The Arena

It took only a short time before Erik's turn to take the test arrived. His footsteps echoed off the corridor's bare metal walls, adding rhythm to his anticipation.

The odor of lubricant and the faint electric hum emanating from the walls hinted at the high level of technology housed within the structure.

His heart skipped a beat as he approached the massive steel-grated door. The Arena stretched before him through the ancient-styled steel grate, starkly contrasting the sterile metallic corridor he had just passed. It was like peering into another world.

The Arena was a microcosm of rural life, with a collection of two- and three-story buildings built in an antique style, roofs topped with quaint tiles, and walls painted in faded pastel colors. It was as if a piece of a rural town had been transplanted into this futuristic arena. The level of detail and realism took Erik aback.