The gong was struck and instantly Jumko pounced onto his opponent. Jumko had never seen him before. He was some labourer’s son. He was scrawny, unfit and had dirty attire. His name was Rizkal. His eyes were giant in fear as Jumko bashed his shield against Rizkal’s. Rizkal tried to absorb the blow but was pushed off balance and while trting to regain it, Jumko swept his staff low and flung it against Rizkal’s heels sending him flying head over heels. Rizkal landed on his back with a hard thud, his shield dropped out of his hand and his staff lay be his side. Jumko struck him on the head with the obsidian end of his staff, knocking him unconscious. The bout was over. Jumko walked towards the ref.

“4 pendulum swings! Very well done!” he shouted. Jumko smirked. At the beginning of each bout, a pendulum is released to swing to and fro. This is how time is recorded. Legend tells of a great warrior that won all three bouts in only 10 pendulum swings. However, more recently, records have been about 300 or so pendulum swings. If Jumko kept this up, perhaps he could set a new record and be crowned the Warrior of Warriors.

Nadia rushed up and pounced on Jumko’s back. “Well done babe.” she shouted in joy. “That was super quick. How many swings was that?”

“4.”

“Wow. That’s crazy. No wounds. Looks like l don’t have nurse you back to health today.”

“Yeah. It was an easy bout. Poor fellow, he had no chance. I must head back home Nadia, I need to prepare for the next bout tomorrow”, Jumko said.

“Okay babe, I’m gonna head home too then.”

Nadia hugged Jumko tightly. Jumko hugged back and found that he couldn’t get out of Nadia’s grip. She was hugging him very tightly. “I have to tell you something”, she whispered into his ear. Jumko paused, waiting for Nadia to continue. “All this fighting today has made me so fucking horny.” She lowered her voice even further. She was fully aware of the dangers of someone overhearing the smut escaping her mouth. “My pussy has been throbbing all day. I so desperately wish you could just shove your cock in me and fuck my brains out right now.” Jumko’s cock throbbed in excitement and instantly grew to fill the empty space in his tight loin cloth. Nadia released her grip, smiled, and sauntered away. She purposely swayed her hips to further tease Jumko.

Jumko walked home to eat dinner and prepare for the next day. “Well done bro” congratulated Rachel. “My goodness dear” Yuli added, “You sure clobbered that poor fellow.” Jumko smirked.

“And I’ll clobber the one tomorrow as well”, he chided.

“Your father would be so proud”, Yuli commented. Jumko’s father had died in battle when he was only 3. He knew very little of his father only that he was well respected and finished in the top 10 during his Metzakal Ritual. Jumko was using his father’s shield and staff that he used during his ritual bouts. “You reminded me of him today a lot honey while I was watching you fight”, Yuli noted. “I wish he was here to see you fight.” Yuli paused as she briefly tried to reminisce about her time with Jumko’s father. “Anyway”, she snapped as she returned to reality, “finish your food and go to bed, you need rest for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be harder.” Yuli was right, there were now 432 boys left. The other 432 that lost today will become labourers. Tomorrow will decide who will become weapon smiths and who will not. Tomorrow’s competition will not be as easy as todays. Jumko finished his meal and went to bed.

---

The next morning, Jumko returned to the War Palace to find out which bout he would be fighting in. He noticed some familiar faces. Teod and Jaro were standing around chatting.

“Hey guys”, Jumko interjected into their conversation.

“Jumko!” shrieked Jaro, “The wonder kid of yesterday. 4 freaking swings. You clobbered that poor kid.”

“Yeah, well, they shouldn’t let labourer’s children fight. They’re way out of their league”, suggested Jamko. “I mean, when was the last time a labourer’s son became a warrior? I don’t think it has happened in over 200 years. How did you guys do?”

“15 swings”, replied Jaro.

“21 swings”, replied Teod.

“Awesome”, added Jumko, “you guys ready for today?”

“I gotta go found out my bout number.” Jaro said as he walked away towards the referee’s tables.

“So…” inquired Jumko as he faced Teod, “you going to forfeit the fight today and settle for becoming a weapon smith?”

Teod sunk his head and focused on the floor as he spoke. “Yeah”, he replied softly, “Xanthe spoke to me yesterday.”

