Eleven Years Ago

"This one is probly' no good, she' goin' to the dump for sure." Gergor listened to the rough looking man as he gestured to a small rabbitkin behind him. He had been in the slave trade for as long as he could remember, his father, and his father before him had been members of the slave guild. Even so, places like "The Dump" still made him wonder if he had chosen the wrong career. The Dump is where all the unsellable slaves in the underground went. The slaves you could not sell under normal circumstances. Whether because of physical reasons, mental ones, or perhaps the slave was just unlikable. The owner of The Dump would pay you a pittance, and you would simply dump them in with the rest of the rejects. Its name was accurate. The place was little more than a massive cage set into the ground; bodies dumped into it unceremoniously. The slaves that found themselves in that abominable place often died of starvation, or by the hands of the other wrecked souls who found their way there. The only escape was to be bought. However, it was questionable if that was a better fate. The only ones who purchased anyone from The Dump were practitioners of dark arts who needed bodies and could not get them legally, the priests of the darker religions, and criminals who needed bodies, alive or dead, for whatever nefarious reason. Gergor had been forced to send a few slaves to The Dump over his lifetime. Even though he was a prominent member of the Slave Guild, he was still just a member. It would be unwise to break guild rules, even if you were one of the upper ranked members of the guild. 

Before him set another slave destined for The Dump. A small rabbitkin, gripping a carved wooden medallion. She was muttering to herself quietly "Eika will be a good girl. Eika will listen to mommy." Gergor shook his head, he had seen many rabbitkin children in similar situations. "Last of her clan?" He asked the man standing in front of her. The man nodded "Mostly, same ol' story, a village blame' the local rabbitkin clan for whatear' problem's they had." The man scratched his chin for a moment, " I think this time it was a bad harvest that set the village off. They go blamin' the clan. It grew into a fight, and then the surviving kids’ bein' sold off here." The man gestured to Eika "She the last one, the other' weren't so bad off." Gergor bent down and examined the small rabbitkin. After a few moments he pulled out a few gold "I’ll buy the girl." The man looked surprised. "If'n you’re sure. I say she ain’t worth the time, but you been around the bend a few times, I ain't gonna tell you your business. If Gergor was honest, it was true. The girl was not worth his time nor his money. There was only a small chance she would even recover from the shock of her situation. However, he could not stand to see one more child send to The Dump.

Gergor led three slaves out from the darkness of the undermarket. Eika mostly was being drug along by one of the other slaves, and older human boy. The boy looked at Gergor as he struggled with Eika. " Sir, if you don't mind. Why did you buy this girl? I’ve only been a slave for ten years, but I’ve been around enough to know that most branches of the guild wouldn't give her a second look. Gergor smiled to the boy "Well, your right about that. I don't think I’ll be making much money off her, or you for that matter" The boy rubbed the back of his head "Ah... well, most of that is not really my fault. If you give me a task, I’ll complete it!" ignoring the boy, Gergor continued. "Well, you see, I am going to retire. Well, not exactly retire from slave trading, but from most of the guild politics and wheeling and dealing. A guild branch out in the middle of nowhere has recently lost their owner, I plan to take up the position. Move out into the country, run the branch office in a relaxed way. No more fighting for the best slaves of the caravans, no more backdoor deals. Son, to tell you the truth, I’m tired of it all." The boy looked at him in surprise. Gergor laughed at his expression "I could never tell my father I wanted to retire proper, so this is the next best thing. Don't tell him I said that, that's an order" Gergor said, half-jokingly.

