Nate looked at the large man with a mixture of worry and anger. The insult that was thrown his way was not sitting well. He had made it through the ceremony and was under no obligation to stay in this place anymore. But, he didn't mind having some sort of relationship with Sky. Especially since the tribal culture didn’t really he lock him down into many obligations. All it would take was for the Elder to agree to the arrangement to make it official, then he would have been free to go about his business.

Then this guy shows up demanding to be declared Sky's mate and talking down to Nate. Even if he wasn't entirely invested in the whole relationship, he couldn't take the insult. His blood was already warm from looking at Rod all evening and this made it boil.

"Sky is already mine. What right do you have to speak?" Nate yelled as his face turned red in anger.

Nate noticed that Rod had moved by his side. The old man may be crazy, but Nate really didn’t think he would harm him intentionally. He turned to Rod and whispered, "I thought the Purpleheart Tribe were enemies. Why don't they just kill them?"

"What right? This pretty trash doesn't even know what right I have. The Elder has not approved yet. And you have yet to prove your strength. I have the right to challenge. And I hope you will accept," the man yelled at Nate’s outburst driving his spear into the rocky ground of the square.

"Any other time they would kill them on the spot. But this tribe is all about getting stronger offspring. They make exceptions when someone is trying to find a mate," Rod whispered to Nate, "Rival tribes are not allowed to visit unguarded. We knew they were here already and hoped they would just go on their way realizing the ceremony was over. But then Sky had to go and make the request in front of other Elders. Heart couldn’t deny the request. Tribal law must be obeyed."

Nate was stumped. Nothing like this was covered in Sky's crash course in tribal politics. Nate glanced at her to see her panic-stricken face and knew that she hadn't expected something like this to happen. At least she seems to have sobered up a bit. Stupid rules.

The man from the Purpleheart Tribe was ranting on and on about Nate’s inadequacy. Even the two other men had started to shout obscenities at the crowd. But Nate paid it no mind. He was trying to think his way out of this situation.

"Hey kid, we didn't think they would even show up with the ceremony being so quick. I don't even know how they knew our marriage was happening. We were hoping to get it all done before they showed up. But now that Sky has asked for approval of a mate in front of other elders we can't stop it as it would violate tribe law. You can decline but Sky will be forced to mate with that Purpleheart trash and you will be exiled from this clan as an enemy. If you accept, then it is a fight to the death," Rod quickly whispered so that only Nate could hear.

"Hey boy, you hear me?" The man yelled again while making a taunting gesture with his hands, "Why don't you just leave so I can give it to her good?"

Nate completely ignored the comment and looked at Rod. His blood was on fire.

"What type of fight?" Nate asked seriously.

"You get what you get and you fight it out. Anything goes as long as other people don't help," Rod said.

"My guess is you have about a seventy-five percent chance of killing him. He is just a bit stronger than those ones we killed at the outpost," Rod continued, "You are good kid but you just ain't good at killin’ people".

Nate wanted to yell at him that he didn't kill anyone at the outpost but now wasn't the time. He had a decision to make.

He looked at Sky. She was crying by her mother. In her elation from the celebration, she had unknowingly caused something bad to happen. No one warned her. Rod was shaking his head as if he already knew what Nate was going to do. Elder Heart looked disgusted like she expected him to run.

Nate looked at the Purpleheart Tribesman. He had never killed someone before and now he was challenged to fight someone to the death. But that wasn't the cause of his anger. Nate was angry at being forced into things by other people. If he wanted Sky, then he would take her. If he wanted to live alone in his cave, he would live alone. He wanted the freedom of choice. That desire is what had made him constantly fight for survival. But right now he wanted something else.

[Will Stat has increased by 3]

Nate smiled feeling pleasure in the fact that he had the freedom to decide. He was so angry that it called for action.

"I accept the challenge," Nate yelled out silencing the crowd. Most had expected the smaller Nate to flee from the man twice his size. Nate could hear Sky's cries in the silence of the cave.

