John meets another prisoner, Kantos Kan, a survivor of the Tharks' attack on Dejah's fleet. He was captured while out searching for Dejah, and is glad to hear of her, saying she was near safety, by John's report. They become fast friends, but then the arena games begin.
All twenty thousand bloodthirsty Warhoons pack into the area, a giant pit, to watch beasts and Martians of all stripe tear each other apart. The sole survivor will be given freedom.
Kantos is no slouch, though some of his victories are rather close, and soon it is down to Kantos and a giant Martian, winner to fight John. John fears for Kantos, for his opponent is sixteen feet tall and has been sweeping all before him. They scream, charge, and Kantos hurls his sword, killing him stone dead.
- Throwing Your Sword Always Works, I guess. Can't tell if I should make a Monty Python And The Holy Grail joke or an Indiana Jones joke...
For the next fight, John asks him to drag the fight out until night, to attempt escape. The arena has been going on all day, and as night falls, John takes his death at the hands of Kantos, telling him to take his freedom, while John escapes under cover of night.
Okay, the Warhoons sound even worse than the Tharks. Another Western trope, about how there's always a tribe of more crazy Indians? Goddamn Orcs.
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