The tournament had officially begun.
I stood beside Kael just outside the arena gates, the early morning wind carrying the chill of winter on our skin.
Around us, humans gathered in eager clusters, their voices buzzing with anticipation and coffee-fueled excitement. Vendors were already shouting prices, children holding up homemade signs for their favorite players, even though the names hadn’t become legends yet.
Kael leaned down, brushing a kiss to my temple. “This is it,” he whispered. “Opening day.”
I nodded, smiling up at him. He wasn’t playing today, but his nerves ran through him like electric currents. His team had drawn a later match in the bracket, giving them extra time to observe, analyze, and plan their moves, And knowing Kael, he’d use every second.
The tournament format
