The council elder stood tall on a raised platform overlooking the arena. His robes were simple but commanded authority. There were eight council members around him. Each council member wore their tribe's sigil on their chest, a subtle reminder of their lineage and the power they wielded.
The elder raised his hand, signaling silence across the arena. The crowd hushed almost instantly, the tension palpable. His voice, deep and commanding, boomed over the sands.
"Today, we witness the match that will decide the next member of the council. Let the match… begin!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, drums thundered in a steady rhythm, and the competitors, Naguk and Vakorr, stepped forward to the center of the arena. Naguk's limp was still noticeable, and Vakorr towered over him.
On the tribunes, Eliss cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Come on, Naguk! Show them who the real orc is!"
Her enthusiasm caught the attention of nearby orcs, who turned to look at her, amused. One of them smirked and said, "Hahaha… You think your little leader is going to win against Vakorr? Look at him! He's nothing compared to our champion."
Amukelo groaned, nudging Eliss. "Shh… Do you have to yell so loudly? You're drawing too much attention."
Eliss ignored him, staring straight at the orc. "Whether Naguk wins this match or not doesn't matter," she said confidently. "He'll still be the next council member."
The orc huffed, crossing his arms. "Hah! Without winning this match, he can't do anything. Our leader is going to crush him into the ground."
Eliss tilted her head, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Oh really? Wanna bet on that?"
Amukelo's eyes widened. "What? Are you crazy?" He grabbed her arm, trying to stop her. "What did I tell you earlier about spending your money wisely?"
The orc narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to Eliss. "You want to bet, human girl? Fine. I'll take your money. But don't come crying when Vakorr sends Naguk back in pieces."
Eliss pulled out a small pouch from her belt, shaking it slightly so the faint sound of crystals jingling inside could be heard. She opened it and pulled out a single, shimmering crystal. It caught the light, sparkling brilliantly. "This," she said, holding it up, "is worth one hundred gold coins. I have twenty of them. That's two thousand gold."
The orc blinked, his bravado faltering for a moment. His comrades exchanged glances, visibly impressed by the crystal's value.
Even Amukelo couldn't hide his shock. "Two thousand! Noble princess…" Amukelo muttered under his breath, exasperated.
Eliss ignored him, her eyes locked on the orc. "What's the matter? Scared? Didn't you just say Vakorr was going to win for sure?"
The orc puffed up his chest, his pride wounded. "Fine!" he barked, turning to his comrades. "Lend me some money. We're going to bankrupt this brat."
One of his friends pulled him back. "Are you insane? You're not betting all our money on this!"
Another orc chimed in, grinning. "I'm in. If we win, we'll be rich."
The group murmured among themselves, eventually pooling together twenty hefty pouches of gold. The scarred orc slammed them down on the bench beside him with a smug grin. "There. Twenty gold bags. Bet!"
Eliss placed her pouch of crystals on the bench with a confident smirk. "Bet."
Amukelo buried his face in his hands. "If you lose all of that money, you're going to have to sell your precious books. Don't look at me to bail you out."
Eliss grinned holding her chin high. "Relax, Amukelo. We'll figure something out. Besides, I'm not going to lose."
"We'll figure out..." Amukelo sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "Why do I even try? Let me just watch the match in peace. You deal with the mess you've made."
As the match officially began, Eliss leaned forward, her eyes glued to the arena, her confidence unshaken. Amukelo stood nearby, his arms crossed and his gaze wary. The scarred orc beside her chuckled darkly. "I'll be sure to thank you for your donation after Vakorr smashes your little leader into the dirt."
Eliss didn't even look at him. "We'll see."
Then the council elder raised his hand to signal the start of the fight. As soon as the elder's hand dropped, Vakorr lunged forward at Naguk. He swung his massive hammer horizontally, aiming to end the fight with one powerful blow. Naguk leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the hammer as it crashed into the sand, sending a plume of dust and debris flying into the air.
Without hesitation, Naguk closed the distance and slashed at Vakorr with both of his hammers. The strikes landed, but both of them barely sunk into Vakorr's skin leaving only a scratch. Vakorr smirked, turning his gaze down at Naguk as though the blows were nothing more than an annoyance.
With a swift motion, Vakorr swung his free hand at Naguk. Naguk crossed his axes defensively, but the impact sent him flying across the arena like a ragdoll. He hit the ground hard, tumbling several feet before coming to a stop. Dust rose around him as the crowd gasped.
Naguk rose shakily to his feet, brushing dirt from his face. He grimaced, muttering under his breath, "What a monster…" But his expression quickly hardened as he refocused, charging back toward Vakorr with renewed determination.
Vakorr grinned, lifting his hammer again. This time, he swung it in a wide arc. Naguk slid under the sweeping weapon, his body low to the ground, and skidded past Vakorr. As he slid, he hooked one of his axes into the ground to slow his momentum, then spun to his feet in a fluid motion. With both axes he slashed an X-shaped pattern across Vakorr's back, the sharp blades leaving visible lines of blood in their wake.
Vakorr roared in anger, turning to swing his hammer in retaliation. Naguk, anticipating the move, leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly blow. His agility was his greatest weapon against Vakorr's sheer size and brute strength.
On the tribunes, Amukelo watched with rapt attention. "What a monster," he muttered, leaning slightly forward. "I can't imagine how frustrating a fight like this must be."
Beside him, one of the orcs who had bet against Eliss snorted. "Just wait until he lands a single hit on your candidate. This little dance won't matter then. Vakorr's power is unmatched."
Eliss, unfazed, grinned at the orc. "We'll see. Naguk has faced tougher odds before. Strength isn't everything."
Back in the arena, Vakorr sneered, his face twisted in irritation. "You're one irritating little ant," he spat, gripping his hammer tightly.
Naguk smirked, standing his ground. "I don't know what you've been eating, but your size isn't going to grant you a victory. Brute force can only get you so far."
Vakorr's grin widened maliciously. "You think my size is all I have?" He raised a hand, and the ground in front of him began to rumble. A block of earth, jagged and rough, burst forth from the ground and hurtled toward Naguk at high speed.
Naguk had barely a moment to react. Crossing his axes in front of him, he braced for impact. The block slammed into his defenses, the sheer force driving him backward until he crashed into the arena's protective barrier. The crowd gasped as the blue glow of the barrier flickered upon contact, cushioning Naguk slightly but sending ripples of energy across its surface. Naguk, now pinned against the barrier, gritted his teeth and roared as he shattered the block into pieces with a powerful swing of his axes.
But Vakorr was relentless. Before Naguk could fully regain his footing, Vakorr was already upon him, his hammer raised high. With a guttural yell, he brought the weapon down in a devastating vertical strike aimed to crush Naguk where he stood.
Naguk, his instincts razor-sharp, jumped to the side just as the hammer slammed into the ground. The impact left a massive crater in the sand, dust and debris flying in all directions. Naguk landed a few feet away, breathing heavily but alive.
On the tribunes, Amukelo muttered to himself. "That was close. Too close…" He glanced at Eliss, who was still grinning confidently.
The scarred orc who had bet against them leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms smugly. "This is just the beginning. Vakorr hasn't even started to show what he's capable of."
Amukelo narrowed his eyes, watching Naguk closely. "Maybe… but if Vakorr can't hit him, size and power won't mean anything."
The fight continued, both combatants circling each other warily, their breaths visible in the heat of the arena as tension built among the spectators.