The arena thrummed under eternal night, transformed by Alexander’s cunning condition into a shadowed predator’s domain—velvet-black sky arched infinite overhead, ablaze with diamond-sharp constellations wheeling slow and the twin moons casting silvery-blue pools across the ochre sands.

Their glow fracturing into prismatic shards on embedded quartz flecks that crunched underfoot like brittle stars.

Massive marble pillars loomed taller in the gloom, etched friezes of ancient alphas now ghostly silhouettes, braziers roaring higher with crimson flames that spat embers skyward, painting the pit in flickering orange veins—deep umbral hollows swallowing corners, unpredictable moon-shadows twisting footing treacherous for the heavy-footed, perfect for swift darts and ambuscades.

Silk banners hung limp in still air heavy with incense and tension, nobles’ faces pallid masks in the low light, their murmurs a distant hive-drone as omegas clutched arms nervously from shaded alcoves.

Alexander stood unyielding at the pit’s edge, lithe form etched dramatic in moonlight—midnight-blue leathers clinging like liquid night to his frame, mythril threads glinting faint as he flexed gloved fingers around his chosen arms.

The curved obsidian dagger wicked-sharp in his left, single-headed war hammer balanced lethal in his right, its blunt head etched with momentum runes now dormant under binding.

He took a deep breath—summoning all his attention for the upcoming fight. The massive star-lily crown bloomed luminous atop silver waves, ethereal beacon amid encroaching dark.

A young page—nervous omega with wide hazel eyes and trembling hands—approached hesitant, bit-gag clutched in white-knuckled grip, his simple tunic quaking before the future emperor’s radiance.

"Please open your mouth wide, Your Highness. I am so sorry to do this to you," he said in a shaky whisper, his boyish face full of regret, cheeks turning bright red as he held up the rune-etched leather strap, the silver ball gleaming cold in the moonlight.

"It’s okay."

"This is the old tradition, but it feels so unfair for someone as strong as you. Just open if you can, and it will be quick."

Alexander let out a sharp sigh through his nose, his eyes full of anger at the unfair rule—alphas always silenced omegas like this, treating them worse than beasts, all under the name of honor.

He opened his full lips without a word, his teeth grinding as the cold metal bit slid in and pressed his tongue flat.

The straps buckled tight behind his head, and magic sealed it with a soft hum. Now muffled, he shot one last angry glare and walked to the center of the sands, feeling the quartz bite into his boot soles.

Count Jennife waited across from him, her huge Greatsword drawn, its blade eating up the light like a black hole.

"Your Highness," Jennife said with a slow, smug drawl, her gray eyes looking him up and down from his boots to the star-lily crown, ignoring how beautiful he was. She spread her boots wide, her armor creaking like old stone.

Alexander snorted, rolling his eyes as he released some muffled curses. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Fuuccckkk yooouuu..."

"Let us see if you are all talk behind that pretty face, or if you have real teeth under all that beauty. You make half the nobles here weak just by standing there, but show me your strength in this sand before I step on you and end this like the weak thing you are."

Alexander glared at her like he wanted to kill her, a low growl stuck in his throat from the gag—a faint ’mmph!’ slipping out anyway.

He gripped his dagger and hammer so hard the leather creaked, the star-lily petals shaking as he crouched low, ready to move, shadows hiding his sides like a cloak.

The referee, dressed in rune-marked leather, lifted two flags high, his voice sharp like a crack. "Are you both ready down there? No backing out, no mercy, no stopping until one of you lies broken in the sand. This is your last chance to walk away."

"Yes, I am ready. I am hungry for this fight, and I want to see blood on these sands. Come at me," Jennife said with a bark, rolling her wide shoulders until her armor clanked loud against the pillars, swinging her Greatsword loose and easy.

Alexander gave one quick nod, his body tight like a bow, his weapons ready and smooth.

"Then fight like wild animals. Begin now!" The flags dropped fast. A huge gong rang deep from the pillars, shaking the sands like the ground itself was alive.

Jennife smiled like a wolf and ran at him like a charging bull, her greatsword swinging side to side, cutting the air with a whistle that promised death in the moonlight. "It is time for you to break prettily, princess."

Alexander slipped left into a shadow from the moon, his boots soft on the quartz as he faked a high swing with the hammer.

Clang—the hammer hit her guard and sparked like fireworks, while his dagger cut low at her thigh armor with a sharp screech. "That weak little hit from a soft palace pet—is that all you have in you?" she laughed loud and mean, then kicked hard.

Her iron boot hit his stomach like a shot from a cannon, sending him sliding back five steps through the shining sand, his breath bursting out in a muffled ’hnnngh!’ from the gag.

He rolled smooth to his feet before she could reach him, but Jennife jumped after him without stop. Her fists came down like a hammer from a forge, hitting his jaw as he ducked—crunch—his silver hair flying as he hit the sand on his back, quartz cutting through his leathers like sharp teeth, stars exploding in his green eyes.

The nobles all gasped together, one duchess falling faint into her soft clothes.

From far away in the royal box, Elaine watched with a blank face, arms crossed tight over her chest, her ice-blue eyes like stone.

"He is a fool to rush in like that without a real plan. He should have known she would beat him down hard," she said flat to her quiet helper beside her, her voice cold with no surprise or care.

Alexander got up slow, blood in his mouth under the gag, his ribs burning like fire. His dagger lay ten feet to the left, hammer to the right in the sparkling quartz. "Crawl like a worm for your little toys, princess. Beg me with those big eyes, and maybe I let you keep some teeth,"

Jennife said with a sneer, running to block him, her Greatsword up high to smash down like it could break rocks.

But Alexander burst low like a shadow darting in the moonlight.

He faked right for the hammer, rolled left into the dark under a pillar, grabbed the dagger as he tumbled with a muffled snarl through the gag, and slashed her leg armor—screech—dark blood starting to flow in the night light.