WhereStoriesSeek
In a universe governed by gods who toy with fate, champions are chosen-not born.
Across the stars, powerful beings known as the Council select warriors from countless races to compete in the most brutal spectacle ever devised: the Arena's Wrath. Victory brings unimaginable rewards. Defeat means annihilation.
When Layo Parcel, a humble mechanic from the peaceful world of Esphoria, begins hearing voices in his head, he thinks he's losing his mind. But when a mysterious brand scorches itself into his arm and soldiers begin hunting him across his city, he realizes his life has changed forever.
Chosen by the enigmatic Ascendant known as Xenon, Layo is thrust into the chaos of Erath X-30, a mechanized world of monsters, cybernetic champions, and cutthroat politics. Gifted with the speed and instincts of a forgotten alien race, Layo must train, survive, and fight in the Arena-where death comes fast, and mercy is a myth.
With the promise of anything he desires if he survives, Layo fights not for glory, but for one impossible wish: To go home.