Thunder boomed outside the castle, breaking the silence and tension. But Faust stayed focused, ignoring the pounding rain and the creaking cages hanging in the ceiling.
Stay disciplined. Watch Drekar's every move. When the fight starts, he can get a hang of how Drekar fights.
Still, the tension was grating.
Maybe he should just strike first.
"What do you mean, finally coming?" Thalia asked calmly. "Were you expecting us?"
Drekar coughed and cleared his throat repeatedly. But there was mirth in his voice. "Why, of course. We who were banished, stranded in this distant world. We were put here for a reason."
He turned a dark, pitying gaze on them. "But you'll understand soon. All you need to know is that you've been given a role for this game. And so have we."
The castle began to rumble with more than the storm outside of it. Faust shifted a little as the entire building moved, but he kept his eyes fixed on Drekar and held his stance ready.
