Chapter 1

The sun is blazing across the gritty, pale, and barren landscape. Nothing but sand and small patches of partially dead grass. A wagon comes into view from the distance being lead by two large, yellow birds. In the back of the wagon is a group of people. Refugees in rags, covered in dirt and sand from head to toe. Men, women, children, and elderly alike. Each one more frail than the last. On the very back ledge watching the world in front of her getting smaller and smaller, a figure in rags. They are obviously female, her torso is well covered in a hempen vest covered in dirt and stained with blood, hempen pants, no shoes, and a hood that covers from the bridge of her nose up. Her skin is lightly tanned with some scarring ranging from deep wounds to light ones.

The woman is unmoving for a long while before she feels a tug on her vest. She looks over to a very young girl holding a canteen, offering it up to her. "Miss Soen? Are you thirsty?" The girl asks innocently. The woman, known as Soen, licks her dry, cracked lips and gulps. She is beyond dehydrated, but her heart is too kind.
"It's yours child. Please save what you can for your family. We still have a journey ahead of us." She pats the girls head and her light caramelized lips pull into a nurturing smile. The girl walks back over to her family and offers a much younger boy some water.

Soen clenches her jaw. She refuses to let anyone see her struggling and goes back to watching the dusty fly behind her and the brutal horizon setting finally in oranges and pinks. She stands and starts to hand out blankets before the sun set, and the night got cold. After what felt like hours, they finally arrive to their destination. Ul'dah, the city of wealth. She helped people get off the wagon and watched as families were reunited, the sick got what little help they could get, and others propping up makeshift tents right outside the walls of the fair city. Seeing the people made her chest tighten. The child that had offered her water waves with a smile of hope and optimism. Soen waves back speaking lowly under her breath. "I promise… this won't be forever…"

She turns and faces a brass blade that is guarding the entrance to the city. He glares at her as she makes her way past him. He takes his sword and puts it in front of her, it was so close she could see the dark circles under her lower eyelids. "Is there a problem…?" She asks as she doesn't even bother to look at the brute looking giant of a hellsguard. His voice is deep, and shakes her core just slightly.
"Yeah. You look suspicious with that hood on 'n all. I don't think I should let you pass." He lightly presses his sword up to her neck, she can feel the cold sting of the blade against her skin. She doesn't recoil or falter. His large callous hands, that are as big as her petite face, grabs her chin and makes her look at him from under her hood. Her glare is as icy as the color of her blue eyes. They seem to give off and eeri look that the man fails to ignore. "Well lookie here. You might be prettier than meets the eye. How about you join me for a drink at the quicksand?" His voice is full of malice and malicious intent. She smacks him square in the face knocking him out of the way. She can hear him spouting off profanities at her from behind, she brushes it off and walks towards her destination.

She looks at a piece of paper she retrieved from her pocket and looks around. She goes to ask a woman for directions, but before she can mutter a word, the woman scoffs and walks away from her. A man walking by notices the spectacle and walks over. "You're not from here are you?" Soen looks at the midlander with thick fluffy hair and round sunglasses that hide his eyes fromview.
"No… I just arrived. Im looking for the gladiator guild?" She looks at her paper.
"Ah! Well good news is you are in the right spot and right direction. I'll take ya." The man faces away from her then turns his head to glance at her before he starts to walk giving her a sly grin. "Im Wymond by the way. If you need to know anything in Ul'dah, I'm yer man!"
"Soen. It's a pleasure Wymond." They walk in silence for a moment and Wymond breaks the ice.
"So you a refugee?"
"No. I helped some get here from Ala Mhigo. I came here to learn how to use a sword."
"Ah so you're an adventurer then. My apologies. Your clothes, I thought you were… erm anyroad. Why take on a sword out of curiosity?"
"You're nosey aren't you?" She doesnt sound amused.
"It's not everyday a young midlander woman wants to be a gladiator. I mean the general of the Immortal Flames is one and he's is this huge hulking man that looks like he will rip your head off."

Things go quiet again and they reach the coliseum. "Here you have it. I'll be in the area for a bit. If you need a place to rest the Quicksand is your place for bed, food, and drink."
"Thank you Wymond. I appreciate this… really I do." Her voice softens and he gives off a small smile.
"Nice to see you not looking so tense." He pats her shoulder. "If ya need me just give me a holler." He leaves and she walks inside. The place is packed and everyone is rowdy. Soen looks between two people hooting and hollering to see a match going on between two fighters. One looks just about beat and the other looms over his victim beaming with delight from victory. She sees a wooden sign with a sword and shield above a door. She walks in with confidence and purpose. There are people all about, training and hanging out with one another. A highlander woman with medium blonde hair with iron bands placed in her hair. Her eyes are just as icy as Soen's but filled with hope and determination.

The woman is talking to a tall duskwight woman. Soen strides up to the two making a presence as she enters. All eyes are on her. The blonde nods respectively and turns her attention away from the elezan. "Welcome to the gladiators guild. Im Mylla, guild leader." Soen gets her sword out skillfully and puts the blade into the stone in front of her feet. She keep perfect posture as she takes her hood off. She has a tattoo on her forehead of a dragon in black ink, her hair is in a short ponytail that sits perfectly on the back of her crown. She looks fully intent on Mylla as she speaks. She speaks with purpose.
"I am Soen Shyzre from Ala Mhigo. I have come to learn the way of the sword and become a gladiator." The guild members mumble and mutter to each other. Mylla just stares straight faced at her. Her eyes shift to the elezan woman. Soen glimpse over at her as well. She has gray skin that looks like fresh ash. Her eyes a glowing pinkish red traced in dark liner. Her hair is jet black with spring green streaks throughout and nicely styled. Her bangs are long and swoop in perfectly with her hair that is just below her shoulders.

The elezan looks over Soen amused and looks at Mylla. "What do you think Mylla?" Her way of speaking is very proper and soft. Mylla thinks it over and talks out loud.
"She certainly has a way of making her presence known. The determination in her eyes speaks clearly. There's also… something else in there…. Something i'm weary of." She looks at the elezan once more and they both nod. "Let me see how you do in a fight. Then we will see if you have what it takes."
"Im not properly trained…."
"That should not matter. If you have the potential me and Ameline can tell." The elezan nods in agreement.
"Gear up rookie. Show me what you got." Soen shifts her gaze and the elezan eyes soften. "Here." She walks over to a gear locker and pulls out some armor. "Its nothing fancy mind you. But it will protect you in a fight." She hands in to Soen and she puts it on. The elezan gears up in dark armor with a circlet and shoos people out of the training ring. Soen prepares herself and draws her sword. She looks over at Mylla standing by herself. She's wondering where this 'Ameline' person is.
"Hey rookie!" Soens head snaps back around. "Piece of advice. Never take your eyes away from an opponent even before the fight starts.
"Fighters are you ready?!" Mylla yells acting as an official. Both fighters nod and prepare. The elezan unsheaths her sword and the sword makes a hissing noise before it extends its blade glowing a eerie blue light. "FIGHT!"