The Games of Saberhaven
Glub vs. Despaxus
        Today's battle is between Despaxus, an unknown mage from Silverymoon, and the half-ogre Glub, one of the commanders of the local humanoid mercenary group Flash Command and lately a local hero for his Arena destruction of Klad "the Reaper of Death," a vampire sorceror-priest. Although officially the odds are even due to Despaxus' rookie status, many people are betting on the newcomer because of his magical powers. Glub, though, has been known in the past to pull a few tricks from his long sleeves, as Klad can attest.
        As the announcements are made, Glub steps forth from his entrance and waves his huge sword at the crowd, enjoying his current popularity. The huge 7 and a half foot fighter wears a cloak of blue flames, and his shield of similarly blue fire emanates from it and flickers up and down his body.
        Despaxus steps forward into the Arena, putting the finishing touches on a spell. This is the first glimpse the crowd has had of the mage from Silvery Moon--he is an impressive sight. Standing 7' himself, Despaxus' glittering, snake-like crown makes up the difference against Glub. He wears flowing red robes, a black goatee, and an amulet that glows with an unearthly light.
        Despaxus thrust his hands forward, and a bolt of lightning appears about 10 feet in front of Glub. The half-ogre's eyes widen, and he jerks to his left. It lances through the fighter, bounces off the wall, and hits him at a second angle, but still Glub is able to evade the full effect of the bolt.
        Then, Glub disappears, and reappears right next to Despaxus, about five feet away. The crowd roars its approval...
        Glub grins, and prepares to attack with both his glowing swords. "Hey, pal, welcome to Saberhaven..." the half-ogre growls. Glub's swords slash at the Arena newcomer...
        ...but Despaxus merely grins, and disappears.
        "Dammit!" Glub curses, as his swords whistle through empty air.
        A roar goes up from the crowd as they see Despaxus has teleported about 15' behind Glub. His arms are waving with a sinuous motion, and he intones words of power. A glowing green sphere, about one foot across, appears in his hands, and he thrusts them forward. The glowing sphere rockets towards Glub, and splashes into him with a SPLOOSHY explosion.
        The huge fighter screams in agony as deadly green acid sizzles into his flesh, wispy fumes wafting into the air. Glub grits his teeth, and focuses past the pain, but his eyes widen in shock as he sees raises his beloved bastard sword only to see it eaten through by acid. The half-ogre then looks down, dazed, and sees that his clothes are shredded, his enchanted necklace vaporized, his magical bracers pitted with holes and ruined, his treasured swift-boots tattered and sizzling in a pool of acid, and his flame-wand falling from his belt in pieces.
        Glub looks up, and his eyes bore into Despaxus', his face a mask of rage. "You... you..." he sputters. "I'll KILL you for this!!!" The half-ogre grasps his glowing short-sword, which had escaped Despaxus' vitriolic attack, and with an inhuman and garbled shout, charges towards the smirking mage.
        The crowd cheers wildly, as Glub lurches towards Despaxus, dripping acid and flesh. The mage makes no attempt to evade, staring with a look of silent contempt.
        "Hah!" Glub cries as he slashes out with his glowing shortsword...
        ...but the cry catches in his throat as Despaxus disappears.
        The crowd roars as they see Despaxus once again appear about 15 feet behind the gigantic half-ogre. The tall mage quickly intones words of power, and points with a crackling finger. A stream of vile, purple acid jets from his hand, spraying into Glub's back and exploding into a bubble nearly twice as big as the last one, this time about 20 feet across.
        Glub howls again, his flesh shredding away, blood and gore and acid dripping down every part of his body. His flaming cloak falls to his feet, its magic flickering, then dying as it disintigrates in the acid.
        It's a miracle that Glub is still on his feet. The bone in his left arm is actually exposed, huge portions of his body just aren't there... the man looks like a zombie, only bloodier. Despite his agony, Glub spins around and glares at his assailant with a tangible hate.
        "Damn you..." he croaks. "You fucking mages... destroying all my stuff, my hard-earned stuff... I'll see you dead for this, you bastard. If not today, SOME day..."
        With inhuman effort, with every step an obvious sacrifice, Glub slowly limps towards Despaxus, his eyes focused like stone. He still clutches his glowing shortsword.
        The tall mage stands silently, his red robes flowing in the light breeze and an arrogant smile playing at his lips. He simply chuckles as Glub lurches towards him, the sun glittering from his serpent crown.
        Glub summons a burst of energy, and quickly closes on Despaxus, dripping flesh and acid behind him. He lashes out with his short sword...
        ...and it passes right through Despaxus. A small spark of fire leaps from the shield protecting the red-robed mage, and sizzles against Glub's sloppy flesh. Another chunk of the half-ogre falls off, dripping acid... yet more bone is exposed to air.
        Glub roars with pain, then steps back. He teeters for a second, then his eyes roll back in his head, and he falls to the ground with a disgusting SPLAT!
        Despaxus laughs, and quickly casts a spell. He polymorphs into a ridiculous giant humanoid rabbit, dressed in a silly suit. The giant bunny hippety-hops about the puddle of Glub in a bizarre victory dance. Then, he seems to step into some sort of portal, and disappears.
        The crowd roars with laughter, and the healing priests and guardsmen rush into the Arena.

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