The aftermath of the battle felt strangely quiet. Not because the arena was silent, it was far from it.
Thousands of spectators still filled the stands. Candidates still fought. Referees still shouted instructions. The tournament continued moving forward.
Yet for Thane, everything felt distant.
The giant stood beside Sky and Rimon as healers carried them away.
His body ached, his face was swollen.
Blood had dried across his nose and chin. The loss sat heavily in his chest.
Not because he had been defeated, but because he had failed.
The rules had been clear: protect your teammates.
Win as a team, and despite throwing Donovan out of the arena with his own hands, he had still lost.
The realization irritated him a lot. Still, when he heard the next announcement, his eyes brightened.
"Good." Thane cracked his knuckles. "Now I can fight the sword guy. I'll win this at any cost."
Unfortunately, reality disagreed. The referee immediately pointed at him. "Stand down."
