Fight with a Friend

"Who are you?" These words, carried by a melodious voice, left the mouth of the strikingly gorgeous red woman, Dejah Thoris.

'This will either take a lot of effort to explain, or it will take none at all.' I thought to myself looking at the beautiful woman who riveted my attention. Just her beauty was striking enough but then the fact that she was actually a princess of a nation here on Barsoom? That thought was extra shocking.

I didn't let myself continue on with any unnecessary thoughts and spoke to answer her.

"It is somewhat of a strange tale." I spoke "But fear not, for I assure you that in no way do I bear any thought of malice towards you, and that I come to you as a friend. And so far as our captors would permit, your protector." I finished.

Dejah Thoris stopped, as if contemplating the meaning behind my words.

"So you too, are a captive?" She asked and in response, I nodded. "Then why do you wear the metal of a Tharkian chieftain? Why only now have you decided to help me when you refused to do so in the first hour of my peril? What is your name? Where do you come from?"

"I told you, it is a long and strange tale. For now, all I can tell you is that my name is John Carter and I claim Virginia, of the United States of America, Earth, as my home." I replied. "And to answer your first question, I too am a captive in the Tharkian society. As for why I was allowed to wear Tharkian metal, it is because the green men of Barsoom respect me for my strength and see me as a great warrior." I finished.

With this small exchange, before we could speak any further, a small group of martian warriors approached the dead body of the warrior that I had previously striken dead with a mighty blow.

And in a flash, her question about me wearing tharkian metal was made crystal clear. One by one, the warriors rid the limp green body of the now dead warrior of his ornaments of honor and took them away. Presumably for making changes to fit my lesser proportions.

As I watched the dead warrior be rid of his metal I had noticed that Tars Tarkas and several others had pushed forward toward us, and the eyes of the former rested upon me in a most quizzical manner. Finally he addressed me.

"You've learned the Barsoomian tongue quiet well for someone who was deaf and mute some days ago. not to mention you're quite proficient in it as well. Where did you learn it, John Carter?" He asked me.

"I shall have Sola take the credit for my learning. After all, it was through her efforts and remarkable ability that I was able to learn the language so well." I answered with complete honesty. Obviously I did think that my Earthly origin and my chakras had something to do with that, but not for a second did I ever think that I would have been able to learn the language as easily as I did without her teaching me.

Though if I had a tad bit more control over my chakras, I can't say that things wouldn't be different. Unlocking chakras can have a variety of different effects on the body, and considering how much telepathic abilities I had unlocked during my time here on Mars, who's to say that I wouldn't just be able to copy paste their language to my head.

What can I say? Chakras are overpowered.

"She has done well," he answered, once again gaining my attention and pulling me away from my internal monologue, "but your education in many other respects needs considerable polish. Do you have any idea what your unprecedented rashness would have cost you had you failed to kill either of the two chieftains whom you have striken dead?"

"I presumed that the ones I killed would have in turn, killed me." I answered with doubt, not sure how true the statement was.

"That's where you're very wrong John Carter. You see, we, the Tharks do not kill prisoners under any circumstances. Only in the last extremity of self-defense do we ever kill a captive of ours. We like to save them for... well, let's just say other purposes." He left the sentence unfinished to let his words sink in, and his face bespoke the possibilities behind his speech.

"Not only that, the fact that you've killed two Tharkian chieftain puts you in a very weird situation. You have considerable strength, unlike anything the Tharks have seen before. Your speed and jumping ability is also nothing to scoff at. Considering all of these things, tell me, John Carter, would it not be better for us to kill you to ensure our own safety?" Tars Tarkas finished with a voice of steel. It was a tone that held absolute self-confidence and ferocity.

I looked at his face for a moment, unsure whether he was being serious or only doing this to threaten me to behave. Considering the fact that Tars Tarkas and Sola were the only two Tharks that had shown some qualities of kindness, I was not sure how to answer him.

There was also the fact that his mental barrier was strong to only let out surface level thoughts. Me, who was not so proficient in my yogic practices, could not seep into his mind to take a look.

'Oh well, I've already established that I'm not backing down from the moment I killed that chieftain. I can only establish dominance now.' I thought and met his gaze with mine.

"You can try. I assure you it won't be easy." I said while standing in front of Dejah Thoris protectively. I don't know why I took such a stance but to me, it seemed like second nature to me.

As I stood in front of her, I sensed a feeling of surprise and gratefulness from behind me, along with bafflement, enjoyment and bloodlust from the group of warriors that had approached us.

Oh, did I mention that I can feel the emotions of those in the vicinity? No? Well, I just did then! This power got developed along with my telepathic prowess. And not only can I sense such feelings, I can also actively project them to the second or third party, to make them know what I'm feeling.

Anyway, back to the situation.

Both me and Tars Tarkas looked at each other with a gaze that promised battle. Neither of us backed down and held our grounds.

