Characters: Suiseiseki, Jack Harkness, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The seventeenth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

This time, the liar started talking before the king could come in from whatever had made him late. He smiled, cool and clear, and welcomed the audience with open arms. “Ladies and gentlemen, you have been treated many times to unfair fights, but this is the most unfair of them all.”

The liar stepped back and let the sand begin falling. “Suiseiseki, a doll. Jack Harkness, an immortal. Today, it seems both the death and the hour are certainties.”

And when the king finally came in, the liar was quick enough with his games to distract him from the violence below.

Characters: Harry Lockhart, Romana II, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The fifteenth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

The liar stepped up to the hourglass, smiled, and said, “Ladies and gentlemen.”

And then he stopped. A piece of paper appeared in the air beside him. The liar pulled the paper from the air and looked at it, and for one brief moment, his smile faltered and there was nothing but horror in his expression.

Rapidly, he put his smile back on. “Ladies and gentleman, it appears there has been a change to the rules. Death is tired of the paperwork involved in processing those who die in these matches, so from this fight onwards, those who die in the Coliseum will no longer be resurrected.” The liar ignored the king's surprised shout and carried on. “On that note, Mr Lockhart, Madame President, best wishes. Fight start.”

The liar returned to the thrones, where he and his king started a hushed argument while the sand started counting out seconds until someone died.

Characters: Cally, Ai, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The thirteenth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

Those who had visited the king and the liar would know by now that arguments and banter were their main method of communication. But this argument was different. As they rose from their seats, their voices lifted too, until the argument rang out loud and clear.

And for once, the king argued for life.

“—but a child, not meant for battle or for death.”

A cold laugh from the liar. “And all the others were? Why must your conscience guide you only at the worst of times?”

“This is unthinkable cruelty. Have they not wits enough to end this by now?”

“Evidently not. I know thinking isn't your strong suit, but remember what is at stake here. We cannot afford forfeit, not this game, and we haven't time to argue. We have to start the fight.”

“I will not allow this.”

“Then this is for both our sakes.” The liar fired two bullets into the king's chest, and in the moment of the king's staggering, the liar drew the king's sword from its hilt and severed the king's head from his neck.

Mercury was everywhere.

In distaste, the liar discarded the sword. He walked up to the hourglass as if he had not noticed the silver blood splattered all over him. When he smiled, he smiled as if he had not just beheaded a man. And he spoke as if he did not announce something terrible. “Callindora Alynn. Ai Haibara. I'm so sorry.”

The hourglass started counting out the seconds, and the liar knelt by his king's side, sorting through his deck of cards.

Characters: Damon, the Fifth Doctor, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The twelfth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

The king glanced over the arena. He did not step onto the ledge but rested his hands on it, observing the two combatants step in and betraying nothing in his expression. He said, “Damon, Doctor. May yours be an honourable fight.”

The sand started falling as the king returned to his throne. Then, the king muttered something, defeat ringing in it like the toll of a church bell: “If honour can be found here.”

His face thrown full in shadow by the angle of his hat, the liar offered his king a plate of chocolate treats. Disconsolate, both king and liar looked away from the fight.

Characters: Brigitta, Arthur, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The ninth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

Weber was already waiting, drumming his fingers idly on the arm of his seat. The king swept in late, passing through the barriers as if they did not exist. He glanced over the arena, as cold as before. “Arthur Pendragon, Brigitta. You are both trained in the use of the sword. Now we shall see which of you has been trained best.”

The hourglass began its counting. The king took up his throne again, and Weber took out a small deck of cards.

Characters: Ray, Chris, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The eighth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.


The liar took a gold coin from his pocket. He tossed into the air. “Call it.”

“The obverse,” said the king. The liar caught the coin and held it out to the king with a smile. The king inclined his head in affirmation, then turned his attention to the crowd. “Raymond Milton Carling. Christopher Daniel Skelton. Your fight now begins.”

The sand started falling. The king took the coin from the liar's hand and pocketed it, and each leaned back in his seat to watch the fight.

Characters: Kate Lockley, the Fourth Doctor, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The fifth of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

The man in the cravat stepped up to the hourglass. “Beginning today’s fights—” But he glanced back behind him, his smile spreading in surprise or delight. “Lapis, Lazuli.”

“What is all this?” As usual, the Twins spoke in unison, something akin to both worry and annoyance in their tones. “We were starting to wonder what was happening. No one asked us.”

“You set up something like this before, didn’t you? Someone liked your idea and decided to run with it.” Weber, always the actor, stepped back to let the audience see both him and the twins. “No prizes for guessing who, as I don’t have prizes on me and couldn’t tell you if you guessed right.”

“This is our experiment!” They were practically sulking. “We’re trying to be better about it. This isn’t right. Whoever said you can do this doesn’t count.”

“And you know I hate to get in the way of your growing conscience, dears, but I’m to see this completed.” Weber sighed, and then he was pointing a revolver at Lazuli’s head. He was still smiling. “These bullets are special present that I got with the hat. Don’t interfere. Please? I don’t want to ask the owner of this hat to hunt you down.”

While Lazuli froze, Lapis wrapped her arms around him and bowed her head against his shoulder. After a long moment she finally glanced back up again. “He wouldn’t be interested in us anyway. But... but we’ll be cheering for them and not you, all right?”

“Oh, of course. You don’t think I’m cheering for me, do you?” Weber put his gun away and his smile became warm and welcoming. “Can I take you out for coffee to apologize?”

Though they still clung to each other, they also both nodded. Apparently coffee was good enough.

“Good.” Done with that, Weber turned again to the hourglass and the audience as if there had been no interruption. “Kate Lockley, Doctor. He's not a demon and she's no alien monster, I know. I’m so sorry, but best of luck.”

As the sand began to fall, Weber stepped back to usher the twins away.

Characters: Argentine, Benny, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after the last fights.
Summary: The third of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

The man in the cravat stood above the hourglass, his arms resting on it. Idly, he tugged at the sleeve of his jacket, as if trying to make the fabric fray. “Archaeology devotes itself to the preservation of artefacts. Art is created to immortalize life. So it is against the natural order of things that our next combatants meet.

“Bernice Summerfield, Argentine. Try not to break each other too messily.”

And as the man walked away from the hourglass and back to his place beside the Emperor's throne, the sand moved, marking the start of the fight.

Characters: Robespierre, Oliver Day, Spectators
Location: The Coliseum.
Time: Two days after Weber's announcement.
Summary: The first of the death matches.
Warnings: Character death warning.

Dressed as before, the man in the cravat stepped up to the edge of the Emperor's box. He held his smile, eyes scanning the audience and the combatants below him.

"Welcome to the first of too many fights. To start us off, Maximilien Robespierre and Oliver Day will engage in mortal combat, without the health bars. They have until the hourglass runs out to kill each other."

The man picked up the hourglass and turned it over so the sand was at the top. It held perfectly still despite gravity, waiting for its cue.

"It isn't a fair fight, but I think you've all realized by now: we don't fight fair." The man clasped his hands together. "Let the fights begin."

And the first grain of sand fell.