The Aztec King's gaze turned hard as he slowly faced Gray. "What have you done?" he demanded, his voice laced with fury and a hint of something more dangerous—fear.
Gray smirked, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I leveled the playing field," he replied, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. Before he could say another word, the King's hand shot out, grabbing Gray by the collar and flinging him aside like a discarded piece of debris. Gray hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop but laughing under his breath.
The King straightened, now focused solely on the towering figure of Sayo the Undying. Most within the Aztec Empire, even its scholars and children raised on ancient tales, only knew Sayo as a loyal, immortal warden, bound to protect their secrets and defend their lands from within his subterranean prison. Yet, the truth was far darker, and it remained hidden even from most of the royal family.
