Lumen Academy.
The day the tournament resumed, the weather almost felt staged.
Clear skies, bright sun, just enough breeze to keep the heat from settling in. The kind of day that made everything feel lighter—like nothing could go wrong.
And maybe that's why the energy felt even sharper.
The delay that had stalled the competition was finally over. After days of buildup, rumors, and restless anticipation, things were moving again.
Inside the academy colosseum, the noise didn't stop.
Cheers rolled through the stands in waves, rising and falling as more people poured in. It had always been considered the largest colosseum on the continent—built to hold numbers most places couldn't even manage.
But even that had its limits.
Every seat was taken. Every open space filled. Late arrivals stood wherever they could just to catch a glimpse of the arena floor. People had come from everywhere—other academies, distant regions, even places Riley barely remembered by name.
