The voice boomed once again, this time louder than before, cutting through the air like a thunderclap.
"IF YOU'VE NOT TAKEN YOUR SEATS, RUSH TO THEM NOW, BECAUSE THE SPECTACLE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"
The entire courtyard, once alive with the low hum of excited chatter, fell into a sudden, tense silence.
People scrambled to find their places, eager to witness the event about to unfold.
The smell of dust mixed with the faint scent of blooming flowers from the surrounding gardens, adding a layer of earthy sweetness to the tension in the air.
The sun, low in the sky, bathed the courtyard in a golden hue, casting long shadows across the stone ring at its center.
Spectators, from nobles in their fine robes to common folk in simple tunics, rushed to the rows of benches surrounding the arena, each person eager to claim their view of the action.
In the center of the courtyard, the ring stood stark and unforgiving.
