Arc 6: Chapter 7: Challenge
Laertes had gifted his champion ancient armor to fit his hulking frame, fashioned of bronze rather than iron. It glinted angry red and brown in the clouded daylight, a fresh polish reflecting our team back at us. Heavy spaulders lined in chimera fur hung on inhumanly broad shoulders, and a fanged helm sporting a white plume sat upon a craggy brow. Angry yellow eyes glared from within.
In his right hand he wielded a a hacking cleaver, half sword and half axe, with a decorative brass skull for a pommel. In his left he held a tall spear with a leaf-shaped blade.
I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, that we’d take our true enemy out of play before being set against one another. Could I signal him somehow? Let him know it was me under this helm?
To what end, I admonished myself. Karog wouldn’t surrender or go easy even if he knew it were me. He intended to win this thing, not just for his revenge but for his ambitions as well.
Should I throw the fight? Let him move on?
I thought of how easily Siriks took down Nimryd. Karog might be potent, but I wasn’t at all certain it was wise to leave this all on his shoulders.
Besides. I still had some pride.
Our two teams took up position, both forming a loose line with a section of the field left between us. This was where things were less certain. We could all charge and fight in a mad rush, two teams skirmishing for dominance. Or we could play at formality.
Ser Jorg decided for us. Stepping forward with a rhythmic click of his ornate armor, he spun his halberd once in a dextrous motion that made wind whistle around its blade and scattered rainwater. He stopped the flourish with the three-bladed head of the weapon pointed directly at a knight from the opposite team, a tall and uncanny figure in a helm shaped almost like a stylized tree.
The tourney herald’s voice boomed over the island. “Ser Jorg, the Grotesque Knight, wishes to begin the match with single combat! Who shall meet his challenge?”
Oak Helm stepped forward. He wielded a sword and a tower shield, the latter thin and embossed with abstract geometric designs. He lifted the shield, and—