The five geniuses exchanged panicked glances.
"Arena?!" Einstein choked out, gripping the strap of his bag so hard his knuckles turned white.
The general's cold smirk didn't waver. "Yes. Before you may stand before the king, you must prove your strength and wit ;the same way our greatest philosophers and warriors do."
Hawkings stepped forward, trembling but defiant. "We aren't warriors. We're scholars. Scientists!"
The general's gaze shifted to him, unblinking. "In Macedonia, strength is not just in the mind. You must survive… or be forgotten."
Without another word, the guards closed in, motioning them to follow.
They were escorted through the palace corridors, down spiraling stone staircases lit by flickering torches. The air grew cooler, heavy with the smell of earth and sweat. Finally, they stepped out into blinding sunlight.
A roar rose up immediately.
They stood at the edge of a huge open-air arena, a massive stone amphitheater packed with spectators shouting and clapping. Sunlight bounced off shields and spears. The ground below was a mixture of sand and broken stone, stained in places –proof of earlier "contests."
Maria grabbed Eliza's hand, her face pale. Vinci scanned the crowd, mind racing, trying to find an escape route ; but there was none.
A booming voice rang out from above them.
"Welcome… our foreign guests!"
They looked up. Alexander himself sat on a high, ornate balcony, dressed in a deep blue cloak, golden crown gleaming in the sun. He stood, raising a hand, and the crowd instantly fell silent.
"We have heard tales of your genius," Alexander called out, his voice strong and clear. "But genius without courage is nothing. Show us your mind… and your mettle."
Below, the heavy wooden gate creaked open...
Let's Start
Two monstrous bulls burst forward, hooves pounding the earth, horns gleaming like curved swords. Their eyes blazed with wild fury, muscles rippling under glistening hides.
Eliza's breath caught in her throat. She grabbed Maria's arm, fingers digging in. Vinci's mind spun so fast he thought he might faint.
"Bulls?! Are they serious?!" Einstein yelled, fumbling with the small metal gadgets clutched in his sweaty hands.
Above them, Alexander rose from his seat, his voice slicing through the noise like a blade.
"Show us your courage… and your genius!" he roared.
The stadium erupted.
Hawkings' eyes darted across the arena, scanning every angle. Then he spotted a stack of bronze shields glinting in the sun, thrown aside near the wall. His mind lit up like a lightning strike.
"Mirrors!" he shouted. "We blind them ;trick them!"
Without another word, Vinci and Hawkings bolted toward the shields. They wrestled them upright, tilting them toward the searing sunlight, reflecting blinding beams straight into the bulls' eyes.The bulls roared and tossed their heads, stumbling back in confusion.
Meanwhile, Maria and Einstein yanked barrels and ropes into the open space, throwing together a messy obstacle course to confuse the raging beasts even more.
Eliza dashed forward to help tie a rope across the middle of the arena ;but she slipped on a patch of loose sand and stones. Her ankle buckled sharply.
She screamed, hitting the ground hard.
"Eliza!" Maria shrieked, lunging for her.
"Stick to the plan!" Vinci bellowed, sweat dripping into his eyes. "We keep moving, or we're finished!"
Maria hesitated for a heartbeat, then gritted her teeth and swung the rope again.
Einstein dove toward Eliza, dragging her behind a barrel, shielding her with his own body.
Hawkings and Vinci swung the shields wildly, dazzling the bulls so they veered away from Eliza and Maria, crashing into barrels and crates with bone-shaking force.
Maria looped a rope around one bull's horns, pulling with every ounce of strength she had left. The beast thrashed and snorted furiously, smashing into a net that collapsed on top of it.
The second bull charged Vinci with terrifying speed, but Hawkings angled a shield just in time. The bull saw its own reflection, panicked, and slammed sideways into the arena wall with a deafening crash. Vinci didn't miss his chance — he dove forward, ropes flying, and tied its front legs together.
The bull collapsed to the ground, bellowing in rage and confusion.
Sudden silence.
Then ....
A roaring wave of cheers thundered across the arena, a sound so loud it rattled Vinci's bones.
Alexander leaped to his feet on the royal balcony, clapping above his head, his face bright with excitement. "Courage! Genius! Unmatched!" he shouted, his voice booming like a war drum.
Guards rushed forward, pulling the bulls away and gathering around Eliza, lifting her gently. She winced but managed a weak thumbs-up.
Maria burst into tears of relief, dropping to her knees beside Eliza and hugging her so tightly it hurt. Hawkings doubled over, gasping, sweat pouring off him. Vinci looked up at the king, chest heaving, his eyes burning with a wild, unstoppable spark.
Einstein half-laughed, half-cried as he helped Eliza up. "You okay?!" he choked out.
Eliza wiped her eyes, still shaking. "Fine… just… someone remind me never to sign up for a bullfight again."
The crowd kept chanting for them, shouting their names like a victorious battle hymn.
As the guards guided them away from the arena, Vinci glanced back over his shoulder.
Tomorrow, they would stand before Alexander himself. Tomorrow, they would show him their true power, their real genius, their legacy.
For now ; they had survived.
And the world would never forget it.
Tomorrow is another day..we show him...