The fighting pit was exactly as Mara had described. My opponent was dressed similarly to me, just as large, perhaps even a bit bigger. I hadn’t been given any time to train or prepare. I was being thrown straight into the lion’s den.
Maybe that’s why the master always lost—he didn’t properly prepare his fighters, relying solely on brute strength. But strength alone wasn’t enough. Fortunately, I wasn’t being tossed onto the sandy ground without experience.
“Tonight, we have a new challenger brought by Grelgor!” someone shouted from the shadows.
It was hard to see with the crowd of men gathered around, all dressed in long, beautiful togas that screamed wealth, like the opulent villas they lived in. I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at the spectacle.
But there was no time to dwel
