ARENA 10-Placid Hollow

[etcircenses]

The Tributes are taken early in the morning, most of their support teams seeming in good cheer as they dress them in warm clothes, getting them to their tubes. There is obvious comfort in the familiar for the prep teams, and they chatter with, or in some cases, over the heads of their Tributes as they get them ready and load them up.

20

19

18…

If the Tributes could see the area they are passed up into, they would see a deeply overgrown, dilapidated town green, with a large bandstand rotting away in the middle. The spoils of the cornucopia are not gathered in one spot, instead scattered throughout the thigh high grass and weeds around the town green.

Around the edge of the green, the old business stand a silent sentry, looming out of the fog as it thins and winds into them, providing much desired cover.

8

7

6…

But the Tributes cannot see the ground around them. The fog, thicker even than it will be in the rest of the arena, makes the world small around them. The sound of the count down echoes strangely, the tributes seeming too close as the fog brings sounds of their breath, their coughing, the snap of twigs under their feet right to ears of the other Tributes. But with the fog bringing visibility down to only a few feet, it's hard to tell what is a true danger, and what is only the fog playing tricks on them,.

3

2

1

The gong rings out, and the countdown's voice announces "the Arena is now open". The Games have begun.

Comments

[oredinary_hero]

Catching the strike with the head of the pick, Rokk grunted as the impact jarred up his arms but his grip didn't slacken an inch. Bulling forward he tried to crowd the man, to give him less room to swing. At the same time he drove the top of the pick at his opponent's gut in an attempt to wind him.

"You sure you don't want to rethink that strategy?"

If he wasn't going to break off the Cos himself was going to have be the one to retreat. But he wanted to be sure he'd have a chance to get some distance between them when he did. The last thing he wanted was to lead this guy right to his team.

[calledmenasir]

No, he did not at the present.

Nasir darted back and away from the pick axe. He was accustomed to putting space between him and his opponent and did so easily as he stepped back, almost losing sight of Rokk in the fog. But he saw where his figure was, where the man held his arms, and he lunged forward to swing again at his chest.

Nasir was experienced, even if he didn't have his spear with him. He was also determined.

[oredinary_hero]

Gritting his teeth Rokk twisted away from the blow but he couldn't avoid it entirely. The board clipped his shoulder painfully, the nails drawing blood as they tore through the thick clothing he wore. The impact had unbalanced him so rather than struggle to keep his feet he let himself drop, the pick still clenched firmly in one hand as he attempted to sweep his assailant's legs out from under him.

[calledmenasir]

As soon as Nasir saw Rokk moving to drop, he knew what move he was planning and took steps to protect himself, literally. Backing away, he avoided the sweep.

He paused. He was not used to this weapon and close combat was not his favored method. But then he lunged forward to strike again.

[oredinary_hero]

Rolling to the side - not a lot of fun with his (hopefully) just bruised shoulder - Rokk was back on his feet in a heartbeat. He knew his chances were better if he could stay in close quarters so the other man didn't have room to swing his make-shift weapon around so he pressed forward even as the other swung at him.

Letting the pick slip down so his hand was wrapped around the head, Cos let the handle protect his arm as he deflected the next strike. Taking the opportunity to try and get in under the other man's guard, he aimed a kick at his opponent's mid-section. If he could just wind him it would give him a chance to get away before this dragged out too long.

[calledmenasir]

There was always a learning curve with a new weapon. Unfortunately, this was not training. This was the arena.

Having let his guard down, the kick connected and Nasir barely stopped himself from falling to the ground. He gasped, desperate to fill his lungs with air again, and brought up his plank for when his opponent would undoubtedly press his advantage.

[oredinary_hero]

Finally, the break he needed!

As soon as his opponent doubled over, Cos whirled away and took off after Brainy. There was no way he was going to continue to assault someone who'd been forced into this situation, even if they seemed willing enough to do just that themselves. If he moved fast enough he should be able to lose the stranger in the thick fog. Rokk had bigger concerns right now than brawling with a fellow captive.

[calledmenasir]

The attack he expected never came. Instead his opponent fled and Nasir made no move to follow. He was not going to risk it in this fog even though he'd been denied victory. He listened to his retreating footsteps and set off in another direction, careful to avoid the sounds of fights already in progress.

He didn't know who he had fought but if he found them again, he would resume their combat.