I followed Korrok’s as he led me on the way. The weight of my recent adventures began to sink in, but with every step towards Elyria's shop and the barracks, I felt more relaxed. The Coliseum wasn’t just a place of combat; it was a reminder of my journey, my growth, and the possibilities that lie ahead. I would need to stop worrying about the past so much. There was nothing I could do for Earth now, in the future, maybe but now, I needed to survive.

The rhythmic footsteps of Korrok and myself echoed down the seemingly endless corridors of the Coliseum. The sheer size of this place never ceased to amaze me. The walls, adorned with tales of legendary warriors and their great feats, glistened in the ambient light. As we continued, the confined space expanded into an open pavilion. It was a bustling market, alive with the sounds of merchants peddling their wares.

Right away, the gleam of steel and leather caught my eye. Armor merchants showcased their intricate designs, beckoning warriors to upgrade their protective gear. Next to them, a blacksmith tirelessly hammered away at a blade, sparks flying with each forceful strike. The aroma of roasting meat and freshly baked bread wafted through the air. My stomach grumbled, pulling me closer to the food stalls. I lingered a moment, letting the tantalizing scents envelop me.

Our destination, however, was an alchemy shop apparently. It was tucked neatly between an ornate general store and a tent flaunting potions of all colors and consistencies. As we approached, Korrok motioned towards the general store. "You can sell your loot there," he murmured. "They’ll give you a fair price for your adventuring treasures."

I did just that, parting ways with the various trinkets and weapons I'd accumulated during my quest. The merchant, an elderly woman with sharp eyes, assessed each piece before offering a price. By the end of it, my credit balance had swelled by an additional 5,000, leaving me with a respectable 30,000.

With business concluded, I turned my attention to alchemy shop. The scent of herbs and exotic potions greeted me. Behind the counter, Elyria's captivating eyes met mine. She flashed a mischievous smile. "You're back. And with the Lava Lilies, I presume?"

Presenting the delicate flowers, I replied, "For you. I hope waiting all this time for me wasn’t too much trouble." A blush crept up my cheeks, the result of her lingering gaze.

A light tease laced her words. "Trouble waiting for you? Surely not. Tell me, did my request lead you to any... exciting encounters?"

"Exciting? Well, I nearly lost my life to an assassin named Tyranix," I admitted, a hint of a shiver running down my spine at the memory.

Her playful demeanor sobered a touch. "Oh, Everett, that’s life now" she whispered, placing a calming hand on mine. "But look, here's the balm you sought." She handed me a small jar, its contents shimmering.

Upon examining it, I frowned. "Wait, don’t you need the lave lilies to make it?"

A smirk danced on her lips. "No, not hardly, but if you've got something of value, you shouldn't ever give it away for free then should you?" She winked, ushering me toward the exit “this makes excellent perfume that I can sell to fund my adventuring after my time mentoring is over and I get me shiny new class”.

Confusion came over my face. “New class?” I asked.

“Oh Everett, you missed everything during your emotional turmoil didn’t you.” She chided me. “Well here is the condensed version. The Immortal Tournament is one of the few ways to guarantee that you get an advanced class. Most people don’t get super rare classes like your Stormbreaker Barbarian class, which seems pretty overpowered by the way.”

“What do you mean?” I asked even more confused than before.

“I am a regular old Bard myself. I’ve done pretty well for myself with it mind you. But I gambled and took a mentoring assignment with the tournament. If I do enough of these or my mentors do well enough, I get my advanced class. It’s the same for the other participants, almost all of them are just trying to get a better class.” She then paused, letting me take it in.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Wow I have missed so much.” I said. “What are the normal classes then, and how do those work?”

Elyria started explaining again. “Warrior, Mage, Priest, Paladin, Rogue, Bard. A person can specialize based on their decisions and can get pretty powerful. But the limitations are there and once you start hitting against them you feel it.”

“What are the limitations.” I asked, I was very curious at this point.

