But under the silks, under the wine, their claws were still sharp.
They'd been waiting for a true challenger.
And Ling Yu had stepped into their den.
The third to rise was Lord Hei Guan of the Black Scales faction. A towering man, his frame corded with muscle, his armor fashioned from the hides of slain beasts. His weapon was a massive glaive, nearly as tall as himself, the blade etched with ritual scars.
He leapt from the balcony, the arena floor quaking under his landing.
The crowd roared. Hei Guan was a favorite; he had once slain a wyvern bare-handed, or so the stories claimed.
****
The third to rise was Lord Hei Guan of the Black Scales faction. A towering man, his frame corded with muscle, his armor fashioned from the hides of slain beasts. His weapon was a massive glaive, nearly as tall as himself, the blade etched with ritual scars.
He leapt from the balcony, the arena floor quaking under his landing.
