BOOOOM!
A sudden, enormous pressure shook the entire colosseum. The air itself seemed to bend under its weight, and every soul inside stirred awake as if yanked out of a dream. The sound of cracking seats and gasps spread through the crowd. People clutched at their arms, shoulders, or hearts, their breaths caught in their throats.
"This…" Duke Serpentine's face paled as he shot up from his seat. His eyes widened, fixed on the center of the arena.
Duke Martin stood beside him, his voice low but sharp. "That boy… What is he?"
Rein's hand trembled as it gripped the armrest. The wood splintered beneath his strength, cracks spreading with a sharp crunch. "What's going on here?" he whispered, his throat dry.
Martina's eyes narrowed, and Roosevelt turned his head, both of them feeling the shift in the air that made the skin on their backs crawl. Even without words, the look they exchanged told the same truth. Something terrifying had awakened.
