Velrise, having finally pushed through the dense sea of spectators, brushed her shoulder off and scanned the arena with an impatient huff.
Velrise:
"What's with all the hype? I don't see—"
Before she could finish, Purana, Camila, Roselit, and Christine rushed up beside her, all looking like they had just climbed through a stampede. Camila had a half-eaten corndog in one hand, Christine had two glowsticks she didn't remember grabbing, and Roselit looked like she was still fixing her boots.
Roselit (panting):
"You're late—again."
Christine (grinning):
"Here."
"You can only see it through this."
She handed Velrise a sleek black camera, its lens still warm from use. Purana tapped the screen on the side and zoomed it in for her.
Velrise raised an eyebrow but took it.
Velrise:
"What is this—?"
Then she looked.
And she saw it.
Through the lens, the arena lit up like a supernova. The Fallen One and Dark Lord weren't fighting—they were ripping physics in half. Their movements were so fast, their steps looked like they teleported mid-motion, their blades clashed in air before the sound even arrived.
Each time they struck, shockwaves tore through the air, but to the naked eye? It just looked like sudden gusts and glitchy flashes.
Velrise (stunned):
"They're... fighting faster than the human eye can register."
Camila:
"Faster than the stickman eye too. That camera's got multi-dimensional shutter sensors. Specially made for fights like this."
Purana:
"Apparently, the Dark Lord hit a clone so hard last match, it reversed the lighting in the arena for a whole hour."
Roselit (shrugging):
"And now they're doing it again. One wrong step and the whole arena's gonna collapse. But... don't worry, we got VIP seats!"
They sat on the very last row of the highest bleacher.
Velrise kept the camera locked on them, watching the Fallen One spin fire like a celestial engine, and the Dark Lord move with predatory grace, casting shadows that bent around light.
Her grip on the camera tightened.
Velrise (muttering):
"...why do I feel a sense of dread all of a sudden?" Velrise gulped.