SAMANTHA
The arena was enormous.
I stood at the edge of the massive outdoor space and I felt my breath catch in my throat as I took in the sight before me. Tall wooden walls rose toward the sky and they were covered in ropes and nets and strange contraptions that I did not recognize. Pits of water glistened in the morning light and they looked deep enough to drown in. Mud pits waited in the shadows and they seemed to swallow the light that touched them. Obstacles stretched across the entire length of the arena and they twisted and turned like a maze designed by a madman.
The crowd was roaring.
Nobles filled the stands on either side of the arena and their voices blended together into a thunderous wave of sound that made my ears ring. They waved banners and they shouted encouragement and they placed bets on which slaves would survive and which slaves would fail.
