Lazarus

  Primordial limit.

  Primordial 1.

  Paragon luck.

  Paragon strength 1.

  Presence detection 3.

  Regeneration 11.

  Centaur riding 3.

  Sex 1.

  Sword mastery 1.

  Blink 1.

  Resistance 1.

  Skill points - 0

  "Not a friend, got it." I said standing up with Arath. "Any chance he will just go away?"

  More banging this time hard enough to shake the door.

  "Unfortunately I doubt that my love. Let me get presentable then I will get rid of him."

  "I dislike you covering them but I dislike sharing them even more." I grumbled.

  Arath gave me a quick kiss and trotted over to the bedroom. More banging came again and I got a little fed up.

  Going over to the door I opened it only slightly harder then I should have. The man making the noise was of course a centaur. I was beginning to dislike having to look up at everyone, Arath excluded of course.

  "You!" He said seething. His brown coat covered by the same type of dress Arath used though of a lot less quality. He was also shirtless showing off a well defined figure.

  "Me." I replied. I'll admit I wasn't really taking this guy seriously.

  "How dare you." He responded through his teeth.

  "Yes how dare I." I responded back taking more joy than I should from the anger growing on his face. A small crowd had gathered from the shouting.

  "Arath deserves better than you two legs."

  Was that meant to be an insult, because if so it had no effect. I'm also gathering this is some crazy ex boyfriend or something.

  I just gave him the silent treatment at that. I know Arath is beautiful but come on man you're causing a scene. The crowd was only growing the more he shouted and I was surprised to see a few non-centaurs in amongst them.

  "You will free her from your herd or else." He continued.

  I let out a breath already over this guy. I mean what does he expect? Does he think he can just bully his way through this?

  "Or else what four legs?"

  He pulled a spear from his back. Evidently he thought he could.

  "This!" He thrust the spear forward with surprising speed but what surprised me the most was that I couldn't move to either side, like I was blocked by some invisible force. Did he have a dam skill that kept what he was attacking still? The sly bast...

  I didn't get to finish that sentence before Arath pushed me out of the path of the spear, a clear shield of light blocking the tip from hitting herself. Dam girl since when did she have that? It was definitely a padin thing.

  In a fluid motion I was pced on my wife's back while the male centaur was pushed backwards. Was I really the damsel? I took stock of what had happened.

  Saved by a padin. Check.

  Was I in peril? Check.

  Could I have escaped without help? Not really.

  Dam I was the damsel in distress. That's a first. I almost ughed at how ironic it was for someone that use to be a hero was getting saved by someone that should be the damsel. Almost.

  "Sabet how dare you try to harm my husband within my own home!" Arath boomed her voice traveling far into the crowd of onlookers. My padin stood proud as she meet his gaze. Thankfully she'd manage to get a tshirt and some type of bra on before this. I really was a possessive guy I'll admit.

  "But Alley. He's an elf. You could do so much better I could give you so much more." He tried to whine back.

  "My husband is human. The st of his kind. He saved me when I was in need and showed me a god worth serving. So tell me Sabet what can you offer that's so much more?"

  Well there goes any attempt at hiding what I was for a little longer. I thought watching as the crowd pointed at my ears and murmured to each other. At least she didn't say I was her god that would have been a little too much.

  "Human? There must be a mistake. Arath see reason he's tricking you somehow."

  "If I were that easy to trick Sabet I'd have lifted my tail for you a long time ago."

  Oh that must have stung even I could hear the disdain in her voice. Sabet didn't take that to well. The anger that had only started brimming before was now pstered across his face.

  "Fine then. If you can't see reason I will force you too. You there human pretender I challenge you to a duel of mates."

  A collection of gasps could be heard from the crowd and a mare around Araths age stepped forward and bowed. Arath just growled at the challenge.

  "Um what is this duel he challenged me to?" I whispered.

  "It's a duel to the death that would mean the winner takes any mares in the losers herd he wants." She replied through clenched teeth.

  "Oh well in that case." I made myself as tall as I could from Araths back and looked Sabet in the eyes. "I refuse."

  That didn't seem like the reaction he wanted or the crowd for that matter as many threw looks of disappointment in my direction. Sabet started yelling that I was a coward but wouldn't come any closer with my padin between us.

  "My husband has spoken. Now leave." Arath commanded stomping her foot down.

  "Your husband is a coward and a lier. You will never have a child with him." Sabet spat back. It had the reaction he wanted because Arath defted slightly and didn't see him raise his spear. I however did.

  Now I say that like it was aimed for her. It wasn't it was aimed at me but from the way she didn't move he must have used his paralysing skill.

