[1171] chapter one of magicae, a fantasy novel

https://old.reddit.com/r/DestructiveReaders/comments/1s8p38e/1395_first_chapter_of_my_indian_inspired_fantasy/ogj4eqi/.(I couldn't embed) i just want general feedback, if it feels rushed at times and if everything is clear

I can hear the cheering from in here, why are they making such a big deal of this? I'll just go out there and do this stupid fight , that'll be the end of it.

I calibrate my magicae device on my wrist. The runes still have that  blue glow that my father implemented, quite an inventor he was. I take one last look of myself in the mirror, these formal clothes aren't great for fighting, the trousers are stiff, the uniform tight. though I suppose it's made as a spectacle more so than an actual duel, and with it all, there's my clans crest, the owl flying out of an open book. of course, the whole outfit is blue. I've always hated blue. After I adjusted the white collar one last time, I turned left and started walking down my own blue corridor. Great, more blue

The lights are lit by the light magicae devices that are along the wall when I approach, and the cheers of the commoners can be heard more clearly. "WOOO VIE!" At least I have some fans out there, but the overwhelming majority are for my opponent."alistor will beat them!". I near the end of the corridor, and the metal gate is opened by two guards next to it. I can hear the announcer speaking.

"- the son of the great scientist, Vie!" That's my cue. I walk out, It felt as if I'd been hit by a sonic magae, theres far more people than I'd expected. In the stands, there are maybe 200000 people , how could they all afford this? The circular arena stands are practically full. The announcer continues his speech "now, im sorry dear spectators, but alistor is unable to join in on this memorial battle" I could practically feel the disappointment in the crowd "but fear not, for another  member of clan viroria has come forth to participate in this important fight, give it up for gregor!" The crowd goes mild, gregor? I've never heard of them even, strange that they would be the one to volunteer

This gregor steps forward up to the edge of the circular arena lines just like i did. He looks to be in his 20s, decent looking with a bit of a beard. For whatever reason, he unsettled me, though. The way he looks at me doesn't feel right.

The announcer plays the national song of clan vitoria and my own clan noctua, afterwards he starts rambling on about the meaning of this duel "-2 great neighboring clans face each other to remember a great man, everyone, get ready for the duel!" . Here we go, i guess. I take one step over the border, the energy bubble made to surround the duel is halfway to being created before I get a headache , a giant one, I can't move. I try to move, but nothing works, time seems to have stopped, and then the arena, the people, even the ground dissapear, I feel as if im suspended on nothing, before images come rushing back.

Im lying on some blue grass. Why does it always have to be blue?.  Some fire falls straight onto my arm, and i instantly panic and brush it off, scrambling to my feet. It is only then that i realise i can't feel anything .It came from a tree with leaves of flames, and this tree is humongous. It looks to have a radius of about 50 meters. "Hello , vie." i jump and look over behind me to see gregor "Where  am I and what is this?!" "This is my mind." I instantly back up a step. His mind? This isn't any type of magae I know "What did you do to alistor ,gregor?" This has been planned. It must have been. "That's irrelevant in the scheme of things, I have a task for you," "For me? No, you're taking me back right now. " I dont like the idea of being inside someone's mind for longer than necessary. "You must kill your father." What? My fathers dead. That's what this whole memorial ceremony is for. All this planning just to ask me to kill a ghost? "Why? For what reason do you wish him dead?" "He is planning a coup on the king. If you kill him, this can be prevented." "When did he start planning this?" Gregor starts circling around me until he's near the tree "He's been planning this for 1 year now, i have proof as well" hes blatantly lying, my dad died 1 year ago, no way in hell did that passive man plan a coup with that blight either. The world disappears once more, before it coalesces and turns into my fathers library. The room has the same bookshelves , ladder and tables, its identical. im standing in front of a table full of letters and notes. The words "coup" and "become king" are spread across most of them. Not even code, really? He's a scientist, and he's also this blatant? "Stop with the fuctus-spill" gregor recoils , his eyes flash with rage before they cool over "my fathers been dead for that long, this is all a lie, hes neither stupid enough to plan a coup nor am I so ignorant to believe this filth" the mans eyes twitch, he looks as if he doesn't know what to say, then he does a screech sound, his hands turn into claws. His red uniform of his moulds into his skin as he is revealed to have the skin of a chameleon It all makes sense. it's a fictus. In the legend, they mimic objects or people and attempt to trick people to feed on their belief. I guess my father wasn't lying when he said they were real. They're also told to be stupid, so why is he so articulate?

"I almost got ya, I almost did, ya. I would have 2 deaths and many more wit the death of noble, now only one" theres the garbled speech i expected from these creatures, but still, this unknown magae is unprecedented, doesn't feel right The world returns to the original field, although this time its grass is soaked in blood, how quaint "What's that magae you used to take me here?" "Magae is mine boy, you die now," He lunges at me, his claws sinking into my chest, but I feel nothing, idiot Although he can't hurt me , the world seems to feel the hit and shatter. Time starts moving again, im in the crowd, and the supposed gregor is missing. The crowd all makes a sound of shock, I suppose from their perspective the man just disappeared. I can hear the announcer speaking "It seems sir gregor is also absent, sadly this memorial fight will have to be cancelled, and vie declared the winner of the fight by default" theres a few shouts of outrage from the crowd, but I pay them no mind, even as im handed my pity trophy, I can only think "what in the abyss just happened?"