THE THRANVALIS CONTEST
The place was a circular pit. It was inside Boulderkeep Stockade, where Tlandar had traveled to with General Vos to present himself to Chieftain Val'katl. Tlandar had been in the guest room, in Boulderkeep. He had agreed to wait for further instructions. "Tlandar, the Thranvalis Contest is about to start. I need you go down into the pit. Its near the guest room. Its easy to find. Follow your senses and go down on the pit now. I'm in the spectator seats. My eight most skillful generals are here with me. They want to test your abilities. No bloodshed, just skill. Come now," Chieftain Val'katl, pure asemeri, said. He was speaking with Tlandar through the intercomm in the guest room were Tlandar was received temporarily. "Let's wrap up," Tlandar said. He got out of his room, with mind ready to face the challenges ahead. He headed towards the Contest Chamber, located in the center of Boulderkeep Stockade.
The Contest Chamber
Thousands of Valkatland warriors, soldiers and support personnel from Boulderkeep Stockade, formed around the fight pit. They were moving about and sitting in the spectator seats around a large circular pit. The pit was below ground level but the top of the pit was open. The spectator seats were arranged in rings around the pit, like an amphitheater. The roof of the whole chamber was shaped like a pointy dome. Around the circular pit, four stairs descended into the earth, one on each cardinal point. The pit walls were made with volcanic stones. Amongst the spectator seats were large posts with flame lanterns. Tlandar appeared from one of the cardinal directions of the pit. "There he is! That's Tlandar," Chieftain Val'katl said to the audience as he got up from his seat. The audience, upon detecting it was Tlandar, whose fame was beginning to increase, applauded at Tlandar and cheered. "You matter highly, Tlandar! Go! Claim your victory!" members of the audience said.
Then Tlandar went down on the earth and mud pit. He sat in a kneeling position with back straight, as if waiting. Chieftain Val'katl talked, "Behold Tlandar, the Protector of Astashica! Has descended upon us to show us his martial prowess, and if he succeeds, if he wins this bout, will fight with us against Ixtiel!" Val'katl said. Then his eight generals, who sat close to him, got up and started descending on the circular pit. The aides of Boulderkeep attended them and brought them their weapons. They also brough Tlandar an array of weapons in a tray. "I just need one. Let me get the asemeri broadsword," Tlandar said. He got the scabbard and holster of the blade and the aides helped him put on the leather straps of the holster around his torso. He stayed in a seated position. Then the contest was about to begin.
TLANDAR VS TAL'ZOR
The Valkatlan male asemeri, Vraek, always accompanied Chieftain Val'katl. Vraek looked at the audience and said, "Everybody, let the contest commence!" Then he sounded a whistle and the drummers, present in the moment were by the circular pit. They began beating the asemeri large war drums with their large drumsticks. One of the Valkatlan generals, named Tal'Zor, descended into the soil smelling pit, approached Tlandar. When the Tal'Zor was near him, Tlandar got up on his feet at once.
"Let the contest begin! Tlandar versus Tal'Zor! Good luck!" General Vraek said. The disorderly spectators shouted in excitement. Tal'Zor launched his kuprix chain whip at Tlandar. It flew past near Tlandar's head, but missed. Tlandar had evaded the chain whip as he rolled to one side of Tal'Zor. He drew out his asemeri broadsword from his sheath, and rolled his blade on in all sides on his right wrist. Tal'Zor pursued him all over the pit. Whirling his chain whip in all sides, each time the chain whip missed its target, as Tlandar evaded quickly each strike. He studied his opponent carefully, making a move, watching for any weakness. Tal'Zor quickly adjusted his position each time to evade counterattacks from Tlandar.
"This is insane. This an strong warrior! He reads all of my movements! I can't hit him!" Tlandar thought to himself. Then Tal'Zor's chain whip wobbled too hard and overstretched beside Tlandar. Then Tlandar deflected the stretched chain whip that was immediately beside him, kicked Tal'Zor in the abdomen. Then gaining an advantage, rose up from under Tal'Zor's arms, facing him obliquely put the blade of his asemeri broadsword on Tal'Zor's throat. Tal'Zor fell back, tripped. "You beat me!" Tal'Zor said. He then surrendered, raising his hands up and dropping the chain whip. The spectators chaotically cheered at Tlandar. Tal'Zor said, "Good job!" Tal'Zor said. He bowed his head and got out of the pit and left the Contest Chamber. Tal'Zor's aides accompanied him where he went to after the bout. "Tlandar, you defeated Tal'Zor! An asemeri general! That's impossible!" Vraek said. However, the contest was not over yet. Seven more opponents still needed to fight with Tlandar in the pit. But it was not their turn yet. Tlandar stood in the center of the pit, victorious, waiting for the gladiators to face him. Proving to Val'katl that if he ever conquered this trial with his strength, then he can defeat all of Astashica's enemies. "Tlandar, you are a mighty griffon" Val'katl thought to himself.