"Our next fighter in the ring... MORGANOTH! THE HEART-EATER, THE SOUL-DEVOURER! HE OF A THOUSAND HEADS!!"

Smoke poured out the doors, thick and black, filling the floor of the arena and obscuring the entrance. Six eyes opened as a rumble spilled forth, deep and loud like grinding rocks. More eyes opened until there had to be too many for a single gembound, but more kept coming.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Flames poured out from the tunnel as the monster finally emerged, one head leading the way and others rising from the ashy cloud, snapping and snarling at each other and at the crowd all around. Two massive leathery wings opened, a pair of stabilizing fins along their tail snapping outwards too, and then they took flight.

With a mighty roar they soared around the arena, casting a dark shadow above all who watched as they flew up and hovered, their three tails hanging down beneath them.

"I AM MORGANOTH!", they said, each head crying the words out as loud as they could, "WHOEVER DARES TO FIGHT ME WILL FEEL MY WRATH AND DESPAIR! THEIR SCREAMS WILL ECHO ACROSS ORION!"

Morganoth landed with a boom, the smoke billowing out in their wake as they drew themselves up and flared their wings out towards where their enemy would emerge. Their heads were close together, their crowns of beautiful horns and antlers like a forest above them, all eyes directed to the doorway with matching, horrific grins on their faces.

"Look upon me, fool, and see your inevitable doom," their center head spoke, before they tipped their heads back and let out a choir of bellowing roars, their jaws snapping out of their mouths and showing off rows of wickedly sharp teeth as their sickle claws scraped against the floor of the forum.

Finally they lowered their heads, setting their sights on whatever foolish mortal would decide to face them next.

@Sabor

He could only hear the entrance of their opponent. Morganoth, the heart-eater. The soul-devourer!? He of a thousand heads!? Crikey now that was a title! He couldn't wait to see who he was up against! Whoever they were sure knew how to make an entrance by the sound of it! Their bellowing yell and own self-introduction, the booming and plethora of roars-wait...was he going up against one or...six!? Well, that remained to be seen, it was Sabor's turn to make an entrance now.

"And now our next fighter in the ring... SABOR! THE JAWS OF DIAMOND AND THE GOLDEN PROTECTOR!!!"

White smoke billowed softly from beneath the door, only to slam open with a great bright light. Only a roar erupted from the blinding light at that moment, an attempt to rival Morganoth's very own. It was long and drawn out, a bellow of his arrival, his power, and experience, and soon Sabor took to the arena! He bolted out, sliding to a stop while a riled growl grew in his throat. Kicking up sand in a small flurry all around he sunk his claws into the ground. His fur nearly glistening white and gold from the blinding light behind him, his title, as he snapped his jaws; diamond tusks on full display.

He stared at Morganoth, a grin on his maw as he roared defiantly up at his opponent. Now, this!? This was going to be one for the record books! He couldn't help but speak to them, even though they both needed no introductions. Still, he wanted to have some good fun and he was quite positive that Morganoth could give it!

" Hello Morganoth! The Heart-Eater, Soul-Devourer and He of a Thousand Heads!"

Boy that was a mouthful even for Sabor.

"I don't know about doom, but I do see a mighty fine challenge! Can't wait to see what you have in store for me, I reckon I'm here for a good ol' fight! Lets make it one for the history books yeah!?"

And with that he roared again, bellowing up at the eldrich creation Morganoth. Now, how the hell was Sabor supposed to get them from way down here!?

@Morganoth

Jaws of fuckin' diamond. These creatures sure didn't lack for drama, and Nemean loved that. She HEARTILY approved.

Glittering eyes looked over each contestant as the spotlights swept the sky, and she screamed over the pounding wail of the heavy metal: "YEAAAAH! FUCK HIM UP, HEART-EATER!!! KILL HIM!"

Oh, yeah. Impartiality, and all that.

"RIP SOME FUCKIN' HEADS OFF, GOLDEN PROTECTOR!!!" she added.

Hell, either one was good. Or...

Both? Both.

Morganoth merely blinked at Sabor's entrance, their heads slowly turning down until they were facing the tiger, a bit... surprised at how small their adversary was.

"Oh, hello," they said, their voice very soft as they spoke down to the other, "I will do my best to... make it one for the 'history' books."

They hesitated for a moment, wondering if they just... went for it. They did, right? Well, alright. Briefly they looked over to where Nemean was shouting, and then back down at Sabor.

"Before we begin, please know that this is nothing personal," they said, and then reared their heads back, each letting out a high-pitched shriek.

Morganoth reared and slammed their feet down, using the momentum of gravity to fling their heads forward towards the tiger, each maw gaping wide with jaws and teeth exposed, ready to clamp down and bite as hard as they could. Morganoth was big and had a ton of teeth on top of that, so it would be a miracle if Sabor were to even get a hit on them that mattered.

"Give up," one head said, very unenthusiastically, "You are doomed to fail."

@Sabor

ROUND 1/5

100%

ATTEMPT: Bite Sabor
DEFENSE: Lots of spikes, sharp scales
INJURIES: N/A

...Holy fuck.

The tiger was one thing--beautiful, in fact, she thought. The flame-on-ivory pelt immediately caught her eye, held her rapt--and that title! "The Golden Protector." Damn.

And now the dragon-thing? That multi-headed monster that towered over it? Oh, no. Oh, no, oh fuck, thought Thalia, a little repetitiously seeing as she was a third of the way through her rum-filled oversized coconut shell. (She'd jammed the red paper umbrella into her hair behind one ear.)

Anyway-... That dragon-thing was going to destroy the poor tiger! Thalia considered, wavered, slurred--and then managed a shout down below, doing her best to keep an encouraging voice.

