As they rounded the corner, a kingdom Guard stepped into their path and reached for Arlenna's swords. Her hand shot out and she slapped the guard's hand down.
"Don't you think a woman shouldn't need swords?" the Kingdom Guard sneered. "Especially not two." His gaze lingered on the scars along her cheek. "Surely you don't think anyone will take you seriously with a face like that?"
The grip on her swords faltered for the briefest moment, and her eyes flashed with hurt. Solace opened her mouth to respond, anger rising, but Thiago raised a hand slightly, a quiet signal for her to hold back.
Across Arlenna's face, neck, arms, and torso, the scars formed a network of pale, fractured lines, like cracked clay. They had settled into her skin and stood out vividly against her dark complexion.
On her face, the scarring was most striking. Webbed like fractures spread across her cheeks and forehead in irregular paths, stopping just short of her eyes and mouth, as if those places had been instinctively protected.
The lines didn't distort her features. Her hair was cropped close to the scalp in tight, white curls, laid in soft waves, naturally softening the strength in her face.
Across her abdomen and ribs, the scarring spread wider, forming deeper cracks that traced the natural lines of her body. Survival under extreme conditions, where her core had endured the brunt of whatever force shaped her.
"We're going to put the weapons away," Thiago said smoothly, his tone firm enough that the guard didn't dare argue. They turned the corner out of the guard's immediate view.
Solace clenched her fist, her steps quick and sharp as she paced back and forth. "I can't believe he said that!" Arlenna couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head at her friend's intensity.
Thiago crouched slightly, and opened one of his many pouches. "Alright, let's not make a scene."
Arlenna handed him her swords and he shrank the blades down to pocket size, edges shining harmlessly before disappearing into Thiago's pouch. Solace paused mid step, clearly still fuming but the laughter and calm between Arlenna and Thiago eased the tension slightly..
Arlenna smirked at her, "See? Sometimes letting someone else handle idiots is the smarter move."
They passed the guard again on their way in, and solace slowed. "Hey, you," she shot out, ready to bite.
Thiago's voice rose over hers, smooth as a blade slipping back into its scabbard. "We put our weapons away," he said. He walked forward, nudging the group back into motion before the guard could react to her tone.
Arlenna chuckled, "You're lucky he stopped you navi," she said, "You'd have gotten us banned before we even saw a single fight."
"I just—" Solace sighed, still clearly upset. "He didn't have to say all that, it's not right."
Arlenna's expression softened. "I know," she said quietly. "But hearing you get worked up over it... it's kinda nice."
Thiago shot her a sidelong glance. "Careful navi. If you encourage her, she'll start picking fights with every kingdom guard we pass." That earned a laugh from both women, the tension breaking at last.
Together, they stepped through the massive gates and into the heart of the arena. They were hit with a wave of cheering so loud it vibrated through their chests. The stands were packed. Fighters in the sand below clashed their blades as they warmed up for the fights ahead.
Solace's eyes widened, the earlier frustration melting into awe. "This is incredible," she said, "I've never seen anything like it."
Then the noise surged again. She flinched despite herself, shoulders tensing as the roar rolled over them. Her jaw tightened, she lifted a hand halfway, uncertain whether to cover her ears or just endure it.
Arlenna smiled faintly, but when the crowd's roar swelled once more, she lifted a hand toward Thiago without looking at him. He sighed, reached into a pouch and grew a pair of padded, ear covering muffs. Without a word, Arlenna slipped them over Solace's head just as the noise hit another peak. Solace blinked, startled at first, then laughed softly when the pressure eased and she realized what they were for.
Thiago smirked, "You spoil her," he said.
"Someone has to," Arlenna replied.
The trio walked near the stands, weaving between vendors and spectators. For a while, it was everything Solace had hoped for. She leaned over the railing, her muffled laughter mixing with the roar of the crowd.
"I can't believe we got seats this close," Solace said, "This is amazing!"
Thiago grinned, leaning one elbow on the rail beside her. "Told you I'd find us a good spot. The view's great, the air smells like grilled meat and bad decisions too, it's perfect."
Arlenna chuckled and shook her head, "You're impossible."
"I prefer resourceful," Thiago replied, flicking his wrist so his dagger swelled into a short sword, then shrank again. "Besides, I like seeing how different kingdoms fight."
