Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Note to Readers!


Boom..... Booom..... Boooom.... roll.... Boom... Thunder drums, another fight and this one without warmup or warning. What a complete fucking mess. Ichiro had finally finished patching up the fucking slash in his broad chest and had gotten the wide golden ring into his pointed ear. Captured and fighting for human amusement sure, but never forget your pride.

Humans.... Some were alright, all the ones here were... Rotten, it seemed. Maybe that was harsh even for him, that judgement, but he was the one sitting in chains in the Hole.

He had one standing hope, today. This was to be his last fight, 50 straight victories and he'd be free, but he knew better then to hope too much. The drums were pounding through the stone, sand and dirt actually shook from his cell... The last fight was never fair.. That was how the slavekeepers made their money on the bets after all. No one fought harder then a man with hope... except maybe one with nothing left to lose...

One last prayer tossed up not because he really believed... But maybe Kord would smile on the battle... AaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHOoofOgodswhy! a tiny annoying voice seemed to yell before Ichiro was smacked in the side of the head rather firmly by... a little glowing ball? With wings... HOLY SHIT A FAIRY!

OW! Fuck! Where am I?! Who are you OMGFLUFFYTAIL! she said, standing and shaking out her hair and wings, a thin little tail wagging around agitatedly. She was maybe 4 inches tall, and shining softly with a happy, soothing yellow light, her hair a long shining blonde along with her eyes, amber and glowing, to match his own. He couldn't help but smile at her before she lunged at his tail and hugged it, vanishing into the fluff.

Hey Bushybutt! Even your energy is sad! Why are you sad Look at this fluff! she called out from behind him, hanging on to his tail tightly as it wagged around, making the little golden fairy giggle.

Cmon... talk to meee she continued. So this was a Garellian SunSprite. He'd heard about them before being captured and brought here. Little enthusiastic Sun Fairies. Always happy, always cheerful. They even willingly sat in the lanterns over the streets, lighting up the night because it made the people happy, Attacking one was punishable with a public execution, capturing one a beating in the city square for each Hour the fairy wasn't free...

THIS ONE WAS STUCK TO HIS ASS!

Tell me tell me~ she kept on in a sing song voice. She was endearing even in his dark mood in what was likely the last hour of his life... Odd for the Lord of Storms to send him a sun sprite in answer to his prayer... But it was hard not to smile at the little fey.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Maybe this is the day," Ichiro thought to himself as he stood in the hole in the chains, listening to the cheers of the crowd, and idly wondering if today was his final day to live, or if maybe this was the first day to his new life of freedom.

As he muttered his prayer up to Kord, hoping for the god of battle to shine on his battle, Ichiro felt something slam into the side of his head, and he budged only barely before looking down to see a fairy. "What the hell? A FAIRY!" Ichiro thought to himself as she flew into his tail.

"What are you doing here little fairy? And who are you?" Ichiro asked curiously, raising an eyebrow at the thing. "And I feel a little sad, because today, may be my last day of life," he went on to say when the fairy asked what was wrong with him, but despite his solemn feeling in his gut that told him he was likely to die today, he felt a little brighter in her presence.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Who am I? I... Don't really ugh. Thinking makes my head hurt, and I'm hungry. she said, whisking up in front of him. I suppose my name will work. I'm Vila! she said cheerfully, patting his nose with her tiny hand. And your last day alive? That's just depressing. Look at how sunny it is! she said, pointing at his little window, before the sounds of a guard, they changed daily to keep them from getting attached to the fighters, could be heard walking towards his cell.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom

they were coming faster now. Yes, it was a match, and the sound of a key in the door, opening the heavy iron to let more light flood his small world. number 50 right? Hell of a day. Let's go. he said, pulling a lever outside the cell that caused his chains to go slack. You know the way out. he said, moving back and leaving the door open, moving to the Guard room, a small interior fortress. he was to make his own way out. There was no other way to go. But as he stepped outside he could hear the other fighters banging on their cells in time with the drums. A way of saying Goodbye, one way or another to a fellow, even if they never saw eachother outside battle. They were all companions in a way.

Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Roll Boom.

