Article: 17445 of alt.games.mk Newsgroups: alt.games.mk Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!news.sprintlink.net!sunserver.insinc.net!cuugnet!bowens From: bowens@cuug.ab.ca (Scott Bowen.) Subject: FANFIC (1/2) Sender: usenet@cuug.ab.ca Message-ID: Date: Sat, 5 Nov 1994 02:42:33 GMT Organization: Calgary UNIX User's Group Lines: 109 --- The Most Important Virtue of All. The Tournament has begun. The Kahn summons us, his loyal followers, today. We stand in his private chambers and watch as he tells us all that is going on. We will fight in the Tournament. But he will hold us back, until some might prove to be powerful. Then we are to kill them. We participate in the fighting mostly for show. I looked around the room, and saw the group of us, his best warriors, the most loyal. For the Kahn to ask all of us to join, he must actually be wary. Only a few of us begin to waver in our service to the Kahn, like Concealer. When I peer into the souls here I see nothing but loyalty, loyalty to the Kahn. He sees this too, and is pleased. He knows not that I see souls like him. He never asks. He has shown us the other competitors before. Their souls show no loyalty, no servitude to grace them. They are arrogant. But they will die. The Kahn now tells us that one who does well will become free to do as they choose, to leave this palace. Everyone smiles, yet none would leave. The Kahn knows this. Our loyalty is absolute. He only asks for our confirmation. I am kept in my own quarters. I expected no less. The Kahn tells me that I can watch the tournament when the fighting is in the courtyard. I think I will. The unloyal ones begin tomorrow. * * * I see one of these in action, for the first time now. A small man he is, very quick. He also admires himself, this Vain-Man. Concealer chose to fight him first in the courtyard. Other fights are taking place, but I fight not at all today. Concealer hides himself from Vain-Man's mortal eyes too well. He spends much time bewildered while Concealer dances around, unseen, striking quiet shots from everywhere. The Kahn finds this amusing. It bores me. Such one-sided fighting I see often. Concealer fights without effort, and tears Vain-Man to pieces. Too simple, too simple. No-one else fights in the courtyard today, and I sit and wait in my home. They come and tell me who is winning and who loses, but it is of no interest to me. This tournament is only about the fight, not the winner. * * * Today I see two more of the unloyal ones, this time against each other. They look so close as to be brothers, but are far apart. One has a heart as cold as ice, and prepares for the fight like a casual spar. The other has no soul, no matter how hard I look. Even the Kahn's soul appears to me if I spend enough time looking, but such is not so with him. Such a fight I have not seen for a long time. The two warriors spent eternities circling, and throw supernatural weapons of ice and steel trying to cripple their opponent for precious seconds. I watch, entranced. The Kahn seems bored. Perhaps he prefers to see slaughter. Perhaps I'll be fighting next. The two fight well, but Soulless is faster and never in doubt for the win. He walks up to the Ice-Heart, who kneels on the ground in pain, and seems to be readying for something. He never does it. For what seems like an eternity, he stands and simply stares at Ice-Heart. Something seems to be wrong. The Kahn finally lifts his hand to signal the guards to pull Soulless away from the arena, limp, unresisting. He is definitely displeased now. I do not doubt my chance to fight. * * * Sometime the next day, someone comes in and tells me that Soulless has vanished. I am not surprised. Something happened that neither the Kahn nor I saw. The next words the messenger says are that I am fighting next. I see my opponent for a few seconds now, a huge man. I seem to have been mistaken about him - I see flickers of loyalty in his soul after all. He keeps looking towards the chained prisoners by the Kahn's throne. I never pay them attention - they are just decoration, like the bones of my chambers. What I choose to surround myself with is my business. If the Kahn chooses to surround himself with such as those pitiful humans, such is his right. I look to the Kahn one last time before the fight began. He looks cold, impassive. Yet I know he relies on me for a massacre. I do not dissappoint. My final blow all but split his jaw. A bloody pulp is all that remains of my opponent. Too easy, too easy. I fear not those who seek to be the strongest, for I am stronger. * * * The Kahn's mood is much improved now. He chuckles, and looks forward to the next fight now. When I leave, I look back and strive to see his soul for a few seconds. As I thought, it begins to be tinged with bloodlust. The Kahn's desires are his own, though. I return back to my chamber, and am almost immediately interrupted by a knock at the door. Someone comes in, bearing a dinner platter for me. It is boar - fresh, and large. The Kahn is pleased with me tonight. * * * I will fight today, but something is wrong. I see turmoil in the souls of all those who I pass. I know not why. Now, I come to the arena, and begin to prepare for the fight. A look at the Kahn, and I see he is moody and grave. Something is most definitely wrong. I wonder if it has something to do with me. I see my opponent approach, and know what has happened. Concealer steps from the shadows and approaches, quietly. I look at him carefully, and see still the loyalty I had once seen. Now I also notice what I must have missed - his loyalty is not for the Kahn. He serves another. His loyalty is total, though, and his virtue strong. Today I do not fight with the power I did yesterday. I am curious. Concealer is a strong warrior, and though he cannot hide himself from my eyes, he knows this, and fights well. I hold myself back, and soon, I lie on the ground. Concealer spits in my face, and quietly walks away. Dead silence covers the courtyard. One glance at the Kahn is all I need to show me that I must eat scraps tonight. -- "We made it, Tim! Tim? ...Tim? Anybody seen Tim?"