Undead Gladiator Showdown
Arak had long since forgotten the smell the arena first held all those years ago. His thoughts and senses had merely been honed to the combat of the arena, all his tutors long dead as he now knew it. Or potentially worse here at Soul squall, a dirty little secret hidden in the shadowlands. His opponents grew more gruesome day by day, and the crowd grew only more fevered. The wailing and howling of eternals and dark elementals could be heard from the stands, amused by the novelty of a dragon slave fighter. Eventually, the eternals grew less amused by novelty, and more amused by the bloodshed. The crowd would fall silent with anticipation, wondering what their "cunning dragon slave" would do next against their onslaught of horrors. Amalgams of body parts fashioned together into great behemoths. Or the sinister denizens of the lands themselves, vipers and undead badgers. Not to mention Eternal-bound mercenaries and the undead bodies of those who have fallen.
Arak lost count of his foes, those he slew and those he slew again. Those he remembered from the days before the fighting, those who taught him. Souless corpses who had died in this horrific spectacle, leaving their body behind to still serve for some dark sort of amusement to undying eternals. One eternal in particular they called the "skeletal general" he would sometimes attend the fights in a box very high above the arena overlooking everything. The sand glass used for the windows doesn't allow one enough visible to see into the box, but Arak is certain that he sees all that goes on here even if Arak couldn't see him. Arak had only lived a life of scraps, fighting, more scraps, and more fighting. Only once he knew why the others were lured here had his fighting found meaning, in the gladiator pens many people know that if you are to complete 100 fights they grant you "One wish". Some of the slaves thought it hogwash, but those with avaricious eyes saw it as their wildest dreams. Arak saw it as an end to all of this, if it really was any wish he could wish for an end to all of this. Couldn't he?
"And if they didn't comply?", he thought solemnly to himself. "Perhaps I would have to try to end this another way" He thought about all the gladiators he had known, thinking about their various reasons to be here. All to end up lifeless husks, dolls playing for elite immortals. "I wonder if you can kill an eternal?" He thought. Well all he could do was survive until he had his chance, live to fight another say. He was nearing closer to his final fight with 16 opponent's left, he felt ready to take on the next opponent. Rarely would these visceral matters warrant an announcer, but today there was one. A skeleton in shiny violet armor waving his arms as he projected his voice to the crowd.
"ARE YOU READY FOLKS?" the announcer bellowed.
The crowd roared in an excited din. "IN THIS CORNER THE ONLY HUMAN TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP 10, A BRUTAL FIGHTER, DYING TRYING TO BRING BACK HIS DEAD..." The announcer paused to engage in a sob that would make a thespian blush "family. So sad, too bad... TOO BAD WE DIDN'T KILL HIM SOONER" the crowd laughed at this twisted rotting humor, Arak never listened to the announcement, but did this time as the arena was empty and he had no opponent to focus one. This was more theatrical than usual, much more pageantry than the previous fights. Arak's blood boiled, mocking this fighter who desired family. He was ready to kill this shuffling corpse just like the others. Then he saw it, the shield. One he thought he would never see again. He saw the undead gladiator walk to the stage sword held above his head gesturing at the crowd to chant. Arak remained frozen, he couldn't believe it.
"JANUUUUUUUUUUUUS CARNUS" the announcer bellowed. The crowd roared deafeningly, Janus emerged. Decayed in both flesh and armor, putting his hand to his hear as if he couldn't he the crowd's already deafening cacophony.
Arak was stunned, beneath his helmet a lone tear rolled down his cheek. But much to Araks further surprise the corpse emanating dark magic spoke. "Hey, kiddo" the remains of Janus' face were in a crooked crocodilian grin. "Long time no see"
Arak's knees shook, for the first time in years. However, after moments of hesitation he steeled himself. "Hey Janus, you've seen better" he snorted in response.
"Have I? WEll THEN SHOW ME WHAT I TAUGHT YOU!" Janus charged Arak, but arak instead of blocking or anything of the like threw his quadrent fast and strong at Janus missing by a margin a fraction of a centimeter. Janus paused to mock Arak. "You call that a throw?" Arak smiled as Janus delivered his insult. Arak had thrown the quadrent so it would return and strike Janus in the back. Right square in the back of the head. Arak watched Janus continue to confidently move forward "And that return spin is pathetic" Janus' neck spun grotesquely around to catch the quadrant in his teeth. A ghastly sight to behold, Arak sprung forward to grab the quadrent before the rest of Janus could follow suit. "You thought you could kill me with that? You remember who taught you that kido?"
Arak, ever closer to the final stage, had to fight his greatest ally now greatest enemy. The crowd was frenzied, the two warriors were locked in confrontation. Observing for openings they both rotated around in a circular fashion, Until suddenly one of them struck.
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST PROMOTING THE ARGONM UNSEALED TOURNAMENT DRIVE
Drawn with pencil then painted with watercolors, not the best in the world but it was fun.
Above image augmented with ai
Argonm Unsealed Tournament Drive BIGGER Prizes!
Tournament Drive: Argonm Unsealed Tournament Drive OPEN!
To join this tournament you merely need to contact me here on discord or directly via message. All relevant people will receive the invite and pay a small fee. The fee becomes smaller and smaller, so spread the word. The method of discord verification is to assure that no bots join the fold. Only real prizes for real people. The top 5 regardless of how many people join will receive an "Argonm's Seal" wax nft. This will be used to determine entrants into the final grand tournament after this series of 7 tournaments.
If over 20 people join the drive prizes will be 5 legendary card delegations for 30 days at the end of the tournament and the entrance fee will be 100 DEC. Refunded if a holder of an Argonm's Seal at the end of the Tournament.
If over 200 people join the drive the prizes will be up to 15 epic and legendary delegations for 2 seasons, approximately 10-15 dollars of DEC and other crypto. The entrance fee will be 30 DEC
If by some miracle over 1000 people join the drive prizes will be 20 epic or legendary card delegations plus approximately 20-25 dollars of DEC and other crypto. The entrance fee will be 10 DEC
Don't forget, messaging me your @splinterlandsusername is necessary! that's right. Via one of the methods below on discord. If you join the discord you will be informed of giveaways raffles and more.
To secure entry all you have to do is message me your username on discord here or directly message me cryptoniusrex#0742. This is (again) to eliminate bots from entry. The tournament will be a few weeks from today on October 1rst. All of you can join the drive until then. The tournament will be actually posted and announced exactly one week before, it will be private entry to only those in the drive. So don't forget to enter through discord. Joining the drive is free and merely gages real human interest in a tournament with fun prizes for everyone
DRIVE RESULTS 21/200 1rst Milestone Achieved
Undead Gladiator Giveaway and Last Weeks Winners
This week I will be delegating a lucky person and undead minotaur for 15 days. To qualify like AND comment on this post. A week or so ago I ran 2 giveaways in 2 other posts the winners from the RNG on those posts are as follows. 
Talking Tidbits
This series of lore and narration is meant to be a bit of a background on Arak the blue. I aim to polish up everything as time goes on, but time is of the essence and I need you guys to be aware of the tournament drive, plus I need to show signs of life on at least a weekly basis for you ladies and gentlemen who happen to follow me. Obviously undead gladiator would be a death card, but I have no idea as to what abilities would be relevant. You decide!
Keep Summoning and See you in the Splinterlands Don't forget to disintegrate that follow button.