Davi stepped into the arena just in time to hear the roar of the crowd. At first, he thought they were reacting to the usual pre-fight tension, but then he saw her.
Lina.
Her bangs still shadowed part of her face, but even from here, Davi could see the change. Normally timid, almost withdrawn, she now stood rigid, her grip on her staff so tight her knuckles were white.
Mana pulsed from her like a wave, making the air shimmer faintly. She wasn't just focused; she was furious in a way he had never seen.
And standing across from her, wearing a smug, predatory grin, was Drako Darnell. Flames licked lazily at his fingertips, casting a hungry orange glow over his sharp features.
Then he said something that made her snap, her mana pulsating in anger.
From the sidelines, Davi's jaw tightened. He had never seen her like this before. What the hell did that bastard say to her? he thought.
"The fight can begin!"
