The Coliseum was no ordinary structure. It stood as a towering edifice of ivory stone and shadowed metal, pulsating with a rhythm akin to a beating heart. Its archways were jagged teeth, and the great arena within seemed to inhale and exhale, as though the building itself were alive. Those who stepped inside often claimed they felt watched, scrutinized by unseen eyes embedded within the very walls.


    It was said that the Coliseum was born not of stone and mortar but of a singular genius: Kaelthos Alaric, the architect-sorcerer. Known throughout the ages as a craftsman of unparalleled skill and a wielder of forbidden magic, Kaelthos believed creation was a sacred act that could bridge the mortal and divine. The Coliseum was his magnum opus, a project he had dreamt of for decades but completed in a single day—a feat so incomprehensible it bordered on myth.


    Kaelthos'' journals, scattered through the ages, reveal the extent of his ambition. He sought to forge a structure that would serve as the ultimate arbiter of destiny. He envisioned a living monument, a place that could judge combatants not merely by their strength but by the purity of their will, their resilience in the face of despair, and the echoes of their souls. To achieve this, he crafted the Coliseum not from ordinary materials but from elements both physical and arcane.


    ....


    As Travis sprinted around and around, the unsettling realization crept in—he was running in circles. His breaths came in sharp, frustrated bursts, his boots scuffing against the endless stone floor. The most maddening part was that his goal, the exit, was visible through the translucent walls. It taunted him like a cruel mirage, always in sight but just out of reach.


    '' Am I in some kind of trance or something?'' he wondered, narrowing his eyes and glancing around.


    The scenery hadn’t changed, yet something about the air felt oppressive, as if the maze itself was alive and toying with him.


    He clenched his fists, jaw tightening. Using his shift was tempting—it would have solved everything in seconds—but the thought of emerging naked in a potentially hostile environment made him grimace. That option was out. Grinding his teeth, he searched for another solution, his gaze landing on the wall separating him from freedom.


    “Fine,” he muttered under his breath. If subtlety wouldn’t work, brute force would.


    Marching up to the wall, Travis planted his feet firmly. He drew back his arm, muscles coiling with power, and unleashed a punch with all his might. A deafening crack echoed through the space as the impact rippled outward. The wall splintered and crumbled into dust, the sight of it crumbling beneath his strength sending a victorious grin across his face.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    But just as he prepared to step through, the smile vanished. The dust swirled unnaturally, reforming in an instant, and the wall was whole again. Worse, when he turned to reassess his surroundings, the space was different. Gone were the familiar hallways he had just traversed. The walls now loomed higher, their textures shifting like a warped kaleidoscope.


    '' What the fuck is happening here? '' he thought, heart pounding in his chest. The maze wasn’t just a trap—it was playing with him.


    Svelte walked back to the room where he had trapped Travis, his boots echoing softly against the stone floor. When he saw the door ajar, his smile widened, the sharpness of his teeth glinting in the dim light. He turned away, his laughter bubbling up like an ominous melody.


    “I didn’t think it’d be that easy to trap him,” he muttered to himself, his voice low and dangerous. His gaze flicked to the labyrinthine walls of the Coliseum. “No matter. The Coliseum will ensure he doesn’t get out of here alive… or sane. Depends on its mood.”


    ---


    Travis ran through the twisting corridors, his breath ragged and shallow as his heart thundered in his chest. Every turn looked the same, a maddening maze of stone and shadow. He stumbled but kept going, desperation fueling his legs. No matter where he went, the walls seemed to conspire against him, pulling him back to the room where he’d been held captive.


    Panting, he pressed his back against a wall, his eyes darting around the dimly lit passage. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint, eerie hum of the Coliseum. His fingers trembled as he steadied himself, forcing his thoughts to calm.


    '' I need to think. I can’t let panic win, '' he told himself, his mind racing for solutions.


    But each idea crumbled as the labyrinth mocked him, twisting and reshaping itself to thwart his every move. Finally, he slid down the wall, resting his head against the cold stone. His breaths grew slower, more measured, as he wrestled with the creeping despair.


    '' Maybe there’s no way out of here, '' he thought, his chest tightening. Just as that hopeless thought took root, the walls began to shimmer, the cold stone morphing into something… familiar.


    His eyes widened as he rose to his feet, drawn toward the shifting path before him. The labyrinth seemed to guide him now, compelling him forward as the world behind him sank into darkness. The shadows whispered, warning him there was no retreat, no second chance.


    Travis stepped into a tunnel, the narrow passage opening into the grand arena. He shielded his eyes against the sudden brightness, his gaze locking on the figure waiting for him across the expanse. Svelte stood tall, a mage’s staff gripped casually in his right hand, his posture exuding smug confidence.


    “I’ve thought of a great idea,” Svelte called, his voice carrying a sinister edge. “Why don’t I become your final challenge? Maybe then you’ll finally give up. So here I am.” He gestured to a small room that had appeared beside Travis. “There’s a weapons vault next to you. Don’t want you crying later, saying it wasn’t a fair fight.”


    Travis glanced to his right, hesitating before stepping toward the vault. Inside, the walls were lined with an array of weapons, each one gleaming with latent power. His hand hovered over them until he settled on a sword, its simple design hiding a formidable aura.


    As he stepped out, the vault vanished, leaving no trace it had ever existed. The weight of the sword felt comforting in his grip, grounding him as his panic ebbed away.


    '' I forgot how much I missed this, '' he thought, his fingers brushing the blade’s edge. Channeling his mana into the sword, he watched flames of aura ripple across the steel, their fiery glow reflecting in his eyes.


    '' So this is what helped me take down the Goblin King. Aura.'' He smiled grimly. ''I really need to understand this power better.''


    Lifting his gaze, he locked eyes with Svelte, who hadn’t moved an inch. The mage’s staff pulsed with a faint, sinister energy, and Travis could feel the air growing heavy with tension.


    This fight wouldn’t be easy. But Travis had no intention of running.


    “If you’re ready,” Svelte said, raising his staff with a flourish. “Let us begin.”


    TO BE CONTINUED