The Beginning

Crouched down in the shadows of the Lower City sewers, Vyse listened carefully to the cheers of the rowdy crowd with measured dislike. The grate not ten feet above him would lead into the center of the Imperial City Coliseum, the scene of execution for Dyne and his band of Band Rogues. Below him, Aika shifted uneasily on the ladder; below her, Drachma grumbled quietly beneath his breath. Exhaling away his anxiety, Vyse looked down at his two companions.

"You two ready? It sounds like it's about time."

Aika firmed her jaw and nodded. "Yeah. Let's go. I'm going mad just waiting down here."

"Let's get a move on, boy," Drachma added, clearly irritated. "If ye wait too much longer, ye won't have any friends left to save."

Feeling still nervous but confident, the young Air Pirate punched out a fist and dislodged the sewer grate from its rusty hinges. Quickly he scurried out into the well-lit arena, drawing twin cutlasses, and behind him Aika hoisted herself up the rest of the way before bringing her boomerang to bear. In the moment's confusion Drachma joined them, and they started forward as one.

Just in time to see the high executioner claim Dyne's head with the swift stroke of an axe.

Vyse swayed as the blood spattered along the ground, illuminated for one horrible moment in a flash of radical lightning, then he leaned forward and retched. Aika dropped her boomerang and covered her mouth in terror.

The spell was broken as Drachma's artificial arm hurtled past, bashing a Valuan soldier in the breastplate and knocking him flat. The old sailor jostled Vyse as he moved ahead, saying, "Come on, boy! We got to save the others!"

Such unexplainable dread filled Vyse that he could barely think; he stood there, transfixed, eyes unable to stare at anything save the head of his father. His worst nightmare realized, he turned his wrathful glare upon the executioner, who was stalking down the stairs of the dias with his axe in hand, and in that moment the fear dissolved into unthinking rage. With a roar, he leapt forward to meet his heavily-armored opponent.

A boomerang whizzed over his shoulder, accurately covering his left flank as he dove into the fray. Thier hands bound behind them, the remaining captured rogues either kicked or launched themselves at the growing horde of guards and soldiers. All around the jeers and shrieks of the crowd pierced the air, and still more men loyal to the empire rushed in to crush the opposition.

Drachma howled and fell to his knees, a sword jutting from his side, and another slashed out his vocal chords.

Aika screamed when a blade drew a long line of red between her shoulderblades, then a swift thrust severed her spine.

While Vyse fiercely battled the executioner, tears springing up in his eyes and his friends' cries ringing in his ears, he never saw the soldiers close in behind him.