The Arena

Nadya swallowed and looked around. This wasn't time for panic. It was scary, yes, but she had been through scarier. "Hey." She tried, but none of the others were listening. Eyes narrowed, Nadya tried again, this time shouting. "HEY!" The other ballerina looked at her. "Go check the back entrances. Those lead straight outside, right?" One of the girls nodded. "Hurry, but don't run." Running got people hurt, that's what her teacher said. "If it's safe, someone come back here, and we can let the audience know."

So far the upper floors could still escape, she noticed, and hopefully make it all the way to the exits. There was no telling what the fire was like through those doors. Nadya grabbed two of the male dancer. "Come help me get the stage stairs out. If we can get out the back we can get the audience out the back too." She dragged the two over, working quickly. the stairs weren't wide, but they would let people join them on stage. The girl watched as the smoke built up. Much of the upper levels had disappeared already, or were leaving, but it looked like the lower levels were trapped.

The preteen bit her bottom lip. Her friends would be safe. There were on the upper levels after all.

The girl didn't know that the fire had spread to the stairs outside the lower levels, blocking off one stair case entirely.

The fire raged.

The flames danced.

The smoke seethed.

A figure stood amidst the flames. It draped itself in dark and tattered robes. The fringes were frayed and wispy, as if woven from the acrid smoke of the fire. Though the embers lapped at the edges of the figure's robe, they did not burn. He shimmered in the orange and angry red light that bathed the hallway like a mirage, but the terrible void beneath his hood was too empty to not be real...

The figure sniffed. It sounded like the hiss of a snake or a raspy breeze in a cold graveyard. Thanatos could feel it. The threads of fate pulled at him - leading him to his quarry. He extended his scythe. Its shaft was dark, brittle, and scorched, while the blade shimmered with moonlight. An hourglass, ordained with silver filigree, hung from the scythe's head on a delicate chain. Pure white sand, like bleached ash or ground bone, trickled through the glass ornament.

The bottom was nearly full.

"This definitely brings new meaning to yelling fire in a theater." Lex thought to himself as he quickly dashed down the arena's stairs. Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket he covered his mouth from the smoke. "Someone call the fire department!" He yelled as he passed a group of people trying to make their way out of the arena. There wasn't much he could do from the inside, except hope to help unblock one of the stage exit doors. "Here, let me help." Lex said finding one of the male dancers struggling with the heavy stairs to the stage once he got down to the arena floor.

Between the two of them, and a few other by standers who had been enlisted to move them. "Everyone, on stage! If you've ever wanted to see this up close and personal, now's your chance!" He yelled over the din of the crowd.

Meanwhile, Catherine and June were going through checking the exits. They weren't supposed to be locked or chained shut, but it seemed that some of them weren't going to be budging by normal means. "This was planned." Catherine commented tersely to June.

"Oh thank goodness. You came with Miss Catherine. Is she okay? Is Babushka okay?" She asked, fretting. The girl lingered to help people up the stairs. The stage stairs seemed to be the only one not on fire from where she saw. The girl licked her lips watching, terrified, but certain she could stay a bit longer and help. She swallowed and looked around, then paused and whirled, staring up near Catherine and June. Eyes wide she whispered. "Makru." She knew that aura, somewhere deep in her, the same place that she knew June because of that wasn't clear to her normally at all.

Makru was indeed there, calmly strolling through a set of doors that had been opened from the outside. With a smile, he ran his hand along the seats as he walked, seating each on fire. He walked toward Catherine and June, apparently calm.

"They're all fine. Let's get you out of here." Lex assured her before ushering the petite girl back towards the rear of the arena. Watching the seats begin to catch fire, he frowned. "Alright everyone, I need you to move single file towards the exit. One at a time, no pushing, no shoving! We aren't in grade school anymore... okay well some of you might be... but still!" He said pointing towards a door at back that had been rammed open by a few dancers with a piece from the set. "Oh, and mind the gap!" Alexander added mentioning the possibility that what they had opened was a loading dock.

"Come on June, I don't want to stick around for this." Catherine said motioning for the Councilor to follow her towards the newly opened exit. This had not been her idea of an evening out, and it was beginning to feel like there was a target on hers and other's backs."Go on ahead Catherine, I'm going to make one last sweep for people." June replied shaking her head. "Besides which, better me than you."

Nadya nodded and slipped out the back door, careful of the drop. She watched, worried, waiting until she heard her Babushka calling her name. Concerned, Nadya hurried to find the older woman, reuniting with her safely away from the the danger zone of the theater. "We better stay here, Babushka. They've gonna want to make sure all the ballerinas made it out safely." She said firmly, and hugged her friend.

"Of course sweetie. And we don't want to go anywhere without your family. Let's find your guardian, okay?" She assured the other, and they began to search the crowed for Laura, calling her name.

Makru smiled, pleased at them. "Go ahead, Warden." He said simply, close enough to be heard. "You've got little Matu to check on after all. Though your husband already made certain she got safely out." He kept his eyes on June. "Councilor Blackwelder." He greeted cheerfully. "Relax. No one will die tonight." Though the theatre would be badly damaged. "I have better control over my fire than that."

"Die? Funny, because you've likely injured a couple hundred." June replied standing in front of Makru crossing her arms. These mages were beginning to get on her last nerve, especially when they'd attacked the arena, full of innocents. "As smart as you.. theoretically are, I'm surprised you don't remember the rule about non-combatants." She added tersely.

