The training ground buzzed with divine energy, the air thick with tension. Students and gods alike gathered around the circular arena, the polished obsidian floor reflecting the midday sunlight. Floating stone pillars surrounded the perimeter, engraved with ancient runes that flickered dimly beneath the harsh light.
Raizel sat on one of the higher stone ledges, legs crossed, his elbow resting lazily on his knee. His crimson eyes, half-lidded and cold, drifted toward the center of the arena where Dante and Orion stood—facing down two towering gods who radiated deadly intent.
One was massive, his muscles corded with divine strength. He carried a war hammer that radiated a golden glow. The other was lean and sharp, with silver gauntlets crackling with pale blue lightning. Their gazes were predatory, the way a wolf eyes a wounded animal.
Raizel's gaze darkened. Lucien's doing.
"You two sure you're ready for this?" the larger god rumbled, his voice like grinding stone.
Orion stepped forward confidently, placing himself protectively in front of Dante. "Ready? I was born ready." He grinned. "Come at me!"
The smaller god smirked. "Suit yourself."
A blur of silver and blue shot across the arena.
Before Orion could even react, the smaller god disappeared and reappeared behind him, driving his gauntlet into Orion's back with a surge of lightning. Orion's body convulsed violently before he was hurled across the arena like a rag doll. He slammed into a stone pillar, shattering it on impact. Dust and rubble rained down.
Dante's eyes widened in horror. "Orion!"
Orion coughed blood and forced himself to stand. "T-That's all you've got?" He tried to laugh, but his knees buckled.
The larger god was already in front of Dante before he could process what happened.
"Stay still, mortal."
The war hammer came down. Dante managed to raise his arms in a weak attempt to block—
CRASH!
The hammer connected with Dante's arms. The bones in his forearm shattered with a sickening crunch. Dante screamed as his body was driven into the ground, the impact creating a small crater beneath him.
Raizel's gaze sharpened. His hand slid toward the edge of the ledge.
Dante tried to crawl away, but the larger god stepped on his back, pressing him into the dirt.
"You're weak," the god sneered. "Pathetic."
"Get off him!"
Orion roared, shooting forward. His fist—crackling with divine energy—swung toward the god's face.
The smaller god appeared in front of Orion mid-attack, catching his fist easily. A spark of lightning flickered.
BOOM!
Orion's arm bent unnaturally backward as the smaller god twisted it. Then he drove his knee into Orion's chest—ribs cracked—before grabbing him by the neck and slamming him into the ground.
Blood trickled from Orion's mouth as his head lolled back. His body twitched weakly.
Dante lifted his head. His breath came out in painful gasps. His arms trembled as he tried to rise. "O-Orion…"
The larger god raised his war hammer above Dante's head, golden energy gathering at the tip.
"Let's see if you can survive this."
The hammer started to fall.
Raizel's eyes narrowed.
The aura around him pulsed—dark, frigid, sharp like broken glass. The air became heavier. Oxygen harder to breathe. The runes around the arena dimmed.
Raizel's lips curled back into a dangerous snarl. His hand twitched at his side. Power began to hum beneath his skin, ice-cold and absolute.
The moment the hammer fell, he would step in—he would rip these insects apart limb by limb—
A low growl vibrated through his mind.
Raizel's pupils contracted. His breathing hitched.
Fenrir.
The growl echoed through his mind, low and guttural, vibrating through his very soul. He saw the shape of Fenrir's crimson eyes in his mind—calm and cold.
Calm down.
Raizel's chest rose and fell rapidly. His nails bit into his palms, drawing blood. His aura flared dangerously. Dark tendrils curled upward from his skin, twisting unnaturally.
The growl deepened. A gentle wave of darkness brushed against his mind. A quiet reminder of restraint.
Raizel's jaw tightened. Slowly, his fingers relaxed. His aura dimmed. The air eased.
The hammer stopped inches from Dante's face. The larger god sneered and turned away.
From across the arena, Lucien stood watching, golden eyes gleaming. A thin smile touched his lips.
He saw it.
Lucien's smile sharpened as he slowly walked toward Raizel.
"You care about them," Lucien murmured, his voice low and amused.
Raizel's gaze sharpened dangerously. "Tread carefully."
Lucien's smile widened. He leaned in slightly. "I'll make sure to exploit that in the tournament."
Raizel's eyes flashed. For a brief second, the temperature in the arena dropped to freezing. Frost crept along the obsidian floor beneath Raizel's feet.
Lucien chuckled. "Looking forward to it, Raizel."
Lucien turned and walked away, his golden hair catching the dim light. Raizel's gaze lingered on his back until Lucien disappeared into the crowd.
Orion stumbled toward Dante, helping him to his feet. Dante winced, clutching his arm.
"Master…" Orion looked toward Raizel with awe.
Raizel's gaze remained dark. His fingers twitched at his side. He stood and turned away without a word.
In the dim hallway beneath the training grounds, Lucien's footsteps echoed against the cold stone. The two gods who had brutalized Dante and Orion stood at attention before him, their heads slightly bowed.
Lucien's gaze was dark now—calculated.
"You both performed well."
The smaller god smiled. "They were pathetic."
Lucien's gaze sharpened. He extended his hand. His palm glowed faintly with golden light.
The larger god's eyes widened as the light crawled up his arm, embedding itself into his flesh. The smaller god gritted his teeth as the golden light burned into his veins.
"Consider this a gift," Lucien said coolly. "You'll need it in the tournament."
The larger god flexed his hand as golden light flickered beneath his skin. The smaller god's eyes glowed faintly.
Lucien's golden eyes flashed.
"And when the time comes… you know what to do."
Both gods knelt. "Yes, my lord."
Lucien smiled.
Raizel stood at the edge of the training ground, hands in his pockets, gazing up at the night sky.
Fenrir's growl lingered in his mind—calm and reassuring.
Behind him, Dante and Orion were slumped against the wall, still recovering.
Lucien's words drifted through his mind: "I'll make sure to exploit that in the tournament."
Raizel's eyes narrowed.
Try it.
His lips curled into a dangerous smirk.
"Let's see who breaks first."