The Sapphire Serpent

As Lassim emerged from the shimmering portal, the air around him shifted, becoming dense. It was filled with a tension only similar to the time he competed in the arena battle all those years ago against #16, Marissa. 

There was a colliseum-like vibe that clung to the air, and a sensation of being watched by a handful of spectators, though he could spot none.

The serene mossy forest of willow trees of the last trial was left behind, and in its place stretched an ancient looking arena with pathways atop stone pillars. 

Each pathway led to a gate, each etched with intricate runes that pulsed with a different colored light each. Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow. 

Lassim could even see how beyond each gate led to a different landscape through each of the corridors they led to.

The familiar androgynous voice echoed through the space, its tone calm and resonant.