Jsc
Disney's Princess

The Black City
Karthus
She was a red desert world of twin suns and countless moons. Stepped in history and in dark traditions. The Breeclay built their black cities into the high walls of the native rocks. Tunneling deep into the dark places that lingered so brilliantly in the morning sky. Towering rock formations of red dust and innumerable windows. Deeper inside. The passageways echoed the same. Dust and death, and the breaking sounds of war.
A crimson bolt smashed against the red wall and shattered the earth like glass. Spreading dust and debris across the floor and littering Karen's foot with refuse. She clenched her jaw at her would-be attacker and spun the corner with rapid speed. Releasing two crisp bolts from her disruptor's capacitor and watching the corridor explode in reply. Her purple bolts tore through the hallway and blew out wall and man. One bolt to tear the cover away and the second to rend the man. Tall and hearty the Breeclay warriors were. Nordlings so tall and heavy they could crush a man with ease. But when struck with the terror of rending plasma across the body, nothing could stop the destruction that happened next. The giant smoked and fell. Tumbling to the ground with a spray of red clay. Leaving Karen to smirk at the respite. One down. A hundred more to go.
"Le'Say. I've got new contacts near the arena. Pushing up and towards the wall."
~ / "Roger that Blue. We're far and away up here. Take a peep and call it a day, yeah?"
"Roger that Commander. Just going in for a recon. Blue out."
Karen was separated from her team and working solo on this one. Le'Say and the Rangers were dealing with the proper mess up in the High Towers and the Skylofts. That was were the party was thickest. Down here in the midsections. Nearer the pits and arena. Roberts was acting alone. Spitting down the tunnels in search of something for more nefarious than mere viking warriors. She was lurking around these dark corners for the Calnner Witches themselves. Aiming to find the head of the snake, and kill it, once and for all.
~ / "I hear you. Recon the view and then get out of there nice and clean. No need to play cowboy out here Blue. We called you, remember?"
She smiled and let that one play out in silence. She wasn't the kind of operator who just sat back in command and let the boys play. No. Roberts wanted in the dirt and the muck. Head in the fight and nose to the ground. That was how she'd lived for the past thirty years and it sure wasn't going to change today. Not even after Crina. Not even after Helios.
Well. Maybe after Crina. That had been too close.
"I hear you Chip. Just going for a peek. I'll be in and out before they even see the signs."
She stood up and checked her rifle. Okay. Two more cinematic hallways and see'd have eyes on the arena. No problem. Just a little more footwork to go. Give it about five more minutes and she'd finally be able to tell what these monsters were up to. Weaving dark magics made for darker times. Indeed, the blue-haired woman tapped her armored chest and ran about the corner with a glance. Leaving what little red matter remained of her last opponent far, far behind.
___
The Arena was centered out across the grand balcony and visible from space. Hundreds of stories up and thrust out across the expanse. The jutting structure commanded the sides and the flanks of the tall city walls. Shaped and molded with the giant bones of dead monsters that the galaxy had never even seen. It left a pit in Robert's stomach that failed to reside. Oh yes. This was the place alright. Even with the altars of clay and the burning incense all around. You couldn't mask the stench of the Darkside from this place. It was, ugh. Palpable.
Multi-tiered for spectators and blood sport alike, Karen jumped down from the ramparts and ventured out further into the burning afternoon. The heat of the twin suns baking everything that wasn't tied down to the shade or the shadow. Out here, torn between the sky and the earth below, the desert still held a taskmaster's sway. She swallowed a dry gulp and leveled her rifle out towards the jutting edge. Slowly advancing from the jagged pathways and venturing out deeper into the mix.
There. Just there. Pass the pillars and the ragged banners. Between the arches and the ribbon flags. Lay the center of the abyss. A small circular arena. Sunken into the red clay and littered with the bones of her long dead prey. Without walls and without cables. Without spikes and without remorse. It lay at the foot of the Old Gods alter and was quiet forever still. No. Out here between the land and sky. Not even the wind dared to move a feather now.
"What?.."
Roberts gasped at the sight that greeted her eyes. Was this really the dark nexus that she had sensed only moments before? There was... There was nothing here??
"They're already dead?"
She let her rifle sway as her eyes drifted from corpse to corpse. Seven cold witches. Lying all in a row. Their black robes torn and smoldering. Cut and cleaved. Torn and rent. These women had been dead for hours now. Their ritual already complete. Or better yet... Already destroyed. But, ...how?
Birds took flight and fluttered on the wind.
Roberts snatched her weapon back to the fore and spun about. Senses heightened. Heartbeat spiked. Her spine tingling at the smallest sensation to linger across the quiet abyss. Eyes dancing about for the ambush to come. Where was he? Who had spooked the birds?
She looked about through the barrel of her gun. Stepping back towards the city with a slow and somber step. Somebody was still out here. Whoever had killed these witches, was lingering. Even inside her head the voices began to whisper,
"Come out, come out. Where ever you are..."
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[member="Eralam"]