In the distance, but not so far away, two gremlins were engaged in a deadly fight over an anima gem.
For creatures held captive in the cells of the arena, these gems were essential to their survival. They represented more than just a source of power: they were a chance, an opportunity to endure in this ruthless environment where every day was a struggle to see the next.
Originally, there had been six brothers. The eldest had died during their capture, a victim of the hunters' brutality. The remaining five had been thrown into the arena, forced to face its macabre cruelty. Soon after, two more had fallen, consumed by the violence of the fights.
They had quickly understood one thing: fighting together was no guarantee of survival. On the contrary, it only increased the risks. Death seemed inevitable when relying on others. So, they chose to fight alone, every gremlin for himself. A strategy that, while primitive, had kept them alive so far.
But their lack of strategic intelligence doomed them. They didn't understand that unity could have given them a better chance. Instead, each saw the others as rivals to eliminate. Seizing the anima gem from a defeated opponent became their sole obsession.
Now, a new gem was within their reach. It had practically been handed to them on a silver platter. All they had to do was eliminate the hairless creature—the human who had defeated their previous opponent—and claim it.
However, one question tore them apart: who would absorb it?
In their world, the stronger you were, the better your chances of survival. But for creatures whose primal instinct was centered on survival, it was unthinkable to let one of their own grow more powerful and gain an advantage.
And this was their greatest flaw. Their eldest brother had already charged at the human, while they, instead of helping him, were tearing each other apart to determine who would absorb the anima gem.
But as their fratricidal quarrel escalated, their wounds grew more serious. Each strike, every slash, weakened them further, and one of them would not survive this fight.
But which one? No one could tell.
As their fight intensified, the two gremlins were completely oblivious to the danger closing in. Dylan, meanwhile, was still crouched after fending off the first gremlin's attack, furtively watching their quarrel with calculated focus.
He was out of breath, his ribs aching from the earlier impact, but his mind remained sharp. These creatures were fast and brutal, but their lack of coordination and obsession with anima gems were glaring weaknesses he could exploit.
"Fighting like animals... They're willing to die for a single gem," he thought, wiping the sweat from his brow.
He crouched lower, adjusting his stance to stay out of their line of sight. The two gremlins continued to tear into each other, completely unaware of their immediate surroundings. Their absolute priority was that cursed gem.
But Dylan couldn't afford to share their obsession. For him, this wasn't about power or dominance. He was fighting to survive, to see another day in this bloody hell.
However, he hadn't forgotten about the gremlin that had attacked him first. It remained an immediate threat, even if its attention seemed temporarily diverted by the quarrel between its kin. Dylan couldn't be certain whether this creature possessed an anima gem, but its greedy and aggressive behavior suggested as much.
Yet his battle wasn't just physical.
Every movement and every decision carried weight. Dylan knew he had to act quickly and smartly. One misstep, and he could join the many lifeless bodies already littering the arena floor.