A humongous, oval-shaped building towered above the Eastern district. The limestone tiles adorning its outside matched well with the textured, yellow glass from the many windows scattered around its surface. Enormous, decorated pillars were erected at key points, and helped the colossal structure stay firm and strong.
The entrance was as wide as a castle gate, flanked by intricate columns bearing multiple flags of various colors, each sporting Guild emblems and other miscellaneous logos. Above the entrance, a massive archway presented the name of the arena: The Colosseum, written in shiny gold letters.
It was quite the sight, though it didn’t have an ancient feel to it, as it was rebuilt a few years after the Guild system was implemented. Still, it was a marvelous work of art.
The streets leading to the structure were lined with vendors, and bustled with activity as people made their merry way to watch the event with food and drinks in hand. It seemed to be more of a social spectacle than a resolution to the conflict between Casanova and the Flaming Fists.
Ascalon, alongside Lilithra and Selorien, stood at the base of the colosseum, peering at its seemingly unending height. Raphael had told them he would arrive later, after picking up Marygold. It was a name Ascalon had heard a few times, but he still didn’t know a single thing about the person it belonged to.
Lilithra was starting to feel nervous, now that the day had finally come, shifting in place as she slowly breathed in and out. Selorien, on the other hand, looked as laid-back and uninterested as always; he even seemed a bit sleepy, judging by his half-closed eyes.
Ascalon watched over them, observing that in addition to their usual attire, they also wore long, red scarves with a darker rose symbol embroidered on them. He had seen that same emblem before, back at their Guildhouse. It seemed that they had graduated from being newbies and now owned the distinctive item of their clan.
Ascalon placed a hand on each of his companion’s shoulders, who looked at him in response. “I strongly believe you two will emerge victorious today.” He spoke with a determined but gentle tone, as he smiled toward his friends. Lilithra’s lips curled up in a soft grin, and Selorien raised his hand to give them a thumbs up.
“I’m sure I will! Lil, however… nah, I would tease you, but, it will mean nothing when you start kicking butt.” Said Selorien as he glanced at Lilithra, trying to lift the girl’s mood by not joking for once.
Lilithra appreciated her friend’s sincerity, feeling that their belief in her growth was motivating her to try her very best, and even beyond! “I’m gonna make you proud, Master, Selly!” She exclaimed, her resolve burning fiercely in her big, yellow eyes.
It was then that her phone rang, startling her for a second. She quickly produced her device from a pocket in her hoodie, and fiddled with it for a moment.
Lilithra looked up, then left and right, until she spotted what she was looking for. “Ah, there!” She raised her arm and pointed with her finger toward a path to the right of the colosseum. There, a few bulky persons in black suits stood impassively at both sides.
“That’s the Casanova entrance, so, we have to head there! Supposedly, there’s another for the Fists… good thing the Guildmaster contacted us now!” A sigh of relief escaped her lips. To begin with, she planned to go through the main entrance like everyone else… Lucio had just saved her from some embarrassment, though she didn’t want to admit it.
Ascalon gazed at her, watching her expression turn annoyed, and thought she was thinking of her Guildmaster. She noticed the knight’s eye on her and turned to face him, smiling happily. As always, she was an adorable person.
Selorien, who was peeking at their designated entrance, nudged Lilithra on the side. “Aight, let’s go then.” Then, he set his sights on Ascalon.
“Sadly, you gotta go through the main entrance. I hope you find a good seat to watch us mop the floor with these morons.” A bold smile adorned his lips, confidence behind his every word.
Lilithra let out a cry of protest at the elf’s words, realizing that they had to part from Ascalon. “Awww, I forgot about that! Are you going to be alright alone?” She asked with concern, and Ascalon felt his chest tighten at her words. Lilithra never ceased to care for others, even with an impending battle ahead of her.
“I shall be fine, I have Ron’s card to pay the entrance fee.” He stated with smugness, as he now had a small, magic card that could be used to pay for what he needed.
Raphael had given it to him before they set out, and Ascalon still couldn’t grasp how such a small gadget contained money, but it was probably thanks to the Gifted network anyway! The only thing he wanted to know was how much coin it held—just to make sure, since he wasn’t about to use it indiscriminately either way.
At his words, Lilithra’s expression softened, feeling a bit relieved. Though Ascalon could still glimpse a bit of sadness behind it. “I will cheer you on, Lilithra.” He placed a hand on her head, and softly patted it.
