#solvarr brawler

A Highlander named Solvarr was more beast than man, thick white braids swaying like wild mane around his shoulders. Mutated bony growths covered his frame, jutting out from various joints, but also from his scalp like horns. This was the ‘champion’ set against Anchor, who also had an augmentation of his own, a metal gauntlet encasing his left arm. 

From the very start of the fight, it was clear that neither side intended on his opponent's survival. Solvarr’s teeth and bones lengthened at the will, and he launched himself at Anchor like a lion leaping at its prey. Anchor rolled and slashed, a metal blade shooting out from the wrist of his gauntlet like a sword. His agility and quickness was an even match against Solvarr’s ferocity and savagery. The mob howled fervently with each new splatter of blood that decorated the walls below them.

Then the bellowing quieted, turning into gasps of surprise when Anchor grabbed onto one of the spikes growing on Solvarr’s shoulders, swinging up and mounting himself on top of the larger Highlander. But before his metal sharpened fingers of the gauntlet could dig into the exposed neck, Solvarr reached up and grabbed onto Anchor. And rather than tossing him off, he held him there, and then threw himself against the wall behind him along with the attached hyur, while the bones upon his back extended outwards.

The entire arena was hushed for an instant at the scene, and Nabi could see a fine spray of crimson from Anchor’s lips. Her knees felt weak, it was all she could do to hang onto the railing. She felt nauseous and dizzy, but she could not look away. He had to survive this. If he won the match, she would be allowed to heal him. He just had to live!

Anchor, despite the gruesome wounds, didn’t release the Highlander from his grip. He continued to hold him there, stay on his opponent, as his sharpened fingers clawed into Solvarr’s features. And as more blood began to flow from ripped flesh, there was a gleam to the Highlander’s veins along his neck, that then climbed up along the seams of gauntlet. As the veins upon Solvarr began to dim, those upon Anchor’s left arm began to glow. As did Anchor’s eyes.

Nabi had seen that light before, the sickly amber glimmer. She glimpsed it for the first time when Anchor fought the Doman noble’s guards. Back then he had taken grievous wounds upon himself as well. But he had somehow managed to stay conscious and upright, until the last of the enemy was dead. Only then did this eerie energy fade from his veins and eyes, and he fell to unconsciousness.

A slow breath left her lips. Tending to his wounds from before, Nabi knew that whatever it was that he had inside him, this tainted aether, it allowed him to hold on, push past severe injuries to his system. At least, for a little while before his body eventually failed him. But that was why she was here. To make sure it didn’t fail.

He just had to win.