Avin's eyes were closed, his head was hurting with a constant buzz of pain and groginess. The cold stone beneath him was vibrating, he couldn't sleep. He could only think for the pain that kept him soberly awake.
When was the last time he had seen the light? Had proper food? Drank clean water? Avin could only remember relieving himself again and again. His thorat was parched.
He heard footsteps approaching, his body too tired to even tense up, to defeated to even pick himself up to defend. Metal clicked against metal, something heavy thunked, rusted steel groaned and heavy foot steps became clearer. Avin after much consideration decided to peek.
He lifted his heavy lids and blinding light gouged at his eyes. He squinted and groaned, trying to put his arms up to block the rays, but they were locked in place by the metal that bit into his skin.
He saw three figures standing at the doorway, their forms a dark silhouette. Avin recognised the one in the back, the squat man and instantly gave him his most mocking smile.
"Master Juzo! How may–" his words were cut off as the breath was knocked out of him with a punch to his stomach. Avin coughed, spit flying– though he wondered where did his body had enough water in it have spit.
"Still as chirpy as ever boy. Well let's see how much longer does that mouth of yours can keep up" Juzo said, though there was an edge of amusement in it. "Though I'll admit you're doing a fine job to pay back the money your sister loaned from me. Keep it up for a year or so you might pay it off.. if you live long enough."
"Well.. sorry to disappoint you. But I might just up and die at the next given moment just to make sure you never get it back." Avin replied giving a mocking smile– or so he tried, he did give a weak smile however. The mocking part was unfortunately punched out of him.
The chains locking his arms in place were let go and he was free from the wall, his hands though numb hung limp. A plate was placed infront of him, a slice of fat bread, a cup of boiled vegetables in a dark brown mush. And a glass of water.
Avin didn't say anything, he mustered all the power he could into his arms and tore into the modest plate of food. In an eyeblink the food was gone, and the water from the cup was empty.
He looked at the thugs around him and Juzo who had been examining Avin like a curious pet as he ate. Avin tilted his head and said in a comically innocent Voice, "Oh I'm sorry I should've asked if you were hungry. Where are my manners–" another kick to his abdomen knocked the joke out of him.
"Ugh, you're lucky I'm chained, if I was free you'd pay the crones own hell for that." Avin said laying in a fetal position, ignoring the fact that he was not chained.
"Pick him up, let's go." With that Juzo turned around and left, the thugs grabbed Avin by each hand and shoulders and carried him out. His feet dragged on the floor as he was carried, Avin wasn't sure he could walk on his own, but he wasn't in a haste to find out. He liked being carried.
Avin watched the dark and damp corridors with mild intrest since he didn't remember coming to his cell. Well ofcourse he didn't Considering he was passed out and barely escaped the jaws of death.
Soon the air was vibrating with humm and cheers. Avin could feel the energy of a crowd beyond the gate infront of which he was brought. And he realized his suspicions were spot on–Avin enjoyed being right. He did enjoy being right in this case.
After a moment or two Avin tried to stand on his own feat, if he was going to walk to certain death. He would rather do it on his own two feet like a proud –His inner thoughts process was cut short with a kick to the metal door as the two thugs dragged him out. Bright light assaulted him again, but this time the intensity was bearable. He was in an arena, well.. a pit more like it.
Rows of crowded people dressed in one form of poverty or another stood behind metal fences. A box was at the opposite side of the pit from where Avin emerged. And his escorts dumped him into the field of wet mud with a dull thump.
The mud smelled like... Well anything but wet soil. What assaulted Avin was the smell of blood, human feces, piss, rotting eggs and fruits and various out nightmarish substance Avin wasn't keen on identifying at the moment.
Avin wondered if he was supposed to fight other people or this dreadful smell. Avin wasn't sure he could win against either of the opponents. His previous success was gained by the kind of luck he wasn't confident he could replicate.
Avin managed to get his knees and feet up under him, groaning under the cheers and, well jeers in his case since he was the only one in the pit. He wiped the mud and grime off his face, his body still sore and half healed from the last beating he had taken.
Another one of the doors creaked open and Avin let out a groan as a tall hulking friend of a man walked in, a thick chain in his hand which was was attacked to a metal ball at the end. His bronze skin was littered with scars and burns.
If Avin didn't know any better he might've taken this guy for a Knoll walker.
In contrast Avin was skinny and dressed in rags, his long curly black hair hanging down to his chest, he felt old and weary though he was no older than sixteen.
Is that even a human? How is this fair? Didn't that bastard Juzo want to leech money out of me? Or does he just wants to kill me and be done with it?
Regardless the case, Avin wasn't given much choice in the matter. As ever the case of his life. As Avin was contemplating how to survive and get out of this death trap another one of the gate opened, and then the one behind Avin creaked open too, then another.
In a moment seven people stood in the arena, Avin in the middle surrounded with nowhere to go. Each of the fighters except the first one looked one or another kind of desparate or hungry. And each of them had atleast a weapon, unlike Avin.
