Thirteen participants was about right, most directly invited and a few participated per the request of certain influential figures from across Teyvat. The biggest thing that unnerved, practically filled you with deep anxiety as you approached the stadium was the prospect of winning one of the implemented rewards, roughly twenty-five million mora in third place, left in second was the bestowment to the selected contender a diminutive piece of the Sacred Flame, and given to first was any of the aforementioned rewards. Harmless in its inert form, only a sliver of the Sacred Flame was necessary to turn anyone from average to strength rivalling the Archons and Sovereigns alike.
This in part was mostly why it was deemed prudent that participants were granted a life-connection to the Sacred Flame with the help of the Pyro Gnosis, both to recover from any wounds, enable the arena to shift twenty miles with the help of the Sacred Flames, as well as to reverse death. Projected onto the wall of the stadium, as though the surface itself was the canvas on which they were painted, stood the list on who goes against who, one versus one. The names, the ones they are up against… all at odds with the text that floated halfway down the rectangle box:
CLORINDE V AYAKA > RAIDEN EI
BEIDOU V ZHONGLI > CAPITANO
CYNO V WRIO. > AETHER
JEAN V NOELLE > TARTAGLIA
The announcer called out, over the loud clamouring of the crowd. “Ladies and gents, boys and girls! Welcome to action, passion and – most importantly – the Flame-Blood Brawl!”
Retreating to the stadium, the hard paving acting the part of a battle line, Jean clenched and relaxed her fingers over and over whilst she waited for Noelle to take position. She glided to stand opposite her, perfectly opposite, her eyes fixed upon her. Every muscle tensing under her arms, every economic movement she made radiated strength and combat readiness.
“Three…” the announcer called out, “Two… one…”
The next thing you saw was a claymore-wielding Noelle charging full speed at Jean.