The morning sun hung high, casting long shadows over the Beastwell Arena.
The stands were packed with beastmen of all kinds—wolves, lions, rhinos, eagles, and more—cheering, growling, and laughing as they eagerly awaited the day''s spectacle.
On a raised podium, Asael sat stiffly, his hands clenched into fists.
Beside him, Korran lounged comfortably, a smug grin playing on his lips.
He turned to Asael, his golden eyes glinting with amusement.
“So, hero,” Korran said, stretching his arms lazily. “How was yesterday? Enjoying your stay?”
Asael didn’t answer immediately.
His mind was still reeling from everything he had seen.
The beastmen were nothing like he had imagined—not monsters, not savages, but people.
A town filled with families, children, laughter, and life.
He exhaled, eyes narrowing as he turned to face Korran.
“Why don’t you stop working for the Demon King?” Asael finally asked, his voice firm.
Korran raised an eyebrow before chuckling.
“What?”
“Your people are innocent,” Asael continued, his tone unwavering. “They love you. If you stop this madness, I’ll make sure they stay safe. I’ll make sure others forgive you.”
Korran stilled.
For a second, just a second, Asael thought he saw something flicker in the beastman lord’s expression.
But then—
Korran threw his head back and laughed.
A deep, cruel, mocking laugh.
“Forgive me?” Korran scoffed, his fangs flashing.
“Don’t make me laugh, human.”
His golden eyes darkened, his voice dropping into something more dangerous.
"I don''t need your forgiveness. I don’t need your pity.”
He leaned in slightly, his aura suffocating.
"What I want is simple. The destruction of your kind.”
Asael''s breath caught in his throat.
Korran wasn''t just angry.
He was consumed by hatred.
Before Asael could say anything, a loud voice rang across the arena.
"LADIES AND GENTLEBEASTS!"
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The announcer, a tall duck beastkin in a flamboyant red coat, spread his wings wide.
"Are you ready for today’s battle?!"
A deafening roar shook the arena.
“YES!”
The crowd stomped their feet, the excitement in their voices like a wave crashing over Asael.
His unease grew.
Then—
The gates on the far side of the arena creaked open.
Two figures stumbled out.
Humans.
Their wrists and ankles were bound in heavy iron chains.
Their faces were pale, drenched in fear.
One of them—a man no older than twenty—looked up at the roaring crowd, his whole body trembling.
The other, a woman, had bruises on her arms as if she had been struggling before being dragged here.
Asael''s heartbeat quickened.
“Good! Today’s fight will be—HUMAN vs. HUMAN!!”
The duck’s voice echoed.
“PLACE YOUR BETS!!”
The cheers only grew louder.
Asael stared, his stomach twisting.
This isn’t happening.
The two captives were shoved forward.
A pair of beastmen guards tossed swords at their feet.
The weapons clattered against the bloodstained sand.
The young man swallowed hard, glancing at the terrified woman beside him.
Neither of them moved.
“Fight,” growled one of the guards. “Or die.”
A heavy silence fell.
The woman trembled, shaking her head. Tears welled in her eyes.
The man’s breathing turned ragged.
Then—his hand, trembling, slowly reached for the sword.
Asael shot to his feet.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” he roared.
His voice boomed through the arena.
But nobody cared.
The beastmen laughed, cheered, and placed their bets, as if this was just another game.
Asael’s hands shook with rage.
Two innocent people, forced to butcher each other for amusement.
Korran sighed beside him, unimpressed.
“Sit down, hero.”
Asael turned to him, his eyes burning with fury.
“Using them like this, for entertainment—you’re insane!”
His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword.
Korran’s expression remained calm.
Then—he leaned forward slightly, voice lowering.
“Think before you act, Asael.”
A sinister smile crept across his face.
"There are more humans than just these two."
Asael’s blood ran cold.
His grip on his sword tightened—then loosened.
Slowly, he sat back down, his teeth clenched.
The fight had begun.
And he was forced to watch.
The cheers of the arena faded as Asael turned to Korran, his voice sharp with anger.
"Why are you doing this? Why don’t you just let them die in peace?"
Korran smirked, leaning back in his seat as if he were discussing the weather.
"You know what, hero? Many years ago, I fought in this same arena—against my own brother."
Asael’s breath hitched.
The crowd’s roars blended with the echoes of the past as Korran continued, his voice laced with something unreadable.
"The crowd back then? It was the same."
His golden eyes swept across the beastmen in the stands.
"The betting system? The same."
His claws lightly tapped the armrest of his throne.
"The only difference?" Korran’s lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Back then, it was humans watching us fight. And now? They’re the ones inside the arena."
Asael’s fists clenched.
Korran let out a soft chuckle.
"You ask why I’m doing this? My answer is simple: why did I fight back then? Was it not… just for fun?"
Asael felt something inside him snap.
His knuckles turned white as he gritted his teeth.
Below them, the arena’s bloodstained sands were soaked once more.
One of the humans had fallen, his lifeless body discarded like a broken doll.
The survivor trembled, tears streaking his face.
But there was no time to grieve.
Another captive was dragged in from the opposite gate, chains clanking as they stumbled forward.
The cycle began anew.
A merciless, endless slaughter.
Korran stood up.
"Come, hero. There''s something else I wish to show you."
His tail swayed as he walked away, expecting Asael to follow.
Asael hesitated.
But what choice did he have?
His party trailed behind Korran, dread settling in their stomachs.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
The roars of the crowd above faded into wretched screams.
A suffocating stench filled the halls—a mix of sweat, rot, and despair.
They had reached the prison.
And what they saw shattered them.
Humans, elves, orcs, and dwarves—all crammed into filthy iron cells, barely recognizable as living beings.
Their bodies were skeletal, their skin clinging to bone.
Some reached out weakly through the bars, pleading for food, for water, for mercy.
Others didn’t even move.
They had long given up.
The sound of chains rattling and muffled sobs filled the corridor as they walked deeper into the abyss.
With each step, the suffering grew worse.
The cells at the farthest end… were the worst of all.
There, a fragile voice broke the silence.
"Lily?!"
A pair of hands shot out from the rusted bars, gripping the iron as if his life depended on it.
A young man, his face gaunt and covered in bruises, stared in shock.
"Brother!!"
Lily ran forward, her fingers desperately reaching for him through the bars.
Her eyes, once filled with light, now glistened with tears.
"I thought you were dead!"
Her brother swallowed hard, his lips trembling.
"Just why are you here…?"
He pressed his forehead against the cold iron, trying to hold back the pain of lost years.
It was a cruel, pitiful reunion.
One where hope felt like an illusion.
Asael turned to Korran, his eyes burning with rage.
"What do you want?!" he demanded.
Korran chuckled, amused by Asael’s anger.
"Nothing much."
He met Asael’s glare, his golden eyes gleaming with wicked intent.
"Just obediently become a sacrifice."
A chill ran down Asael’s spine.
"What?"
Korran smirked.
"You must have heard about the Demon King’s human sacrifices, no? I’m talking about that."
The weight of his words hit like a boulder.
Asael’s gaze darted to the prisoners.
Some had gone silent.
Others stared, waiting, hoping.
If he refused… they would all die.
He took a shaky breath, then spoke through gritted teeth.
"Fine. But release them first."
Korran smiled.
A liar’s smile.
"Sure."
Asael knew.
Korran had no intention of keeping his word.
And yet…
He had no choice.