353 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
353 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
Archive-name: Amazon/pit1.txt
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Archive-author:
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Archive-title: Pit Fighters - 1
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The benches around the pit were starting to fill up with men and
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women eager to watch as two fighters battled it out to the
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death. Trask, the pit master, took the list of fighters for the
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evening from his assistant and looked it over. It contained
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five names, not even enough for three bouts.
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Trask shook his head sadly. It was getting increasingly
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difficult to find fighters for the pit. The masters of slaves
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who made up the bulk of the pit fighters were becoming less
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willing to send their valuable property into the pit, knowing
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that they stood a good chance of losing their investment. It
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was nearly unheard of for a Freeman to fight in the pits, since
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the fights were always to the death.
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He was considering a free-for-all, which meant a very short
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program, when a tall figure wearing a red cloak walked up to
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him. Trask saw that it was a woman, and hoped that she was the
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mistress of a slave who would fill out a three bout card. "Can
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I help you?" he asked.
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"Yes, if you are the person who runs this fighting pit. I want
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to enter one of the bouts tonight. Do you have an opening?"
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"Yes, there is room for another fighter," replied Trask. "Where
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is the fighter you wish to enter?"
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"You don't understand," said the woman. "I am the one who will
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fight."
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"Impossible. There are no other women on the program I could
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match you against."
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"That is just as well," she said with a smile. "I never fight
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women unless it is two or three against me." She withdrew a
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purse from under the cloak and tossed it to him. "There is
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sufficient cash there for my entry fee, with enough left over
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for a wager. I'll trust you to get the best odds you can for
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me."
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"Very well, if you insist on fighting. I hate to take your
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money, though." Trask picked up his pen and asked, "What is
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your name?"
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"Tanya," she replied. "When do I fight?"
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"That depends. What is your weapon of choice? I'll try to
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match you to someone favoring a similar weapon."
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"I prefer no weapon," said Tanya.
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"Then you will fight Auric, last on the card. He is the only
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other fighter who wishes to use no weapon."
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Tanya nodded and walked to the preparation area. Trask weighed
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the purse and shook his head. "Pity to wager this and lose," he
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thought. "Why should I bet this when Auric's certain to beat
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her?" Trask had seen Auric fight before. He was a huge man
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with many scars all over his body. Trask thought of the woman
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and didn't give her a chance. "I'll just keep the money. She'll
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never know the difference, since she'll be dead." Trask slipped
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the purse into a pocket in his cloak.
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The first two matches didn't generate much enthusiasm from the
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crowd, nor much wagering. The first one featured a huge
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northern barbarian named Olav. Olav had long yellow hair
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hanging in a braid down his back. His opponent was a slim,
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swarthy man named Paz. They fought with knives. Olav's size
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was a disadvantage in a knife fight against a skilled opponent.
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Paz used his speed and artistry with a knife to continuously get
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under Olav's guard and deliver damaging cuts to the big man's
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body, weakening him. Paz received a few slight slashes to his
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arms, but they were not enough to slow him down. Paz slipped
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behind Olav and slashed his throat after just ten minutes or so.
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In the second, a Teuton named Bjorn, armed with a mace and
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shield, faced an Arab named Achmed, armed with ax and shield.
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The two were equally matched, and each delivered and received
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numerous blows. Finally Bjorn's mace shattered Achmed's shield,
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and the Arab was helpless as the mace descended and crushed his
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skull. Bjorn had to be carried from the pit as well, though,
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and Trask doubted whether he would live through the night.
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Fresh sand was spread to absorb the blood. Trask descended to
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the pit to announce the next match. "The final fight of the
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night will be fought without weapons," he called. There was a
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scattering of boos from the patrons. Weaponless fights were
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often long and boring. "Entering the pit first, standing six
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feet four inches tall and weighing two hundred and fifty pounds,
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Auric!"
