The arena wasn't real. Not like the world outside, anyway. Beneath their boots, neon grids flickered like a heartbeat, lines of electric green and violet tracing paths across the ground. Towering holographic spires shattered the sky into jagged shards of light, their glow slicing the horizon into fractured brilliance. The air hummed with raw energy, tingling against Stone's skin beneath the headset, a quiet warning that everything here could kill—or make legends.
Ten thousand avatars fell into the digital wasteland, a cascade of light and armor and intent. Weapons glinted as if alive, some screaming with fire, others whispering with magic. Every figure a mirror of the player's will, their hunger, their skill.
Stone's green eyes caught the glow of the arena. Focus sharpened, cold as obsidian. Fingers danced over controls, moving his avatar like smoke in a storm — lean, lethal, precise. Every step measured, every motion a decision weighted by survival.
Beside him, Ben's avatar cracked his knuckles, cybernetic fists sparking under neon light. The grin on his face was wide, unrestrained, eyes glinting like a predator about to pounce. "Time to remind them why we're legends."
Stone's smirk was slow, deliberate. "Legends? More like ghosts. Ones they'll never see coming."
The countdown hammered through their ears.
Three… Two… One… Drop.
The world fractured.
Stone slid between neon shards of debris, his emerald magic flaring with each motion, slicing enemies in lines of pure precision. Behind him, Ben moved like a hurricane — fists glowing, armor exploding with kinetic force, bodies tumbling in his wake. Sparks and screams became music, and somewhere in the distance, digital spectators roared.
The first wave hit. ShadowFangs: three avatars built for speed, teeth bared, claws glowing, eyes sharp and calculating.
Stone's gaze measured them in milliseconds. He noted the lithe frame of the leftmost one, hair a silvery cascade over pale skin, eyes hard as flint, barely a flicker of hesitation. Dangerous. Hot, but cold. His mind logged every detail — speed, posture, aura — and assigned mental ratings: Threat: 8/10. Skill: 7.5. Attractiveness… irrelevant.
"Left flank," Stone whispered.
Ben dove without hesitation, fists colliding with claws. Sparks painted the battlefield, magic and muscle intertwining. Stone's emerald arcs swept through the air, carving two of the ShadowFangs from existence. The third fled, digital scream lost in the static.
"Nice hit," Ben said, wiping sweat. "They won't forget that one."
Stone's thoughts were razor-sharp. Each enemy, each angle, each flinch mapped and calculated. Movement wasn't just motion — it was thought made manifest.
They pressed forward. Gunfire hissed. Magic crackled. Flesh and code collided. Time fragmented. One second could hold a lifetime.
Ben laughed, wild and unrestrained. "Who's next?"
Names flashed above other warriors: Crimson Viper, Iron Wolf, Phantom Reaper. Avatars that glowed with intent, eyes sharp and teeth bared. Stone registered their presence, noting hair, skin, posture, danger. Iron Wolf: broad shoulders, short dark hair, skin warm, confident smirk. Threat: 9/10.
But Stone and Ben moved as one. Two forces, perfectly aligned. Every swing, every step, every spell — a symphony of precision.
The field thinned. Ten remained.
Stone caught Ben's eye. A silent promise passed between them: We survive. We have to.
---
Back in the real world, monitors cast harsh shadows across their faces. Ben punched the air, grin wide, eyes alive. "Top ten. Just like we planned."
Stone exhaled slowly, feeling the pulse of adrenaline fade. "Next step… home."
The city night wrapped them in a cool embrace. Lights flickered like distant stars across rain-slick streets. Stone's apartment stood quiet, a beacon of warmth. Cinnamon and vanilla curled in the air, fragile comfort against the storm beyond the walls.
Stone's mother smiled. Not just a smile — the kind that could shrink the night, make darkness small and tame.
For a heartbeat, everything felt right.
And then, beyond the door, fate waited. Patient. Inevitable.