A blur of black. A gust of wind.
He landed hard on the arena floor, crouched in a crater of cracked stone. Slowly, he stood, cloak billowing behind him, gray eyes fixed like daggers on the colossus across from him.
The crowd was silent for one, perfect moment.
Then chaos.
The Arena Games had begun.
And death was watching.
———
The sun dipped behind the towering walls of the Coliseum, the blood streaked sand were painted molten amber.
Shadows stretched long across the Arena, a perfect stage set for slaughter.
From the noble stand reserved for House Elarin, Eli leaned forward with arms crossed, golden eyes locked on the center ring. Behind him, Velrosa's expression remained unreadable, her silver hair catching the dying light like a veil of moonlight draped in sorrow.
The tension was like a tightening noose, threaded with anticipation and dread.
Down below, the announcer's voice rang out like a clarion call, echoing across stone and blood.
