Several students descended to the arena.
The ground wasn't solid like that of the previous courtyard. It was covered by a layer of sand... but not common sand. The color was dark purple, with denser variations that seemed to absorb light instead of reflecting it. Each step left a mark that took time to disappear, as if the material had some internal resistance before settling again.
Aku advanced a few meters into the terrain and stopped.
Bīng Xuě crouched down, took some between his fingers, and let it fall.
"It's heavy," he commented.
Gerald said nothing. He stayed near the edge, looking at the ground with some discomfort.
The group finished entering.
Then the arena moved.
It wasn't a vibration. It was a localized displacement. Several areas of the ground sank slightly, as if something were sliding underneath. The shadows projected on the surface changed shape, elongating without the light source varying.
From one of those points, a figure emerged.
First, a hand.
