The grand arena stretched wide beneath a domed sky, its circular floor bathed in pale light. Towering rows of empty stone seats curved around the center. Tall archways and enclosed booths lined the perimeter, silent and waiting. The air was hushed, and the sand below lay silent and still, waiting.
In the front row of the stone seats sat a man. His red eyes held a distant look, as if seeing something beyond the present moment. His long crimson hair fell in smooth waves down his back, half-tied with quiet precision.
He wore an understated dark robe over a lighter garment, and a small silver earring glinted at his ear. There was something untouchable about his expression—beautiful but remote, like a statue carved from marble and dreams.
He stared silently into the air, no emotion flickering across his face. His eyes remained unblinking—even when, without any disturbance in the air, an elegant man in a long coat materialized beside him.
