Danger!

Leon froze. The words echoed in his mind like a warning bell from a place he couldn't see.

"He"? Who was he?"

Was it another raven? A chicken? Or some other kind of bird-beast? Whatever the identity of this mysterious enemy, Leon knew one thing: he needed rest. Desperately.

His body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. He'd been battling nonstop for over seven hours, and his bones were starting to feel like jelly. His muscles trembled under his weight, and the dried blood that caked his skin made every step feel like a scrape against rusted chains. His injuries throbbed with each breath.

Still, none of that mattered now.

His instincts flared violently.

RUN.

Run as far as you can.

But he couldn't. He was still inside the designated area for the death match. Exiting it prematurely would be the same thing as volunteering to die.

Even so, he gave in to the pull of curiosity—dangerous, foolish, and reckless curiosity.