Verus in the Square
BlackSand Warrior Gauntlet
The square was loud until it wasn’t.
A shadow fell across the crowd as Verus Eradicator of the Coliseum stepped up onto the stone steps. Broad shoulders. Scars like old maps. Eyes that scanned the gathering like he was already deciding who wouldn’t make it through the night.
“Alright,” he said, voice low but sharp enough to cut the air. “You’ve all heard the whispers. You’ve all wondered if the gates would open again. Well, wonder no more. The Arena of BlackSand is ready… and it’s hungry.”
A few cheers broke out. Verus let them rise, then fall.
“This Gauntlet. The BlackSand Gauntlet. Exists because one man willed it so. Jabir of the Waste. He’s the one who’s opened the gates, gathered the prize, and set the stage for what’s about to happen. And me? I’m here to make sure it runs exactly how he wants it.”
His gaze swept the crowd.
“Eight of you. That’s it. Eight Warriors who think they’ve got the steel to walk into that sand and walk back out. One will. The rest… you won’t have to worry about anymore.”
He let a smirk curl across his face.
“You want glory? You want the prize? You want your name carved into the history of the Runiverse? This is how you get it. And if you lose… you’ll still get your story told. We’ll make sure of that. But you won’t be around to hear it.”
The crowd murmured, some leaning forward, others stepping back.
“You want in, you come through me. You want answers, you come through me. Once you step in that arena, you fight until it’s over. No appeals. No excuses. No cowards.”
He stepped back, his shadow long in the torchlight.
“Eight spots. The BlackSand Gauntlet begins soon. Jabir has opened the gates. Now all that’s left is to see who burns, and who walks away.”
Then he left the steps, and the square erupted in shouts, wagers, and the smell of anticipation.
Entered by: 0x6424…79B4