"I seriously don't understand you." Edna, a small humanoid who had worked for Gergor for many years clicked her tongue. "I suppose you expect me to try and care for the girl?" Gergor nodded "You have a way with children! You always have. I’m not looking for the girl to become a giant earner. But just try to help her recover, would you? She has to be productive by her seventh birthday or you know what the guild will have me do." Edna nodded. She had seen more than a few failed slaves carted off. As a slave herself, Edna knew the unfortunate fates that awaited the unproductive, the uncooperative, or just simple troublemakers. The guild was strict, as well as powerful. Gergor always had been a bit too soft for the business, Edna of course never voiced her thoughts on that matter out loud, but she always figured it was just a matter of time till he retied. Gergor patted Edna on the head. Which she slapped away angrily. "I am older than you are. Stop doing that!" She glowered as Gergor left the room with a smile. Turning her attention to the rabbitkin, she started to undress and wash the girl. It was clear she had not been cared for since they first captured her. The girl would occasionally mutter "Eika was a good girl, Eika listened to mommy..." but otherwise was mostly checked out. "Is your name Eika?" Edna gently asked as she checked the girls’ clothing, a few knickknacks were in the girls sullied summer dress, she placed them on a nearby table. When she tried to remove the wooden medallion from Eika's hands, Eika bit her! Cursing Edna pulled her hand back. "You can hold it! You did not have to bite me!" Edna washed the girl, as she did, she examined the scar's on Eika's back. It was not like the rabbitkin to hurt their own children... The scars were old enough that Edna believed she must have gotten them around the age of three or four. She had seen enough scars to know that these were caused by a whip or lash. "Poor girl, this must not have been the first time her clan was assaulted..."

Shortly after V, Eika, and L set out to the valley.

O's recovery was not going as well as he had hoped. Well, that was not entirely accurate. The fact that she survived at all was a bit of a miracle. He had figured out a temporary solution to O's missing arms, but it was only going to take her so far. She would need to find a better solution in the long run. The man tapped the desk as he focused. He had not expected V and L to survive E's machinations. After E killed the Champion of Death, and enthralled that horrible specter, he had started to dedicate time and resources to bringing about E's death. On the one hand, he was thankful that he no longer had to deal with that situation. On the other, he was aggravated to have wasted time and effort. He was, however, wholesale happy that the Champion of the Mad God, did not learn of E's abilities. That would have been inconvenient, to say the least. He looked at O, who was sleeping in a makeshift bed. She might be a good tool to use against a few specific problems, but he had to be careful that she did not become strong enough that she herself, became a problem.

"The Champion of Time is going to go and murder the last few Champions to arrive." He stood in front of a man in a massive suit of armor, on one hand, The Champion of War was predictable. On the other, The Champion of War hated him. "And you expect me to go and protect them?" The armored champion spoke disapprovingly, harsh even. "We both know you will. Despite your hatred for me, it's not like you will let that get in the way of your beliefs. Besides, we can at-least agree on the fact that the Champion of Time does not need a few extra free kills." The armored champion smashed his shield on the ground in frustration, "Yes fine, you are correct. I will stop the newcomers from being ambushed." Without any more words or pleasantries, he turned and headed off, back toward the town most of them had started in. "Oh, and don't tell him I sent you!" he called as war walked off.  To be honest, it would not be so bad if the Champion of War was allowed to win the God's Game. However, he recently added another to his list of "Cannot be allowed to win." The Champion of Life. He would not have expected her to be so... insane. Worst part was, he recently learned that her God was just as insane as she was. 

The night before the clash of War and Time.

L restlessly shifted back and forth, and she tried to sleep. However hard she tried; she could not escape her dreams of the past.

"Look at her! She is a once in a generation prodigy!" An old man sat cross legged as he gestured his daughter-in-law over. "Your child will accomplish great things. You should be proud of her. She will restore our family's status." L's mother sat down next to him and watched her daughter. Only ten years old, L was holding off five well trained swordsmen, soldiers in their small house guard. "Yes, she is quite amazing." L's mother was certainly filled with pride, but also with sadness. "Do not cry for her. I know you wanted a simple life for her when she was born, but is not the life of a warrior better than being married off as the first daughter of our house?" L's mother smiled, both happiness and sadness resided in her expression. "I was married off, to your house. Your son, in-fact. I find my life to be pleasant. I enjoy my life more than if I was a warrior." The old man waved dismissively "Well certainly certainly. Your heart is of a gentle spirit. You could never understand the fire that resides in the heart of a warrior. To live your life would only bring your daughter hardship!" L's mother silently watched her daughter, praying for her daughter’s future.

