Arcane: Red Sands

The night was suffocatingly quiet. Bel'zhun's winding streets, bustling during the day, now lay cloaked in eerie stillness. The desert wind, usually a constant whisper, had died, leaving only the faint creak of wooden shutters and the distant clatter of a Noxian patrol's boots.

In the shadows of the city, eyes watched. The resistance knew how to disappear into the very bones of Bel'zhun, slipping between the cracks and crevices where Noxian steel couldn't reach. Tonight, they prepared for their boldest strike yet.

"Captain Su'Rhaal!" The sharp voice of a Desert Raider, Sargeant Titus, jolted Su awake from a light sleep. He sat upright in his quarters, the dim lantern light casting shadows across the stark room.

"What is it?" he demanded, his voice rough but alert.

"Explosions reported near the eastern quarter. A supply depot is on fire."

Su was already moving, strapping his curved blades to his sides and fastening the clasps on his armor. Moments later, Zanaiya entered, her spear resting easily in her hand.

"Trouble already?" she asked, though there was no humor in her tone.

"Eastern quarter," Su said. "Supply depot."

Zanaiya frowned. "They're testing us. Let's make sure they regret it."

-----

The air in the eastern quarter was thick with smoke and chaos. By the time Su and Zanaiya arrived with a squad of Desert Raiders, the depot was engulfed in flames. Wooden beams cracked and collapsed under the heat, sending embers spiraling into the night sky. Noxian soldiers were shouting orders, some trying to douse the fire while others searched the perimeter for culprits.

Zanaiya scanned the area, her eyes narrowing. "This wasn't just sabotage. They wanted to send a message."

Su's jaw tightened. He turned to the nearest soldier. "Survivors?"

"None, Captain," the soldier said grimly. "The guards on duty were killed before the fire started. Throats slit. Efficiently."

"Then they're still close," Su said, his voice low. He turned to his warband. "Fan out. I want every alley and rooftop searched. They'll try to disappear into the city. Don't let them."

Zanaiya stepped beside him as the soldiers moved to obey. "They've been doing this for months, Su. They know how to vanish."

"They'll make a mistake," Su said. "And when they do, we'll be there."

Minutes later, one of the Desert Raiders called out. "Movement in the alleys!"

Su and Zanaiya were already moving, their boots pounding against the stone streets as they followed the call. The air grew heavier with the scent of smoke as they delved deeper into the narrow, twisting alleys of the eastern quarter.

Up ahead, a shadow darted between the buildings—a lone figure, quick and silent.

"Alive, if possible," Su said.

"Understood" Zanaiya replied, her speed gleaming as they gave chase.

The pursuit was relentless. The rebel moved with the familiarity of someone born in these streets, weaving through tight corridors and leaping over low walls with ease. But Su and Zanaiya were seasoned hunters, their movements sharp and calculated.

Finally, the chase ended in a dead-end alley. The rebel, a young man with dark eyes and a scarf wrapped around his face, turned to face them, his back against the wall. In one hand, he held a curved dagger, its blade gleaming faintly in the firelight.

"Cornered rats bite the hardest," Zanaiya muttered.

The rebel lunged without hesitation, aiming for Su's throat. But Su sidestepped the attack with practiced ease, catching the man's wrist and twisting it until the dagger clattered to the ground.

"Where are the rest of you?" Su demanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

The rebel spat at his feet, his dark eyes blazing with defiance. "You think you've won Noxian Scum? Bel'zhun will never belong to you."

Before Su could respond, a sharp whistle echoed through the night. Both he and Zanaiya tensed immediately, recognizing it as a signal.

"We're not alone," Zanaiya said, her spear shifting into a defensive position.

From the rooftops and alleys, more rebels appeared. They moved like shadows, their faces obscured and their weapons gleaming in the faint light. Su quickly counted at least a dozen, though there were likely more hiding in the darkness.

The lead rebel sneered. "The mighty Demon of the Desert. Let's see how fearsome you really are."

Su drew his twin blades in one fluid motion, their edges catching the light as he stepped forward. "You'll regret this," he said simply.

The ambush erupted into chaos.

The first rebel to charge met Su's blade head-on, the curved sword slicing cleanly through his defenses. Su twisted, bringing his second blade up in an arc that cut down another attacker before they could reach him.

Zanaiya moved like a tempest beside him, her spear spinning in precise, deadly arcs. She drove the weapon into one rebel's chest, then spun to deflect a second attacker's strike with the shaft.

"They're trying to delay us," Zanaiya called over the clash of steel.

"They're succeeding," Su growled, his blades carving a path through the crowd.

The rebels fought with desperation, their attacks wild but coordinated. For every one Su or Zanaiya struck down, another seemed to appear, their movements a testament to their knowledge of the city's layout.

Despite the chaos, the Desert raiders began to close the net. Soldiers emerged from side streets and rooftops, cutting off escape routes and pinning the rebels in the narrow alley.

As the tide turned, the rebels began to falter. One by one, they fell—some to Su's blades, others to the relentless efficiency of the Desert Hunters.

Finally, only the leader remained, his scarf torn and his breath ragged. He stood with his back against the wall, his hands trembling as he raised his dagger.

Su approached slowly, his blades lowered but ready. "Where are the weapons?" he asked.

The rebel didn't answer. Instead, he lunged forward with a final cry, aiming for Su's chest.

The attack was futile. Su sidestepped easily, delivering a precise strike that left the man crumpled on the ground.

"Take him alive," Su ordered.

------

By the time the sun rose, the ambush had been thoroughly dismantled. The captured rebel was dragged back to the garrison, his fate left to Noxian interrogation methods.

Standing in the smoldering ruins of the supply depot, Su and Zanaiya surveyed the damage.

"They wanted to make a statement," Zanaiya said.

"They did," Su replied, his gaze hard. "Now we'll make ours."