Challengers Field lay directly behind the Council Cathedral. By the time they arrived, it had been cleared of debris. Either the Council sent someone to clear it in preparation, or word of mouth had given people impetus to make it ready.
The suns were casting their peachy-orange glows against the clouds. Annie drew Rion’s cloak tighter around her and ignored the noisy crowd that continued to grow. She was standing alone on the small dais at one end of the field. The trophy on display. From this vantage point she could see the entire field and all the way around the periphery.
A brisk wind was kicking up. If the weather had been left alone, the chilly day would have been tolerable. With the addition of the gusts, the cold cut straight to the bone.
However, it wasn’t the cold that caus