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The huge red-haired man slowly entered the ring. He was a well
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known fighter, and some of the people who had been leaving sat
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back down.
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"His opponent, now entering the pit, stands six feet three
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inches tall and weighs two hundred and five pounds." Trask
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checked the paper again, surprised at Tanya's size. She hadn't
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seemed that large, but his assistant assured him that the
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measurements were accurate. "Tanya!"
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Tanya entered the pit, her red cloak still covering her from
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head to toe. The bookmakers in the benches groaned as everyone
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descended on them to wager on Auric. Matches between men and
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women were almost unheard of, and never without weapons. No one
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believed Auric would be defeated by a woman without any weapons,
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and they hurried to put their money down. Cries of "Twenty to
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one odds on the woman" were heard, but the long odds didn't faze
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the bettors.
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The fighters waited patiently for the hubbub to die down. While
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waiting, Tanya watched her opponent. Thick muscles covered
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Auric's arms and legs. He wore only a breechcloth, which sagged
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under his large belly. He appeared slow and somewhat
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dull-witted. Tanya smiled secretly to herself. She decided
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that her main problem would be preventing Auric from falling on
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her.
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Finally the spectators sat down on the benches again. Tanya
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removed her cloak and a collective gasp went up from the
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benches when they saw her body.
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Tanya's long auburn hair was braided and gathered tightly on top
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of her head. Long hair could be a liability in the pit, as an
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opponent could use it as a weapon. Tanya stood proudly, showing
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off her broad shoulders and deep chest. Her arms were heavily
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muscled from shoulder to wrist, and her hands were enormous.
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Her thick shoulders and chest tapered to a narrow waist. Hard
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sinew showed clearly at her midsection, which then flared
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quickly into hips and thick legs. Tanya gave the appearance of
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standing on two muscular tree trunks.
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Trask gave the signal for the fight to begin. Auric lumbered
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across the pit toward Tanya. His battle plan had always been to
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quickly crush his opponents, ignoring any damage done to him.
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Tanya quickly sidestepped to her left and kicked him with the
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full power of her right leg as he went past. Her foot landed
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just under his ribs. Auric grunted as the kick smashed into his
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side. He stumbled to a halt and turned to face Tanya, holding
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his side. Tanya knew that she had done some damage to Auric,
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perhaps breaking a rib, but it was difficult to tell through the
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meat covering his bones. Auric growled and charged again.
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This time Tanya jumped high into the air, the muscles in her
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powerful legs enabling her to vault over Auric's head. She
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tucked into a ball and somersaulted, landing on her feet behind
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the confused man. Auric skidded to a halt and turned to see
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where Tanya had gone. Tanya was ready for him, and punched
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Auric in the belly with enough power to drive him back several
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feet. Auric looked extremely puzzled as he rubbed his stomach
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in pain. The spectators laughed at the expression on his face
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as he regarded the burly woman before him.
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Auric decided that he'd better be more careful, since this woman
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had hit him hard twice without suffering a blow in return. He
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moved toward her slowly, waiting for the right time to attack
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again.
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Tanya decided not to wait for her slow moving adversary to
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attack. With astonishing speed for such a big woman she leaped
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in and hit him hard in the belly again. Before Auric could
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respond to her attack she spun around him and drove an elbow
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backwards into his kidneys. Auric roared in pain and confusion,
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turning around and grabbing at Tanya, but she was no longer
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within his reach. Auric stood there scratching his head in
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bewilderment.
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"What's wrong, you big clumsy ox?" taunted Tanya. "Scared of a
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girl?" Auric bellowed in anger and rushed at her again.
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Tanya dropped down and swept her powerful leg across Auric's
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legs, tripping him. The big man dropped to the sand and tumbled
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across the ground until he crashed into the wall of the pit.
