Kim sat, pressing his trembling hand against his chest, and whispered to himself:
— "I am no longer the victim… but what have I become?"
It wasn't long before the heavy doors thundered open, a surge of crimson light flooding into the cell, carried on the roar of the crowd.
The warden smiled coldly, pointing at him:
— "Get up… it's time for the real show. The Master wants to see your blood dancing in the arena."
Kim was dragged outside, and the air shifted at once.
It wasn't the air of the ordinary city anymore—it was a blend of metallic smoke and the stench of old blood clinging to the earth. The arena towered around him like colossal walls, the crowd screaming and laughing, craving the moment of his fall.
Suddenly, the torches went out for a few seconds, then reignited—unveiling the troupe:
1. Zaro – The Blood Sorcerer
He stood at the center, sliding his fingers across a thin dagger. Droplets of blood floated in the air like fiery orbs awaiting his command. His eyes burned red with a devilish gleam.
2. Mayra – The Silent Minstrel
Seated on a black stone, her twisted guitar in her hands. She didn't utter a word, yet a single note from her strings made one of the guards stagger back clutching his head.
3. Drik – The Bone Breaker
A massive figure, bare-chested, wielding a colossal iron hammer. Every step he took shook the ground. He grinned, waving at Kim as though eager to hear the sound of his bones shatter.
4. Felix – The Serpent's Shadow
He didn't appear outright, but slithered among the darkness. His eyes glimmered with a poisonous green. Whispers crawled around Kim's ears: "Ruin… is near… ruin… is near…"
The crowd roared in unison:
— "Anthem of Ruin! Anthem of Ruin!"
From the high balcony, the Master rose, his voice cutting through the chaos:
— "Kim… your past victims fell to ruin and escape, but today… today you face the Four. If you survive, I will grant you what no one has ever dreamed of. If you die… let your end be a spectacle worthy of your filthy blood."
Kim lifted his head, his eyes ablaze. The collar tightened around his neck, yet it did not choke him. The shadows stirred at his feet as if awaiting his command.
A cold smile curved on his lips as he declared for all to hear:
— "I no longer seek the light… and I will not be prey to your darkness. Anthem of Ruin? Very well… I'll turn it into the melody of your deaths."
The crowd froze for a heartbeat—then erupted with deafening screams.
Zaro laughed deeply, unleashing the first thread of blood, twisting through the air like a crimson serpent. Drik swung his hammer high, Mayra strummed her first haunting note, and Felix hissed in his ear from nowhere:
— "Death… has begun…"
And so the arena ignited… and the bloody spectacle began.