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Gladiator's Quest

by Lonelyrider

James LightningSword was riding through the small village on his big Percheron stallion Thunder, his rescued Belgian stallion, the grateful and faithful Diablo, in tow behind on a rope tether, food and supplies and some fresh roses for his girlfriend stored on the packs Diablo happily carried; his last owner had been unspeakably cruel to the big beast, and he was more than happy to repay his new master's kindness by carrying this relatively easy load. They passed by the town blacksmith and James greeted heartily, his steeds snorting and pawing the dirt patiently. The smith noticed James' eyes flash hungrily at the weapons and shields just like he would a pretty maiden; James was a gladiator tanker who loved to fight in the ring for gold and collected weapons, armor, and beasts to befriend, mainly horses, dogs and gryphons.

"Ahh good man, I see you eyeing my wares. I have a set here you'd quite enjoy, I can tell by your bulk you're a tanker. Feast your eyes." The dwarven blacksmith had a thick brogue and showed James a gleaming bronze and steel mix set of a morningstar and shield. James brought his frothing mounts nearer, staring hungrily.

"My goodness....what a set. May I?" James inquired, his half armor on his right arm shiny.

"Aye, lad." The dwarf replied, James marveled at the light but strong construction, brandishing the shield, which reflected what little light there was on the gloomy day, and giving a few swings of the morningstar; Thunder wasn't fazed by it, being a trained war mount. Behind them Diablo nodded his head and sniffed the air, peeling his lip up as he smelled a distant filly, he snorted and shook his mane, happy to be of service to the man who'd saved him from a miserable former life.

James reluctantly gave the weapon & shield back, laughing and rubbing his thick dark hair, his big raven wings adjusting and halo glowing with excitement.

"I'm loath to give them back! Excellent pieces, good sir!" James gave a flex of his enormous veiny bicep in approval.

"Aye, gladiator."

"I'll be back next time my babygirl and I come into town, I'm certain to purchase some wares from your fine shop." James gushed with a happy laugh and nod of approval, scratching his short thick groomed beard.

"I could give ye the set for free, fighter, for a favor." The dwarf replied, James was all ears, his horses pranced in place, ready to move.

"Really, now?" James was intrigued.

The smith opened an intricate map.

"There's a cave atop the black mountains, infested with aggressive orcs, it is. Inside is the finest ore I've ever worked. I can fight to save my person, but not by trade, tanker. You...on the other hand...." The dwarf mused. "Bring me as much ore as your fine beast behind you can carry, and I'll give you the morningstar and shield for your effort."

James thought for a moment, still feeling his beard.

"How interesting, smith...I.." James looked at the groceries and flowers, smiling tenderly thinking of his girlfriend Lonely.

"Ahh, roses, are those for a mate, by any chance?"

James blushed and grinned, puffing his chest out proudly and spreading his big wingspan.

"Why yes sir, my beautiful girlfriend, Lonely. Here she is." James boasted unusually hotly, his face grew tender again and he showed the blacksmith her picture in his magic mirror of her smiling face.

"A lovely filly," The smith flattered, James smiled wider and puffed himself up even more, caressing his mirror like it was her face, "Tell you what, man. I'll deliver your current load to the girl, while you procure my ore. I'll even give this to her, for you." The smith held up a steel necklace shaped like a ballerina doing plies. That was the final straw for the big angel, who sighed emotionally.

"Oh she'd adore that...she loves ballet! Sometimes, I dance with her, and pick her up as she does her moves, she's easy to lift." James blurted dreamily; truthfully Lonely wasn't light, being voluptuous, but he was so strong he hadn't hardly noticed and didn't care.

"I see, laddie. So...then?"

"Oh! My apologies, yes, most definitely, yes! I was going to accept anyway, but after you sweetened the deal such, I'm sold." James laughed, the dwarf handed him the map and James thanked him, they unloaded the wares from Diablo's packs into the smith's oxen-drawn wagon and he climbed aboard, James giving him directions to Lonely's cottage.

"A fine beast." James admired, watering the ox and patting him.

"Indeed. Good luck, gladiator." The smith waved and shook the reins, James beaming at him excitedly, giddy to know his girl would be getting his roses and a beautiful new necklace. Also thinking determinedly about his own toys, he gave a gallant grin in the direction of the black mountains, and squeezed Thunder's sides, and James and his two stallions were underway at a vigorous canter. James approached the cave and tied his steeds to a rusted lamppost that was looking neglected, hearing water dripping inside the cave. He fed his horses a snack of turnips and watered them, and then unsheathing his mace and bulwark, he cautiously headed inside. The cave was dark and beautiful, glittering with the rare ore. James spied a full wheelbarrow of the ore resting nearby and approached slowly.

"This is a little too easy." He mumbled, looking around, mace and shield at the ready. He picked up the extremely heavy load with a manly heave and started for the exit, he was halfway there when he was ambushed by ten orcs half his size, all armed and shouting at him in a tongue he didn't know.

"There you are!" James growled eagerly, he spread his jet black wings to draw their attention to him and intimidate them at the same time, making himself look even larger than he already did. He thumped his burly hairy chest with a booming war cry, his mace at the ready and shield in hand and his face determined and fierce. An orc charged him and James expertly blocked the blow with his shield, his usual strategy in combat was to simply wear out his foes and outlast them, as James could take a vicious beating. They all charged him at once; he deflected their many blows with bulwark and mace, his lightning magic surging at them defensively and angelic healing casting on himself as he fought; they drew some blood from his beefy arms and legs but he was mostly untouched, sure enough, the orcs began to tire as the fight drew on longer than they expected. A few gave up and ran away, leaving James still enduring the remaining 7 of them. One sliced James' forearm with his sword and struck at his wing; James moved it out of the way just in time with a fast inhale. Two more charged him and went for his neck, wrapping their hands around the thick collar Lonely had gifted him.

"Get off that, now!" James snarled, he was a sweet and patient man, but he had his weak spots. The orcs ignored him, James' fiery temper exploded, with a massive roar he shoved them back with his sheer brute strength, charging them with his shield and finally pressing the attack, which the gentle giant normally avoided. He swung his spiked mace, which crackled with his lightning magic and shocked as well as punctured whatever foe it hit. James knocked an attacking orc clean out with a mighty backhand of his shield and sliced another one across the face, drawing a stream of blood which splattered all over James as he screamed in battle lust uncharacteristically. He swooped his huge wingspan forward hard and the gust knocked the remaining orcs off their feet, then James leapt in the air with a flap of his wings with a shout, his mace raised over his head glowing brightly with surging lightning. The orcs scattered finally in panic, realizing their foe was stronger than they. James executed a sweeping blow as he landed with a thunderous smash and cut down two orcs in the process, maiming two others and causing the other 3 to flee in fear from him; he hadn't killed any of them, but he'd damaged them very badly, which was unlike him. James lifted his head back and let out a victory scream, his hands and arms raised and wings open wide and surging with pulsing electricity, covered in blood from himself and his foes. Later on, he'd tell his beloved sweetheart all about his quest as he returned with Diablo loaded with as much ore as he could humanely carry, and sweet-natured big James would confess to his cherished girl and all his friends he had been conflicted about how much he'd enjoyed that feeling of bloodlust, conquest & victory there on his quest.