The scent of damp grass, ionized ozone, and burning magnesium filled the air as the massive portcullis rose to reveal the arena floor.
Above the stadium turf, forty hovering spectator orbs emitted glowing yellow scanning beams that projected live combat statistics into the cloudy sky.
In the center of the fifty-yard line, a colossal obsidian obelisk pulsed with dark violet energy, anchoring the dimensional barrier around the entire perimeter.
"Look at the spectator feeds in the upper atmosphere," the frost specialist reported, her staff glowing with soft azure mana.
"Over three million off-world patrons are tuned in to the Apex Syndicate broadcast network."
"They came to watch human survivors get slaughtered for their evening amusement," the dark-haired striker said, drawing her ground cutter with a sharp metallic rasp.
"We are going to make those cosmic gamblers choke on their popcorn... let's give them a real show!"