  I pulled her head to the side and caught the spear head in my left hand wincing slightly as it broke through the skin. God I was sick of this guy.

  Pushing the spear to the side I preformed a front flip over Araths head nding in front of her. Sabet seemed a little taken aback but I didn't bother giving him a chance right now. I dashed past the ideal range of his spear getting in really close and punching him square in the sor plexus.

  He stumbled slightly from the force of my punch and even I was surprised by the amount of power I put behind it but it didn't wind him like I pnned to. Centaur lungs are in their horse half, got it. I mentally scolded myself.

  Sabet seemed to smile darkly. "The challenge has been met. Myself and my spear vs the human pretender and his fists."

  Well crap. I fell right into that one. Let's just get this over with then. His most impressive skill is the paralyze skill but he relies to much on it. His weakness is his legs.

  I charged not wanting to drag this on. He seemed a little surprised but he readied his spear.

  Just a moment before he struck I glided to the side his skill paralyzing me as the spear moved. It gnced my arm but not deep enough to cause any concern. Once the spear had stopped moving I felt the effects of his skill stop as well.

  So he freezes only while his spear is in motion. Good to know.

  Reaching within his guard he tried to back up but I didn't let him. With a quick jab to his right knee it snapped with a loud crunch.

  Sabet screamed trying to put his weight on his other legs as he backpedaled. I didn't let him this time striking his ribs on the same side and grabbing his spear.

  This time I pulled him towards me hoping to put more weight on his front leg. It worked but he refused to let go of the spear. I needed it gone just to eliminate his skill.

  We struggled together for a second neither giving up. I was a little surprised he still stayed standing with a broken leg. But I also don't fight fair especially against someone like Sabet.

  I pushed the spear to the side abandoning the struggle for the weapon and struck his remaining front leg. The snap I heard was almost as satisfying as his scream.

  Paragon strength 2 acquired.

  Well what do you know.

  Sabet colpsed in a heap his spear forgotten in his fall. I almost felt bad for him but then I remembered he was trying to steal Arath from me.

  Speaking of Arath I turned around to look at her. She was currently being held back by the female centaur that had bowed before and a really buff male centaur, like he was really muscur try putting Hercules with a horse half and you have this guy.

  "Kill him husband!" She growled. "He must pay the price."

  Mr Hercules nodded as well and even the other mare smiled. Who was she?

  Returning my attention to Sabet he was a pool of misery. With both his front legs broken he couldn't move anywhere and his spear was too far away to reach. "You will never be good enough." He spat as I got closer.

  "I never said I was. But I will try to be and that's all that matters." I responded avoiding his arms as I got around to his back.

  "What a load of crap."

  With his st words I rushed in from behind and snapped his neck to the side. A hush fell apon the crowd obviously I wasn't to one they wanted to win but I was past the point of caring.

  I was bleeding one of my hands had a hole in it and now a crowd was looking at me with a mix of horror and disappointment. Maybe I wouldn't fit in quite right, it was a centaur vilge after all and I was human.

  Arath scooped me up in a hug her lips so close to my ear. "Whatever you're thinking about my love banish it. These people were gathered by Sabet they don't represent all of us."

  "How did you know?" I asked pulling her deeper into the hug.

  "You stopped smiling my love. It's my perpose to make sure you always are."

  How did I get so lucky with this woman? I gave her a kiss as the dark thoughts faded away. She was definitely going to get rewarded tonight and I wasn't going to take any excuse this time.

  Hercules came forward after a second and cleared his throat to get our attention. "Arath you have a job to do." He indicated to the other centaur that had held her back. "And the council will need to speak with you both about a human being alive as well as you becoming a Padin."

  Arath nodded. "Of course elder. Would it be possible to meet the council tomorrow as I need to take Lazarus to a healer again today?"

  Hercules grunted his agreement and Arath left to talk with the other mare about something. She was pretty in her light brown coat. She was also the only centaur not wearing a dress. She still wore a top although it just bearly covered anything. Arath directed her into her home almost instantly and I gathered her state of dress wasn't normal.

  Hercules sighed. "Thank you. Sabet never treated her right so can I ask you to at least not cast her out?"

  I looked at him. He held himself like someone of power but his eyes were weary. "I don't know enough about your culture I'm sorry but I will try my best."

  "That is more than enough. Take this, it's rare for a centaur to take a mate from another species."

  Centaur pleaser 1 acquired. Sometimes size does matter.

  Before I could thank him he was gone into the crowd. I tried to look for him but gave up. If this skill did what I think it did I was going to owe him a beer. With that thought I returned to Araths house.