Cleric in the Valley of Death [Open]

Gwain allowed his mate to vent his frustrations, because it was well deserved. The king was a person who could relate. Back when he fought in the wars on his home planet, he had to watch a lot of good people, both young and old, die for something they truly believed in. However, in here, the only thing the people who were trapped here could believe in, was either death or glory. That was no way to live and because of this, the crimson-eyed man truly felt sympathy for the acts his partner had to commit on this day. When he pledged to kill the person who ran the arena, Gwain smirked and nodded to him. With an outstretched hand, the man offered his completely and total cooperation. He'd trust a stranger just this once. Especially if they had a common goal.

"It is very lamentable what you had to do, Jensen, but with you and I here, we have a chance to prevent this from ever happening again. Nothing I may say could possibly change your mind about the whole thing, but I feel like those innocent lives that were taken today, should not be done so in vain. We will avenge them, despite being the ones who took their lives. No..." He trailed off, his expression darkening as he turned towards the exit of the barracks and into the opening of the arena. "We didn't kill them... The monsters out there did. Trust me when I say I'll get you out of here, so you can continue to do just with your words and blade." Gwain spoke passionately, as if he had done this many times before. His words were sympathetic, yet encouraging. Almost he knew exactly what to say in order to raise the spirits of the cleric.

After that, the king listened on to the man's plan for the next two matches. Their last matches. Along the way, Gwain had been developing a fool-hardy plan. One that only a man like him would be able to think of in a situation like this. When asked about his plan, the king looked his fellow gladiator in the eye and gave him a grin that showed he was up to no good.

"Yeah, one. They gave me back all of my weapons and armor, so I'm thinking why not just break out? Full frontal charge right to the exit. Along the way, we add to our numbers by breaking free as many prisoners as we can and arming them. An uproar like that, won't be expected by any of the lame-brains above, so I think it's perfect. We do this immediately after winning our third round. What do you think?" Gwain asked Jensen and even chuckled at how silly the plan sounded. But of course, the crimson-eyed man knew how prideful demons could be and figured that after their third match, the ringleader of the arena will feel like he had gotten two good warriors and will probably get too drunk and high off of all the prospective futures, that he wouldn't expect them to suddenly break out. To the ebony-haired man, the plan was perfect, but he didn't know how his partner would take it.

Jensen nodded his head, reminiscing about when he was just little farm hand back in La Cite de la Cloches. He would take the hoe to the ground and prepare it for the crops to be placed. They'd use their own cocktail fertilizer for the plants and it worked well. He didn't work for his parents, they were too busy protecting the lands. One day, while he was working the field for the Monroe family, shadows began lurking along the tall stalks of corn. Jensen, afraid, pulled out the dagger that his parents had given him. Praying to the local deity, Eisuundar, he had hoped he would received protection for his good service. As he shadows emerged, they revealed to be a pack of wolves. Jensen outstretched his hand and fell back. A bright light grew from his palm, and the wolves were sundered. Their pelts were burned, save for one. The alpha wolf stood proud, unaffected by the flash of light that came from the boy. Circling around him, the alpha snarled. Jensen stood up in desperation, and closed his eyes tight, flailing his arm upward. Eisuundar, shine your light![ And just like that, a bolt of white lightning sundered the wolf with great might.

Looking at what he had down, a hole was left in place of the wolf, as if it was completely incinerated. That's when his family knew the flames within the boy burned strong. Passion, dedication, he wasn't merely a farm hand. While he'd continue to be one, he'd still train to become something of a warrior. Returning back to the present, Jensen realized that the fire within wasn't just passion or dedication, it was a blessing of power and a test of faith. He needed to be careful who he killed, for Eisuundar was always watching. He realized that he wasn't as much of a cleric as he was a paladin. A sentinel to fight for others and sacrifice his own innocence. He was good at heart, but he knew that he had to get his hands dirty. Blood stained paladins so that the clerics did not have to ruin themselves. Standing up after leaving a symbol of Eisuundar by each of the boys' bodies, he turned to Gwain. "We must destroy this arena, burn it to the ground. Free the slaves and they will help us. They now have faith in those that slew the champion." Jensen whispered, seeing the looks of those preparing for their own, separate fights. A guard met with Jensen, returning his sword and shield. The two mighty items gleamed with a special radiance. Sheathing the blade into his shield, Jensen brought his hand upwards. Holy fire burst from it, crackling in front of the two. "And at the very least, I will place my hand upon that monster's face. I will not suffer him."

