Shadows pass before me, darkness eats me whole,
danger now becomes my fate, risk beyond control.

I venture further onward, my eyes adjust to light,
and then I intake one more breath before I start to fight.

The scene unfolds in front of me which caught me by surprise,
the crowd was filled with many creatures full of cheers and cries.

In the stadium below, was quite a different sight,
creatures of all kinds of forms ready for the fight.

They were pink, green, blue and orange, or maybe red or gold,
some had horns, some were big, each story left untold.

They lined up in the ring, glaring at the crowd,
then each creature would step up and one by one they'd bow.

Next it came to me, and the crowd they cheered and cheered,
although everyone knew very well that this fight should be most feared.

It was not a choice to be here, but a rule set down by law, creatures by their fifteenth year fought... a real outlaw.

But to the town of Great Erum, this was just a fate,
they'd fight 'till death, disease or worse until there were just eight.

That group would rise to power, until the next years fight, the deceased would be forgotten, the sick may last a night.

My head jerked up, it had begun, and as I turned around,
approaching me, sword in hand, was a beastly creature that I found.

The sword hovered above me, I than gave up all fight,
but the voice above me spoke the words "change this, make it right."

And with that the giant gripped his sword and gave me one last look,
implanting his own sword in he, then to the ground he shook.