The walk out was a single corridor passed the other cells, where there would be weapons and armor... But this time there wasn't anything, he was to fight entirely barehanded... This didn't bode well.

Where normally weapons, even his favored hand axe, and armor hung on a well cleaned and oiled rack bolted to the wall, there was only dust and air, and the fairy who'd hidden in the fur atop his head whistled. Wow, you weren't kidding... They mean to kill you... Well... you were the one praying for help. Guess I should help. Vila muttered above him, rubbing his head with her itty bitty hands, killing her glow to stay hidden while the gate began to rumble upwards to the screams of fans come to see bloodshed. It set his fur rising and his blood pumping hot and heavy... Even he couldn't deny as a warrior, that he didn't appreciate that screaming fervor for his battles.

Sunlight Flooded across the sandy earth he stood upon in only rags, barehanded and as ready as he was ever going to get. I really am hungry.... got any bacon? she muttered into his ear, wriggling a little as the sunlight hit her and blinded him for a moment.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Well Vila, I'm Ichiro Suzuka. In the little time I may have left, it's a pleasure to meet you," Ichiro said, nodding to the fairy, smiling softly for the first time in a while when she patted his nose. "Aye it is depressing, but it's likely the truth of it," he added.

Moving out as the drums boomed repeatedly, Ichiro looked from side to side at the nearby cells at his fellow gladiators. When he got to the place his usual armor and weapons for the match were left, Ichiro found none, and when he saw this, he inwardly sighed. "Hmph, indeed the do mean to kill me. I've heard rumors, but wanted to believe they weren't true," Ichiro replied to Vita as the gates opened up.

Ichiro felt calm oddly enough, and as he strode out into the arena, he felt Vila's hands stroking his head, and this calmed him even more. "I don't know how you can help little one, but I appreciate the sentiment," Ichiro said under his breath.

As he got out onto the arena grounds, his blood pumping and the fur on his tail and ears standing straight up in anticipation, Ichiro cracked his knuckles, before shielding his eyes from the intense light. "If I had some bacon with me little one, I would indeed share it with you if you truly could help me here," Ichiro told Vila with a soft chuckle as he prepared to see who is opponent/s were going to be.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Vila Yayed on his head when he said he'd share his bacon. At least she had high spirits. Very high spirits. I can totaaally help. I'm a Fairy. It's what we do. she said, patting his head before he felt a surge of heat pour through him, and honest pain. It was hidden from the ongoers by the last motions of the gate before he strode out but the back and palms of his hands, and his chest, just over his heart surged with pain. Real pain, like he'd sustained deep injuries But it was over quickly and he had small tattoos, or were they scars... Over his palms, the back of his hands, and over his heart in the shape of the Sun in a swirling pattern. Small, maybe only 2 inches wide, but they were there, white and soft against his flesh.

Years of captivity fell away from his body and flashes of memories not his own, of a beautiful woman fighting barefisted under a sun in a well manicured courtyard slid into his brain. They weren't his, that was certain, but they slid into his mind, how she moved, how she turned and lined up her body, the power in her strikes.

It slid into his muscles instead of his brain. So what do we get if we win? bacon? You said you'd share. she told him firmly, tugging on his hair before he saw his opponents. 4 of them. Yup, they wanted him to die instead of walk free... He had a Fairy's blessing, it had to count for something, and his body seemed so much lighter, He started to believe he might actually win... If was a foolish thought, he knew that even as he stared down the wicked spear of the center opponent 30 feet away, and the pair of lightly armored swordsman, all wearing Hunter's helms. Sloping shining steel that hid their faces, but not their scars. Veterans, Their scent familiar... They'd been with the group that had put him in chains.

Do it Puppy. Do it for the Bacon. Vila said, getting excited on his head, still hiding in his fur, as the drums sounded, and the entire colliseum grew silent. The battle would start when he moved, this was his chance to ask for a painless death by kneeling... And they'd grant it, it was tempting in it's own way. To let it all end, but there was a tiny life riding on his head who'd likely die with him without even meaning to... That wouldn't be fair to her. And she was honestly trying to help him. Even if he had no idea what she'd done.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Well, at least Vila's spirits couldn't be dampened any, Ichiro thought to himself. Then, he felt a strange heat pouring over and through him, as if a fire had been lit in his heart. The pain he felt was intense, and he nearly doubled over and clutched his chest, but just managed to keep from it before he continued on out. He looked down at his hands and the tattoos on them and the rest of him, wondering why they had glowed like they did.

