Book 3: Interlude XVI: The Red Sands of Glory
Interlude XVI: The Red Sands of Glory
Tristan didn’t have time to worry about Isleen’s objective or how she planned to achieve it. The student and his teacher soon joined the other witches in the contestant’s tunnel that led beneath the orange flame of the Burning Hawk’s torch and ended at a large, singed metal gate on the ground level of the red sands of the arena. The bastard prince raised his brow as one of the rat-masked arena staff members presented them with orange tabards embroidered with a sun hawk. He then realized that all the contestants around them wore similar tabards and quickly pulled his on.
“First round is a bit of a free for all,” Isleen explained in a cautioning tone as she helped him tie their team colors in place. “Mostly, we pick apart the other covens to increase the odds of more of our own making it into the second round. That said, once the numbers have thinned out, you’ll also have to keep an eye on our fellow teammates.”
“Good to know.”
“Members of the Emperor’s Scorpion Guard will also be in the arena as neutral observers and referees, but they will only interfere to prevent unnecessary death. If a contestant is severely crippled, knocked out, or otherwise unable to continue the match, they will receive a mark of white clay across their tabard. One mark means you’re at risk of being disqualified. Double mark or X means you’re no longer fit to continue fighting.”
“Seems simple enough,” Tristan murmured as he studied the tense gathering of purebloods and a few coven witches around them. “Any other rules I should know about?”
“Yes. Two. If a contestant throws down their weapons or raises their hand like this—” The pureblood lifted her right hand with the index and middle finger raised and pressed close together “—that means they surrender. If you continue the fight after their surrender in the first two rounds, you’ll be disqualified and likely receive further consequences dependent on any following harm or death.”
“Fair enough.”