When Gwain told him of his plan, Jensen nodded, with a few additions to it. "The medic can give me some of the things I need for a bomb. But if they let me cut into the bird, I will have enough of its wastes to produce a miasmic flask. We can use that to incapacitate the guards. But, it's going to be flammable. Steer clear when I toss it." Jensen prepared his armor, looking at the king. "I came here to become strong for my people. Now they are without sentinel and I've been trapped her for more than a night. Do you worry of your people back home?"

The king watched Jensen go over to the young boys' bodies. Knowing how devout the guy was to everything he believed in, just from the small conversations and actions he's seen, Gwain knew that this very event hit harder than home. More than likely, the red-eyed man figured that there was an ever brewing conflict that arose within the cleric. He also surmised that he'd want revenge for what had transpired in the arena. The one thing the vampire questioned, was if Jensen was doing it for the innocents who had lost their lives, or if it were for his own agenda. Either way, the man didn't mind helping him along the way. Underground, possibly illegal by the words of the mysterious Shirou and the passionate cleric, gave Gwain enough incentive to want to destroy the place as well.

"Trust me, we'll get more than just a hand on his face. We'll put him to the sword along with the structure of the arena. You have my support." That's all he really had to say on the whole subject, because he was mostly interested in the holy fire that sprouted from the man. He wondered just how just his god was and why he followed him so devoutly. Now wasn't the time to question such faith, but the questions lingered. From where he hailed, the king knew all too well that there were the unjust gods and goddesses, who wished to do nothing more than to wreak havoc upon those who worshiped them. Even worse, their worshipers would carry out the misdeeds of their idol... Gwain wondered if Jensen's was any different.

His concentration was snapped back to the plan and the cleric seemed to not have any objections to it, only additions. How the man explained itself, it seemed he and the medic had been able to get along quite well. That was good, considering that in a situation like this one needed as many allies as they could get. Much like Jensen, the ebony-haired man got to work on healing himself up after the Shirou fight, considering it wasn't scheduled to happen that way in the first place. Afterwards, he prepped his armor and picked out a rusted dagger that'd he use later in the griffin match.

While time passed by, Gwain was eventually asked about his family back home. He stopped momentarily and stood up straight, stretching out his shoulders for a minute. A smirk appeared on his lips as he felt their energies. Spread far, yes, but they were there.

"No, I don't worry for them in the slightest. After all, you can say they're all here but elsewhere." The king answered simply. He figured he wouldn't have to go into much detail after that. When he finished up with his preparations, he turned towards his partner and nodded slightly to him. "They'll be expecting us soon. Are you ready?" Gwain asked, inquiring about the future match.

Jensen anticipated the last match, for when it ended he was going to use the griffin parts to bring the whole area into chaos. He knew he could rely on the medic to provide him with anything he is missing, as unlike regular arenas, supernatural forces were at play. Jensen savored the thought of holy punishment to be cast upon someone so vile. The man reminded him of when Jensen, as a boy, tried entering the city but was refused by a nobleman. Yet they were forced to give a cut of their resources so the city could thrive. But he wasn't allowed to enter? Jensen saw the man as a puppeteer abusing his might to get something more than he could handle. It was only a matter of time before everything the demon had built would crumble.

Awaiting Gwain to take his side, Jensen sighed as he took a whetstone to his blade before being completely ready for the fight. Limbering up, Jensen turned to his companion, smiling. "I smile to my god, and he smiles to me. I'm sure we'll be safe. If we survive, though, I expect the steak of a buffalo fat as my shield. Ha, and if we don't. Well, this place never gets too warm, at least." He added some dark humor to the mix, but deep down realized that Eisuundar couldn't prevent his death if he brings it upon himself. It was time for them to shine, and as they stood there, an announcement was made. "We encourage you to make this an elegant show of merciless battle! It is only fair that the champions can use their all for it. Besides, they'll need it for what is to surprise them at the last match!" Jensen wondered how his parents were doing.

He wondered if Eisuundar gave them his love. He doesn't doubt his own god, but he wondered if what his parents did for their community warranted his love or punishment. If anything, they'd simply see a purgatory. If only the cleric knew about the truth. Everything would change then. "Let's go kill this beast." Jensen would walk into the waiting area as soon as Gwain was ready, and from afar he could see a hulking beast of black. It had a caw that pierced the ears, hardly under control by whatever mage had the magics to do so. Gulping, Jensen remembered fighting a cockatrice when he was younger as part of popping his hunting cherry. It was not pretty. He almost died, but he had no doubt that he'd be able to claim the life of this beast with help. Quickly, Jensen grabbed a handbow before they were kept within the waiting area.