She blushed, looking down as she enjoyed the affectionate gesture, and nodded shyly. Then, Selorien started to leave, his attention already on the battle ahead.
Lilithra saw her friend go at his own pace as usual, ignoring the nice feeling she was basking in, so she begrudgingly went after him. As she walked, she turned around a few times and waved at the knight, her eyes sparkling with determination and gratitude.
Ascalon smiled with an earnest expression as he watched her go, until she disappeared through the path and went into the Casanova’s entry point. He took a deep breath, and looked at the main entrance with nervousness.
The knight couldn’t believe that he, who had even kings kneel in his presence, felt a bit anxious about going into the building alone. It was surprising that he had come to know more about himself only after coming to New Lumingard, a thought that often crossed his mind.
He shook his head and chuckled, as he started to walk toward the Colosseum. He had to get a good seat to watch his friends give their all in combat.
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Lilithra and Selorien entered through the door to Casanova’s waiting room. There, a few familiar faces greeted them. One of them was Lucio, their Guildmaster, who was sitting on a chair with one of his legs crossed over the other. He smiled charmingly at the newcomers.
“Finally! I thought you had gotten scared and ran off! Or that you got lost somehow, after declining my offer to come together with everyone!” His last words were traced with reproach, though his overly dramatic expression was too much of a contrast to take him seriously.
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Beside the Guildmaster, two of their Guildmembers awaited. One of them was a tall, muscular Felinae man, his body covered in white fur with black stripes. He stood with his arms crossed, and gave out an unapproachable aura. The right half of his tiger-like head was hidden by a red cloth, leaving only one blue eye and round ear visible.
He was wearing a blue jean jacket with its sleeves savagely torn off, over a black t-shirt. His bulky legs were covered by camouflage green pants that had a hole behind, for his long, fluffy tail, and his rear paws were contained inside a pair of sturdy-looking green boots. He had no other accessories or possessions, seemingly unbothered about his overall appearance.
His Guild scarf, on the other hand, was riddled with holes and tears, giving him a rough, combative appearance. He appraised them with disdain, showing his fangs in clear displeasure.
“Still can’t believe you chose those cubs for the Guild War.” He growled, directing his stare to the Guildmaster, who simply waved him away.
image [https://i.imgur.com/mfVdzeE.png]
The remaining member was a girl, a bit taller and curvier than Lilithra. Her voluminous hair was pristine black with blunt bangs, long to her hips, and her pale face showed a bored expression as she fiddled with her phone. Two upright bunny ears could be seen twitching above her head. Her purple eyes were surrounded by a thick black eyeliner, with lipstick of the same color on her full lips. Complementing the makeup, her clothing was all black, exuding a somewhat punk-gothic vibe.
She wore a corset top, closed up in the middle by a set of silver busks, a cute ribbon resting at the uppermost part. Beneath, a fishnet shirt allowing a glimpse at a modest cleavage. Her neck was clasped tight by a choker with a cartoonish bat pendant, and her fingerless gloves had loose threads hanging from them, showing continuous use.
Her bottom was covered by a short skirt, decorated by multiple small bat ornaments, and held by a set of belts of different sizes. A pantyhose with a, yet again, bat pattern hid her plump legs, and her long, heavy boots were similar in design to her corset, with thick laces in place of busks, and ribbons at the top.
The only thing not black and white on her, was the Guild’s red scarf, which dangled behind her. She gazed at Selorien for a moment, then at Lilithra, before looking at her phone again.
image [https://i.imgur.com/ub3w7jo.png]
Lilithra and Selorien had seen them before; they were Richard and Lucretia… or something along those lines. Truth be told, they hadn’t interacted much with their Guildmembers, so it was no surprise that the Felinae was against them participating. But it was clear that Lucio had put them in because of their conflict with the Flaming Fists.
The silence was turning things awkward, so the Guildmaster took it upon himself to change the mood with his usual flair. “Alright, my lovelies! Forget about whatever you’re obsessing about and look at this!” He stated with effusiveness, as a transparent screen appeared before each of them.
It was the roster for the upcoming fight, detailing the matchups with the people they were going to face off against. While Richard and Lucretia seemed unbothered, both Lilithra and Selorien focused on two specific combatants, exchanging concerned and surprised glances.