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Before he could rise, Tanya was on top of him, wrapping her
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brawny arms around his chest, his head towards her. In an
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incredible demonstration of her raw power, Tanya heaved Auric
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atop her broad shoulders, facing the ceiling, his legs to her
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left and his head to her right. Tanya took some pains to secure
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her hold, setting her right arm behind his head and grasping his
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chin with her hand. Her left arm was between Auric's legs, and
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his right leg was secured by her left hand. Auric waved his
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arms helplessly as Tanya bent him backwards across her
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shoulders. To the excited spectators, it looked like she was
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going to break him in half. To Auric, it felt that way, too.
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Seemingly without effort, Tanya walked around the arena holding
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him like a prize across her shoulders. With each step he
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bounced slightly, causing even more stress on his sore back. A
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moan of pain escaped his lips as she pulled down with even more
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force.
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"What's wrong, does it hurt?" asked Tanya with mock sympathy in
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her voice. "Well, I'll just put you down, then." Her arms
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swelled to unbelievable proportions as she hefted his bulk even
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higher over her head and then threw him down to the sand.
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Auric lay there groaning while Tanya strutted around him. "Come
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on, big man, you're not going to let a little girl beat you, are
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you?"
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Auric roared in frustration and lurched to his feet, then
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lumbered toward Tanya again. Tanya met him head on, ducking
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inside his arms and driving her shoulder into his chest. Before
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he could close his arms around her, she smashed him in the belly
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with several hard, fast punches. Auric doubled over and
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stumbled back as Tanya's rock hard fists ripped through the fat
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covering his midsection. Tanya followed him step for step,
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until she had backed him against one wall of the pit. She
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changed her tactics slightly, now driving her big fists into his
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face, opening cuts over both eyes and smashing his nose flat.
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Auric's eyes glazed over and he would have fallen but for the
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wall at his back. Tanya's relentless punches kept smashing into
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his face as he stood there helplessly. Finally she stepped back
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and let him fall face first to the ground.
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Tanya nudged him with her foot. "Come on, big man," she
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taunted, "I'm not through with you yet." Auric growled and
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slowly got to his hands and knees in front of her. He looked up
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at Tanya's magnificent body in fear, seeing the way her muscles
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were enhanced by the sweat glistening on them. Tanya decided to
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let him all the way to his feet again, and stepped back a good
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distance.
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Auric was barely able to reach his feet. His face was a mess,
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with blood dripping into his eyes and from his broken nose down
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his chin and onto his chest. Tanya beckoned him, and he slowly
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charged at her again.
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Tanya spun to her right this time and drove her left foot into
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the side of Auric's left knee as he staggered past. Her foot
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landed with the force of a cannonball, and the sound of Auric's
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knee disintegrating could be heard all through the arena. Auric
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howled in pain as his knee bent in a direction it wasn't meant
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to bend. Tanya knew she had literally blown Auric's knee apart.
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The ligaments and sinews meant to hold it together had
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completely separated. Auric crashed to the floor of the pit as
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his left knee could no longer support his considerable weight.
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Tanya circled Auric warily. She knew he could still do some
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damage, and she wanted to be absolutely sure before moving in
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for the kill. Besides, she wasn't satisfied yet with the
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punishment he had suffered. Auric tried to stand, but his left
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knee collapsed again and he fell face down in the sand. As he
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pushed himself back to a sitting position, Tanya attacked like
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lightning. She delivered a piston like kick to his jaw with her
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right foot. Auric dropped to the floor again with the taste of
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blood in his mouth. Tanya reached down with one hand and caught
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Auric by the hair, forcing him to his feet. She then grabbed
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him with one arm over his shoulders and the other between his
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legs and hoisted back him into the air. The muscles in Tanya's
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enormous arms swelled as she brought him up over her head and
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then threw him halfway across the pit.
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Auric hit the floor hard. All the breath left his body. He
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moaned in pain as Tanya came over and kicked him lightly in the
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left knee. Tanya drove her foot repeatedly into his side,
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punishing him with powerful kicks and bruising him badly. She
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then settled herself on her knees, legs bestriding his body.
