The trial chamber, with its carved stone walls and polished slab floor, erupted into a whirlwind of activity after Grandmaster Kael's words.
"Boys, prep the arena."
With that single command, several clan members sprang into action with an efficiency that surprised Charles.
Some kids in brown tunics, clearly earth-control experts, knelt in the room's center.
Others, in gray tunics, manually removed ceramic tiles, stacking them neatly in a corner.
Then, the brown-tunic kids raised their hands, and the ground beneath began to tremble.
Rumbl!
With coordinated movements, they shaped a compact dirt platform, about ten meters wide, perfect for an impromptu fight.
Charles watched in silence.
'Wow,' he thought, 'these guys don't mess around. Are we really fighting here and now?'
The crowd, seated on stone benches, buzzed with excitement.
Some seemed thrilled for the show, while others, like Toren Vask, glared at Rian with contempt.
