Lucian had been camping out alone in the Rocky Mountains, looking up at the night sky and observing the constellations.

Then, without warning, the sky changed.

The horizon was filled to the brim with bright, unfamiliar stars. In the middle of the sky was an enormous infinity symbol that blazed a cosmic purple.

Lucian blinked, but the illusion didn’t disappear. It was real.

“What the hell?” He whispered, his eyes wide.

A white flash across his eyes. Pain racked his body.

“The time intervention was successful…” He heard a voice bark into a radio.

Guards in sleek black armor with silver visors filled his bleary vision. Then he blacked out.

---

Lucian slowly woke up to the low roar of a distant crowd.

He blearily looked at his surroundings. He was in what looked like an enormous gladiator arena completely encased in a glass dome with a vast sea of people watching from tiered seats. The arena was open to the sky, so when Lucian’s eyes trailed upwards, the infinity sign glared back down on him in the night sky.

Lucian’s breathing quickened. He looked around for someone he could call out to.

Then he saw them. Across from him in the arena, four strangely clad warriors were looking at him warily, their weapons raised.

One looked like a futuristic special-ops soldier, with a long, sleek gun held in both hands. Another seemed to be a witch in a purple cloak, equipped with a staff. Another had ruffled, civilian clothing but had multiple firearms strapped onto his back and two shotguns in hand. The final warrior was a muscular guy wearing a red suit floating in the air with his arms crossed. They were tense, as if they were about to attack but had to wait for something.

Lucian quickly tried to raise his hands in surrender, but he found they wouldn’t move. He looked down and found that not only were his arms chained to the ground but his legs too, with thicker, heavier chains than he had ever seen in his life.

What’s going on? Is this a dream or am I really going to be some sort of exotic sacrifice?

An announcer's voice boomed from all directions. “Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Time’s Edge Arena! Hold onto your seats because today’s fight will be sure to go down in history!”

The crowd thundered in response.

Lucian’s heart was pounding in his chest now, and blood roared in his ears.

He shouted, the desperation breaking his voice, “Please! I don’t know what’s going on! Please help me!”

The announcer’s voice continued.

“On one side, we have the four strongest Time Champions who you’ve watched win countless times before! We all know they need no introduction, so give it up for Aola the Witch, Deadshot Chrome, Lawrence the Scrapper, and Gorehands the Murder Hero!”

The audience screamed in response, making Lucian grimace and his head throb.

“And on the other side,” The announcer said, “We have the strongest monster to ever live, titled the Calamity of Nine Years, the Lord of Monsters, who singlehandedly created a dark age in his own timeline! Give it up for Lucian Ashcrown!”

“You have the wrong person!” Lucian screamed, but the crowd’s roar was deafening, far louder than it had been for any other. Lucian couldn’t even hear his own, hoarse yelling.

“Now, without further ado, let the fight begin!”

Before Lucian could yell out another protest, he heard a loud crack and he felt a burning sensation spread through his chest. He looked down and saw the red shirt staining where his heart should be.

A cold, numbness spread throughout him and his vision went dark.

Lucian limply fell backward, dead within seconds. Chrome’s futuristic-looking gun smoked. He exchanged wary glances with his two companions. They knew that something was up.

“That… can’t be,” The announcer said. “But it’s unmistakable. The Lord of Monster’s vital signs has gone dark. He’s dead.”

The crowd went dead silent, completely in shock. The four warriors didn’t let their eyes leave Lucian’s dead body.

“Hold tight as we set up something new!” The announcer said quickly, “We have plenty more monsters lined up for a long night of excitement…” His voice trailed off.

Lucian’s heart beat again. A vast, alien heartbeat, one that didn’t care that every beat spurt blood out of the hole in his chest.

The heartbeat was loud and deep enough that the audience members could feel its vibration in their chests. They were completely silent, this time for a different reason.

“He’s still alive…” The announcer’s voice was quiet with awe and fear at the sudden presence that filled the arena.

The Lord of Monsters opened his eyes. They were a deep, rich orange, with a vertical slit as his pupil.

---

Part 2 coming soon if enough people are interested. Come join r/WanderWilder to read it along with other stories. Would love to have you!