By Long47
He raised his head and his sky blue eyes peered deep into the darkness. He sighed and began his long walk again. He could
keep site of his goal even in this darkest of hour, for the lights of Markad shone brightly. The dangerous place in all of midlight
they called it, home of the largest slave port in the known world. It was filled with nothing but ruffians and pirates, but to him it
was home. His long blonde hair blew lightly in the breeze as he began to approuch the city. "Halt in the name of Cinera," cried a
voice from somewhere up in the towers over the gate," identify thyself." " Trifus, best street fighter in all midlight," answered the
barbarian stepping into the light. " Welcome back Trifus, should have known it was you, I have never seen anyone so big and
strong," said the guard making a few silent motions. "You will never find any as hairy either," came the friendly voice from
directly inside the city," come in and try to strike me barbarian, watch as my quick hands block every shot." The barbarian only
chuckled, he knew his friend was only joking, though he never once doubted that his pickpocketing friend was not faster then
him. Of course his reputation laid in being the best archer in Midlight. His most famous act was when he bodly marched into
Iridine and challenged all the Legio's archer and a few Falcon archers, only to walk away with a 1000 denar in bets. He slowly
locked at himself, even in the small amount of torchlight he could see his hairy arms covered with scars from everything from a
gladius to the claws of a mad she-bear he had wrestled bare-handed and with a broken wrist. He was a barbarian as he was
addresses through and through. He had been born in the Blackroot mountains, into a small tribe he would one day lead. Then
an Iridinian raid took him away and sold him to Cinera, but he there wrestled himself to freedom and walked the streets as the
toughest man ever seen. He had meet his thieving friend after watching him take pouches from a distracted crowd watching one
of his matches. "Come on in slowpoke," spoke the shadows," there is a new ruffian down in the golden fist, talking all big and
bad, lets go show him up." The barbarian only smiled.
*****
The golden fist was crowded except for the small circle that
Trifus now stood in. Across from him was a strapling young Iridinian trying to prove his worth. He didn't even have any scars
on him. Suddenly the youth threw a left jab at Trifus' face, with the reflexes of a true warrior he blocked it pushing it out wide.
Moving with his other hand he grabbed the front of the man's tunic and lifted him into the air. "Enjoy your nap," he laughed as
he launched the man 10 feet, throwing him completely through the wooden wall of the tavern and almost through the stone wall
of the next building. He quickly turned and noticed three warriors stepped forward to attack him, gladii drawn. "You'll pay for
that barbarian," yelled one of them moving to lunge forward. The audience barely registered what happened next, and those
that had blinked for a split second missed it entirely. With speed that would suprise the gods themselves Trifus' friend had
pulled three arrows out seperately and fired them. The soldiers didn't even register the arrows passing threw their weapon
hands, but the pain followed all to quickly. "I suggest running before my friend finishes this," said the archer stepping forward
from the shadows. They didn't need him to repeat himself. "Very nice," commented the barbarian as he turned to watch them
flee. "Trifus, I was told to give you this parchment and command you to follow its instructions or suffer jail sentences. Trifus
nodded as he accepted the parchment, he glanced down and read it. "You have been selected to quell a small force of warriors
stationed in the country of Kelestia, please move quickly and without mercy. The King
[To be continued]