"YOU CAN DO IT, GOLD PROTECTORRRR!" she bawled, a deer's bleat entering her drunken words, the title a little butchered.

Well, fuck; it was the thought that counted!

Sabor's ears flickered to Nemean's 'cheers', they were fairly descriptive and well short and to the point. Well- he didn't plan on ripping any heads off... but if this eldrich creation tried to kill him well he supposed he could try but, that remained to be seen. Morganoth turned their attention to him and greeted Sabor in kind. Now see, that there was an opponent with some manners!

"Yeah! For the history books!"

Sabor repeated, only to nod in turn when they spoke that this was nothing personal. Sabor knew that good and well and that there were plenty of medics on stand bye. Hey maybe he'd leave with a few new scars or three!? Would be a wonderful conversation piece to tell Tolani about whenever she woke up- if she ever did.

Morganoth started the fight, unleashing a shriek and slamming their feet down upon the ground. Sabor steadied himself, he shook momentarily from the sheer force of impact of a gembound Morganoth's size performing such a display. Morganoth definitely had size as a winning factor, their maws easily reaching him before the rest of his body could. He was bit, and one head even told him to give up. Sabor could only snarl, spitting at the head that held him in their jaws.

He was not doomed to fail, at least not yet! Matter of fact he could hear someone cheering him on in the stands, an unknown soul who was bleating even! They didn't quite get his title right but hell they had the spirit and that was all Sabor needed!

"You'll find a lot of things in my blood my friend, but giving up is not one of them!"

He spat back, a snarl in his throat as he aimed for the eyes of the head that held them in their jaws. Look it was nothing personal but, missing a pair of eyes out of what thirty seemed liveable! If Tolani could live with just one, then this opponent could live with however many they had minus one or two!


Round: 1/5
Attempt: Slash at their eyes!
Defense: Big ol' tusks
Injuries: Bitten

@Morganoth

Blood splattered and the head that had been clawed veered away with a pained shriek. Having dozens of eyes and extra heads certainly helped, though, because one head missing didn't really matter when they had five more to back them up.

Another head snapped forward to close around one of Sabor's limbs. If there was no resistance, they would clench their jaw, aiming to break bones with their bite.

"You will regret that," they said, eyes narrowing as blood dripped down one head, "Scars indeed."

At least the audience would get the blood bath they wanted. Already the sand beneath them was stained crimson, though it wasn't much of a difference from all the red and other various colors staining the floor of the arena from previously fought battles. Theirs would only be a drop in the ocean.

@Sabor

ROUND 2/5

88%

ATTEMPT: Crunch down
DEFENSE: Lots of spikes, sharp scales
INJURIES: Clawed eyes

His claws hit their mark, coming away bloody but still in the jaws of his eldrich opponent. Perhaps he had struck them a bit too well as they were coming in for another bite. No, no he couldn't have that! They were trying to bite and chew him apart like a chew toy. He certainly couldn't have that! He spat again, hissing at the words Morganoth spoke. He'll regret that!? Oh buddy I thought you said this wasn't personal!

"Now look whose taking it personal!"

Another snarl and he kicked, and kicked again he hoped he could deter them by slicing anything and everything he could come in contact with. Aiming haphazardly for the head that's trying to chomp down and make him a boneified squeaky toy. It was official Sabor would have scars at this point, but broken bones he rather not.

"Put! Me! Down!"

He roared, still kicking in a feverish attempt, blood pumping and staining the perfect white and golds of his pelt to a brilliant crimson now.

Round: 2/5
Attempt: Kicking! Sharp Kicks >O
Defense: Big ol' tusks
Injuries: Bitten!

@Morganoth

Morganoth just barely managed to deflect the kicks, using the horns on one head to shove the other's feet away. Scratches were left all over them but it wasn't anything too bad.

"Apologies," said the head that reared back, a look of confusion on their face, "I thought you wanted scars and to put on a show for the audience. Would you like me to stop? If you forfeit now then we can end the fight and I shall be announced the winner."

Truly they didn't understand, as they were still technically a child, but they were trying their best to do what the other wanted. They still didn't want to lose, though, and held on even still, wanting to keep going even through the kicking.

@Sabor

ROUND 3/5

88%

ATTEMPT: Deflect the kicks
DEFENSE: Lots of spikes, sharp scales
INJURIES: Clawed eyes, scuffed horns

Well his kicks worked, somewhat- they forced Morganoth to deflect rather than turn him into a golden chew toy. Still Sabor hissed, only to blink a few times when they apologized.

"W-what"

It wasn't much of an answer more of a word of surprise at the sudden apology. Though when Morganoth spoke more it became clear they were just playing it up fo the audience, oh hell yeah! That's what he's talking about! Sabor smiled suddenly, his snarl vanishing even as the eldrich creation held him in their maw and crimson dripped from their pelt.

"OH- I'm sorry, I'm actually not used to people going along with it! No- lets continue! You got me in a tough spot, I want to see if I can get out of it! I ain't one to give up!"

There was nothing but pure friendly competitiveness, this was fun, yknow aside from the pain and all the bleeding but! He did sign up for it and he did have an idea of what was in store! And Sabor did find it somewhat amusing that his competitor was so polite and seemingly literal, similar to how he was himself. So he gave it a few moments, giving Morganoth time to know that yes we're still fighting before bellowing out once more, for the audience of course.

"Let! Me! Go!"

Another roar ripped from his throat as he opened his maw before attempting to bite down on the snout of the head that still held him from the moment this fight had started.

Round: 3/5
Attempt: Bite down on their face/snout
Defense: Big ol' tusks + other cat things
Injuries: Bitten!

@Morganoth