The arena didn't pretend to be fair. It pretended to be unforgettable.
For the first time in too long, Raizen could see the sky.
Not a clean sky - Neoshima never had one - but it was real. Thick clouds, gray layers, and a thin wash of sunlight leaking through. He hadn't noticed how much he missed it until it was above again.
The Underworks had a ceiling too, technically. You just couldn't see it. Down there, "up" didn't mean anything except for the Tangle.
Up here, it did.
The arena was packed.
Rows of seats climbed in rings around the bowl, full on every level. Students in matching jackets leaned over rails. Old people sat like judges with thermoses and folded arms. Vendors moved through the aisles with trays and loud voices, selling snacks like this was a festival instead of an exam.
