The academy's arena loomed ahead, smaller than the grand coliseum of last term's showcase but no less imposing. Darius led Kai and Aiden through its arched entrance, their boots echoing on the worn stone floor. The air hummed with mana, a low thrum that set his nerves alight. Stone tiers rose around them, their surfaces etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly, casting jagged shadows. No roaring crowd filled the seats today, only a handful of teachers and faculty perched like silent judges, their eyes sharp. Lyra stood among them, her silver-trimmed gown catching the light, her gaze unreadable. The arena's center was a wide circle of packed earth, scuffed from past battles, its edges marked by rune-etched pillars that flickered with energy.
"Smaller than last time," Kai muttered, his earth-motif robes dusty from morning drills. "Feels heavier, though."
"Less noise, more stakes," Aiden said, his light-motif robes shimmering faintly, his grin betraying his excitement.