"Killing me straight isn't enough? You want to see me squirm huh?" Avin muttered under his breath. He wanted to scream how unfair this was, rage out, cry out, but unfortunately he knew nobody would listen. He wouldn't be here in this position in the first place if someone did. Besides.. he didn't have the energy to spare.
The announcer said something to the crowd making the mass scream their lungs out. Making Avin want to carve their lungs out. But he focused on how to make it out.. alive if possible.
Avin turned towards the one closest, and started moving slowly towards the skinny guy who held a kitchen knife of all things. There was an unhinged light in the guys eyes. Which made Avin feel like he wouldn't regret killing the guy.
He looked at the guy and asked, "hey wanna know something secret?" Avin asked smiling cheerfully, which came out unhinged– mirroring the other guy, though oblivious to his own appearece Avin moved ever so closer to the guy.
"W-what?" The knife holding man asked, slightly taken aback. Just as he asked a bell rang.
Avin smiled and said, "The secret that.. your mother didn't really love you." Avin had to admit, it was a low blow. Something he would have considered beneath him on any normal day. But right now, Avin didn't think anything was beneath him, as he stood at the bottom of the food chain. The cheap trick however worked better than he could've expected.
The deranged guy snarled and lunged at Avin, but he was ready, Avin tilted his body sideways, letting the blade pass and kicked the attacking man's knees, tripping him to the ground. Then kicked the guy who tried to get up in the chin, and snatched the blade out of his hands in one quick engagement. Avin stepped away, his back to the fence to not be surrounded.
The big man with a chain and ball was swinging his weapon around like a mad beast, mud flying in all directions as he engaged two men at once.
That left two other who were trying to strangle each other on the mud, one trying to stab the other through the eyes while the other kept pounding the other in the stomach with a metal bracer in one hand and holding the blade at his face with the other. It was a mess, but not for long, soon the guy with the bracers hand slipped and the knife sank into his eyes, the man let out a shriek as his body shook as life left it. His opponent now smiling widely and adrenaline rushing through his body got up to move away, but found himself face to face with Avin who's knife was sticking out of the man's chest. With his other hand Avin retrieved the second knife from his second victim.
On the other side the Iron ball crushed the head of one of the poor fools who were trying to bring the big guy down. The other one managed to stab the big one in the side, but the big beast of a man barely seemed to feel the stab as he grabbed the second ones neck in a flash and something snapped, the two bodies fell to the ground, lifeless. And in the arena only Avin stood now holding two knives against the big beast of a fighter.
Avin made out the cheers through the blood rushing his head.
"Rhyno!" "Rhyno!" "Rhyno!"
Well an appropriate name I suppose.
Avin didn't feel intimidated though. Avin was never trained in combat, he didn't know how to even weild a knife. He used tricks and gimmicks, provoking his enemies into making the first move and preparing appropriate counterattacks. Or catching the others offguard when he needed to conserve energy.
Avin might've feigned fear and frustration when thrown into a fight or conflict including multiple forces and people. But in fact he liked nothing more. It was Avin's core beleif..
Sometimes, too many problems, solve themselves.
But right now he was facing a one on one fight, and against an experienced and aware enemy. His chances were as slim as Avin himself was at the moment.
So.. what do we do Avin. When there is no way, you make one. Or atleast hope it finds you before you're too late.
"Oye! Oil tank!" Avin called, even though the Rhyno's attention was disturbingly and singularly on Avin and no one else.
After a pause in which Avin thought this might be the end, he charged at the Rhyno against all expectations, Rhyno pulled the chains back as the metal ball swung back, Avin threw a knife straight at the Rhyno's eyes, Rhyno pulled his hands up and the blade embeded itself into his thick forearms. The Rhyno grunted but by the time he moved his hand to look at the approaching little fellow the guy was gone. Something crunched and Rhyno's legs gave out from under him, he swung his arms back but Avin was gone.
The Rhyno's right knee was slashed open the second blade buried in it to the bone, The chains fell from his hands as he clutched at his knees with both hands– trying to get back up, a shadow fell over him as something grabbed his head and Rhyno's vision saw stars as Avin's knee dove into the big man's face with a satisfying crunch.
Avin jumped back and stumbled cursing, "Son of a– I almost broke my knees in exchange for breaking his nose. What kind of bargain was that." It was a rhetorical complain to no one. Avin had just moved on instinct. It seemed to have worked somewhat, the Rhyno was in a daze, his hands on the mud, he tried to shake the dizziness off.
Avin wasted no time, gritting through the pain he pushed through.
Rhyno's vision was a blur of red, he saw the little shit stumble and fall back, there was a lull in his senses and he blinked trying to focus on the boy again– only to find him gone, again! He tried to get up, but a chill ran down the the Rhyno's spine as he realise a little too late.