"Where do we fight?" Nate asked, "I'll need a bow and a spear...and my pack." Nate's eyes landed on Rod and he quickly vanished. Nate already had his knife on his hip, but he wanted the option of his other weapons. The crowd had started clearing out of the cobblestone square. Even the two other Purpleheart tribesmen following behind the large man were moving to a higher terrace. No one wants to get hit with stray attacks. Nate understood the crowd's intentions. He would have to go down into square with the man to fight it out right here and now. Nate didn't care. He was livid.

Rod appeared by his side holding Nate's bow and an unfamiliar spear. He also had Nate's pack on his back.

"Your spear was broken kid, so I grabbed you this one," Rod said as he handed off the weapons, "Purpleheart fight dirty, so watch out. That's how they got Nak."

Nate reached over to the pack and plucked out a few small packets to tuck in his pockets. I can fight dirty too.

Seeing Nate with his weapons in hand, the Purpleheart Tribesman began to speak, "I am Craw of the Purpleheart Tribe and I come today to challenge for the right to mate with her." He pointed his spear tip at Sky. He doesn't even know her name.

Nate had finished his preparations and jumped down from the building and into the square. He started walking towards the man.

Craw was almost twice the size of Nate and was dressed in simple fur clothes. As typical for Purpleheart Tribe, he wore a bone mask that covered most of his face. From what Nate could tell the man had two weapons. One was a large spear that was resting in the ground. The other was a club that had an array of jagged protrusions along its length.

Nate readied his bow with an arrow and waited for a queue to start the fight. He glanced around to see if someone was going to say something. Felling a threat, he realized there was going to be no queue as he rolled to the side his bow clattering to the ground. In the next moment, he felt vibrations from the ground and knew the man was running straight at him. He must have thrown his spear. Nate popped up just in time to dodge the spiked club as it smashed into the ground. He had lost both his bow and his spear in the exchange. Shit.

Nate drew his knife from its sheath and tried to get some distance between him and the man. But the Craw pursued relentlessly. The spiked club narrowly missed Nate as he dodged again. He is going to get tired swinging that heavy thing around so much.

Nate saw this as an opportunity. His [Duality] skill worked at capacity to pay attention to the fight and to analyze the situation at the same time. Nate continued to dodge the incoming attacks without any effort to attack on his own. The man was struggling to land a hit due to Nate's reaction speed.

The man must have been able to sense that Nate was trying to tire him because he performed an abnormal movement with his next attack causing several of the spikes to scratch Nate’s forearm as he blocked with his knife. A skill. There is no way the movement could have a normal technique.

[You have been affected by ‘Poisoned’ status]

[All physical stats have been reduced]

[Your health will decline at a rate of 1 for every 5 minutes until ‘Poisoned’ status removed]

[Health: 123/130]

[‘Calm Survivor’ class effects are active. All Stats are doubled. All experience earned is doubled.]

[‘Poison Immunity’ has increased to Level 4]

[‘Poisoned’ status has been removed]

Finally. Nate had been waiting for his class bonus to kick in. That was a nasty poison. The scratches were a little deep. The several system alerts rang out as Nate took a kick to the chest and flew across the square and into one of the stone seating areas. The benches crunched as Nate crashed into them.

As he moved to get out of the debris, Nate could hear a chuckle and hear the soft steps as Craw moved towards him. He is taking his time now. He thinks that I am poisoned. The system alerts had indicated that Nate was poisoned from the scratches, but his class bonus and poison immunity quickly kicked in to completely neutralize the effects. He wasn't poisoned at all.

Although he didn’t give any indication, Nate grew extremely excited as he stood half crouched in the pile of debris. He wasn't really hurt, but his opponent didn't know that. To the crowds, his breathing looked ragged and his scratched arm hung limply by his side. The man slowly walked closer. He is making sure the poison's effects have kicked in. Nate faked a buckle in his knees and steadied himself. That should draw him in.

Nate moved to the side to dodge a swipe of the club. He felt a follow up kick coming before it arrived but he let it happen anyway. The impact sent him over to the center of the square. He had guarded well. Nothing but scrapes and bruises. His thin leather shirt was practically ripped apart from his body dragging the rough stone floor. Nate skidded to a stop lying on the ground.