"I... win my freedom, little one. Though, I may earn gold as well, and I can buy us both some bacon," Ichiro told Vila with a chuckle.

He didn't know if he could win, though he felt like he might be able to manage it, but he knew this much... if today was the day he died, then he was going to make sure that nobody, save Vila, walked out of this arena alive, or flew in her case. "Little one, keep your eyes open, because if you see that I am about to die, you should go. It would bring me dishonor if I caused you to get hurt, or worse, because of this," Ichiro muttered up to Vila as he went into a bit of a crouch, as if to ask for the painless death that was apparently being offered.

When the nearest one got close enough, Ichiro swung out his right arm at that one, swinging the chain still attached, at the guy's throat in an attempt to crush his jugular, and immediately charging at the one to his left and swinging his left arm low and aiming the chain attached to it, at that guy's knees in an attempt to break the bones there and even the playing field a little bit.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Fuck that shit, Don't you dare. You owe me Bacon! You think that magic is easy!? Vila cried, her bacon in peril. Even as he crouched to surrender it seemed, the crowd... doing him a kindness and staying silent, offering their prayers for him as well. It was the kindness of the Garellian arena, the people never forgot the gladiators or treated them unkindly. There were no boos in the arena.

As he did, the swordsman approached, longsword and round shield in hand, his partner to the left coming up behind, cautious, and Ichiro's sneak attack made him curse as the chain slapped his helm, the ring of steel on steel drawing a roaring cheer from the crowd and hiding the extremely rude curse that streamed from the swordsman mouth as blood was spat through the steel helm and he readied himself, the spearman raising that long, wicked leaf bladed weapon to the crowd, before spinning it over his head and bringing it down into the low ready while the swordsman flanked to Ichiro's left and right.

Those hunter's helms. Sweeping demonic horns pointed backwards, he'd seen those helms used to gore enemies behind, they were not purely for decoration, and the shining featureless face was unnerving, but he'd drawn blood. It was time to fight and Vila had gone entirely silent on his head, holding on for dear life.

Both swordsman, in their leather and scale lunged forward one after the other, the left making him turn into the right as a high downward swing drove him back and into a low sweeping strike aimed at his legs, but that wasn't the real threat and Vila had to warn Ichiro of what was coming. Eyes Forward! Jump and Kick! She cried, tugging up on his hair as he only barely saw the spearman charging forward incredibly fast with that 5 foot long dueling spear, the leafblade meant to cut and gore rocketing towards him like lightning, sand flying out behind his booted feet.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Hearing Vila talk, Ichiro sighed softly and smirked a little when she seemed to have become attached to him enough to not want him to die. After his bit of a sneak attack, Ichiro watched them get ready to truly fight now as he let them know that he was going to fight to the death for his freedom. As Vila tugged his ear, he reacted instantly to her commands, and jumped, and then kicked out to catch his foe in the gut while grabbing the spear and ripping it from his hands, and stabbing him with it.

"I will not die yet. Not yet, not until they pay for what they did to me," Ichiro said to himself in his head, as he took his opponents spear and spun around to run the guy through, aiming for his chest, and whipping one of his leg chains out at one of the others faces to keep them back until he got the spear free.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

He leapt into the air at her urging, and found his chain snapping across the spearman's face. But if there was another veteran of this arena here, it was him, and while he gave up the end of the spear, a harsh turn and snap unlocked the grip and a long knife slide free from the shaft, a wicked upward slash coupled with the swordsman drove Ichiro away before he could take advantage and kill him, instead having to bury the spear head into the swordsman on the left, the wide blade sinking through his armor into his chest, his sword falling to the ground while he screamed through his helm, body arching as his lung and heart were cleaved by the blade, which caught in his ribs without the full shaft to pull it free.

