_Vauruk rubbed the sand from his chin. He fought back the urge to hurl himself at the dragonborn and wail away at him. Recklessness was how he lost. Discipline was how he would win._ _"The warrior bat's off again! He charges—a grab from Golalud, Vauruk weaves past, behind—Golalud swipes, but an opening! Golalud crumples right over the bat's fist! And slam goes a nasty uppercut! The tides are turning!"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/H6KCL9sdR8gwPXqRhx5c) | (Page 6) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/jlq4JzCNUBtyzbOtu46i)

_Vauruk grinned: the dragonborn was dead to rights. Lying in the sand, soaking in the sun. Ripe for a nap!_ _"The warrior ascends into the heavens; he flies among the crowd—are you not entertained?—and beneath him, Golalud's slow to rise—what's it going to be, here it comes; OHHH the diving knee sends shockwaves through the arena! Sand flying everywhere! And Golalud: I can't quite make it out! Is it over?"_ _Breathing hard, Vauruk stood. The beating of his heart heralded the drums of victory, and he allowed himself to bask in the roar of the crowd. No way Kaldov was getting up after that!_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/jlq4JzCNUBtyzbOtu46i) | (Page 8) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/IkoGZCVq1Xc5VbvFmHUu)

_"The warrior bat shrugs off the knee in just a moment, and oh would you look at the terrifying fury on that face! He barrels down at the dragonborn, and—ooooh, blazes, eats a mouthful of sand as Golalud slams him to the ground!"_ _"Vauruk kicks back, buys space, and up he gets! Known for his tenacity, that one. But you can see it, he knows he'll have to think of a different strategy if he wants to get at Golalud—and here he comes!"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/QbmyKbgl8yYgC2ctZ1Ys) | (Page 4) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/H6KCL9sdR8gwPXqRhx5c)

_"3... 2... 1... Fight!"_ _"The warrior bat kicks off immediately, hurtling at Golalud! There's a punch, a knee, blocked—back the ground; counters from Golalud. They've backed off, reading each other, measuring their next move—off he goes again! In a flash he's at him, Golalud goes for a grab—no, it's a hit! Vauruk weaved his way right past Golalud's offense! What impact—Golalud's reeling! Could it be over already?"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | (Page 2) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/QbmyKbgl8yYgC2ctZ1Ys)

_Crash went Kaldov's fist into Vauruk's face. The bat reeled. The roar of the crowd grew distant, washed away in waves of black. Clumsily he kept his footing in the sand._ _Sound came back to him in a second later with the rush of an approaching dragonborn. Vauruk ducked under a whistling blow, then threw himself forward with a pair of jabs at the cracks in Kaldov's middle. The dragonborn sucked in a breath of pain, but those red eyes burned; a knee hurtled at Vauruk. He leapt up, kicked off the dragonborn's shoulders to launch into the air._ _Gravity beckoned to bring him back into the sand. His body was leaden. His battered snout throbbed; blood was bitter on his tongue. He could feel it: the soft of sleep closing around him._ _But so too, it seemed, was it closing around Kaldov. Ferocity contorted his features. One more hit and it was over._ _Vauruk clenched his fist, knuckles slick with blood. One more. Just one more. This was it: his day. His time. Tournament after tournament he fought, tournament after tournament victory eluded him. And now in the finals, he was in his way. Kaldov Golalud. Goddamn beast of a brawler who hit like a troll and took blows like a boulder. Rival. Friend._ _But today was the day. Vauruk was done with second place, done with watching Kaldov lift the prize. Today Vauruk took him down._ _He roared and plunged, shot at Kaldov like an arrow with an extended leg at its point._ _"An incredible recovery by the warrior bat—Golalud's nearly done, you can see it on his face! And here comes Vauruk with a kick, and Golalud's leaping up to meet him! This is it!"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/nIbhsyjbzoomkPTq1OKQ) | (Page 12) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/qgab2W3y69tKore6typA)

It's me, Vauruk! The king of bats! The toughest of the tough! Formidabilitude's my middle name!

