The final sunrise before the gates opened was cold and clear. Mist curled around the turrets of the Human Training Camp as the chosen six—Kael Riven, Lucien Thorne, Selene Virellia, and the three remaining human champions—emerged from their barracks. The world felt tilted, as if all the air had gathered behind a single moment: tomorrow, they would face the other races.
The camp stirred to life. Trumpets sounded across the grounds, summoning the team to their last morning exercises. Kael and Lucien led maneuvers alongside their comrades, not as superiors but as equals forging an unbreakable bond.
Lucien flowed from spell to spell, igniting training dummies with sparkling runes, then closing his fist to snuff out the flames, reminding everyone that magic must be tempered.
Kael moved among them, aura flickering violet at his heels, showing how his strikes could be both precise and merciless—and how, in unison, their powers could carve a path through any defense.
Selene stood at the edge of the field, clipboard in hand, calling out timing, formations, and contingencies. Every so often, she'd adjust a stance or offer a whispered note—her presence the invisible thread that wove the team into a single, coherent force.
By midmorning, exhaustion had painted everyone's cheeks, but the team had practiced every scenario Selene had devised: breakthrough charges, magical diversions, coordinated defenses, emergency retreats. Each exercise ended with Selene's calm appraisal: "Good. Better. We'll wake stronger tomorrow."
At midday, the human contingent broke for a simple meal of hearty stew and fresh bread. In the mess hall, laughter was rare—too much was at stake—but there was warmth in the shared silence. Selene sat between Kael and Lucien, occasionally pointing out small corrections in the day's log:
"Kael—you crossed ahead before the Shieldbearer engaged. Next time, wait for his step."
"Lucien—you burned too much mana on that decoy. Save it for tomorrow's finale."
Neither took offense. Both nodded. Both recognized that Selene's sharp mind was the final ingredient that turned raw strength into victory.
After the meal, Selene led them to a shaded pavilion for the last strategic briefing. She unfurled a map of the capital coliseum grounds and the four sealed gates. Each gate would open at dawn, revealing the assembled champions of the Elves, Dragonoids, Demons, and Humans in turn.
"Tomorrow, you move as one," she said. "Lucien, you'll create the initial diversion—softening their outer ranks. Kael, you strike through the breach you carve. The others follow your lead. Timing and trust will win this. We have no margin for error."
As dusk bled into night, the Human Team gathered at the central bonfire. Flames licked the sky, casting dancing shadows over determined faces. The three extra champions—bold, nervous, resolute—looked to Kael, Lucien, and Selene for one last word of encouragement.
Lucien stepped forward, voice steady but warm:
"Remember who you are. You carry our people's hope. You carry our strength. But most of all, you carry each other. Trust in that."
Kael followed, aura flaring softly:
"Tomorrow, they'll test our limits. But they won't break us. We stand together—or not at all."
Selene added, quietly fierce:
"You know the plan. You know your roles. If you falter, remember each other's strengths. We win as one heartbeat. Sleep now. Tomorrow, history remembers us."
Late into the night, Kael wandered the quiet barracks. He paused outside Selene's door, hearing the soft rustle of her final preparations—checking maps, arranging her quill and scrolls. He tapped lightly; she opened the door, surprised but not afraid.
He offered her a small smile. "Thank you—for everything."
She gave the faintest nod. "See you at dawn."
He left silently. At the edge of camp, Lucien waited, cloak drawn tight. They exchanged a brief look—no words needed.
Under a sky prickled with stars, the Human Team slept fitfully, dreams swirling with the promise and terror of what lay ahead. Every warrior in the camp, from the Shieldbearer to the Earthshaper, knew they stood on the cusp of something great—and dangerous.
Tomorrow, the gates to the coliseum would open. The four races would step through. And the humans—armed with magic, aura, steel, and strategy—would no longer settle for fourth place.
They would fight. And they would be heard.