The barrier began to form. Transparent walls of magical force rose from the arena floor, enclosing the four competitors in an isolated space where their magic would not escape into the stadium.
Aldwyn raised his hand for the final announcement.
The barrier was halfway formed when Byron Vantris crashed through the arena entrance.
He did not walk. He sprinted explosively as his body was barely capable of containing the energy coursing through his frame.
His hair was disheveled. His robes were torn at the shoulders and sides. His eyes were fixed on Rhys with an intensity worse than that of those who were obsessed.
Bloodrush radiated from his body in visible waves.
The enhancement was unmistakable to those familiar with the drug.
His frame was larger than it had been in previous matches, his shoulders broader, his chest expanded. His physical presence had transformed.
His mana density crackled around him in visible disturbances in the air, creating shimmer patterns.