Ichiro had to leave it as the other swordsman came in on him immediately while he had to recover, the blade drawing a wide cut along his cheek as the tip whistled far too close for comfort, driving him away from the dropped sword as well while the leader was shouting, directing, leading.

Cath! Shield up, center guard! Don't let him Arm! he shouted, the swordsman taking a wide stance over their fallen comrade while the spearman moved right up behind him and pulled a blade from he fellow's belt, a long knife in one hand, a curved dagger in the other. He was good and was going to make Ichiro work to the end it seemed.

Gah! He's smart. Wrap your chains around your fists so you have something to block with. vila said, sounding angry as the sun beat down on them in this tense moment and the sound of the crowd cheering for them all rose into the air. The scent of blood was heavy in Ichiro's lungs from his kill, and his eyes on his enemies who were standing, one behind the other, both using the shield to cover the fallen sword, which was picked up, and hurled further behind them, before they started to advance, standard fore and rearguard.

Not that smart.... we need his shield more then his sword... Vila said, grinning. Even as they started to split to flank him. They moved in on him at the same time, he needed a plan to counter or defend right now or three blades would cut him down.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Unable to kill the one holding the spear himself, Ichiro inwardly cursed and killed the one to his left instead, burying the spear in the guy's chest as he fell to his knees. Ichiro was unable to rip the thing free though and was forced to abandon it, and then he rolled away after just barely dodgling a beheading blow that only caught his cheek instead. Not even bothering to wipe the blood away as he rolled, Ichiro watched as they prepared a little better to combat him, fixing his chains up as Vila told him to, and basically making iron knuckles.

Watching them split up, Ichiro nodded a bit to Vila in agreement, knowing he needed a shield first. Ichiro looked closely at their feet, and looked to see which of their boots had blood on them, where he would rush at that one and batted aside the likely sword strike from him with one of his chain wrapped hands, where Ichiro would use his other chain wrapped hand and slam it as hard as he could into his face, aiming for his nose, and grabbing the top of the shield to take it from him with his other, and once he'd knocked that guy down, tripping him with one of his feet, Ichiro would slam his heel down onto the guy's throat to finish him off before hefting the shield up to block the others.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

He couldn't see the opening he needed immediately, Vila staying quiet, letting him focus on the battle. The blood was soaking into the sand, there'd be no real slipping here and not from experienced fighters. If he moved on one, the other would move on him.

The spearman continued to twist his blade, shining sunlight into his face now and again as he moved, wanting the kill and they certainly tried to take it, but not in the way Ichiro had expected. It was the spearman who moved in first, both blades spinning viciously around eachother in a twisted, snapping circle of steel while Cath moved in second, looking to stab behind the shield and Ichiro was forced to disengage entirely without giving a counter, taking another long cut along his upper arm.

Again they moved, forcing him to circle along the outer wall before finally manuevering into the center of the ring, the crowd tense, that Damned sunlight bouncing off the knives constantly a hindrance. Before what he'd been waiting for happened. After several times of the leader charging him, he'd come to almost expect it, but he finally got the shield covered charge he'd been waiting for, and as he seized that shield and lashed out with his fist, a small explosion of light blew off his fist as the chains struck that helm, and turned it into a crumpled bleeding mess, dropping the man immediately, the leader leaping back immediately from his charge and making distance. There was no cheering, Only awe... And Ichiro could see the brands on the back of his hands glowing harshly now with light, before it faded again back into a simple marking as he claimed his shield.

He's been blessed.

Look! The sun speaks!

A torc winner in our lifetime?! Impossible! Someone fetch the paladin!

Such were the words he was hearing cried around the colliseum. While the leader glared at him, pulling off his helm and revealing a middle aged scarred face, while he dropped the short knife, and stomped on the dropped longsword, sending it flying into his hand, taking it in both as he discarded his other blade and taking a wide stance. What is this... WHAT LIE IS THIS!? he shouted, looking entirely serious about ending Ichiro regardless now and charging, his blade smashing into Ichiro's shield again and again in a bloodrage Ichiro understood all too well. The bloodlust had taken him, such strength behind those blows that were splintering that banded wood.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Wanting to make his move, but not seeing the opening he desired, Ichiro pulled back as they moved in on him. He got another cut on his upper arm, but he ignored the pain and moved, not wanting to take another blow. Then, finally... Ichiro saw it, the opening he wanted, in the form of a shield charge by one of them, after several loops around the arena dodging them, until he'd gotten used to it and it became almost second nature.