“I- I’m going against Rosco…?” Questioned Lilithra, her tone of voice trembling with disbelief, contrasting with her earlier determined demeanor. The elf looked at her with a pained expression, knowing she was getting scared.
And who could blame her? Rosco was strong, sure, but had also left a lasting mental impact on the girl. “So what? He’s just a punk.” Richard Snarled, raising his visible eyebrow in confusion. Then, his eye narrowed, about to keep venting, but stopped himself when Lucio shot a serious stare at him.
The Guildmaster walked over to Lilithra, everyone watching with curiosity. “Lil, I know you had some issues with Rosco, but the matchups were decided at random… look, I’m against some unlucky chump!” He spoke while covering his face, striking a dismayed pose.
That was also surprising! The Guildmaster was going to actually participate in the fights, which explained why there were so many people outside.
It wasn’t a common occurrence for the Guild heads to showcase their prowess in a place such as the Colosseum, since they were living it up in their mansions and big skyscrapers, or delving into dungeons to get a bit ahead of their competitors.
But still, these words didn’t reassure her at all. Then, the Leporian goth chimed in, walking closer to Lilithra.
“Don’t worry, we just need to win three out of five, right?” She shot her a cold stare, her soft voice contrasting with the depressing comments. But inside her mind, Lucretia thought she had chosen the perfect words to lift the newbie’s spirits. She just wasn’t really good with people.
Feeling that these guys were of no help at all, Selorien walked to the now teary-eyed Lilithra, and patted her back. “I agree with the not worrying part. Just remember who’s gonna be watching out there. Can’t lose with that guy looking over us.” His words were earnest, though a bit playful. Still, he believed in what he said wholeheartedly.
That seemed to spark something inside Lilithra, who looked up with a smile on her face. Her eyes lit up once again with resolution. That’s right, Ascalon, her master, was going to be watching! She had decided to do her best, so that’s what she was gonna do.
Thinking about it calmly, it was a perfect opportunity to overcome her past—the trauma of being betrayed by the Flaming Fists, their lies, and how they cruelly shamed her for what her parents had done in the past.
She was going to show them, but most of all, she was going to do it for Ascalon’s honor, he who had helped her so much. She had stopped trembling altogether, everyone in the room silently appraising her newfound conviction.
The vibe in the room changed, as Lucio clapped vigorously a few times. “I’m not sure I follow! But you seem motivated now so whatever! Let’s get going to the arena! My-our fans await us!” Lucio spun around a few times, for whatever reason, and put a hand on his hip as he walked with long strides to a door at the other end of the room.
Richard and Lucretia appeared accustomed to his antics, not even batting an eye as they followed suit. Selorien and Lilithra looked at each other and nodded resolutely, walking together toward their fight.
They proceeded through a tunnel where a few people spoke with Lucio as he passed by—probably informing him of last-minute details and such. Eventually, they reached the end, and light shone upon them, alongside a thunderous cheer from what seemed like a thousand voices.
Lilithra and Selorien gasped, opening their eyes wide as they appraised the view. “Whoa!” They exclaimed in unison. The spectator stands were filled to the brim through the immense colosseum, to the point that the ground itself rumbled with the stomping as the people rallied and celebrated.
The atmosphere was completely taken over by a festive mood, and both friends couldn’t help but smile in ecstatic surprise. Lucio waved and blew kisses to the stands, while Lucretia shrank back a bit, and Richard simply huffed out a sigh. Then, a loud echoing roar erupted again, mixed with booing and cries of protest. The Casanova members looked at the opposite end of the arena, where a group of five people approached.
A distinctive silver scythe glinted in the distance, signaling the arrival of Rosco and his Guildmates. Three of them ignored the spectators and looked straight at their opponents, while the other two sent different, ugly gestures toward the stands. They were clearly a rude bunch, and some of the people around them didn’t like them very much.
Lilithra gulped, but quickly scanned the surroundings, trying to find that one person among the sea of people. One would think it was futile, but, against all odds, she locked eyes with him. There, in what appeared to be a VIP spot at the pinnacle of the stands, sat Ascalon. His gentle gaze fixed on her. She beamed with relief, her cheeks blushing slightly.
Letting aside the surprise of seeing him in such an extravagant seat, now she felt she was truly ready to fight.