The hall was already vibrating before I took my first step inside.
A surging sea of voices bouncing off concrete walls, music that didn't simply play but pounded—like heartbeats that weren't mine. The smell of sweat and metal mingled with the sweet, greasy haze of popcorn and energy drinks.
Displays flashed everywhere. Camera flashes flickered as if trying to prove they had been here. Even the neon light on the ceiling flickered restlessly, as if it couldn't handle the tension.
Fiona pushed through the crowd ahead of me, Jonas followed closely, and Mira already had her camera raised, her gaze fixed through the viewfinder, as if she could only breathe where a frame separated her from everything.
"Over there!" Fiona grabbed my wrist, and we fought our way to the barrier. The metal railing vibrated under the boots of spectators, every movement electrified.
I had to hold on to avoid being swept away.
The ring lay just a few meters away.