“First of all, normal base classes can’t level beyond 25. A person can evolve them at 25 but that can be a crap shoot. It generally involves just doing something nearly impossible and having the system notice and reward you. It isn’t really something that a person can guarantee. Also normal base classes only get 2 attribute points per level, you are incredibly lucky to get more.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to guarantee you receive an advanced class. One of the first is by being part of the ruling class. They are the ones that often hand out the limited advanced class slots a world gets each cycle. Then there are opportunities you can take advantage of like this.”

I could only shake my head, smiling despite my confusion. “Thank you for the explanation, Elyria, I think I need to go take this all in, and thanks for the balm.”

“No problem Ace.” She said and winked at me.

As Korrok and I began our walk back, he turned to me, an air of impatience about him. "Alright, I've waited long enough. I can tell you have something you are hiding still– spill it!"

Exhaling, I began recounting my encounter with the Drake Prince and the unexpected boon he had granted me in the egg. "Honestly, I have no idea what to do with it," I confessed. “I’ve spent some time in the evenings looking at it, I think I could split it open if I really tried but is there really a Drake in there.”

Korrok mulled it over, his deep-set eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “Goodness don’t break that thing open, it is priceless who knows what’s in there, maybe the Patriarch’s egg is a Drake, maybe it’s a huge yoke, maybe it’s a dragon, oh lord it could even be a wyrm in there. It’s rare that dragons or wryms are born at all but every so often a powerful drake lays a dragon or wyrm egg. My recommendation, talk to it. See if you can bond with it. Do it every night, guard it and for god’s sake don’t talk about it. It might just be the most valuable prize anyone has gotten from these quest zones."

His words settled in as we continued our walk, the weight of responsibility heavier with each step.

The rhythmic thud of our boots echoed through the stone corridor as Korrok led me to the barracks. With every step, my anticipation grew. How would my new living quarters compare to the wild settings of my recent adventures?

Upon entering, the reality was far from what I'd imagined. The barracks was a large, dimly lit room filled with a sea of bunk beds. Each bunk was separated by a makeshift partition, crudely made from mismatched pieces of cloth and wood. The room hummed with the muted sounds of conversation, the rustling of movement, and the occasional cough or grunt.

Korrok gestured to an empty bunk. "There you go, lad. Home sweet home," he commented with a hint of irony.

I frowned, looking at the bare mattress and the flimsy partition. "It's a bit... rougher than I expected," I admitted, noting the thin blankets and the lack of any personal space.

Korrok chuckled, his deep voice resonating in the tight space. "Oh, it stays this way for awhile. Keep surviving, and you may be rewarded with a proper stateroom."

"How many more matches again?" I stammered, the weight of his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. "I hadn’t even thought about how many I have left!"

Korrok shook his head. Next up, you've got six to-the-death gladiator matches. If you manage to survive those, the tournament will change in some way, but they won’t tell us how. By that time, there's usually only a handful of gladiators left, so they try to come up with something special for the last two rounds.

I felt a mixture of dread and excitement. "So, after a few more matches, I might finally get some privacy?" I asked, still trying to process the information.

Korrok nodded, patting me reassuringly on the shoulder. "Aye. By then, you'll be quite the commodity, lad. Many fighters become quite popular by the end."

The news was overwhelming, but my curiosity was piqued. "And after that? What happens next?"

Korrok sighed. "two more rounds in the gladiator arena. Again, there is not much I can say about these fights. They change every time, depending on who the sponsor is of the tournament. Expect the unexpected."

I took a moment to process everything. The road ahead was long and fraught with danger, but the promise of the rewards, not to mention the glory, was tempting. Taking a deep breath, I nodded, determined to give it my all. "Thanks, Korrok," I murmured. "I've got a lot to prepare for."

He clapped me on the back, his stony fingers surprisingly gentle. "You've got the heart of a lion, lad. Rest up, for tomorrow, the real challenge begins."