..... A fair frail neck held tight between the grip of a huge, clawed hand..
The neck's owner struggling in agony, his feet now on the same level with his opponent's - or rather - his tormentor's knee. With both hands struggling to break free but the harder he tried , the tighter the hug between the beast's fingers and his neck became. - Indeed a one-sided love story.
His eyes were almost popping out. Blood dripping continuously from his mouth as he gasped for air. The clayey earth beneath him now redder than ever.
Roars of Cheers filled the Arena.
'Hail Kaelos'
'Hail Kaelos'
'Rise Kaelos'
'Hail Champion'
Hail, the king of Beasts"
This marked the 44th edition of ' Dragon's gauntlet', an annual competition which drew the greatest warriors from different towns, villages, sects and clans in Azzuria- an ancient world of diverse beings, with some possessing extraordinary powers.
So, the first round had just begun. A match staging Kaelos, the famed king of the beasts against an unnamed gladiator with this match being his debut.
'RAWRRRRRRRRR',
Kaelos responded to the applause and cheers
Whereas his opponent who was on the brink of collapse was unaware of his surrounding. At that moment, he had already stopped struggling.
'RAWRRRRRR'
Kaelos roared once more,
then spun around with incredible force before hurling him like a discus, finally releasing him from that crushing terrifying grip.
His victim was sent flying backwards. At that moment the cheering grew louder.
'Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!'
'Woohoo'
' Nice move'
'Incredible'
' Brilliant '
'Finish him '
And just as when they thought the match was already over...
Something unexpected happened..
The figure stopped mid air, his previously dead eyes now filled with white holy light.
Man was like a god deity at this moment as he stood comfortably on air.
The previous cheers and chants immediately switched to a deafening silence.The sound of silence was so loud.
All mouths in the arena were wide open in shock, an expression of total disbelief plastered on their faces. Amidst this sea of shock, Kaelos stood out, his expression a picture of even a greater astonishment.
W...Wh..What just happ...' but before Kaelos could finish his words he felt a formidable and unwelcomed force rip through him. A gaping hole burst open on his armored chest exposing torn flesh that splattered to the earth. Dude was so shocked he didn't even realize he had been attacked with a direct punch or had the attack been too lightning fast to see? Either way the damage was done.
In an instant, Kaelos' knees buckled, dropping to the ground with a resounding thud. He fell forward, his face smashing into the earth, his body splayed out in a pose that looked almost like worship. And with that, his life slipped away.
The figure before him hovered motionless in mid air, then its white eyes dimmed and he plummeted to the earth. As it hit the ground smoke began to curl up from his frail body.
The whole arena remained silent. They couldn't comprehend the scene before them no matter how hard they tried. For a moment, it felt like they had just witnessed David and Goliath - the remake.
Without warning, minuscule cracks erupted from the spot where the unnamed gladiator fell, their tiny fissures spreading like a swarm of invisible insects.
The spectators remained oblivious to the tiny cracks until they began to climb up the arena stands, like a slow-moving, jagged tide. Then, the silence was shattered by a lone voice, a spectator in the front row yelling, ''Look!' It's spreading ''
Another panicked voice chimed in " The arena's collapsing"
In an instant the whole arena erupted into chaos.What began as minuscule cracks, resembling tiny insects, rapidly escalated into a colossal, all-consuming force, swallowing everything in its path like a ravenous whale.
The arena was choked with cries and screams, which had taken the place of oxygen, leaving the air thick with panic and fear.
--------
In the Dragon Empire
A stunning young woman with flawless curves stood poised on the immaculately tiled floor, her slender hands clasped behind her back. Her large, striking eyes were fixed intently on the majestic Oracle Mirror before her. This ancient relic was said to possess the power to reveal any event or scene unfolding in the mystical realm of Azzuria. Whispers also spoke of its ability to unveil visions of the future and reveal the destinies of those who dared to gaze into its depths.
The Oracle Mirror's mystical powers were now being harnessed by the ruling overlords of Azzuria, who were utilizing it to keep a watchful eye on the thrilling Dragon Gauntlet tournament, a spectacle that always captivated the entire realm.
"Are you just going to stand there, frozen in shock, or are you actually going to do something?" A younger lady behind her urged, her voice tinged with impatience.
With a subtle smile, Princess Lucy of the Dragon Empire turned to face her sister, Princess Lux, and replied, "And who said I'm shocked?"
''You're smiling while the 'Arena Vox' is crumbling", Lux said, her tone laced with urgency.
"They don't deserve to be called Azzurians if they can't handle something as little as this..besides I believe we have great warriors there'', Lucy replied.
"Is this how you intend to rule Azzuria in the future?" Lux asked. "Besides, if Father hears of this, do you—"
"Shut up!" Lucy cut her off.
"If you wish to interfere, I won't stop you," Lucy said seriously. "But don't expect me to take responsibility if something happens to you."
Lux snorted in disgust. "Fine, I'll handle it myself!" She turned and stormed towards the palace door.
"Remember, keep your identity hidden," Lucy warned hastily.
Lux rolled her eyes and snapped back, "I'm not a child anymore, Lucy. I can take care of myself!" She continued walking away.
Lucy's voice took on a stern tone. "You'd do well to show more respect when speaking to me, your older sister."
But Lux was already out the door, not bothering to listen to Lucy's words. She didn't care.
The grand halls of the Dragon Palace fell silent, with only Lucy and a few guards remaining. Shaking her head, Lucy whispered, "She never learns." With a sigh, she flopped down onto her throne, her royal demeanor momentarily relaxed.
Lucy's eyes locked onto a guard by the door. "You, follow her," she ordered, her voice low and serious. "Make sure she's safe. Not a single scratch or else ...." Her pointing finger drove home the warning.
''Y.. Y.es , your highness '' the guard stammered noticing the unspoken threat in Princess Lucy's command.
.
...
In Arena Vox
Panic gripped the arena as the chaos escalated to new heights. The Vox guards, tasked with maintaining order and safety, were now fighting for their own survival. Spectators near the arena's edge were driven by fear to leap over the high walls, some landing with severe injuries while others met an instant, tragic end.
Meanwhile, in the prefight chamber, the toll was devastating. Half of the warriors had been crushed to death, their lives lost in an instant. Those with extraordinary abilities managed to escape, but not without suffering injuries.
In the midst of the chaos, two combatants lay motionless in the Main Arena - one confirmed dead, the other unconscious. But as the earth began to swallow them whole, it was unclear what fate had befallen them. After all, one of them had triggered the earth's wrath.
Just as the scene seemed frozen in chaos, a mysterious figure stepped out from a shimmering arcane portal.