Making a Spectacle

The boy's guards had gotten ready to intervene, as the little Emperor glared slightly upward at Tracey with his angry brown eyes, leaving her stuck in the tall doorway, while Amanda and the shadowy older man remained just behind her watching on.

I'd rather not get this close to that little fat tyrant...

He pointed his little pointer finger into her face accusingly.

"You will take this challenge, and the looser will do whatever the other tells them!"

He knows he is 'the Emperor' right...? Is this alright...? I mean, it is a golden opportunity...

"Very well..."

She got his finger out of her face, as he stepped back with some satisfaction.

"You'll face my best swordsmen in a true duel, tomorrow at the Imperial Area."

He declared, letting Tracey know it certainly wouldn't be him risking limb or blood, and setting a stage - a big one at that.

The Area was a colosseum, an open stage for athletes of old to compete in, although now it was a space for battles and slaughter for depraved spectators.

"When my challenger wins - you will take what troops we have and slay the Beasts in their capital, to finish this war for good."

He said like his victory was assured, with a cruel smirk on his face.

"And if I am victorious..."

The kid blinked his eyes at Tracey, like she was saying something totally unfathomable.

"...the war ends - both sides stop immediately... and for good too."

He crossed his arms and pondered for a moment, but he had the smallest of grins as he agreed to the deal.

"Fine... if you happen to win... the war ends."

And with that he turned away and dismissed her.

"Leave and prepare... or whatever..."

The advisor, who was now visibly troubled, let Tracey step away, back into the tall corridor and return to Amanda, while the two guards shut the door behind the old dark-grey suited man and put their backs to the wood.

Tracey and Amanda were left to return to their own rooms, and got out of sight before they said a word about what had just happened.

"Do you think that was a wise call?"

"He didn't give you much of a choice..."

Tracey nodded at that part, but clarified.

"I mean about ending the war? Should I have asked for the laws to change too?"

Amanda nodded this time.

"No you asked for the right thing... whether or not he follows through with it or not is a different matter..."

True... The brat Emperor wasn't renowned for delivering on promises...

It was well known that the former middle son had inherited his title from his father, after 'accidents' happened to his older brother, then his dad in short order. He'd pledged to the people that under his rule the Empire would be better and prosper, but things had gone from really bad to calamitous.

"He seemed pretty sure of his 'Challenger'... who do you think that'll be?"

Tracey asked next, but Amanda sighed.

"How would I know...? I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

Moved to the waiting area within the Arena, Tracey could hear the building murmur with sounds of a sizeable crowd, coming from the small openings high in the dark room.

It wasn't surprising, as the venue was a place for viewers to come, but judging by the steady increase in noise, a good number of commoners were attending, at this place that actually allowed the regular citizens to be near the upper-classes.

I guess he wants as many spectators to see this... Assuming that I don't win... which means I need to be on extra alert...

"Are you sure you do not want any food... or drink... Miss?"

A different attendant asked again, gesturing to the small selection on the nearby table.

"I'm fine, thank-you."

Tracey peered at the well presented offering, but had more than a little suspicion.

It wasn't beyond well off people to have many different ways to rig such challenges, and she wouldn't put it past even the Emperor ordering something other than food be included on the plates.

Poison is a favourite about the Capital... apparently...

Tracey had been purposefully deprived of food and drink since the Emperor had set the battle, and after skipping out at the lunch, Tracey would have been in a bother, if not for their foxy friend.

Shizuka had smuggled some servants bread in when she delivered Tracey's washed usual outfit in the morning, along with some more information.

The bout had been pitched as a showcase, for the people, to see the Emperors might set against the 'lucky young Hero', a match that would decide 'the future of the Empire', but she had no real details about what or who Tracey would face.

Shizuka had then 'disappeared', and while Tracey and Amanda got ready to leave for the venue on the outskirts of the Imperial Stronghold, they had their regular, better suited, light-blue and white outfits again, much to their relief.

Amanda didn't need to remind Tracey to be cautious, after having a delayed arrival; the teen had been isolated from her companions, again, due to existing 'rules'.

With no 'allowed outside aids' in the waiting area, Tracey was all alone - with this very nervous lady, and the four guards, who looked more like competitors, not minders.

So Tracey sat quietly, avoiding the tempting foods offered, and staying aware of her surroundings, until the noise began to shake the very building, as something got underway.

Another exceptionally skinny servant opened the door and gently spoke toward Tracey.

"The challenge is about to begin, please make your way to the lifts..."

He backed out and averted his eyes, motioning Tracey to make her way past, toward the mechanisms under the 'main stage'.

A couple of twists and turns, and a platform was revealed to Tracey, with three already waiting 'escorts', standing upon the flat wood beams, tied to pullies, that would presumably raise them up to the above battleground.

Tracey stepped up, hand on her hilt, still waiting for an unwelcome surprise, from any direction, while more workers scurried about, readying the platform to bring the 'Hero' onto the scene.

After a couple of cheers from the many above, the wood wobbled slightly as it started to lift, then steadied as it went up, while the 'roof' parted above her.

The roar of perhaps a thousand people rolled down on Tracey, like a wave, making her look to the light now streaming through the widening gap above.

But that instant of distraction was when they struck.

The guard on her right grabbed for her arm, while the one on her left started to swing his heavy anvil-like weapon toward her from the opposite side.

But the swinging metal was heavy and slow, and gave her split-seconds to react to the other more immediate threats from the other two.

Metal scrapped on something behind her too, but the grabbing man hadn't yet gotten hold of Tracey's arm he reached for, so quickly she snatched his arms first, and swivelled her body slightly to pull him quicker than expected.

She used his own motion to tug him clear off his feet and sent him toward her back turned foe, and even before they'd collided, she knew they'd both more than likely topple from the wood platform, now a few meters high, without any further action from her.

Moving her ankle away from the downward swinging thick metal was required to avoid it, as she next threw her elbow back to the close left surprise opponent, again with enough force to send him off the wood too.

However; she failed to take into account his heavy weapon, as it dropped from his grip after her counter-strike, it bounced off the wood below and the thinner solid handle suddenly flicked onto her boot covered lower leg.

Ow...!

It hit with enough strength to cause a spike of pain, enough to send her slightly off balance, as she needed to kneel down on her right knee to stay upright, as the three fell away all around her.

She stayed on that one knee as the platform finally gave her the sight of a large moving mass, in every direction surrounding her, as the crowd surged again as the Hero appeared to them.