They reached the grimy steel door of the elevator, scarred with countless scratches and dents. As Calyx pressed the call button, the fluorescent light above them flickered ominously, casting their shadows long and twisted on the wall.
"Just remember, man," Cass said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Out there, it's not just Azkai you're fighting. It's the hunger of the crowd, the greed of the bookies, and many millions on your head. Keep your mind clear, your fists ready. And don't forget," she added, her eyes flashing with a hint of steel, "don't lose."
"Everyone will bet against you, but you'd win everyone of the suckers money , don't mess it up," Cass's warning was stern as can be.
The elevator car clanged open, as usual, its stale air thick with the metallic smell of blood and oil. Calyx stepped inside, his heart beating with excitement. The iron cage sounds seemed to already reach his ears, and with it, the intoxicating, brutal rhythm of survival.
