Titan Mauler

Amenadiel awoke suddenly as a bucket of cold water was splashed on him. He was… in a barn? He did not recognize it but it felt familiar. His head swam in pain and he grabbed the sides of it.

“Hey!” The scaled warrior heard a loud voice shout. He audibly groaned and clutched his ears. “Hey! Don't ignore me! You need to get out of my barn!” Amenadiel turned his head towards the voice, but did not open his eyes back up.

Another splash of cold water hit him in the face and he quickly stood up before falling to one knee. “I'm up, Sarge.” He mumbled.

“Don't know who this Sarge is, but you need to get the fuck out of my barn, buddy.” The voice said. Amenadiel opened his eyes to see a rather small Gryphon standing in front of him with a third bucket of water at the ready. She did not look pleased.

“What time is it?” The scaled warrior asked as he rubbed his eyes.

The third bucket of water was thrown on him and the Gryphon spoke. “Half past nine in the morning. Now get the fuck out and go back to town.”

Amenadiel groaned and stood up, the Gryphon recoiling in shock. “You're an angry little bird.” He mumbled.

“Put on some fucking pants!” The Gryphon shouted as she covered her eyes.

Amenadiel looked down to see he did indeed not have his pants on and sighed. “If I knew where they were.” He stated as he started to look around the barn, spotting them on a rafter. “How'd they get up there?”

“Don't care! Put em on and get out!” The Gryphon shouted as she backed away.

“Amenadiel?” Fox called from outside the barn. He walked through the door and quickly shielded his eyes. “Fucking hell, dude. Do you sleep nude or something?”

“Not often.” Amenadiel responded as he climbed a ladder to the second floor of the barn. “I usually sleep with my equipment on.” He took a running start and lept off the second floor to grab his pants and land on the ground.

“Start that again, I don't need to see your dicks hanging out every morning.” Fox requested as the scaled warrior put his pants on.

“Noted.” Amenadiel responded as he approached Swift. “What's the plan for today?” He asked as they stepped out of the barn.

“Reconnect with the group, travel with them until we get to Las Pegasus.” Fox replied as he gestured to a cluster of familiar tents not far from a large farm house. “I was able to knick your sword from the tavern. You suck at poker.”

“What is poker?” Amenadiel asked as Joan started to approach from the tents.

“What did you do to Rover?” She asked, clearly angry at the scaled warrior. “The domkop has a broken nose and black eye.”

“He hit me, so I hit back. Considerably harder and with my head.” Amenadiel responded simply as he kept up his pace. “He is rather weak, do you wish for me to train him?”

“No!” The Gnoll shouted at the scaled warrior. “He took an oath of pacifism, he's not supposed to be fighting!”

“The best defence is a good offence.” Amenadiel stated as he ducked into a tent and grabbed his sword along with a new rucksack.

“It is best to die as a Martyr than live as a Conqueror.” Joan snapped back.

Amenadiel turned to her and pointed an accusing finger. “Do not tempt me, Gnoll. I come from a line of warriors, and though they served gods I serve no one but myself.” Stepping up to her and looking down to meet her eyes, he narrowed his. “I don't need diplomacy to take what I want.”

“Then you are no better than the Warmongering Gryphons or the Tyrannical Dragon King.” The Gnoll shot back.

“Call me what you like, but as long as I travel alongside this group, I am your ally. Pretend to like me, why don't you?” Without saying another word, Amenadiel stepped past Joan and out of the tent.

Fox was waiting outside with a concerned look on his face. “What was that about?” He asked as he walked alongside the scaled warrior.

Amenadiel simply shrugged. “Small disagreement, nothing to worry about.”

“You sure?” The pony asked and Amenadiel simply nodded. “Alright, but I'll be talking with her later.”

“Do what you wish with Joan, it is not my place to stop you.” The scaled warrior responded as he watched the male Gnoll from yesterday glare daggers at him. Amenadiel stuck out his arms as a challenge to the Gnoll and the Gnoll sneered. He put his arms back down and spat in the Gnoll's general direction. “Fucking coward.” He muttered.

“Please don't antagonize our only allies.” Fox sighed as he sat next to the fire pit in the middle of camp.

====----________----====

The group had set out not longer after Amenadiel's discussion with Joan. Though she did not seem to distance herself from him, she did stay at the front of the group as he approached. Neither said anything to each other as Amenadiel scanned the horizon. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for, he could just feel something watching him.

“Are we being followed?” He asked as he was about to grab the hilt of his sword.

“Don't.” Joan stopped him. “We are.” Amenadiel lowered his hand as she gestured to the horizon in front of them. “Bandiete are up ahead and their scouts are not far behind us. They wait at the deepest point of the valley.”

“Why do we not go around?” Amenadiel questioned as he prepared to draw his sword.

“We do not have the hulpbronne for it.” The Gnoll responded. “We did not expect two more to join the journey. Especially a Dragon.”

“Dragonborn.” The scaled warrior corrected. “I am not full dragon. I may live as long as them, but I do not have all the traits.”

“Either way, they are most likely gathering their numbers to prepare a roof.” Joan stated, pulling out a map and taking a quick look.

“A roof?” Amenadiel asked, confused.

“A rueb- roob- rooberry.” The Gnoll stuttered.

