The two teams had taken their places, each standing on opposite sides of the arena. Piba and Yolden stood within their designated circles, eyes locked forward as Kayzel and Rupert from the Central Academy stepped confidently into theirs.
"Do you have any idea what we should do?" Yolden whispered nervously. "Maybe… maybe we should just take the loss on this one. It's not the main event anyway, so it's not like it matters that much."
But Piba only offered a soft smile in response.
"I don't wish to lose," he said calmly. "And besides, look at the crowd."
Yolden turned, her gaze sweeping across the gathered students and spectators. That's when she noticed them, Bones and Nannan, two more students from the Central Academy, watching from below. They wore subtle smiles, their eyes full of silent judgment.
