The Colosseum of the Sky hung suspended in a moment of cosmic tension, the very fabric of reality still quivering from the near-catastrophic duel between Houdini and Kukai.
The audience, a motley collection of beings from across Naaim and beyond, held their breath collectively, many still adjusting to the sensation of existing in a single, stable form after their brief foray into multidimensional existence.
Alexander the Great's words echoed through the arena, a sobering reminder of the cataclysmic consequences their magical conflict had nearly unleashed.
His gryphon-like form dominated the central stage, wings spread wide, each feather shimmering with the power to reshape worlds.
The tournament's host, once merely an imposing figure, now stood revealed as a cosmic lynchpin, a guardian of the delicate balance that kept Naaim from plunging into chaos.
Across the battlefield of warped reality, Houdini and Kukai faced each other.