“A robbery?” The scaled warrior corrected.

“Yes. They wish to take our things.” Joan stated, face slightly red from embarrassment.

The group stopped as a larger group of heavily armed and armored of various species stood not far from them. The young dragon in makeshift plate armor lifted his shortsword and pointed it at them. “I think you all know the drill.” He smirked. “Gold, jewelry, trinkets, and weapons. Lay them all in a pile in front of you and step back.”

Amenadiel looked at Joan and grabbed his sword. “I'll handle this.”

He started to walk forward as the Gnoll shouted at him. “If you're going to fight, no killing!”

The scaled warrior pulled out his sword and drove it into the ground. “That won't stop me.” He muttered and stood between the two groups.

The young dragon laughed and his gang followed suit. “Ooh, I'm so scared. The shirtless mercenary is gonna beat me up. I still have a sword, jackass.”

“I invoke the code!” Amenadiel shouted and the young dragon's face fell. “My terms will be, if I win my group walks away unharmed. What are your terms?”

“I win,” the young dragon started as he drove his sword into the ground and started taking off his armor. “I get your stuff, and you get to be my newest weapon.”

“Boss?” One of the ponies behind the young dragon asked.

“I Razortooth, Exile of the Rockbiter Clan, accept your invocation of the Code.” He cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck, crouching down slightly to get in a loose boxing stance.

Amenadiel stood sideways and extended one arm out with the other going across his chest. “I assume you know the rules.”

“Shut up and come at me.” Razortooth shot back as he took two steps forwards.

They weren't that close, but they were close enough for one of them to strike first. Neither threw a swing or a kick for a while until Razortooth threw a hard left hook that Amenadiel leaned backwards to avoid and a swift back leg roundhouse to his opponent’s side. Razortooth was able to catch it, only being hit by a little force, and started to push Amenadiel back in an attempt to get him on the ground. Amenadiel quickly wrapped his right arm around the back of Razortooth's neck and used his free leg to kick his opponent's strong leg out from under him.

They both fell to the floor, Razortooth landing on his head and Amenadiel landing on his back. Amenadiel pulled his leg out from his opponent's grasp and rolled away before scrambling to get up. Razortooth got up too and they both got back into their stances. A short while of the two staring each other down, Amenadiel struck first with a front hand haymaker that Razortooth ducked under and put an uppercut into his opponent's side. Amenadiel winced and delivered a swift knee to Razortooth's muzzle, which connected and sent his opponent stumbling backwards.

Amenadiel attempted to tackle Razortooth, but Razortooth was able to sidestep him and sweep his opponent's leg out from under him. Using his momentum, Amenadiel dove forward and hit the ground to turn around and get up. Before Amenadiel could stand fully, Razortooth delivered his own knee to Amenadiel's face. Taking the full force of the knee, Amenadiel used the opportunity to tackle Razortooth to the ground. He was able to land a few punches into Razortooth's chest and face before the guard came up. Amenadiel slipped his leg under Razortooth and slid behind and underneath his opponent. Quickly snaking his arm under Razortooth's shoulder and his other arm across his opponent's neck.

He applied pressure as Razortooth grabbed his arm and gasped for air. “Submit!” Amenadiel growled through his teeth as he wrapped his legs around Razortooth's stomach. Razortooth clawed at Amenadiel's arm and continued to gasp for air, eyes darting all over the place. “Submit!” Amenadiel shouted again.

Razortooth rapidly tapped Amenadiel's arm and he was let go, gasping for breath. The scaled warrior threw his opponent off of him and stood. “Fuck you!” Razortooth choked out as several of his Bandit group ran up to help him and surround Amenadiel. “Bastard!” He coughed as a Gnoll started to pull him up, but Razortooth pushed him off. “I want a rematch!”

“You may have your rematch, but my terms will change and you won't like them.” Amenadiel stated before crossing his arms over his chest, unphased by the Spears pointing at his neck. “If you wish to invoke the Code again, my new terms are if I win, I get you.”

“What?” Razortooth snapped as he regained his breath.

“You heard me.” Amenadiel stated, louder. “I get you. I win the rematch and you are to be my slave, subject to my will, my choices, whatever I wish to do to you will be done. By extension, I get your little Bandit group to be my personal guard.” Amenadiel pushed the spears aside and stepped up to Razortooth, looking down on him. “Are you willing to take your chances or have you learned your lesson, hatchling?”

Razortooth growled as he looked up at Amenadiel, he was only a few inches shorter but the other dragon was definitely a lot more imposing. “Another day.” He growled through his clenched teeth. “Come back in three months, then we'll have our rematch.”

“Until then, we had a deal.” Amenadiel stated simply. Razortooth waved one of his hands and a path was carved out of the Bandits, with Amenadiel and Razortooth staring each other down in the middle. Amenadiel's group slowly approached, Joan grabbing his sword and carrying it with her past the Bandits. When the group passed the Bandits Amenadiel stepped around Razortooth and started walking past before stopping to turn around. “Be seeing you, hatchling.” He started to walk away again before turning back around and smirking. “Oh yeah, you're pretty good, but you'll never beat me.”

As the scaled warrior walked away, Razortooth clenched his fist to the point of drawing blood. “Pretty… good.” He muttered as he watched Amenadiel walk away.