00110011 00111001 Blood and Jackals

People are often easy to figure out. When one person is hurt enough times in similar ways they come up with different defense mechanisms or abilities to read situations better. I had been hurt enough when I lived on the streets. So my defenses could give Fort Nox a run for their money.

Reading people was a beggars biggest meal ticket. Knowing who to target while others should be left alone. Some you could tell by their walk. Others their facial expression. But the more information you had the better. You sometimes come across the people who are difficult to read. And those individuals are usually avoided by most people and sometimes even animals.

Now easy people is where it's at. That's a beggar's bread and butter. Easy to approach, provoke emotion, and take advantage of. Not to sound evil. It's just a way of life.

One person who had been easy to read was Arthur. Some might ask "Why were Lily's room and yours mislabeled?" The answer is simple.

I knew Arthur would go for Lily. I also knew how Hercules was a battle junkie who loved picking on newbies. So I couldn't help but think how I could deal with things.

I knew Arthur was A rank. Knew he would aim for Lily so he could take over the faction and destroy it in one fell swoop. But now Lily was safe and the faction was still able to stand. And I was probably going to get my ass handed to me. But my loss would cost the faction nothing.

Growth only happens when faced against overwhelming odds. Lily had little to no confidence fighting against Arthur for whatever reason. But against Hercules I knew she would win the moment he stepped into her room. I designed all the rooms after all. Though Beth had requested for hers to be made a specific way so I let her do it. I didn't mind. Less for me to deal with.

Henry needed space for his scythe to swing and less obstacles. So an English cobblestone courtyard was his choice. Hoy had already mentioned his chess plan so I just designed the room and he added the color scheme. And Lily just needed grass and plants for her to unleash her power.

As for me. I wanted a challenge. And Arthur was just the ticket.

Not to mention that each faction can only challenge once a week.

So needless to say. Arthur was pissed.

I was sitting on the sarcophagus having a staring contest with the most powerful hostile player I had come in contact with yet. And he began to seethe. His face was red as his expression turned dark and ugly.

"How?" He growled out low and dark. His killing intent could be felt. The chill from his sheathe magnified tenfold as the air became harder to breathe in.

I shrugged. "Having a friend from outside the faction makes for great info gathering. And the more info one has, the better plans one can put in motion." I said as a large slab of limestone slid in front of the door blocking Arthur from leaving.

"And that is why you failed today. You can kill me here. But you won't destroy my faction. " I said as my eyes glowed an ominous red beneath my gold mask. A feeling of the desert heat filled the tomb on my side with the misty chill of a lake from Arthur's. A true clash of frost and desert elements happening within the area just as I had expected.

I saw Arthur growling as his anger began to take over. His eyes were filled with rage as the cold feeling filled the room. His sword eminating a cold fog as he drew it from its sheathe.

It's hilt was made of woven gold and steel leading into a blue dragon eye above the handle.

The blade was of fine steel but amid the things I expected, it looked too boring really. And I smirked.

"Hmph. And I thought Excalibur would look nicer. But I guess a fake king gets a fake sword."

That set Arthur off.

He launched forward with his blade come from my right in a horizontal slash. And he was fast.

I rolled sideways as fast as I could. His blade nicked one of my jackal ears as i fell into the roll.

A little layer of frost coated my ear briefly before melting leaving it wet. The temperature in the room began to rise to combat Excaliber's chill. And even as that happened my left arm warmed.

The feeling spread as a dull red glow eminated from the scales tattoo on my arm. I felt energized as we clashed, strengthened would even be a word of use. But a problem remained. Our difference in Rank.

I rolled to my feet and started jumping about the room feeling like I could barely keep up with Arthurs movements. He kept nicking me over and over. No matter what I did, I took some damage. I could literally do nothing but dodge again and again. His blows shook the room every time he missed or I deflected.

His sword nicked the walls, floor, and ceiling in multiple places. His face obviously becoming more and more confused as we fought. my body was soaking wet but not slowing down. The frost that kept trying to spread melted faster than it could be applied. All thanks to my mark and the rooms temperature.

I lifted my coffin in defense at one point and Arthur knocked it from my hands with a violent swing of his sword. Ice thickly coated it as it laid on the floor this time.

It was now that I truly understood the difference between our ranks. Power, speed, and force he was able to push out. Power is what a person trains to build. Like a body builder or marathon runner. Speed is similar but relies more on stamina and conditioning. But force is what you can bring out of those two when they are combined.

Like swinging a hammer using its weight alone does little to the nail it hits. Then swinging a hammer accurately with the full force of one's arm. The arms force would drive the nail in straight away.

And having understood this I lead him into a part of the room I had specially prepared. I knew from the get go I would lose. So I wanted to make this as humiliating as possible.This and my own personal pride. If I was to die, I would certain as the demons in hell, take this selfish and arrogant bastard with me.

He eventually stepped onto a misaligned stone on the floor. And with the smallest click my plan was set into its final motions.

There was a loud thud in one of the walls before a rumble filled the air. The sound of a large object rolling. A trap I had specifically designed for Arthur. To my surprise he suddenly threw his sword. It embedded into the wall with a thud stopping whatever mechanism I had put in place. But what he didn't expect was that to be a decoy. Another click and rumble filled the air from above us. All over the room the ceiling rattled. Before the stones above us suddenly let go.

"See yah." I said as the stones began to fall. A crooked smile stretching across my face.

I hadn't experienced death in this place yet. But I imagined I would be able to know what to do when it happened. The large slabs of sandstone fell and I braced myself for the impact.

I heard a roar but my eyes were closed. Arthur no doubt roaring in frustration as he launched himself toward me in desperation to kill me.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't make it. And the last thing he saw was my right hand flipping him the bird like my middle finger was the most bold soldier in history.

The feeling of incredible pressure on me as darkness descended was uncomfortable and disturbing as I felt things all over me break apart and shatter. And just as soon as I felt them I felt a detachment. Like my body was gone and I was suddenly sucked into somewhere dark with a bright Roman numeral 1 appearing in front of me.

I stared at it for a moment or two before instinctively tapping it and my body was sucked in.

I opened my eyes the next moment as I fell from the ceiling hitting the floor with a loud thud. Everybody looked up from their card game in the middle of the room. Henry chuckled as another thud soon followed.

There laid Arthur with a bright red face. He was furious. But obviously was trying to contain it.

I sat up and began to laugh. I couldn't help it. Arthur's face was priceless. He was embarrassed, mad, and obviously tearing up a bit from the loss he had just suffered. After a bit I stopped laughing and wiped my eyes. "Well. That went better than I planned." I said putting my hands on my hips and taking a deep breath trying to completely quell the euphoria I felt.

Arthur remained laying on the floor as Rat and her team ran over to help him up. Rat's small furry body seeming to be a small speck amid her companions.

I heard a door creak open with its ominous sound echoing through the hall.

Turning I found Lily exiting the room with my symbol on it. Her hair was perfect and her gaze steady as she strode toward the two groups. Henry lazily remained where he was checking the cards in his hands. Hoy was eying up Odin like he was a pastry. Beth was chillin off to the side leaning against the back of what used to be Agni's chair. And me?

I just crouched on the floor calmly watching things unfold.

Lily crouched low and leaned toward Arthur. "Let Ares know his Little girl is doing just fine. And that he's still not welcome here." She said as she stood up straight and started walking away.

She looked up at the ceiling. "End Faction Combat." She said loudly.