The first scream erupted… but it wasn't from the monsters—it was from one of the prisoners. A creature from the "Blood Wastes" lunged at him with terrifying speed, shattering his shield and breaking his sword in a single blow. His scream died quickly, his body falling motionless.
Sohan gasped, but his feet wouldn't move. The blood in his veins turned to ice. The creatures moved unnaturally, their limbs twisted, their skin cracked and oozing dark smoke. They made no sound, only soft exhales like hell's breath.
"Stay steady…" he whispered inside himself.
One of the other prisoners, a large young man named Kalor, charged forward, screaming as he attacked one of the creatures with his sword. But another monster came from behind, drove its claws into his neck, and dragged him away like a broken doll.
"They don't fight like us… It's like they can smell fear."
Sohan scanned the arena. Two female prisoners managed to kill one of the beasts after a brutal fight, but one was bleeding, and the other was gasping for air.
The shield in Sohan's hand felt heavier than ever, but he raised it, backing up until his back hit the wall. He watched, moving cautiously. One of the creatures noticed him and began to crawl toward him slowly, four glowing red eyes fixed on him.
"No time for fear now… Move!"
He let out a wild scream and leapt forward, sword slicing the air, slashing at the creature's neck. It didn't die—it recoiled, then lunged again.
He blocked with his shield, feeling his bones vibrate from the impact. He stabbed its chest, then another strike to the neck… The creature writhed, then froze.
Breathing was hard. Sohan couldn't believe he'd survived his first encounter.
Then, the voice from above echoed again, that same terrifying triple-toned speech:
"Preliminary results: Four have fallen. Three remain. Continue..."
But something changed…
From the center of the arena, a wall split open, and a different creature emerged. Massive, taller than the rest, covered in black bone armor, a single green eye glowing in the middle of its forehead.
One of the female prisoners whispered, trembling:
"A second-grade beast? That's impossible!"
Sohan stared at it, feeling the very air grow heavy. The creature locked eyes with him.
"This isn't a test… They're trying to kill us."
But deep within his heart, there was no surrender… Only something else beginning to awaken.