“She apologize?”

Teod looked at Jamko’s face with confusion. “Aplogize?”, Teod uttered. “She didn’t apologize, she just came to give me some advice. She said a few of the refs had told her that I was good, but not warrior material. I was destined to become a Gulaka. She then said that none of the girls she knew would be willing to eat me. She suggested I just become a weapon smith instead of being eaten by some girl I really don’t like. I mean, I don’t want to become a Gulaka, but to be that Gulaka that nobody wants. That’s just awful. I’m sorry Jumko, I know you’re disappointed but it’s my life.” Teod looked at Jumko’s face for his reaction.

“Whatever”, Jumko said harshly. He knew that there was nothing he could say to improve Teod’s confidence. He wasn’t going to waste his breath trying. He walked away without saying anything and went to go find out his bout number. After having a ref confirm he was going to fight in bout number 64, he went outside for some fresh air and to enjoy the morning coolness before the sun scorched the grand plaza.

Once outside, he surveyed the various people about him. There were parents talking to their maiden girls. Some were giggling. Fathers were giving their sons advice on the upcoming fights. Small children were running about screaming in joy as they shuffled between the crowd. Suddenly Jumko noticed Xanthe walking towards him. She was staring at him, smiling. He quickly turned around, pretending he didn’t notice her. “Shit!” he thought. He really didn’t want to deal with her right now.

Jumko felt someone tap his right shoulder. As he turned his head to the right to see who it was, he heard giggling from his left. He shot his head the other way to see Xanthe smiling. “Got ya!”, she teased. “Hey Xanthe”, Jumko responded emotionless.

“So”, began Xanthe, “ready for today’s fight?”

“Yeah.”

“Then tomorrow, it’s the big one hey? Then you become a warrior and choose a bride. Given any thought to who you’d like to marry.”

Jumko furrowed his brow in confusion and studied Xanthe’s face to gauge her thoughts. Was she purposely acting dumb he wondered? Surely, she knew that he was going to marry Nadia.  “I’m going to marry Nadia”, he replied sternly.

“Oh”, Xanthe commented with feigned surprise, “are you sure she feels the same way?”

Jumko stared at Xanthe with an utterly confused face.

“Look there”, Xanthe pointed as she stretched out her arm in the direction of Nadia. Jumko followed to see Nadia sitting on the steps with Ziv standing beside her. They were talking. Nadia was smiling and laughing as Ziv spoke to her. Ziv was one of Nadia’s friends. He was a neighbour that only lived two houses away and they often walked around the village together gathering water, food and other supplies to bring back to their homes. Jumko didn’t particularly like Ziv, he found him a bit stand offish but he never for a second doubted Nadia’s feelings for him. He never felt jealously when he’d see them together. Xanthe was just trying to drive a wedge between him and Nadia. It never surprised Jumko how much of a calculating winch Xanthe could be.

“They’re just friends”, Jumko commented.

“Nadia sure seems like she’s infatuated with Ziv”, Xanthe noted. “Look how she’s looking at him. Laughing at all his jokes, even touching his knee occasionally” she highlighted. Jumko, didn’t respond. He wasn’t going to let Xanthe get in his head. He needed to concentrate on today’s bout.

“Anyway”, Xanthe continued as she pushed herself into Jumko’s side and placed her arm around his neck, “if Nadia decides not to be your bride, I hope you consider me.” Jumko looked at Xanthe’s face. She was uncomfortably close. “I’d be a great wife, I’d clean, I’d cook …” Xanthe leaned in very close to put her lips a few millimetres away from Jumko’s left ear. “…and I’d give you blowjobs whenever you wanted”, she whispered in an incredibly sexy, soft voice. Xanthe let her arm drop away from Jumko’s neck as she stepped back to face him. He was stunned in place at those last few words. His cock stirred uncomfortably in his underwear. Xanthe maintained eye contact as she slowly and sultrily licked her lips. “Anytime”, she emphasized before turning to walk away slowly, swaying her hips in a deliberate manner.

Jumko brushed his thoughts away to keep a clear head. He glanced over at Nadia who was still chatting away with Ziv. He watched for a bit, just to try forget Xanthe’s words. He shook his head and walked back into the War Palace to wait for his bout.