TAY ARENA – CONTINUOUS
Abenator's face twisted.
Rage.
Heartbreak.
Both colliding at once.
His fists clenched.
His body shook.
Tears gathered in his eyes—
Before he turned—
And ran.
The crowd exploded.
"Boo!"
"Cheater!"
"You lied!"
Objects flew into the arena.
Voices clashed into chaos.
King Liam stood.
"ORDER!"
His voice thundered across the arena.
The chaos stuttered—
But did not die.
He raised his hand.
Signaled.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The bell rang out—deafening.
Piercing.
Relentless.
People winced.
Covered their ears.
Some screamed.
"The competition is on hold," King Liam declared.
His voice cut through everything.
"We'll take things from here."
In the arena—
Kabul stood frozen.
The weight of his actions crashing down on him.
Then—
He ran.
After his brother.
Garden of Echoes – Moments Later
The wind whispered through the Garden.
Soft.
Uneasy.
The flowers bent gently, as though listening… as though feeling.
A low hum filled the air—the Garden's magic responding to emotion.
Abenator collapsed beside a rose bush.
His body trembled.
His breath broke.
With shaking hands, he plucked a single rose and pressed it against his chest.
And then—
He cried.
The rose began to change.
Slowly.
Its vibrant red faded.
Darkened.
Until—
It turned black.
The petals withered in his grasp.
Abenator stared at it.
Then crushed it in his palm.
His sobs grew louder.
Footsteps approached.
"Abenator!" Kabul's voice echoed, breathless and desperate. "Please—let's talk!"
Abenator stiffened.
The sound of his brother's voice—
Twisted something inside him.
Grief turned.
Into anger.
Without a word, he threw the dead rose aside—
And ran.
"Abenator, please!" Kabul called, pushing through the flowers. "It wasn't—I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"Leave me alone!" Abenator shouted, his voice breaking.
They ran deeper into the Garden.
Faster.
Further.
And the Garden changed.
The vibrant colors faded.
The light dimmed.
Shadows stretched unnaturally across the ground.
The magic… darkened.
Suddenly—
The earth split.
A jade vine burst forth.
Massive.
Twisted.
Alive.
"GRRUUUGHH! RRRAAAH!"
It lashed out.
Abenator was struck—
Thrown violently to the ground.
He scrambled backward, panic flooding his veins.
"No—no! Stay away!"
"Abenator!" Kabul shouted, charging forward.
The monstrous vine recoiled—
Then lunged again.
FADE—
Its jaws opened wide.
Thick strands of saliva dripped from jagged fangs.
It struck.
CLANG!
Kabul intercepted the attack.
His shield absorbed the impact, the force rattling through his entire body.
"Hey, meathead!" Kabul shouted, gritting his teeth. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The vine screeched.
"GRRUUGHH! RRRAAAH!"
"Yeah?" Kabul smirked. "Come on then."
Behind him, Abenator stared.
Shaken.
Alive.
"What's wrong with you?!" he snapped, fury overtaking fear. "Do you think throwing your life away will make me forgive you?!"
Kabul let out a small, breathless laugh.
"It's worth a try… don't you think?"
The vine attacked again.
Kabul moved.
Fast.
He darted across the Garden, drawing its attention.
"Meathead! Over here!"
The vine struck again—
And again—
But Kabul dodged each blow by inches.
"Really?" he taunted. "I expected more from you!"
"Stop this madness, Kabul!" Abenator shouted.
Kabul glanced back.
For a moment—
His expression softened.
"If I die today…" he said quietly,his voice softening, "at least I'll know I saved you."And then—
WHACK!
The vine caught him.
Kabul's body slammed into the ground.
Hard.
"KABUL!" Abenator screamed, crawling toward him.
Kabul heard him.
Barely.
He reached out weakly.
Toward his brother.
But his strength faded.
His body went still.
Unconscious.
The vine turned.
Slowly.
Toward Abenator.
"GRRRUUGHH… RRRAAAAH!"
Its breath was hot.
Rotting.
Thick strands of saliva dripped onto Abenator's face.
It prepared to strike—
And then—
It stopped.
A shadow loomed behind Abenator.
Tall.
Still.
Silent.
The vine recoiled instantly.
Its monstrous body trembling.
It screeched—
And plunged back into the earth.
Gone.
The Garden fell silent.
Too silent.
GARDEN OF ECHOES – MOMENTS LATER
The wind softened.
The magic settled.
A faint chime echoed through the flowers—as if the Garden itself had exhaled.
Kabul stirred.
He groaned, clutching the back of his head.
"What… what happened?"