The afternoon sun blazed down on Ring 1 as the second Semi-Final matchup was called over the Grand Colosseum’s public address system. The air inside the stadium was electric with excitement. Over one hundred and twenty thousand spectators were packed into the ancient granite tiers, their eyes glued to the northern gates where Scion Aurelius Valerius and Sol-Invictus were scheduled to face Titan-Gate Academy.
SEMI-FINALS // MATCH 02: VALERIUS PRIME ACADEMY VERSUS TITAN-GATE ACADEMY.
Arthur Vance, Instructor Valerie, and Toby stood in the lower scouting nook beneath the western grandstand. She watched the arena floor through heavy sight watching slits. Next to Arthur, Grimm sat in calm vigilance, his black glass fangs resting against his black jowls. Meanwhile, Vesper sat perched on the low concrete railing, her golden eyes scanning the opposing ranks with cold, calculating interest.
Titan-Gate Academy was the premier defense academy of the Western Frontier, fielding three heavily armored cadets led by Captain Marcus Stone.
Between them stood their champion: an ancient, eight-ton Obsidian Mountain Golem. The beast was a huge, walking castle of linked fiery dark rock and magnetic iron ore. Its massive chest plate was heavy with ancient ward-carvings that absorbed sixty percent of all incoming elemental mana.