Catherine thought about contradicting Marku, but said nothing, and instead climbed the stairs to the stage and ducked out the door. "Well, that was an interesting dance recital." She said to Alexander while he helped her down from the loading dock. "Yeah, I never thought ballet would be so hot." He replied with a snicker. Bad puns and all, most of them had come out unscathed thankfully. "Lex, June said she was going to look for anyone else.." Catherine told her husband with a frown, unsure of how well this was going to turn out. "You worry too much Cat, she's fine." Alexander said squeezing his wife's hand reassuringly. Alexander knew that likely June would have little trouble with Makru, but if she did knew when to retreat.

"Nadya! Oh thank gods!" Laura said running over towards Nadya and her babushka.

"Nothing serious, I'm sure. Modern medicine is a miracle, you know?" He said and laughed. The fire began to steadily die down, the seats extinguishing, and one my one the fires at the doors lowering to flickers, then to nothingness. The damage was extensive. "As much as I hate my father, orders are orders. and I do love fire."

He looked her over and sighed. "I was sent to bring a message. It's very melodramatic, in how he wanted it delivered. Hence, the fire." He grinned and jerked his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the damages. "Nadya Alexeev, formerly Matumaini, better be there tomorrow, or he'll unleash his sons - that's me and Kissare - upon the city's vital services."

Nadya beamed and hugged Laura once she arrived. "You're safe!" She declared, clearly happy. "That was super scary Laura. I don't like being in buildings that are on fire." It was a new dislike. "I'm glad you're okay."

"You're asking for someone who doesn't exist, and the girl you think is her happens to currently be a minor." June said standing her ground with him. The arena would rebuild, and people would likely find a way to heal from their injuries. However, the psychological scars would take a long time to heal, especially for the young dancers who had been the first to notice the fire. "Go home Makru, and tell your father to forget about this Matumaini woman. She's dead." She added coldly. June or rather Artemis was not going to take terribly kindly to mages thinking they were gods who were capable of doing however and whatever they pleased.

"Yes, Nadya, I'm safe. Everyone's accounted for too." Laura said hugging the other tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay too."

"I wish he would." He admitted. "I know she passed. The little girl is just a girl now, and ought to be left alone." He smiled quietly. "She won't be though. He's persistent." And powerful. That went without saying. "Trust me, I have no desire to even be here now. this is a perversion of my magic. But Father gives no option." He shrugged and smiled. "Please ensure that Nadya is there tomorrow. Father gets cranky when he doesn't get his way." He said simply and stepped back, leaving. He didn't actually want to tangle with June. Women terrified him.

Nadya beamed and relaxed in her guardian's arms. "Everyone's okay? Um, should we check with my teacher, let her know I'm okay?" It seemed polite to do so before they left. "Does anyone need to go to the hospital? There was a lot of smoke!" And it was very scary.

"I offer no promises." June replied as she watched Marku slink back off to whatever hole he had crawled out of. While the arena fire was devastating, there had been no loss of life thankfully. Now they just needed to worry about what to do about Nadya. A construct would be easy enough to obtain, but it would be convincing the rest of the Council that such a thing was worth using. After all, they were expensive and difficult to maintain.

"I think we're okay to leave." Laura told the girl, the sooner home the better. Something told her that tomorrow would bring even more strangeness.

Sat upon an ebon throne, the dark god propped himself up on his chair with one hand holding his chin. Watching arena with careful, calculating eyes he entertained himself with the scenery before him of two warriors engaging in combat to the death, both seeking what many fail to achieve. Glory, fame, riches...even now, if the winner was decided, a longer and more difficult road would be ahead of them to prove they're worth the money they squabbled over. Contrary to what one may think, he enjoyed watching these fights. There wasn't as large of a power gap between the two combatants most of the time, and he was honestly left guessing sometimes on whether one would win or not. This notion had inspired him to take action, especially if he wanted to kick back and enjoy himself for a bit.

Come one and come all. Fortune and fame await those who can rise to the top. The first thirty contestants will be accepted. Blood will be shed and lives will be lost, however, with each opponent defeated you raise higher on the totem pole to reach your final test - defeating myself Banadar Arkenach in one-on-one combat. Do you think you can challenge a god? Do you think you have what it takes to kill your fellow man for money? Come and try, or end up walking away holding back your guts from falling out.

Reward: 1,500,000 Credits

It was the perfect ploy to get strong individuals in so he could absorb some more souls. With each fallen foe, he could "dispose"
of the bodies through using them for power. Nobody would need to know. Even slight increases in power could boost him up considerably before fighting whatever 'worthy foe' ends up crawling their way to the top. Chances are, a bunch of heroic folk who recognize the name "Arkenach" are going to join with the notion of killing him for being the god of corruption. Who knows? It's only a matter of time...

Tento Flare has arrived, coming from The Arena Lobby.

Tento Flare has left the area, heading up into The Arena Lobby.

Marcus steps into the arena, watching. He's restless for a fight, tapping his baton against his armored thigh. He waits for one of the many people to prepare for a match, so he can approach them and ask them for a fight.
In the meantime, he's going to do a full check of his equipment.

Suddenly, a swirling vortex appears to the south. You can see something appear in that direction.

Gladiator Arnesh has left the area, heading south towards The Arena Lobby.