She stood on the small platform in front of the training yard, Jordan and Grogek on either side of her. Tulani was safely on the hill with Darguni who'd shot up again overnight. Elunara prayed that was the end of it. She stood in a warrior's pose, staff to the ground.
"You sure about this?" Jordan frowned.
"He wants a display of power; he's going to get it. I'm fully recharged ad ready to go. Unlike when I fight Grogek, we won't be playing around."
"You call that playing?"
"Have you ever seen either one of us seriously hurt the other?" She shook her head. "I get cuts, yes but nothing like I could. Grogek gets bruises, but I've never gone in for the kill. This time? I get no holds barred. The only mercy I intend to show, is keeping him alive."
"What's the point in all of this?"
"There are orc clans out there, especially in Nagrand that haven't chosen a side yet. I intend to use chuckles to get them stirred up."
"If this works, we will have plenty of new blood to add to our cause." Grogek grinned.
Charnak was led to the center of the ring in chains, his four handlers using poles attached to his collar. Once he was in position, she waved her hand. "Release his bonds!"
The men unlocked the shackles on Charnak's legs and arms. They stepped out of the way as instructed prior. Everyone watching knew their role and played it to the hilt, cheering and roaring.
"SILENCE!" She bellowed, and everyone quieted down. "Charnak of the Warsong, you have severely pissed me off. You want to see who's in charge? Then FINE, you have it."
"That is not your weapon!" He gestured to her staff.
"This? This is all the weapon you GET! You are not worthy of my blade!" She sneered. "Return his weapon!"
Grogek reached down and picked up the axe, still stained with his blood. He tossed it in the ring with a smirk. "Her staff is more than enough to deal with you."
"Should you manage to defeat me, I will fight you with my blade." Elunara shrugged. "I severely doubt that's possible."
He growled. "You insult me."
She raised an eyebrow. "Do I? I distinctly remember the last time I went after you, you had no defense against me. Did I rip out your teeth? Or were you "just surprised"? We shall see." She stepped off her platform and into the ring. The crowd began to yell and cheer. She shot them a look, and there was a ripple of quiet.
"They are trained well." He grinned.
"There'd be no point otherwise." She took a deep breath and laid her head back. Opening her mouth she began to sing a traditional war ballad.
"I love when she does that." Jordan murmured to Grogek.
"Mm, as do I."
At the finish of her song, the crowd burst into cheers. The energy pouring into her from them was palpable. She held out her staff. "Let's begin, Chuckles."
He lunged, she dodged. He swung, she jumped. She taunted him endlessly with dodging and weaving, never letting him land a blow. When he stumbled forward, she went on the attack. She landed blow after blow as she dodged and weaved, leapt and spun. She cracked him in the face, in the legs, and even in the balls. She was impressed by his ability to continue standing after that one. He cleaved, and she jumped on top of his axe and ran up his arm, cracking in the face with the heel of her palm. She dropped down behind him and attacked sensitive areas of the back, before dodging out of the way when he spun on her.
He roared in pain, anger and humiliation. "HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?"
"Are you even WORTHY of my weapon? Land's sake." She blocked his axe with the staff and flung it to the side. He went for the weapon and she continued to rain her wrath upon his body.
He grabbed the weapon up and used it to block her next attack. He kicked out and barely grazed her leg.
"Oh, are you actually trying now?"
With a roar, he threw the weapon at her. Anticipating him, she caught it and flung it back at him. His eyes went wide and he dodged out of the way. He grabbed it up again and went for her, but she dropped the staff and effortlessly deflected it to the ground. She jammed the heel of her hand under his chin, knocking his teeth together. With her foot, she popped the staff back up, grabbed it and cracked him across the face. He stumbled to the ground, his fist in the dirt, holding him up.
"Do you yield?"
"I..."
"I'm going to do you favor, and assume that being stuck in that jail cell for the past couple of months has made you soft. Perhaps I will consent to let you come to the training yard ever so often, just to re-hone your body. When you think you've improved, I will allow you to challenge me again."
With a sigh, he laid down his axe. "I yield."
She bent down and picked up the axe, effortlessly tossing it back to Grogek. "Good, now go sit in your cell like a good boy. I'll be along when I have time."
"Yes, Goddess."
The men approached Charnak with shackles. She held up her hand. "I think he's humiliated enough. Just take him back."
They bowed. "Yes, Ma'am."
He stared at her with raw lust in his eyes. "Again you show me mercy."
She turned her back and walked up to the platform and resumed her position between Grogek and Jordan. When Charnak was to the edge of the training yard, she called out. "What are you idiots standing around for? BACK TO WORK!" They began to scramble around, trying to get back to their posts.
Back in his cell, he sat down on the bench and leaned back. "I do not understand that woman."
One of his escorts snorted. "The only one who has that claim is Grogek. Everyone else is just too damned afraid of her."
"What of the other one?"
"The pet? He is there by her allowance. Nothing more." The guard motioned to the other three and they left.
"Hmm."
Outside one of the guards frowned. "It feels so wrong to downplay General Jordan like that."
"Elunara knows how to keep the balance with a hostile captive. I trust her on this. Besides, the whole town knows the truth, and that's what matters."
She shuddered. "Oh my, that was... delicious. Now that I understand the situation so clearly, wow." She tossed her staff by on the rack.
"Explain it to us." Jordan laughed.
"Every person here was feeding me. It was like the energy poured off of them. Even that idiot was pumping out enough lust at me to make me mildly dizzy." She shook her head. "It's going to take awhile to get use to it, better yet, ignore it. Just, wow."
"You sound like a succubus."
