The Art of Blood and Fire

Sonja is tasked by the emperor to bring the greatest artists in many fields back to him. She rides with Gribaldi the chef to find the Beast Lord Kalayah. She is thrown into the dungeon after killing one of Kalayah's beasts and led to the arena to battle the beasts. Kalayah is betrayed by his assistant Rat who turns the beasts on him. Sonja dubs Rat as the new Beast Lord.