Thread: The traveler and the dancer

Dox followed her easily enough with the berth of room people gave with his passing, and looked with interest at the trinkets and jewelry that was for sale. Some was astounding, while others he could feel by their weight were quite fake, though while she had her back turned, he did purchase a beautiful necklace with a large tear shaped sapphire that would hang perfectly a few inches above her bust, making her all the more alluring and beautiful but made sure she didn't see it. Oddly enough, as they walked amongst the weapons many hawked to him to try and see look at the fine steel, yet Dox abstained from them all, which left people to wonder more of him as he carried no visible weapons. But more than anything, Dox found the food to be absolutely delicious with the different wines Sheba gave to him to try. His appetite mirrored his size, and Dox chose a bit of everything but found both amusing and interesting that his tastes bordered on Sheba's. There were quite a few performances, and Dox followed her interested with all but one caught his eye more than anything else. Within a large crowd that they made their way through, a huge ring was circled by a wooden fence where men fought with swords, spears, shields and even knives against each other. None killed their opponent, and defeat mean hearty earnings for the winner especially if he bet on himself. Dox didn't want to fight in front of this woman, but his money was running low with what he had spent on his gift, so he would be left to do so anyways. When Dox stepped into the ring the fighting stopped, and all gazed at him with wonder but before betting could take place he spoke loud and deep to all. I bet on myself. He stated simply and tossed a small bag of pure gold at the betting master, but before others could bet on him he spoke again. I shall fight every able man at the same time, and aside from my gauntlets, boots, and armor upon my chest, I shall fight with what god has given me in birth. Instantly the crowed seemed to explode, and money flew into the betting urns as scribes wrote as fast as possible names and amount of money being bet. The men in the ring circled, and Dox knew that they would do anything and everything to win as even if he died they would all become rich off the betting master after all was said and through. Dox was calm, and soon enough money stopped flowing and everyone was silence once more. For a few heartbeats, all was still when a cry erupted from the armed men and one sped forward, swinging a heavy saber at his head. And crys went up from the crowed but soon were silence once more. A terrible clang sounded, and all looked in a stupor at the saber. It was stopped dead by Dox's left hand, and with a blow that seemed to be simple yet could not be followed by the human eye seemed to blur towards the mans head. It was naught but a simple punch, and yet the man dropped with a grunt into the dirt. The saber still clutched in his hand seemed to groan, and a pure ring sounded as Dox shattered it with his hand. All paled, and Dox let a few heartbeats passed to allow the men to consider what had occurred, but then just as the punch, Dox was amongst them far to quickly for a man his size. They didn't have time to back up, and the veterans took swings to ward him away but there were still plenty of targets. Grunts sounded, and heavy thumps could be easily heard as men dropped like so many drops of rain around him. Clangs sounded as his hands turned blades, and even a huge gong as a solid punch right into a shield warped the metal and knocked the man back leaving the imprints of his fist in the metal. Time seemed to slow as Dox wove the dance he was master of, and men fell all around him. Sometimes he used his hands to do nothing more than turn blades, and impossibly so his legs would snap up at angles that were unreal to snap a man in the side, chin, and kick the legs cleanly out from under him before stomping on their stomachs or chest to end their fight. He had said that he would use only what god had given him in birth, and he spoke true as elbows, knees, and even his forehead snapped at men in angles that were unguarded to sink painfully deep and down or wind them in an instant. Still more poured into the ring to try to join but Dox soon began to treed over the unconscious forms of his defeated opponents to fall the others.