Avin jumped from behind, grabbing both side of his heads until his finger found his eyes, and they dug deep like an eagles claws. It only took a moment and Avin disengaged quickly, but not quickly enough, a heavy back handed punch took him straight in the abdoment sending himself flying back, he tumbled once and twice, before coming to a stop just a handspan away from the fence.
The Rhyno limped up, bellowing some bizzare curse, but the damage was already done– four red lines ran on each sides of the Rhyno's heads, and both of his eyes were slashed, oozing red because of the cuts made by Avin's nails, which he had not been allowed to trim inside his cozy prison cell.
Avin coughed blood he felt his insides were crushed by that punch, his white teeth painted red, his chin running crimson, mud caking half of his face and through the tangled mess of dirty curly black hair that obscured most of his face, Avin's deep dark blue eyes glinted in dark mirth. Avin smiled.. then he started to laugh. The crowd went silent for a moment looking at Avin laughing.
It felt like to them in a couple of minutes an unarmed, unassuming, weak and sickly boy was mocking each of them. Blinding their favoured champion, as if sneering at their faith. The boy chuckled darkly, the Rhyno tired to run after him, seemingly following the sound of his laugh.
Avin's amusement was cut short and he cursed. Gritting his teeth he got up, each movement sending spikes of pain through his chest and innards. He almost vomitted the food he was given a while ago. Avin stumbled away as the Rhyno's form slammed into the patch of mud Avin was standing on a moment ago.
Avin's eyes darted around frantically and his eyes fell on a butchers knife in the hands of one of the poor fools the Rhyno had killed. Avin scrambled towards it, and Rhyno following him from behind, half limping towards him. The crowd began cheering again, insults thrown at both Avin and Rhyno. Blood rushed through Avin's head threatening to burst out.
Avin clutched at the dead corpses fingers, desperately trying to pry the fingers off the hilt, the grip was inhumanly tight– or maybe Avin was too weak, and the wet mud making the whole affair one slippery, grimy, revolting and smelly mess.
Just as The Rhyno was a handspan away from Avin he managed to get the wide rusted blade free, Avin would have cheered at his–what felt like a monumental achievement. But unfortunately sky was falling on him.
On instincts rather than reason Avin moved, he dove towards Rhyno's good leg, and Rhyno grabbed at empty air where Avin had stood a heart beat ago.
After a frustrating pause at a futile effort to grab at the little bastard Rhyno bellowed in rage as he fell to ground.
His good legs knees were slashed open, making both his legs Useless now. The Rhyno flailed about, screaming and raging out but to no avail.
Avin got back up on his feet, breathing in the nightmarish smell– the breath of the living.
Not dead yet! Not yet! Not now!
Now that the Rhyno was rendered crippled and unable to chase after Avin with the same kind of speed he previously had, Avin considered how to finish this, he couldn't risk going close to the big bastard. One wrong move and he'll be crushed and pounded dead in close combat.
Looking around he found just the thing that would do the job. The crowd forgot whom they were cheering for as they watched Rhyno flailed on the ground like a big toddler, flinging around mud and curses.
They watched with dark amusement as Avin walked towards the chains and balls, pick it up with visible difficulty. Avin whipped the chain as if to get the momentum and angle right and a moment later the metal ball crashed into the Rhyno's right shoulder crushing it, mud and blood exploded by the collision, bones crunched and Rhyno finally seemed to register the pain and screamed.
The force and crash traveled through the chain almost yanked Avin towards the Rhyno's crippled form. Avin barely got his balance right and cursed, "damn shit."
Circling around the big Rhyno Avin waited at the right moment as the Rhyno clutched at his crushed shoulders with his good hand, and pounced like a leopard, Avin swung his cleaver into the shoulder of the good hand, the weight and momentum of his whole body carved his shoulder joints in half rendering his other hand dead too.
Finally standing above the Rhyno Avin let out a relieved breath, he took in the cheers swung his way and smiled faintly at the curses.
Rhyno screamed and thrashed, there was whimpering in the big bastards rage too, or maybe Avin was just imagining it.
Avin pulled the cleaver free and swung like a butcher cutting a chicken head at the Rhyno's thick neck. He didn't bother looking at Rhyno's dead mass of a body underneath his heels. Avin just looked at the sky above, clouds were gathering, dark gray clouds.
Avin smiled, not for the fact that he had survived. But the rain he knew was approaching. He loved a good rain, the smell of petrichor that always seemed to fill Avin with an almost magical energy and life.
Avine looked towards the small shabby box outside the pit, he met Juzo's frustrated gaze with amusement, and turned and found another man standing beside him. The sight of the stranger sucked all the life out of Avin, his heart sank.
A gaunt tall man stood in a gray uniform and a conical cap that bent backwards. A red eyes drawn on the hat, the eyes of the emperor. A scout was here. And he was looking straight at Avin, mild intrest in his eyes. Avin had tried to avoid the scouts all his life, only for him to served to one in the most spectacular way possible.
Avin cursed, I should've just died!