The next day, after a delicious breakfast, our heroes prepare for the first phase of the Red Battle.
When they arrive at the Arena, instead of going by yesterday's entrance, they entered by the fighters' entrance, that's on the other side of the Arena.
Once past the entrance, they arrive at a large room full of small groups. Each group is the representation of a clan in Dhismiar and all of them have something in common: in the middle of them, there is a fighter.
"Hey, guys! Over here!" someone calls you.
When our heroes look where the voice came from, they see Valzun, his brother and a group of gargoyles from the Rugarith clan. He wears armor or at least that's what it seems: leather trousers and some kind of belt that covers his chest attached to a shoulder pad. So, his chest is practically uncovered.
"And your breastplate?" asks Leah.
Leah and Isabel stare at the almost naked body of the gargoyle, without even concealing it. 'Wow, his muscles are well defined!' both think.
As if they could read the girls' thoughts, the couple shakes their heads.
"This one."
"But it doesn't cover anything! Look at my sister. She is covered from head to toes. That thing you're wearing doesn't protect either!"
Valzun shrugs.
"This is the armor of the Rugarith."
Before they can continue with the talk, they hear the loudspeaker.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"Please, all fighters prepare. In a quarter of an hour, the Red Battle will begin. The fighters' guests, please, go to your seats."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"Please, all fighters prepare. In a quarter of an hour, the Red Battle will begin..."
"That's our call," Arlor says. "Eva, you stay here with Valzun. The rest, follow me." And he starts walking towards the stairs, followed by his group, as the other guests.
"Okay, Eva. You can do it! Go get them," her sister encourages, and then gives Eva a hug.
"Enséñales de qué estás hecha![1]" Isabel says.
Then, they also head to the stairs, leaving Eva with Valzun and Lucien.
The shifter looks toward Valzun. The gargoyle takes a step back, raises both hands, as if to soothe the alpha's gaze, and says, "Okay, okay. I know when they don't need me." And he gets out of the way so they can be alone.
Neither Eva nor Lucien say anything. They just stare at each other.
"Ahem. You have ten minutes left. If I were you, I'd hurry," Valzun says.
Lucien looks away from her and stares at Valzun, angry.
Gr!
Eva laughs. She approaches Lucien and kisses him on the lips.
Lucien closes his eyes and rests his forehead against Eva's forehead.
"Be careful."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine," she whispers.
Lucien nods and gives him a soft kiss on the lips. Then, he moves away and goes to the stairs, through which everyone has left.
As he leaves, Eva watches. When she no longer sees him, she turns around and realizes that all the fighters are looking at her. She turns red from shame.
Some fighters look at her with sour faces. But before anything else can happen, the loudspeaker rings again.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"Please, fighters, prepare for the Red Battle. Form two rows to enter the Arena."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"Come on, Eva. The time has come," Valzun says, pointing to one of the rows that are already formed.
Valzun stands behind Eva and, when the rows are already formed, the doors to the Arena open, allowing the fighters to hear the applause and shouts of excitement from the audience.
The rows begin to enter the Arena, and the cries of the audience become louder and louder.
When Eve steps on the Arena, the light from the spotlights blinds her for an instant. In fact, she stumbles upon the fighter in front of her, and when she excuses herself, she realizes she is a kelpie. 'What is a water spirit doing in the underground city of Dhismiar?' wonders Eva.
The two rows continue walking across the Arena until they reach its center when they stop.
"Ladies and gentlemen... Welcome once again to the event we were all waiting for... the Red Battle," can be heard on the loudspeaker. The audience enthusiastically repeats the last part.
Eva turns to the gallery where the leaders of the Dhismiar clans are and sees that Icebar, the jerk leader of the birdfolks, is speaking.
"Thank you so much for coming. This year we have some very interesting candidates," Iceba says, staring at Eva, who isn't intimidated.
"The other leaders and I are, finally, inaugurating the Red Battle. Let the first round begin: the battle of the six!"