 days to respond.
5. (Block)/Attack: Character #1 can block (if not used), and makes their next attack.
Character #2 has 3 days to respond.
6. (Block)/Exit: Character #2 can block (if not used), and ends the fight.
No response needed, but Character #1 can post an exit (no attacks or blocks).
2. No serious harm will befall your character unless you would like it to. Please DM @
3. Characters are allowed to use what is in their surroundings to combat their mystery opponent. For example, perhaps Character Z enters the arena with a sword given to them to borrow before entering the arena. This weapon or armour cannot be used OUTSIDE of this thread. But I encourage you to be creative!
4. Have fun!
