Its aura spread like an invisible serpent slithering through the shadows of the arena, slow, patient, venomous. It slithered through every crack, passing between the columns, slithering between the feet of the warriors. The weak noticed nothing; they were like prey that didn't feel the beast's gaze until it was too late. But the strong... the strong felt it. And that was the real fun.
A young man in light armor, with disheveled hair and labored breathing, shivered at the touch of that presence. Immediately, he lowered his gaze, trying to hide the fire burning in his mana. Another, a huge man with scars crisscrossing his neck, looked up and took a deep breath, as if he had just borne the weight of an invisible chain. A third, thinner, almost frail, bit his lip and frowned, his mana vibrating in complex patterns, too refined for his frail appearance.
