The day of the duel had arrived, and the Citadel buzzed with a tense energy as Outcasts gathered for the rare spectacle. In a quieter corner of the arena, a rookie named Alice exchanged nervous glances with her mentor, Leona, a seasoned veteran with years of battle-hardened experience.
"Why don't they have more duels here?" Alice asked, her voice barely concealing her anxiety.
Leona crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the arena where Constantine and Helena would soon face off. "They used to be common enough. Outcasts have always had our disputes, and duels were the way to settle them. But that changed when Damien Laurent accepted a challenge a few years back."
"What happened?" Alice's eyes widened, already dreading the answer.
Leona's frown deepened. "Damien turned his opponent into a vegetable. The Assembly didn't dare intervene. And why would they? Damien can wipe out the entire Assembly if he wanted to. The man's untouchable."
