The sands of the central ring were coarse, ground from crushed dark rock and treated with aether-dampening resins to withstand high-explosive impacts. Arthur and his squad stepped onto the southern outer edge. Then, fifty thousand spectators in the lower tiers leaned forward. He murmured in amused confusion.
Across from them, thirty paces away, stood the vanguard squad of Black-Iron Polytechnic. Their three tamers were heavily armored shock troopers clad in dull gunmetal plate. They carried heavy riot-shields and air-powered stun-hammers. In front of their formation stood two massive, five-ton Chitinous Siege-Bulls covered in overlapping plates of dark iron back shell, their heavy curved horns crackling with yellow striking force. Behind the bulls crouched an eight-meter Earth-Drake, its thick, scaly tail sweeping the sand like a wrecking ball.
“Look at that Ironfang lineup,” an arena commentator chuckled over the public broadcast speakers. “One commoner hound with an F-Rank pedigree, a medium-sized raptor, and an overgrown pond tortoise. Black-Iron Polytechnic fields seven tons of fortified armor plate. Unless Ironfang’s cadet has a pocket artillery piece, this match should conclude inside ninety seconds.”
“Combatants ready!” the field referee shouted, raising a green signal flare. “Three... Two... One... ENGAGE!”
The flare hissed into the sky.
