The Games of Saberhaven
Barbie Eloh vs. Gunnar Overdark
        The crowd eagerly awaits the arrival of today's two contestants, Gunnar Overdark and Bariloyn "Barbie" Eloh. Gunnar, a mul trained as a gladiator and mercenary in the land of Athas, is a relative newcomer to the Games, and many are surprised that he has come so far in the tournament. Nevertheless, he has proven himself skillful not only with the sword, but also with a variety of psychic powers, which have served to tip the scales in his favor before. His competitor is Barbie, a barbarian and - as he made clear in his last fight - a shaman, and not one to be scoffed at. He's well known for his deadly skill with his swords "Replier" and "Decapitator," but he made a successful effort in his last combat to show his skill with priestly prayers and miracles. In addition, he carries a host of mystic items that almost ensure his victory against all but the mightiest opponents.
        As the doors open, Barbie flies out into the Arena, to the cheers of his fans. As usual, he is lightly clothed in a robe and cloak, but all know that despite his appearance, he is well-protected. At the other end of the ring, the tattooed Gunnar steps forth, covered only by a loincloth, a broad belt, and bracers. Almost as soon as he enters the Arena, Gunnar disappears.
        From the top center of the Arena, Barbie utters a prayer and gestures toward where Gunnar was standing. Almost instantly, a dense thicket of briars springs up surrounding the door for several yards. No movement is seen in the thorns, though, and it is unclear if Gunnar was caught in them or not. Apparently unsure himself, the barbarian shaman reaches into a pouch and draws forth a vial of salve, which he smears over his eyelids as he mutters in his native tongue. The prayer completed, he looks around… and appears delighted to see his opponent directly below him, though Gunnar is still invisible to the audience.
       Suddenly, there is an enormous boom from the Arena floor. Its cause is unexplained, but Barbie follows it up by summoning a bright ray of sunlight towards where the audience assumes Gunnar is standing; there is no visible effect. Unperturbed, Barbie chants in barbaric syllables, and a ring of fire springs from the arena floor directly below him. Once again, it is unclear to the audience whether or not Gunnar is caught in the flames. Barbie dives toward the wall of fire, stopping just outside it and a few feet away. He looks up at where he was hovering just a few moments ago and laughs, then closes his eyes, crosses his arms before himself and whispers a prayer. Opening his eyes again, he grins at nothing, and swoops into the flames. Gunnar suddenly appears where Barbie just was, swinging his longsword in a vain attempt to strike the fast-moving barbarian.
        The grim look on Gunnar's face betrays his frustration. He seems to concentrate, and levitates upward. His upward movement is timely, as just then a strong gust of wind pushes his toward the wall of flames, but he manages to levitate mere feet over the inferno.
        From within the ring of fire, Barbie's powerful voice can be heard: "There's no point in trying any further, Gunnar! Just admit defeat, and we'll go have an ale together!" The mul ignores his suggestion, and appears to concentrate, but once again, there is no visible effect.
       "All right, if that's the way you want it!" Barbie taunts, and Gunnar is once more blown by a gust into the wall of flames but this time, he doesn't manage to levitate over, and instead is pushed directly through the fire. Although he is certainly scorched, he doesn't appear to be as wounded as might be expected, given the heat of the fire. Instead, he begins to radiate a powerful glow, becoming bright as several lanterns.
        Barbie continues to buffet Gunnar about with winds, and the mul tries vainly to focus his will but instead passes through and into the wall of fire. Once inside, Gunnar drops to the ground, terribly burned by the flames. Various pieces of his equipment fall to the ground around him, destroyed by the fire.
       "Haah!" cries Barbie, as the big barbarian rushes unarmed toward Gunnar. Bleary-eyed, Gunnar swings his longsword out to interpose, but sweeps through empty air, as Barbie's cloak of displacement does its work. Barbie, who must outweigh Gunnar by over a hundred pounds, traps the man in a bear hug and knocks him to the ground, right in the middle of the wall of fire. A cry of anguish comes up from Gunnar as his flesh sizzles, and the merciless Barbie squeezes his breath away. The two wrestle in the flames for another full minute, and Barbie retains the upper hand - though the skinny, weakened Gunnar still seems to present a challenge, until the flames and Barbie's powerful arms wring the consciousness out of him.
       At last, Barbie stands up, drags Gunnar's limp form from the flames, and tosses him in the dust for the clerics. Astoundingly, Barbie himself has endured not so much as a smudge from the fire. The barbarian shaman raises his fists in triumph, earning the frantic cheers of the exultant audience.

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