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UPCOMING BOSS: GRIFFIN

APPEARANCE:

STE: 3 | END 3 | MAG: 0 | SPD: 2 | AGI: 4

Advantages:
-Large size allows reach
-Powerful and agile
-Limbs and mouth as weapons
-Arena is expanded to allow flight

Disadvantages:
-Constricted space limits flight
-Small attacks cause it to crash
-Underbelly is a weakspot
-Confined space prevents it from fully utilized its speed, despite its flexibility. Speed considered Tier 1.
-Arms have the flexibility of Tier 2 agility as well as legs.
-Body is flammable

"Sure hope your god is smiling wide. I'd sure hate to be stuck down here any longer than needed." Gwain joked, taking light of the situation entirely. Why not, right? The man deserved a little bit of dark humor to lighten up everything. After their banter, seeing as the king was already topped off in his best equipment, he punched together his gauntlets. This created a large sound that clanked all throughout and caused a few sparks to fly from in-between. He was more than ready to get back onto the battlefield. After all, it was where he excelled the most.

He took his steps forward along with Jensen, entering into the arena and seeing the scope of their opponent. The arena had been enlarged quite a bit and their adversary, an armored, black griffin. Figuring that they wouldn't send it in nude, Gwain had a plan that involved his rusty dagger. A smirk came onto his lips and he knew that this was going to make short work of any metal that was on the creature's body. The loud, ear splitting caw definitely got the man's blood to boil and he started to bounce in his step. His fists came up in front of him and he assumed his fighting stance, after he touched upon the rusted dagger with one hand.

"Whoever lands killing blow gets a free steak of buffalo." Gwain called out and right after, charged off towards the beast. Sure, it looked like a foolhardy move on his part, but the man had a plan for several contingencies. The griffin, while strong and massive, was still a simple creature that fought more along instinct, rather than with its head. It could do a total of four things that the king had an idea of how to dodge, so he baited it.

As they entered the arena, the Griffin was calmly forced in by some mages. Once the beast was fully within the arena, the gate shut behind them and the mages lost focus. They were scared for their lives because they were supposed to survive, but the Griffin overcame their domination and tore them limb from limb with its razor hands and beak. Cawing at the two, a roar of saliva and high pressure brush the send across the arena. Jensen took a defensive stance, but the Griffin began soaring upward. Trying to escape, it noticed that it was to no avail. Gliding along, high up into the air, the Griffin cawed with fury. Coming down, Jensen took aim with his handbow and fired. The bird was not one to take such hard pecks well when flying at high momentum, the arrow pricking its forehead and forcing it to the ground. Swiftly it shifted back to its feet, trying to circle around the two. Jensen looked at the black bird with great fear, and the memory of the cockatrice he had to fight when he was younger.

"Gwain, these types of beasts can't stand being hit mid-air. The next time it takes flight, I'll shoot it down. Go in for the strike. I will help you fall back with my shield. Once we weaken it, I will try to immobilize it with my fire. The underbelly is its weak point, just like a Cockatrice. It'd be nice if the Griffin had a cockatrice's neck. But be wary, if we don't catch the Griffin off-guard, it can swoop in for the kill and tear us apart." Jensen knew little of the differences between a Cockatrice and a Griffin, but knew that both couldn't stand mid-flight interruption, both were fast and swift, and both had a similar weakness. He studied Griffins from the books he was given, so knew that their might was only a cover for their fragility. He knew that Gwain could use his offense against the bird while Jensen could deflect the bird's blows. Watching the bodies of the mages get torn into pieces was gruesome, but he was bred for this job. He was a monster hunter, after all. A paladin, but a monster hunter all the same. He hated fighting civilized beings, especially humans, but he had no qualms with killing a man-eating monster.

Conclusion:

Gwain and Jensen eventually defeated the Griffin, also causing a massive outbreak when Jensen crafted a grenade from the corrosive chemicals found in the Griffin's blood. He kept some of the ingredients from the massive creature and the two escape along with everyone else. At some point the arena was retired and cleaned up, and now no longer exists.