Amongst the murmur of voices and cries of women, husky laughs continued to echo out in the crowded square. He thinks this is over. Nate focused on the man's steps trying to predict his actions. His knife lay by his side just out of reach. He had let it go on purpose. Draw him in. The man stepped on Nate's hand as it reached for his knife. It hurt but it wasn't too bad. Nate grimaced as the man put more pressure on his hand.

"Not gonna scream? That's fine. You really should have just fled. I will use you to make others know not to accept my challenge," the man said as he double gripped the club and raised it above his head.

Everyone watched as Nate's free hand moved to block the incoming attack. All the onlookers flinched as a manly scream echoed throughout the square. The Purpleheart clansman dropped his club and was wiping at his eyes in a panic.

Nate had never intended to block. He had thrown the entire packet of metal shavings and bone dust straight into the man's eyes.

Nate sprung up from the ground like he was in top shape and grabbed his opponent's fallen club. With a swing utilizing all of his strength, the club smashed into the knee of his attacker. The man's leg buckled at an angle that wasn't natural. The spikes threw chunks of flesh and blood everywhere with the impact. Nate quickly pulled the club back and smashed it into the man's shoulder as he fell causing the air to be smashed out of the man's lungs. Bones could be poking through where the club had mashed the man's shoulder and scrapped down his arm. The impact was too much and the heavily injured man slumped onto the ground.

Nate's torn shirt had fallen off of him as he stood above the beaten and bloody man with the club in hands. The paths of scars carved across his body reflecting in the glowing cave light like a badge confirming his ability to survive.

"You should have not come to challenge me. I will use you to let others know not to do the same," Nate said as he swung the club to impact with the side of the man's skull. A crunching sound of collapsing bone echoed in the now silent square. Then another followed. Then another. The crunching sounds quickly changed to a wet sound of grating metal on stone.

After a few more hits, Nate tossed the club on the ground, picked up his own knife and jumped up onto the building next to Elder Heart. He didn’t pay attention to anyone else. His entire attack on the man had taken only three or four seconds. Most of the crowd didn't understand what had happened.

"Announce it," Nate said as he stood in front of the Elder. The other man's fluids were running off his arms and pooling onto the ground where he stood.

Elder Heart glanced at Sky and took a big breath of air.

"As Elder of this tribe and mother of this child, I approve of this man as Sky's mate. From this day forth, they will be mates recognized by this tribe", Elder Heart announced for all to hear.

Nate didn't spare the old lady a second look. He looked at the puffy-faced Sky standing next to her. He was going to reach out for her hand, but he realized how much of a mess he was in.

"I need to go wash up," Nate said as he gave a shrug and looked at Sky. He wasn't absolutely clear about what he felt for this woman but he knew he felt something. Maybe it was the beginnings of love or maybe it was just lust. He didn't know, but he wouldn't waste another thought on it.

Nate turned his back on the crowd and left the party. He could hear some commotion break out behind him, but he didn't care. He just continued moving away from the scene. He could feel the blood getting dry and stiff already.

Fucking meat juice.

***********

Bloody water flowed down the drain of the shower as Nate inspected his injuries. The three large gashes in his arm burned slightly as the water ran down. He had several other cuts and scratches, but nothing too serious. His abdomen was also starting to show signs of bruising but he didn't think anything was broken. He would live.

Regardless of its quick outcome, the fight had been close. If he hadn't exploited the other man's trickery with some of his own, he wasn't sure what the actual outcome would have been. It had probably been a stupid decision to fight, but he had had enough. He wanted to fight back against those restricting his desires. And he had succeeded.

A knocking sound brought his attention to the doorway of the shower. Sky had come into the room. How many times has this woman caught me in the shower?

Nate smiled as the still fully clothed Sky rushed into his embrace. He grunted at the squeeze and she backed away quickly.

She immediately started fussing over his injuries and pulled him out of the shower. Sky then forcefully made him lay down and took care of his wounds. He kept trying to explain that his resistances were enough protection but she ignored him.

So this is what it is like to be cared for? Nate thought. He had never had someone care for him in his entire life. It was an odd feeling.

I killed someone tonight. It was no different than killing a beast.