The tension in the air kept increasing to the point that it became palpable.

After what had felt like an eternity of staring at each other in the challenge of a mighty resistance, the confrontation was finally broken by Tars Tarkas...

...in the form of a fist to my face.

'He fast...' I thought in my mind, looking at the fist that was travelling at my face in a bit of slow motion.

'As expected' I sidestepped to avoid the punch that would have hit me directly in the face otherwise, 'Being able to go into bullet time at will is overpowered.' I thought, inwardly elated at the sheet amount of mental prowess that could be displayed through the awakening of the Kundalini.

Seeing the fist pass right beside me, I stepped out of bullet time to throw a fist to his abdomen with controlled strength. After all, I did not want to accidentally kill one of the few people that I could actually feel kinship with on this barren wasteland of a planet.

Not even a second after, I felt my fist connect to the flesh of the great green martian, but sadly, I had not been able to his my desired target, his abdomen.

My eyes widened in surprise as I saw one of the arms of Tars Tarkas block my blow with his forearm.

Tars Tarkas, with a vicious grin on his face, began to slash away at my figure using his giant claws. And I, using the newly acquired power of bullet time, kept dodging all of his strikes.

The hall was now filled with cheers and wild laughter; all of the Green Martians were laughing in delight about getting to see such an interesting situation.

"I assure you John Carter! If you had any thought about this being like any of the other fights you've had, you'd be sorely mistaken!" He screamed as his attacks kept on getting faster and more trickier to avoid.

"On Barsoom, it is not considered fir for a warrior to praise himself too much, but among all of the Tharkian Jeds, I am considered the most mightiest and the most ferocious fighter!" He said as he tried to knee me in the face, only for me to sidestep, causing him to lose his balance.

And then, making full use of the chance, I put my muscles to the maximum use and punched with as much acceleration as I could muster.

And then, with a mighty sound, the blow connected to the side of Tars Tarkas' abdomen, making him fly away into the air.

As Tars Tarkas landed upon the ground, nay, more like fell upon the ground, I held my ground and spoke.

"I do not doubt your might, Tars Tarkas. But know this, I, John Carter of Virginia am no pushover!" I continued, "On the dead sea beds of Barsoom, it is the weight of one's fist that holds the most value. And as it stands, it is my fist that is the strongest!" I said with a voice of steel.

What I had said could be taken as arrogance or pride, but I didn't care. It was a fact, one that I was quiet confident to admit. It was not just foolish pride that blinded me, but my words carried a sense of belief in my own strength.

If there was anyone that disagreed with my statement, they could gladly compete with me.

That was how it was on Mars, the god of War. That was how it was on Barsoom.

'That's right. Be it John Carter or Damien Smith, they've always believed in the weight of their own fists. And how could I, as an amalgamation of both of them, be any different?' I thought to myself as I saw Tars Tarkas get up from the ground.

As he regained his footing and looked back at me, he let out a small smile on his lips. Not the kind that the green martians are all too accustomed to, but the kind that I'd grown all too familiar with to appreciate the customs on Mars. It was a smile that held qualities like friendship, respect and genuine happiness.

Seeing him smile at me like that, I narrowed my eyes.

"You have proven yourself enough, John Carter of Virginia." he said as he walked towards me with a slight limp; it was such a small difference that it would easily go unnoticed by others, but not to me.

"You have made your point clear and have given enough evidence of your strength. But the point still stands." He said with a fierce gaze. "Your situation is special. And the only thing that can save you now is the recognition of Tal Hajus." He said, making me stare at him in confusion.

Seeing me look at him like that, Tars Tarkas explained. "Should you, in recognition of your remarkable, and dare I say preternatural valor, ferocity, and prowess, be considered by Tal Hajus as worthy of his service you may be taken into the community and become a full-fledged Tharkian. And until we reach the headquarters of Tal Hajus it is the will of Lorquas Ptomel that you be accorded the respect your acts have earned you. You are being treated as a Chieftain because of that fact. And it is the duty of each chief that accompanies you to ensure your delivery to our mighty Jeddak." He finished.

"I understand." I said with a nod. "But as you know, I do not hail from these lands, and my future actions can only be determined by the lessons that I have learned from the past. And of one thing, let all of us be sure, whatever you all might intend to do with this young woman, whomever and whatever has any ill intentions towards her and tried to harm her, I will let them know that my feeling of kindness and generosity are not incompatible with my ability to fight." I concluded.

In response, Tars Tarkas did but utter a few words, "I know you, and I also know Tal Hajus."

I now turned my attention to Dejah Thoris, and assisting her to her feet I turned with her toward the exit, ignoring her hovering guardian harpies as well as the inquiring glances of the chieftains.

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A/N: Check out my original Novel: Changeling's Grave!

Also Check out my other original Novel on another account: Time Series!