Silas, Jace, and Lyra followed the throng of contestants down a long, dimly lit hallway. The air grew thick with tension as they descended deeper into the bowels of the alien colosseum.
The walls, slick with an iridescent sheen, pulsed with an eerie bio-luminescence that cast strange shadows on the faces of their fellow competitors.
They emerged into a vast chamber that could only be described as a locker room, though it bore little resemblance to anything from their world. Rows of strange, organic-looking pods lined the walls, each one seemingly alive and pulsating with energy.
A booming voice echoed through the chamber, its words translated into a cacophony of languages. "Contestants, prepare yourselves! Choose your equipment wisely, for it may be the difference between glory and oblivion."
Silas exchanged glances with Jace and Lyra. They huddled together in a corner, away from the eager and sometimes hostile gazes of the other competitors.
