(POV: Caspian Arcwright)
The sky stretched endlessly above the open-air podium.
The air buzzed with an almost tangible energy — the restless murmurs of thousands peoples.
The podium stood at the heart of the gathering, towering above the sprawling crowd.
Magical screens suspended in the air broadcasted the faces of the top 10 candidates, flickering with their names and achievements.
And Caspian was standing among them.
His heart pounded in his chest, his breathing tight and shallow.
His fingers twitched at his side, curling and uncurling as he tried to calm himself.
Get it together.
But it was easier said than done.
He'd faced killers, monsters, and brutal battles — yet somehow, this felt different.
Thousands of eyes were on him.
Caspian swallowed hard.
I wasn't prepared for this.
Back in the Arcwright household, attention had always been unwanted.
He clenched his fists.
This is what I wanted, right?
.
Then his thoughts wandered back to how he was eliminated.