"GRAAAAAAAH!" Ichiro roared as he slammed his fist into the guy's face, smashing it with the force of his blow, and knocking him down.

Taking the shield for himself, Ichiro hefted it up as the awestruck crowd began calling for the paladin. Watching the leader enraged by this turn of events, Ichiro hefted the shield, and prepared himself, knowing that the fight was only now just truly beginning. "It is no lie, it is hope... and freedom!" Ichiro replied calmly, sighing softly and moving in towards the leader guy, and raising his shield time and again to block each blow.

Ichiro watched as the enraged bastard kept hacking at his shield, and knew that he needed a bit of luck, and he tried to time it just right so that he blocked/parried one incoming blow and staggered the guy, to give him an opening with which to punch out at his throat with his chain covered fist, where he would hopefully hit, and then follow up with another powerful punch to the face, which would hopefully either knock the guy out, or kill him.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Ichiro had to make a move, As he felt that shield hold, But it would buckle if that enraged strength held out, and it would until the last drop of blood fled his opponent. Ichiro was strong, he was a bear of a man, a fighter. but no strength mattered against a blade brought to bare with so much emotion and power behind it. If he blocked with his chain wrapped hands he'd have his arm shattered for the trouble and he knew it.

He wouldn't let up, and in order to find an opening Ichiro had to lower the shield and watch the blade whistle through the air less then an inch from his face to find a chance to land a blow. It nearly cost him his head as his strike glanced and a hard pivot brought the man back around with a back handed swing that would have cleaved his torso clean had he not rolled back and was immediately forced to scramble as a downward strike struck the sand with so much force the blade snapped, sending the upper half spinning through the air. He refused to stop, attacking with half a blade now and lodged it in the center of the shield, a wicked twist almost breaking Ichiro's arm as he screamed in fury and toppled them, trying to beat him to death with his other hand.

Ichiro, taken to the ground, Vila crying out in his fur, was forced to bring his fist into the man's ribs with another blinding detonation with crushed 3 ribs, but he wouldn't stop and blow after blow struck Ichiro in the face, cutting his cheek, causing his vision to swim. The man raised up, wrenching the blade shard from the shield, and went to plunge it down into his chest to end Ichiro's story forever on these bloodsoaked sands. Raising his hand to block, the blade nearly pierced his hand entirely, caught in the chains, and a sideways blow from the shield took the man in the temple, sending him toppling.

He laid there, gasping harshly, blood on his lips, and the gates crashed open just as Ichiro brought the shield down onto his throat, killing him entirely now, finally, the man still trying to cut him, still trying to kill him. But it was over, he had won... Or had he...

The gates closed, and standing on the sands facing him was a towering figure in full shining mithril plate, holding a longsword in one hand with a wide sloping crossguard, and a wickedly curved handaxe in his other, a shield resting on his back. Shortcropped black hair blew in the slight breeze while the crowd had grown entirely silent.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Taking a deep breath before the plunge as it were, Ichiro stepped in and lowered his shield, knowing he'd have to risk it to get a good shot in at his opponent, and he couldn't block with the chain either, or risk breaking his arm. The rage of the man he was fighting was so intense, that Ichiro was beginning to worry if his shield would hold long enough to win. pivoting around and dodging as the blade swung downwards and snapped clean in two, Ichiro hopped back to dodge another swing with half a blade that would have killed him all the same.

Blocking the sword with his shield, Ichiro caught the thing, but the man tried to snap his arm with a hard twist of his hand. "No... not today you bastard," Ichiro growled as they fell to the ground, and he brought his chain covered fist up into the man's gut, shattering several ribs.

Several things happened in the span of a few seconds, that Ichiro practically moved on auto pilot, until his hand was pierced by the blade and pinned to the ground after several blows to the face and body had nearly knocked him out. Ichrio managed to swing the shield up though and caught the guy in the side of the head, knocking him off top of Ichiro to the ground, where Ichiro quickly slammed the bottom edge of the shield down hard on the man's throat, finishing him off with a very satisfying crunch.

