With the first test out of the way, now came the "some people might actually die" portion of the day.
Commander Korvo stood in the center of the arena, looking like he'd just remembered the funniest joke about student mortality. Behind him, cages covered in heavy cloth lined the platform. Something inside one of them screeched. Another rattled its bars hard enough to make the metal groan.
"Listen up, you soft-bellied children!" Korvo's voice boomed even without magical amplification. The man had some lungs on him. "The combat test has been modified this semester. You won't be fighting each other."
A wave of relief passed through the crowd.
"You'll be fighting these."
He yanked the cloth off the nearest cage.
The relief evaporated.
Inside was something that looked like a wolf had hate-fucked a scorpion and their offspring had anger management issues. It had too many teeth, a tail that dripped something green, and eyes that promised violence in several creative ways.
