The third round was about to begin, and the hall slowly filled in a more deliberate way than before.
One after another, the important beastmen took their seats, each according to their rank and species.
The elders sat highest, their presence heavy and unquestionable, while representatives from the various tribes settled not too far below, their expressions sharp with quiet scrutiny.
Below them were the younger ones—the participant, the hopefuls—those who had come to impress.
Their backs were straight, but the tension in their shoulders betrayed them. This was their stage and their chance to be seen.
The audience had changed too.
It was no longer just the usual crowd of servants and idle watchers.
Many unfamiliar faces had arrived. These were beastmen from other tribes, invited or perhaps drawn by curiosity over the certain change of rules in the third round.
Their attire, their markings, even the way they carried themselves spoke of different lands and different customs.
