I stumbled out of the tent, light-headed. The sex with Alice had completely taken it out of me, and I needed some food. I went to the wagon we call “The Roasting Man,” as the heat inside was as if the cook was serving you up. (Un)fortunately the cook was dead, so Rapley was cooking.
“It’s leafs in mint leaf sauce, and with a sprig of Barley leaf on the side.”
“Well, the cook’s meat never was that good,” I replied with a sigh. The food was all like this now, we couldn’t afford anything better what with having to go to a new town.
“Well, I’ll see you at the spar,” Rapley replied. I picked up my ‘breakfast,’ gobbling it down in one, and prepared to set the course for the new town. Ten minutes later, and after much sighing, muttering and counting, I had plotted our next course. I looked at the water clock on the desk, and realised I had only three minutes until, what I believed, was to be the most vicious spar of all time.
I left the tent, smiling at the warm sun on my face. It was rejuvenating, listening to the birds chirping, the sun shining brightly, the sky a deep, glistening blue, and as I looked around I saw a deer-
“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!” An unseen voice let out a primordial roar.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” I yelled, jumping out of my skin. The deer, unfortunately had scampered. I had hoped to catch it, devour it, and make a broth of the bones. I unsheathed my sword in a single sweep, bringing it up into a guard, creeping forward to the source of the noise. I rounded the corner of the tent… To find Tusk sprinting up and down across the arena.
“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me Tusk!”
“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGHH!” Tusk roared, striking a solid steel plate, making a dent in the sheet, and cracking a tear into the material. This was the only reply I got. I sighed, sliding my sword back into my scabbard.
“Well, let’s go see how Al and Jim are doing.” I said to myself. I wondered over to the other side of the arena, hearing the clanging of steel on shield, of repetitive thunking, pistons driving forward and back. Then, I remembered Al’s weapon, and realised he was testing the mechanism.