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Auric chortled in triumph as he quickly grabbed her by the
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throat and squeezed.
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Tanya realized that Auric could tolerate more pain than she had
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thought. She had been ready to finish him off, but his choke
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hold had surprised her. Tanya expanded her neck muscles in an
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effort to keep her throat open so she could breathe. She then
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reached up and caught Auric's wrists. The sinews in her huge
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forearms expanded as she used all the strength in her hands to
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crush Auric's wrists.
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Auric couldn't believe what was happening. Not only was the
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woman not collapsing, she was forcing his hands to open. Tanya
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forced Auric's hands slowly away from her throat and down to the
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floor. She stretched his arms up over his head. Auric tried to
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force her off his chest, but couldn't dislodge her. His frantic
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bridging allowed Tanya to slip her sinewy legs under his body
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and lock her ankles together. Using her legs, Tanya began to
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crush the life from Auric's body.
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Auric felt Tanya's legs tighten like a vise around his chest,
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and felt one of his ribs crack. He was unable to draw air into
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his lungs. Incredibly, Tanya increased the pressure and he felt
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another rib crack. Blood appeared on his lips as the rib
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pierced his lung. Tanya increased the pressure of her Herculean
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thighs. Auric's face turned blue and he began to lose
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consciousness. Auric's arms lay limply on the sand, and Tanya
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released her hold on his wrists so she could lean back slightly
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and concentrate all her power in her thighs. Auric's eyes
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rolled back in his head and he lay there senseless.
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Tanya released his arms and then unlocked her ankles. She knew
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that the fight wasn't over until Auric was dead. She sat beside
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him and rolled him over so that she was positioned behind him
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with her legs encircling his torso. Tanya wrapped one beefy
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arm around his head, positioned so that her right elbow was just
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under his chin. Slowly she pulled up and back with that arm
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while she twisted his head in the other direction with her left
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arm. Tanya's legs constricted again and she straightened her
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back, stretching Auric's spine. When she felt that Auric's neck
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would stretch no further, she quickly twisted his head back and
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up. Auric's neck snapped with a crack that everyone could hear.
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Tanya released her death grip and pushed Auric's limp body
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away. She got to her feet in one quick motion and stood over
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Auric. Sweat clung to her body, gleaming in the light of the
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torches and highlighting her swelling muscles. Tanya raised
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both arms over head and roared her triumph to the heavens.
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Quickly Tanya walked to where her cloak hung and put it on, then
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crossed the floor to Trask. "Where's my money?" she asked.
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Trask swallowed hard. "Um, well, here's the winner's purse."
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Tanya's eyes narrowed. "Fine, but where are the winnings for
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the wagers you placed for me? I heard that the bookmakers were
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giving odds of twenty to one. I should have quite a bit of
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money coming." She stepped closer and doubled her big fist
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under Trask's nose. "Where the hell is it?"
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"Um, er, I never wagered the money." Trask took a step back as
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Tanya's eyes turned even colder. "I figured you didn't stand a
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chance, so why throw the money away?"
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Before Trask could get away Tanya had caught him by the shirt
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and lifted him off the floor. Her face was only inches from
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his, and he saw his death in her eyes. "You owe me twenty times
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what was in my purse, little man," she growled. "I'd like to
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collect. If I don't get the money I'll take it out of your
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hide, you miserable worm."
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"I don't have that kind of money," Trask squeaked.
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"Then what do you have that has any value?"
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"I'll give you every cent I own."
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"That's not good enough, scum. I want what I have coming."
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"All I own is this pit," he mumbled.
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Tanya scowled and lifted him a bit higher. "Very well, I want
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half interest in this pit. We'll be partners." Her expression
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turned even colder. "And I expect to make money. I'll even
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fight once in a while. If I ever lose, you'll get to keep it
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all. The novelty of a woman fighting men should draw in the
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customers pretty well."
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continued ............
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--
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