The room fell silent as a commanding voice broke through the buzz of conversation, accompanied by the heavy stomp of boots. All eyes turned toward the center where a man clad in golden armor stood, his presence nearly overwhelming. Ty estimated him to be about 8 feet tall—no, perhaps even more.
As the armored giant unraveled a scroll from his waist, he began to address the crowd. "Good day, everyone. I am proud to see so many faces ready to conquer the Arena of Life, as I did 10 years ago."
His voice carried a tone of reminiscence and authority as he continued, "From rags and gutters to crime and robbing, to being imprisoned and on death row, I was given the chance to conquer the Arena, and I did so through grit and hard work.
Since then, I have become the king's trusted guard over the last eight years, and I look forward to possibly welcoming one of you in, should any of you make it out."