Arlenna hummed, half listening. Her gaze swept across the fighters below noticing footwork, the angles of strikes, the discipline in their movements. "They're good," she admitted. "Some of them anyway."
For a while, they just watched, cheering whenever a fight reached its peak. Thiago tilted his head, scanning the fighters. "Mmm, not bad form, a little sloppy on defense though." He casually flipped the dagger, making it grow and shrink in rhythm with the crowd's cheers. "Bet I could take a few of them."
Arlenna grinned, nudging him with her elbow. "You say that about everyone."
Thiago shrugged, "Doesn't make it any less true navi."
Solace turned her head, "Still... look at them go. The strength, the coordination, the pride, it's all so beautiful." The crowd roared as one fighter was slammed into the sand. Trumpets blared, and the announcer's voice was carried across the arena, praising the victor's honor and strength.
The arena floor shimmered under the sun, its golden sand stained darker where blood had long dried. The crowd erupted again as another fighter dropped into the sand unconscious. Trumpets blared once more, and the announcer's voice was heard, proclaiming the victor for all to hear.
Arlenna glanced at Thiago. "I expect my Titans when we get back to the car."
Thiago kept his eyes on the arena but a smirk crept across his face. "How about Thistles instead?" Arlenna slowly turned to stare at him, Thiago glanced back, caught the look, and raised both hands. "Okay okay navi."
Arlenna folded her arms, eyes tracking the fighters as they reset.
Thiago glanced over, one brow lifting. "You see something they don't?"
"No," Arlenna said, "Strength like that doesn't come from nowhere, people earn it, I just hope they're remembered for more than a moment."
"Only as long as they keep winning," Thiago said quietly.
The next round ended quickly, there was a flash of steel and the crowd erupted as another fighter was driven into the sand. A name rang out as champion, banners lifted with triumph, then the trumpets sounded again. This time, the note cut sharper, slicing through the noise instead of riding it.
A voice boomed from the announcer's platform. "In honor of our champion's strength." he declared, pride heavy in every word. "The first proving round will commence."
The gates creaked open again. Another line of fighters was ushered into the arena, their ankles bound in heavy chains that clinked with every step. Some moved stiffly, others hesitated, blinking rapidly against the harsh sunlight.
Arlenna leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing as she took in the scene below. "That's… strange," she said, "Those chains aren't part of any formal bout."
Thiago followed her gaze, "Yeah, and look at how they are holding the weapons, most of them aren't trained."
Solace stared down at the arena; one of the fighters stumbled, catching himself too late as a guard shoved him forward. The blade placed in his hands looked dull.
"That's not how you introduce young contenders," Arlenna murmured.
Thiago folded his arms, "This doesn't make any sense at all."
"What do you mean?" Solace asked.
Thiago hesitated, "A real junior bracket has menders, actual rules, and someone nearby to pull them before it gets ugly." His eyes tracked a smaller figure being pushed toward the center of the sand. "This doesn't have any of that." The fighter couldn't have been older than twelve. His grip shook as the weapon was pressed into his hands. When he tripped, the crowd laughed.
Solace's fingers curled slowly at her sides, "This isn't a show of strength, It's a slaughter." Solace turned to Arlenna, eyes sharp. "We can't just watch this."
Thiago exhaled through his nose. "Solace—"
"No, seriously," Solace snapped, "They're starving, bleeding, and everyone's laughing?"
Thiago straightened, "You don't pick fights with a kingdom Solace. Not here, not like this."
Arlenna nodded, "He's right, if we start something, we'll have the entire arena on us."
"I don't care," Solace said, "This is nothing but cruel." For a moment, none of them spoke.
Thiago rubbed his forehead, "We're supposed to be laying low," he said quietly, "We stole an airship, the last thing we need is every kingdom guard in High Aurulean deciding to remember our faces."
Solace didn't look away from the arena. "You've got bread," she said suddenly.
"What?" Thiago said.
"The good kind," Solace said, "The one you shrunk down because you said it 'travelled better.'"
He stared at her for half a second, then sighed. Reaching into one of his pouches, he grew a small loaf into his palm. Solace took it without a word. She broke off a piece, eyes still fixed on the sand below.
"We're not starting a war," Solace said, "But we're not doing nothing either." She was already moving. She stepped onto the ledge, her crocs thudding softly against the railing. The sunlight hit her face, turning the anger in her eyes almost blinding.