"Yes Father!" L stood at attention, standing before her father, in their house's central meeting room. "I will bring our house honor and glory. May all that witness my victory know of our family once again!" On L's fifteenth birthday, she had received an invitation to the Imperial Capital. The Emperor of the North was getting married, and as part of the celebration, a grand tournament was being held. All of the realm's greatest warriors were participating. The emperors younger brother, often referred to as "The Flashing blade" was even taking part. Thanks to the connections of her grandfather, their house had secured an invitation for L to participate. It was a great honor, as well as a chance to return her families name to the stage of the imperial court. For many generations her family's status had been in decline. No great dishonor, or specific act brought their family low, simply many generations of "normal." The families of the Imperial Court were always vying to be the best, most beloved by both the people and the Imperial family. Being "average" might as well be a death sentence for a noble house. Now however, was a chance to show that their house was not fated to sink into obscurity.

L's mother brushed her long hair as she helped her prepare for the journey to the Capital. "I am sorry for the terrible burden we are placing on you. Girls your age should be considering marriage and the grace of courtly life, not holding the honor and future of their entire family on their shoulders. Even less so when that burden is to be carried into combat." L shook her head "Do not apologize mother! It is a great honor to carry the faith of my father, and his father! Even more-so as a woman!" L's mother smiled softly, although it was not unheard of for a woman to accomplish great military feats, it was a field almost universally dominated by men. She mused to herself, at-least she did not have to worry about her daughter being taken advantage of while at the Imperial Capital, she feared more for any man who would try to take advantage of her body, than for L. Her daughter's beauty was only rivaled by her skill in combat. "I understand you wish to restore our family to prominence, but do not forget the finer things in life. I know I must seem terribly weak to you, but my life with your father, raising you and your brother, they have given me a different kind of strength. I wish for you to find that strength someday for yourself." L held her mother’s hand "I do not think you are weak mother. You have the strength to do what I cannot. I cannot set quietly and listen to the insults the other families throw toward us in the meeting hall. I cannot comfort my father or brother as they struggle with the burden of administration. There are many things you can do, that I lack the strength for." Her mother hugged her; tears tugged at her mother’s eyes. She should be proud of her daughter and her ability, but all she could think of was the dark fate of those who lived by the sword, and how she wanted anything but that for her daughter.

L stood across from a man in his late twenties. "Girl, it has been some time since I have been pressed this hard." Both he and L were breathing heavily. L's left arm was swollen and limp. She was unsure if it was broken, or just out of its socket, but damn did it hurt. She had never fought anyone like "The Flashing Blade" before. Even the other participants in the tournament could not hold a candle to him. For his part, he stood with his weight on his right leg. L believed she had cracked his ankle during a failed strike at his legs with her blunted sword. The crowded coliseum was filled with cheering and jeering. "Your left arm is useless, and your sword lies in the dust. If you wish to end it here, there would be no dishonor in it. We would share the glory of the last round of the tournament. Anymore and you might get a permanent injury. I would hate for your beauty to be marred with injury." L grunted through clenched teeth "I'm not finished here yet; the battle is not yet won." The Flashing Blade grinned "Then this will be the last strike" He readied his two blunted weapons. L had just started to get a handle on his speed when he was able to strike her sword from her hands. Without a weapon, there was only one thing left for her to do. She had watched a few of the lowborn fights during festivals and disagreements in the fields. As The Flashing Blade closed in on her, she lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. Surprised and unprepared, not only was the wind knocked out of him, but he fell backward, hitting his head on the hardened dirt. As undignified as it was, L's tactic had worked. The Flashing Blade lie dazed on the ground. She stood up, raising her hands in victory. As the crowd roared, she awoke with a jolt.