Panting softly, Ichiro looked around as the gates closed and a large armored figure stood before him, Ichiro pulled the blade shard from his hand and grabbed the spear before standing firm to face down this possible new foe. "Who are you? I have won my fiftieth match, have I not?" Ichiro asked the man, feeling his blood pumping, trying to keep the blood lust from overtaking him.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Yea! Who are you! Shiny man! He totally won! Vila shouted from atop his head, revealing herself to shake a tiny fist at the armored figure, who stopped and stared at the sun sprite in his hair, tilting his head in disbelief. Little Light. Why are you in this place? he asked Vila, as if he really couldn't fathom why a sun sprite would be with a gladiator.

Because he Prayed to Kord. And not even for help! Just a blessing! I couldn't ignore that! And he owes me Bacon! she shouted, seeming Plenty agitated before he turned his gaze to Ichiro.

Yes, you have. And you're in control of yourself it seems. Disarm Man. I'm not coming to hand you anything while you're holding a blade. Or those chains. he said, still keeping his weapons drawn, but primarily it seemed to protect himself if Ichiro had become blood crazed and hostile.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Smirking in amusement at Vila's shouting and shaking her tiny hand at the armored man, Ichiro looked at the guy evenly before nodding when he spoke to him. "I would ask you the same then. I've been offered things before in this arena, and had it taken away, or used against me while reaching for it, and I won't have it done to me again... never again," Ichiro replied, obviously a little distrustful and cautious, for damn good reason, as he released the chains from his hands and stuck the spear into the sand head first and stepping forward a bit, but not so far that he couldn't roll back to grab it in an emergency. "If you're worried about me being in a blood rage though, I'm not. If I were, I'd have attacked you the moment I saw you," he said after stepping forward, though he didn't relinquish his shield just yet, just in case he needed to guard himself.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

He saved his shield, even though he knew full well it wouldn't stand up to that axe... It'd cleave the wood and his arm. The man chuckled and nodded, sheathing his sword and turning the axe around so he was holding the blade, handing it to him.

Ichiro could see now the symbol of Pelor worked into the blade in shining gold and it was made entirely of Titanus outside that. Light and Wicked. Once that was done he turned as the gate opened and regarded a man in a red silk robe scurrying out onto the sands. But Your holiness! You can't! he's.. He's.. He's one of them! He's not even Human! To let him walk the streets is Madness! he cried, the arena master seeming to be in complete disbelief before a glare silenced him. This law stands. It's older then you and I combined. Silence yourself before I do it for you. THIS MAN IS FREE BY RIGHT AND LAW! YOU WILL TREAT HIM AS A FULL CITIZEN OF THE ROSE CAPITAL! he cried out to the crowd, who... surprisingly all cheered. It seemed their hatred of outsiders had been broken down in his case, having watched his fights, and seen him through all 50. Certainly there were some dissenters, but Ichiro had earned this recognition through blood and bone and now a blessing from a spirit of sunlight. Of the gods they worshiped, Pelor and Melora would not be ignored. AYE! came the roar from the crowd

The arena master just looked shocked and fled the Arena proper, unsure of what to do with himself. How much money had he just lost on the bets at this upset...

Smiling at Ichiro, he reached to his belt and pulled out a golden torc of braided metal in the shape of this country's flower, and gently pulled it open, before he snorted at Vila, who blushed and zipped down to his collar, blowing the lock off of it and using her tiny limbs to wrench it free, the weight falling from him. I'd still try not to shift. And while you're free. There's standard things you must do. I'm sorry, most would have to join the army or a mercenary troupe... Would you perhaps serve with the temple of the Sun? It's an honest invitation... he asked while he slid the torc around Ichiro's neck, and closed it gently. The mark of his freedom. And his right to be.