_The orange sky and the silhouette of the crowd, all those fans cheering for Vauruk, suddenly went tumbling. Down went Vauruk, and a knee to the stomach took the breath from him in a pained gasp._ _Then Kaldov was atop him, and down came those terrible blows, splattering blood over the sand. One, two, three..._ _"By the barnacles, Golalud's not done! He's swept the warrior bat off his feet, and—ohh—ohh, this is difficult to watch! It's brutality, sheer brutality—but no, Vauruk! He kicks the dragonborn away, and up he stands! What incredible resilience! What spirit!"_ _"But make no mistake, both fighters look on their last legs! They've both backed away, taking precious seconds to recover. One more decisive move, one more mistake: one more hit could decide everything!"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. The content will include violence and mild gore, and pages containing the latter will be tagged as such when warranted. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/IkoGZCVq1Xc5VbvFmHUu) | (Page 10) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/nIbhsyjbzoomkPTq1OKQ)

_The cloud of dust clung to the air like a curtain. The crowd gathered breathless over the banister above. Kaldov stood muscles wound tight, chest heaving, blood dripping, eyes boring into that cloud. Slowly the curtain pulled apart, revealing—_ _"It—It can't be! He's down! Vauruk the Formidable is down! He's... He's not getting up! It's over! The winner is Kaldov Golalud!"_ _Fanfare erupted in Kaldov's ears, a crescendo of percussion and cheer. Kaldov let none of it in: still he stood, fist clenched, watching the fallen warrior bat for the slightest twitch._ _Finally it reached him. The winner is Kaldov Golalud. The rasp of an incredulous chuckle—then, the end of borrowed time. He fell to his knees under the weight of his battered body, and a flood of triumph engulfed the pain. He'd done it. He'd fucking done it!_ _The dragonborn reared back his head and roared into the sunset._ _The cheer lapped upon Vauruk's ears like waves upon shoals. In the darkness Vauruk knew the cheers weren't for him. He cracked open a swollen eye, sand rough against his cheek. "K.G., K.G., K.G.," the crowd chanted, a swell of adulation shone upon the kneeling dragonborn in rays of sunset brilliance, glistening upon the scales of his outstreched arms._ _Tears welled in Vauruk's eyes. Fingers twitched, closing around the sand as if he could turn it back. This couldn't be happening. Not again. He'd been so close. He'd had him. He'd been right there, looking victory in the eye. If he'd just stood farther away. If he'd pursued Kaldov after the falling knee. If he'd dodged that final punch. Why was it never enough?_ _The announcer droned on beneath it all._ _"...Strike after strike the warrior landed upon the titan; outmaneuvering, outmatching, keeping control of the battle; but one mistake—one slip-up—and Golalud was relentless in his punishment. An increadible win for the dragonborn. A defiance of the odds, a daring escape from the jaws of defeat. And for Vauruk... you can see the devastation... so much strength and spirit. It may not have been enough today, but I have no doubt he has a bright future ahead of him..."_ _The bat clambered to his knees and crawled his way limbs trembling to the closed gates, his way out, leaving a trail of bloodied sand._ _"...but for today, let's give it up one more time for the commanding, the charismatic, the great, the Bronze Breaker, Kaldov Golalud!"_ ------ This is a page from a comic that [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage) and I did for ArtFight 2023. It stars my bat boy Vauruk the Formidable and [WolfMirage](https://inkblot.art/profile/wolfmirage)'s Kaldov Golalud. We intend to upload the pages of this series cooperatively, alongside the accompanying writing, over the next few days. [|< FIRST](https://inkblot.art/post/nTqClAoFQNLQE8Ly55bb) | [<< PREV](https://inkblot.art/post/qgab2W3y69tKore6typA) | (Page 14) | [NEXT >>](https://inkblot.art/post/LcdbhJCYJguhb7tPwwtg)