Colosseum One-Shots

The Arcane Leader

The building in front of her loomed high, blocking out the cast of the sun over the city around her. Scanning the streets, Sanaa reached back and starting braiding her long hair down her back, tying it off with a black ribbon to finish. Her sagarises are sheathed at her back, forming an 'x' that framed her face. They made her appear as if she had horns protruding from her back or a dark set of wings. Dressed in her usual black attire, she crouched in the narrow alleyway across the street from her mark.

She had gotten the call an hour ago. Jed was on the streets and wreaking his usual havoc, and they wanted him stopped before he could do worse than destroy two square miles of the city. They had briefed her on his arcane powers and told her where to find him. Sending the maiden of death after him seemed only fitting after all he had done.

With her khopesh sheathed at her thigh, she surveyed her way in: the back door around the Arcane HQ guarded by two members. For the past thirty minutes, she had observed the guards and their rotations, other points of entry—one window high up above her—, and security measures that she might anticipate. Sanaa had been told that the guards held little magic in their veins, but that did not mean they would be easy targets. Just easier than her real target.

Her hands were bare in case she needed her power, but she knew it would be a last resort considering how slow of a process it was. She heard a clock chime somewhere in the city behind her but did not turn. Instead, she counted the notes that rang through the chill air. One, two, three, four, five, six...when the clock chimed a thirteenth, she knew it was time.

Her feet moved silently across the cobblestones as she made her way closer, moving between the many businesses and homes that surrounded the headquarters until she was positioned off to the side of the back entrance, out of the guards view. She watched, taking two deep breaths, before she pushed off the wall behind and strode into the view of the guards.

Her original plan had been much different and had involved a scant amount of clothing and no visible weapons besides her serpentine smile, but she had forgone the plan when she realized she would need more than just her fatal touch to hunt Jed. So she had improvised and worn her full battle attire instead, much to the guards' dismay as they beheld her.

The guard closest to her reached for his sword at his side as she swaggered up, dimly aware that she was playing a haughty assassin fairly well. "Oh you don't want to do that," she stated with a coy smile, stopping just a foot away from him as the other guard stared. She had to admit they were handsome, with sandy blonde hair and bright green eyes, chiseled jawbones and pretty eyelashes.

The guard paused with his hand on the hilt of the longsword, and her eyes strayed to the other readying to call for help from the looks of it. In one quick movement, she had reached her khopesh and swung, slicing through his exposed throat as he opened his mouth to yell. His body crumpled to the ground and blood sprayed out, spattering the spotless cobbles and wall of the arcane.

"Pity he didn't listen. Will you?" She turned back to the second guard, who now removed his hand from his weapon, his eyes wide with terror. She knew he possessed no magic and had watched the rotations enough to know that no other guards would be coming for a while yet.

Swinging her khopesh aimlessly, her sapphire gaze settled over the young guard and she moved back towards the wall of the headquarters. "What's your name?"

"Xavier," he coughed out, his voice trembling in horror. They had probably been friends, she realized. He wouldn't live long enough to feel any real guilt though.

"Okay Xavier. I need you to do be a favor. I need you to tell me exactly where there are guards placed inside. If you lie to me, I will slit your throat like I did with your friend here. And trust me," she walked closer to him and whispered darkly, "I'll know if you're lying."