The Hyena returns! More Aclidian Gladiator madness!

A battle composed completely of dice rolls and even HP. With a score of victories under his belt will the swift fox known simply as The Hyena survive another match or will he meet his match with a new skink contender! The Hyena is mine, the skink belongs to Velth.'

The Return of the Hyena

The crowd cheered for Tuesday Night combat. Generally a work night for the city of Aclidia the arena struggled to bring in the crowd the weekend matches brought. So the idea of Tuesday Night Combat was invented!

Opponants were mixed randomly, their names drawn from paperus slips filling a large bronze pot. It left an air of randomness to the games, as you never knew who would be paired up against who. Perhaps it would be an epic struggle between professionals, or perhaps an unlucky prisoner was about to meet his end.

Stanly felt his ears pick up when his name was called. Or rather his stage name, The Hyena. The swift fox was certainly built like his chosen mascot even going so far as to do his hair up in a mohalk that travels down his upper back. He was a burly beast with muscular arms tempered only by the vast size of his midriff. One which was for better or for worse left exposed by his choice of armor, if a leather loin cloth and iron paldron counts as armor.

The obese swift fox exits his end of the arena, a smug smile on his lips as he waves his gladius and buckler to the few beasts who dare call themselves fans.

A few wins under his belt the fox feels confident in his ability to survive the next game. He almost feels sorry for the poor sap they will get to fight him...almost.

At the far end of the arena, a twig like figure shuffles nervously in. It's a measly skink, dark grey in color with a pair of white stripes down his back, and a lighning blue tail. He stands, mouth open, eyes wide, darting glances around the arena as if he were utterly confused about why he was there. In his hand he holds a thin, long spear, and he has a bucker strapped to his opposite forearm. There's a single spine harnessed to the end of his long, tapering tail, and he is otherwise quite nude.

The fox raises an eyebrow at his scaley opponant. "Really? This is what they put agaisnt The Hyena?" The brown furred gladiator belts out a laugh.

In the lower levels of the arena a beast hits a gong with a mallet, signalling the match to begin. "Come along you measly little twerp. Come take a shot at me!"

The fox gestures with his sword and a smug smile for the lizard to attack him. The Hyena will be back for dinner before he knew it!

The skink shuffles forward a bit at the gong, though he seems just as desirous of running away. He hefts his spear in his hand, tucking it under his arm as if he were going to use it as a lance and creeps a bit closer. His mouth still open, he pants softly, eyeing his opponent. His fingers shift their grip around the spear, and with out warning he suddenly draws back to full length and hurls his weapon. It flies like a dart, straight and true, but has quite a distance to cover.

The fox's smug smile gradually turns into a look of shock, then terror as the shaft speeds towards with deadly precision. The fox, laden down with good food and wine barely twists in time to avoid the spear. Another two inches to the right and it would have impaled him all the way through.

Of course, the afore mentioned food and drink has left the fox with several inches to spare, especially along his sides. He lets out the most high pitched, girly scream as the spear leaves a gash across his right side. He falls falt onto his face, spitting out sand and staring in disbelief.

The crowd goes wild, laughing at the fox's antics and applauding the lizards good aim.

The skink, however, is less than enthusiastic about the outcome. Now berreft of weapons and with his opponent decidedly still alive, the skink has no choice but to skitter forward, trying to skirt the now downed fox, to retrieve his weapon. He's far too timid to fight him head on.

Feeling the bitter sting of humiliation the hyena bites his lower lip. His eyes blaze with hatred against the scrawny lizard. "I'll gut you alive you lanky lilly livered scoundral!" With renewed vigor he is again on his feet, trying to intercept the beast, slashing at him wildly with his gladius!

With a bit of a hiss of surprise and fear, the lizard wildly throws his bucklered arm to catch the incoming blade. It leaves a deep gash in the shield, and then glances sidelong, carving deep into the skinks arm. With the determination of a wild thing, the skink dives past the fox, ignoring its now nearly useless arm, and falls upon its spear, managing to get its fingers around the shaft so it can turn and raise the point to defend itself.

The fox turns, very nearly getting a face full of spear. With a loud yelp he leans backward then slashes at the spear with his blade. Growly, the hyena paces in a circle around his quarry. "What? No fancy words before I make you into a pair of boots?" The fox sneers, "Can you even /talk/?"

The poor skink is now losing a lot of blood through its wound. It stares back at the fox, mouth open, its breathing heavy, and slowly rises to its feet. It doesn't understand what's being shouted at it; only that furred things tend to shout when they're angry. The skink knows it cannot last for much longer. Readying its spear under its arm, it crouches a bit and explodes forward, using its full strength in an teempt to skewer the fox in one final exertion...

Using his own buckler to deflect the spear past him the fox moves in, thrusting forward with his sword, stopping it a few inches short of the skinks throat. This was it! The final moment! Instead of killing the beast outright the Hyena decides to gloat. He lets the lizard stare into his cold, remorseless eyes before he slits the beasts neck!

HOWEVER! His moment of hesitation is taken in a different light by the audience of the arena. The beasts let out a loud cheer, thinking that the gladiator is giving them the option of deciding the beasts fate.

They turn their thumbs to the side, a clear indication that they want the lizard to live!

The hyena can't believe his eyes! He bites his lips, anger pouring out of his eyes as he glares hatefully at the beast. "But...that...you...BLARGH!" The fox turns, slashing at the sand once or twice before turning his back to the lizard and storming away. The crowd continues to cheer.

Exhausted, and uncertain why its been given mercy, the skink simply flops over, clutching its wounded arm in an attempt to stop the bleeding.