Lillian shrugged, though the gesture was more defensive than casual. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "I don't know. Besides, no one's ever actually seen the Ghost Beast. Asher and Ren thought it was just a myth. So, there's room for doubt."
She crossed her arms more tightly, as though trying to hold herself together. "Maybe Mondanza just wants to manipulate them into accepting the deal—to force them into joining him. It's a psychological tactic. Create a threat that may not even exist, make them desperate enough to accept any alternative."
Jane tilted her head, her expression darkening slightly. The screen's light cast deep shadows under her eyes, making her look older, more haggard. "I don't think Lord Vutagon Mondanza is the type to bluff."
She drummed her fingers against the armrest in a nervous rhythm, the sound barely audible over the ambient hum of the screen. "He does what he says he's going to do. That's what makes him so dangerous—he doesn't need to exaggerate or embellish. His reputation is built on follow-through."
The words settled between them like stones, heavy with implication.
The screen flickered—a sudden shift that made both women straighten, their attention snapping back to full focus. The feed cut abruptly from the cell block where Cipher and Nova sat in their contemplative silence.
Then a new image emerged, resolving from the digital snow.
The Dark Pit Arena swelled with a vast audience—spectators, warriors, gamblers, and mercenaries alike, all drawn to the ruthless spectacle. The air was thick with anticipation, with greed, with bloodlust. Their chants thundered through the cavernous space, but they knew—the real event had yet to begin. This was only the appetizer. The main course was about to be served.
A restless murmur rippled through the crowd. Then, as if summoned by their collective hunger, two figures emerged—Lord Vutagon Mondanza and Lucius Vance. The arena erupted. Men and women stood in unison, saluting their entrance, roaring their admiration.
"Here they come!" someone from the crowd shouted, their voice raw with excitement. "The real men of power. Born to rule!"
Lord Vutagon Mondanza and Lucius Vance acknowledged their audience with slow waves, their gestures effortless yet commanding. The crowd responded with cheers that shook the foundations of the pit. They took their respective thrones. Mondanza lifted his hand, beckoning his right-hand man. Ludaman appeared instantly.
"Bring the treasures," Mondanza ordered, his voice calm but absolute.
"Yes, my Lord." Ludaman bowed before swiftly taking his leave.
Lord Vutagon Mondanza rose from his seat. His movement alone was enough to silence the crowd.
"Good evening, everyone." His voice was deep, steady. "Welcome to the Dark Pits. Yesterday was merely an appetizer. Today? Today, we feast."
The crowd exploded.
And then—they arrived. Nova, Asher, Ren, and Cipher were dragged forward.
---
Meanwhile, on future Earth, Lillian and Jane lay side by side, eyes locked on the smart TV mounted on the wall. Neither could look away.
"I have a really bad feeling about this," Jane muttered, hugging her legs to her chest. "How will Cipher and her companions get out of this?"
Lillian sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah… I fear for Cipher."
The words hung between them as their gazes remained fixed on the screen.
---
Back in the Dark Pit of Darensia, Lord Vutagon Mondanza stood tall.
"Today, the stakes are higher," he declared, his smirk barely concealing his delight. "This is going to be a defining moment for some… and a moment of despair for others."
Asher, Ren, and Nova were shoved onto the arena floor.
"You all remember these three, don't you?" Mondanza asked, sweeping his gaze across the eager crowd.
"YES!" the audience roared in unison.
Lord Vutagon Mondanza grinned. "Very well. Some of you gambled your wealth—your gold, diamonds, sapphires, and other precious stones—and walked away smiling, didn't you?"
A wave of cheers followed.
"Luck was on your side." His voice darkened slightly, teasing the crowd's emotions. "But today… We have something extra. A special token." He turned toward Cipher.
"She claims to be from future Earth." His words dripped with mockery. "She says she is here to save the Karian Kingdom from the vampires."
The crowd hissed, their voices layered with skepticism and amusement.
"So!" Lord Vutagon Mondanza continued, his eyes glinting with amusement. "She will replace Nova Velasquez, palace beauty and warrior. She will join Ren and Asher in battle."
A dramatic pause.
"And they will face…"
The pit stirred. The crowd exploded in manic anticipation.
"Only one opponent."
Silence stretched for a breath. Then—
"THE GHOST BEAST!"
The arena detonated into chaos. Chants. Screams. Laughs of bloodlust.
"Give them their weapons," Mondanza ordered smoothly.
Soldiers rushed forward. For Ren—a pair of twin daggers. For Asher—a deadly blade. For Nova—a Kartana blade.
And Cipher? She was tied to the wooden pivot—just as Nova had been yesterday. The sand clock was set. The countdown had begun.
Lord Vutagon Mondanza leaned forward, a twisted grin curling his lips as he surveyed the restless, roaring crowd. His voice rang out, booming over the thunderous cheers.
"Who will be the victor? The two heroes of the Karian Kingdom—Ren and Nova—alongside the lone vampire hunter?" His smirk widened. "Or my fury—THE GHOST BEAST?"
The crowd erupted into chaos, voices colliding like waves in a storm.
"Tonight, it's simple—either you go home rich, or you go broke!" Mondanza declared, stretching his arms in grand spectacle. "Now, I urge you—place your bets!"
With that, he sank into his highest vantage point in the arena—a grand throne-like seat, overseeing the entire battlefield. Below them, the deep canal churned, the murky waters barely revealing the sinister creatures lurking beneath—alligators, prowling silently, awaiting their next meal. Their presence served as a chilling reminder: defeat meant death.
---
Nova clenched her fists, turning toward Asher and Ren. "We have to escape this dungeon—while we're all here."
Ren and Asher exchanged glances before both shaking their heads. Asher spoke first, his voice sharp but firm.
"Lady Palace, Nova... there is no escape from this purgatory. We've gone through every option." His jaw tightened. "The only thing we can do is fight. And fight to live on."
Nova, disbelieving, flicked her gaze to Ren, searching for something—hope, an alternative. His eyes held none.
"He's right," Ren muttered. "We just have to fight." His eyes scanned the towering walls, the thick stone, the iron-barred gates—the Dark Pit Arena, an unforgiving battleground, built to break even the strongest of warriors. "This place is a fortress," Ren continued, his tone grim. "A graveyard waiting for its next victim."
Nova's spirit cracked, the weight of reality pressing down.
Asher exhaled, shaking his head. "Then let's refuse to be its victims." He motioned toward the crowd, their chants deafening, their movements rabid. "Look at them." His voice was calm, but edged with fire. "They thrive on violence. Their cheers shake the walls. Their hunger for carnage fills the air."
Nova swallowed hard.
"If this is the day we breathe our last," Asher continued, his voice unwavering, "then let's show these brutes that the soul of a human doesn't die so easily." He turned toward Ren. "Don't just give up."
---
Up in the high thrones, Lucius Vance leaned toward Mondanza, whispering. "Do you think they can survive this?"
Lord Vutagon Mondanza only laughed—a cruel, guttural sound that echoed through the pit.
"The Ghost Beast speaks for itself." His voice dripped with amusement. "A beast forged in the heart of hell. If they survive it—" he paused, eyes glittering, "they will survive anything on this planet."
Lucius remained quiet, absorbing the words.
"Not even the vampires that threaten our humanity could touch them." Lord Vutagon Mondanza's smirk returned, dark with promise. "But tell me, Lucius—" His voice was barely above a murmur now. "Do you truly think they will survive?"
Lucius didn't answer. Because deep down—he already knew.