IVAN POV
The sack was yanked over my head, and I squinted against the harsh lights, feeling the sting of exposure after what felt like hours in the dark. I blinked a few times, my vision adjusting slowly, and shapes began to come into focus.
I was standing in an arena—a vast, circular pit lined with thick iron bars and high stone walls that loomed overhead like grim, silent sentinels. A crowd surrounded me, their faces blurred at first but soon sharpened into a blend of sneers and eager anticipation. They watched me like wolves eyeing prey, their excitement thickening the air.
In the corner of the arena, bound together and huddled close, were my family. My heart stuttered, every instinct in me screaming to run to them, to break their chains and pull them out of this hell.