Please consider it. Any member of Pelor's Grace has them all at his back. It's only for a year as a free man, with others to protect that freedom... he said, waiting for Ichiro's decision.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Ichiro nodded to the armored man and took the axe, noticing the symbol of Pelor on the thing. Ichiro watched as the arena master scurried out onto the sands, and the large okami man listened to the exchange of words between the two. "I feel that I am more a human, or at least humane, than many of you here, arena master," Ichiro commented to the red robed man, letting his thoughts be known.

"We only shift when we're wounded, or when we get really heated. I've not felt the joy of shifting in so long, that I don't believe I even can anymore, so you needn't worry about that," Ichiro said as Vila blew the lock of his collar off and the golden torc was brought up towards his neck, where Ichiro narrowed his eyes a bit as he stared coldly at this other collar, as that was what it was to him really, no matter how fancied up it was with gold or anything else. "Before I decide anything sir, I would like to ask something. Why must I, someone who is not a citizen of this, no offense, cruel country, serve in it in some way, when I was taken unjustly from my homeland and brought here to fight battles to the death that I never asked to be a part of? I have fought in fifty battles, to the death, after being forced into what is literally, slavery, and now I'm being told that after I've won my freedom, I have to wear another collar of servitude for an entire year, before I can leave and go back to my homeland, to my people where I belong. This feels like the door to freedom is being opened, and then slammed in my face while it's being spat into. Why can I simply not be given passage on a ship to my homeland instead?" Ichiro went on to say after a few moments, not wanting to wear the torc until his questions had been answered.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

The Paladin sighed. All questions I could certainly understand. The law is old, but it's wise. I know you are... Bitter. Mayhaps not Angry after your time here, but Bitter. Anger cools with time. This is not a collar, it's a symbol of your victory. Many know your face but not all. You are not human here... That's not safe, and your status needs to be Apparent to everyone or you'll simply be a victim again. Your service is meant not to hold you longer against your will. But to give you time. To expose you to our lives, and our peoples. To soften a hard heart and let you live as a man, instead of a vengeful soul. It also means you will have gone through the same trials as any citizen here... Served like they had to. Make you even more one of them in their own eyes. he said, looking a little sad.

We don't like the way non humans are treated here. We don't. But we must abide it ourselves while we train and serve here to battle the forces here that oppose the light. We work on it day by day, one at a time. To have a hero of the arena walking and living amongst them... You could help end that Inhuman cycle... Show them you're more then a beast or a monster they fear you to be. Because that's what it is in the end. It's Fear. he continued softly.

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Listening to the paladin speak, Ichiro took the torc and wanted to snap it right there, but knew there was truth to the words. "An old stupid law that should be done away with. All this hatred towards non humans is foolish, and will one day come back to haunt this gods forsaken country. The easiest way to soften my heart, would be to get away from this place, because honestly, I truly do not want to be any more a part of this terrible place than I have to if I can help it. And if you ask me, the only true help for this country is to do away with it altogether and many of its people. Because to me, and my people, and all non humans that live in Styria really, it's a blight upon the land, that only brings sorrow and heartache to others," Ichiro said, the bitterness in his tone very obvious as he looked at the torc coldly as he held it, his knuckles white as he held it.

"Why can you simply not kill all of the nobility here, the ones in power that make these laws? Then put someone in power that is more sympathetic and change those ancient laws to something more civilized. Garellia claims to be a very civilized country, yet they're no more civilized than even the orcs of the northwest to me, taking people against their will as slaves," Ichiro asked curiously, chuckling at his own words as he took the torc and placed it on his head like a crown for the moment, as his own little means of insulting the Garellian nobles that let this continue.

"Only one year you say? And then I will be truly free to leave to wherever I want and get away from here? If so, then I will accept and join your order, but I have requests, and... one demand. Well... it's really just more of a suggestion than a demand. If we ever run into slavers anywhere, don't try and stop me from slaughtering them like the dogs they are, or I may not be able to restrain myself from hurting anyone else. It would be best to just either stay out of my way, or help me, whichever you prefer. My requests are obvious ones, food, a proper bed, clothes, weaponry and other gear," Ichiro asked in a serious tone, sighing a bit before looking up to the armored man. "Oh... and one last request. Your name sir. If I'm to be serving with you, then knowing what to call you would be good I think," Ichiro added as an afterthought.