"Solace," Arlenna called sharply, reaching out. "Don't—"
Solace dropped into the arena, landing hard enough to send up a burst of sand. The crowd gasped then erupted into noise again, thinking it was part of the entertainment. Solace ignored them all. She knelt beside the fallen boy, barely conscious, ribs showing through torn skin, and gently lifted his head. While she offered bread to others around them, her focus remained on him, sensing how much worse he looked.
"You don't have to fight," Solace whispered, pressing a piece of bread into his hand. "Not anymore."
Above her, Thiago groaned, running a hand through his hair. "She really did it."
Arlenna smirked, half in exasperation, half in pride. "Of course she did."
"Guess we're doing this then," Thiago said as he hopped onto the railing.
Arlenna followed, hand already reaching toward the pouch at his side. "You know the drill…bum." Thiago sighed and returned her blades to full size.
Before Solace could even stand, a massive blade swung toward her back. Thiago, still on the railings, flicked his wrist. His staff shimmered and expanded impossibly long, stretching outward with precise, unyielding force. Striking the flat of the soldier's blade a heartbeat before it could reach her. Steel rang, the sword ripped free from the kingdom guard's grip, and spun end over end across the sand.The kingdom guard cursed and lunged after it.
Thiago shrank the staff rapidly in his hands, then enlarged again, this time angled upward. With a twisting motion, he sent himself tumbling through the air, aiming to land beside Solace. Arrows whistled through the air, one after another, heading toward both him and Solace. Thiago acted instinctively, with a sharp flick, his staff shrank down to pocket size, disappearing almost instantly into his grip. His other hand dove into a pouch, and pulled out a sword small enough to rest across his palm. In mid fall, he enlarged it to full size, and slashed through the projectiles in a flash, sending sparks scattering across the sand.
Solace still hadn't turned, her eyes focused on the boy at her feet. Arlenna launched herself from the railing, twisting in midair, blades flashing to intercept the remaining arrows. Each projectile exploded in sparks against her sword as she slid in.
The guard snatched his weapon from the sand, but Arlenna was on him. Without breaking momentum she dashed over and drove a forward kick into his chest. The impact ripped the blade from his hand again and sent him off his feet. His back crashed into the sand and this time, he didn't move.
Across the arena, the King's soldiers froze for a split second, and even the crowd seemed to quiet. Thiago landed beside Arlenna, and they exchanged a glance, then their eyes locked on the King's imposing figure.
Solace rose, every ounce of her weight and power radiating outward as she turned to face him fully. Together, the three of them stood in the arena as an unbreakable force, a storm ready to challenge the kingdom itself.
Solace pointed straight at the King. "This is wrong," she said, "I'm sick of hearing how things need to change, I'm sick of speeches, sick of promises, because when it's time to step up, nobody does." She put her hands out and stepped forward. "So guess what?" Solace smiled, "Things are going to change."
Solace launched herself upward and in the same second, Thiago moved. His hand dipped to a pouch. He grabbed a length of chain free and swung, it unfurled and thickened in the air. The chain whipped across the arena with brutal precision, wrapping around two Kingdom guards stationed beside the King before yanking tight. It ripped them off their feet and dragged them down in a violent tangle of clattering gear and limbs, slamming them hard into the sand of the arena.
Solace's crocs struck stone, she landed before the King's dais and the impact cracked the marble beneath her feet. Two Kingdom guards lunged for her at once, blades drawn. Solace barely looked at them, she ducked the swing and caught the first by the collar.
With a pivot and a snap of her arm, she launched him forward like a fired shot. He tore through the second guard, the impact detonated in a crash of armor and steel as both were hurled across the stone and left groaning.
The king of High Aurulean, King Astrell was already moving. Fury burned through his composure as he lunged from the dais, driving forward with the tip of his blade aimed straight for her heart. Solace lunged to meet him head on. Steel and fist collided at the edge of the platform as her density surged, her forward momentum slamming into his strike.
The impact tore through the dais, and it exploded. The platform split apart beneath them, stone collapsing as the force of their clash shattered its supports. They crashed down into the arena sand below, rolling apart through clouds of dust and shattered stone.
Solace came up first, crocs digging into the sand. Across from her, King Astrell rose more slowly. Above them, the arena had gone dead silent. The fight was no longer ceremonial.
"You dare raise your hand against royalty?" King Astrell barked,
"I dare," Solace said, and vanished.