The announcer's voice crosses the corridor before I can answer the System.
"Competitors of the main attraction, enter the arena and take your positions!"
I look past the gate. Staff collect broken weapons while two stretchers carry off the last wounded from the previous fight. A crew scrubs stains from the floor and checks the runes near the barrier. On the other side, Freya and Rahul's three fighters are already moving toward the entry zone.
We won't have time to discuss what the Soul Link means.
I turn back to Rhayne.
Her hand is still on my face, without pressure, and her eyes show no hesitation. Maybe she doesn't understand this option any better than I do, but she's the one who opened the way.
I trust her, and I select YES.
[Soul Link Enabled.]
The bond closes around my OXI reserve. I feel the first point pulled out, slow enough to almost go unnoticed. I keep the HUD open and wait for the next change.
Five seconds.
Another point disappears.
