Lucen's boots pressed into the floor. Solid contact. Not smooth, just gritty enough that he could feel the pattern of the arena beneath him. Composite stone, reinforced. Probably etched with light mana-locks to keep excess blast friction down.
The glyph wall finished sealing behind him.
The hum kicked in.
Low. Constant.
He didn't need to look at Rikta.
Not yet.
Instead, Lucen rotated his right shoulder once. Slow. Let the tension stretch out.
Across the cage, Rikta cracked his neck twice, rolled his wrists, and smiled like someone about to win a bet he didn't even place.
"Crowd's hot," he said, voice just loud enough to carry across the ring. "Hope you don't mind playing the opening act."
Lucen looked at him for the first time. Briefly.
Then replied, "You talk too much."
Rikta grinned wider. "You gonna be this charming the whole time, or just 'til you hit the wall?"
Lucen flexed his fingers once. The mana trace flared faint, subtle. Already charged.
"Let's find out."
