Going back to when the trio of friends had parted, Ascalon entered the colosseum. He walked in a line alongside a multitude of people, watching them curiously as he appraised their features. He tried his best to not linger too much and to avoid eye contact, because he knew what he was doing was a bit rude.

But still, how could he hold himself back? Ascalon was finding it very interesting to try and distinguish everyone’s ‘races’, so to speak. After all, he hadn’t had the chance to take his time and mingle with crowds, to actually study these details. There were people that simply wore a resemblance to humans but had added traits, and then there were those who were practically anthropomorphic animals.

He was especially aware of the individuals with dog-like resemblance, because of his own bias, and the differences between the forms of their ears, how bushy were their tails, or how good it would feel to pat their silky heads.

Ascalon thought that maybe he was getting carried away, so he decided to focus, shaking his head as if to dispel the intrusive thoughts! He sighed and kept advancing, the line slowly nearing a checkpoint of sorts.

A marble counter awaited next to a door, where people stopped for a second to interact with a couple of people, receiving a long piece of paper in return. Ascalon began feeling a bit anxious as his own turn approached, wondering if he would be able to understand how to do the transaction properly.

Shortly after, he stopped in front of the counter. A couple of attendants greeted him, a man and a woman whose white attire kind of matched each other. The gentleman was wearing a suit, similar to Ron’s but a bit less sophisticated, while the girl wore a buttoned shirt and a skirt.

The woman was the one to speak first, smiling as she scanned Ascalon from head to toe.

“Hello sir, welcome to the Colosseum! Can you show me the file that came with the purchase receipt?” She said with eagerness, as she fiddled with a smartphone similar to Lilithra’s. But Ascalon didn’t understand a word after the welcoming part. A file with the purchase receipt? What did that mean?

His face showed confusion, as his brows furrowed while he began answering. “Hmm, I am not sure… I just… I want to pay for a seat to watch the bouts?” He stated, smiling awkwardly, not entirely sure if he was explaining himself properly.

The attendant tilted her head to the side, and her eyes opened slightly wider as she seemingly realized what he meant. “Oh! So you didn’t reserve a seat beforehand… no worries, we still have many available!” She spoke cheerfully, as her partner approached with an electronic device on hand.

Ascalon had seen some of these in the shopping district, they were a bit bigger than phones but supposedly served the same functions and more; Selorien had called them… tablets, maybe? He wondered about the exact name, as the man’s voice reached his ears.

“There’s plenty of seats at the eastern part of the colosseum, and some more around the other areas. I hope you can understand that the best ones are already sold.” The man’s tone sounded gentle and regretful.

It didn’t take long for Ascalon to figure out that the ‘best’ seats were assuredly in high demand at such a popular event, so he understood that maybe the available ones were farther from the action. Still, it didn’t matter to him—the mere fact that he could get a seat was enough to bring a relieved smile to his face.

Both attendants seemed surprised but happy to see him smile, probably finding his reaction a bit unusual, especially after telling him such regretful news. Ascalon took the chance to rummage a pocket in his jacket, producing from it the metallic card Ron had gotten for him.

Ascalon extended it to them, and was about to ask how it worked when both attendants gasped loudly. “Wait… is that…?!” The girl spoke first, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape as she focused on the card.

“An executive card?!” Added the man, getting slightly closer to the object and peering at it with awe.

Ascalon was taken aback by their reactions, and even recalled his arm a bit in suspicion, moving the card away from them. But their next set of actions surprised him even more, as they both bowed deeply.

“We’re deeply sorry sir! We didn’t realize you were a VIP!” The man stated with a flustered tone, as he raised his head again. Ascalon could hear murmurs behind him.

Realizing he was stalling the line, the knight felt a bit troubled. But before he could speak, once again, the girl attendant quickly stood straight and extended her arm toward a door behind the counter.

“This way, please, esteemed guest!” She exclaimed with a warm smile, her cheeks slightly flushed by the agitation. Ascalon briefly looked around, the suspicious and curious stares of the crowd becoming increasingly noticeable.

Feeling he had no choice, he simply followed the woman’s directions and stepped through the door. Somehow, the card Ron had given him had triggered an unusual turn of events, and he feared he might miss the fights if he didn’t hurry, especially after being told to go through the wrong door!

He resigned himself with a deep sigh, and proceeded through a well-lit corridor. Along the way, he could glimpse at many distinguished individuals, wearing extravagant, sophisticated attire. Some conversed animatedly with each other, while others simply stood around.

In addition to their striking appearances, Ascalon began to notice that some of their presences were also notable, a few on par with Lucio himself. He narrowed his eye as he let out a contemplative ‘hmmm’, while moving along. He could feel stares and whispers, but tried to pay no mind to them as he had more important matters to attend to.

At the end of the long hallway, light greeted him. Stepping outside, he could see the vast inside of the enormous colosseum from a vantage point. In the distance, sets of seats were filled with spectators who eagerly awaited the start of the event. The scene was truly astonishing to him, as he couldn’t believe just how many individuals were there.

But appraising his surroundings more closely, Ascalon found himself in quite the elegant location. It was an open room, with many chairs arranged neatly around round tables, which had multiple beverages and bite-sized food atop them. Closer to the balcony, around twenty big seats could be seen. They looked luxurious, and were evenly spaced, offering ample personal space unlike the rest of the tribune seats.

Aside from the objects, most of the individuals around him exuded a particular air about them, and Ascalon seemed to have piqued their interest. He slowly scanned the people in the room, starting with a familiar silhouette: Escarlata, Selorien’s maid.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The servant stood impassively at the side of one of the balcony seats, her back turned to him. Ascalon could sense someone sitting there but couldn’t see them yet. He of course couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of battle Escarlata was fighting in her mind—the desire to stare at him conflicting with the professional etiquette that defined her.

A few seats to the left was a blonde guy who smiled at him. He looked young, and wore a pair of black glasses, but his most prominent feature was a huge tattoo of a whale on the left side of his face. His attire consisted of a colorful blue shirt with ocean waves depicted on it, blue shorts to match, and a pair of uncomfortable-looking white sandals.

Sitting in the chair beside him, a woman peeked in Ascalon’s direction with a pair of big, magenta eyes. He could only see her face and a bit of her red hair, but her presence was notable as she exuded an air of confidence and pride.

At the other side of the room, a scrawny-looking man watched him with a cold, inquisitive stare. His clothes were baggy, as if he had lost weight and they weren’t fitting him anymore, and consisted of a long white jacket, blue jeans, and brown shoes. He looked almost sickly, with huge bags under his black eyes, which reflected a mysterious feeling. Over his black, unkempt hair, rested a hat with a blue sword symbol.

Nearby, a humongous, bear-like person stood tall, also staring daggers at him. They wore a red tank top and black shorts, their rear paws completely bare over the floor. Some sparkly gold chains adorned their neck, and their broad, fur-covered shoulders could probably sit two Lilithra each—though the individual gave out a very dangerous, unapproachable vibe, so maybe that wasn’t a good idea.

There were a few others around; some looked like nobles but didn’t have a notable presence, and others were also sitting and out of view. A couple of the individuals he had seen on the way also started arriving.

Ascalon was feeling a bit scrutinized by the ones who were focusing on him, he could even hear a ‘Who’s that? Some rich fellow?’ somewhere, but it was to be expected. That area seemed to be reserved for esteemed guests, and he finally understood what the attendant had meant.

That metallic card Ron had given to him seemed to be way more useful, and important, than he gave it credit for. It was likely an attempt to get in his good graces, or perhaps an apology for the tailing.

So, in other words, he stuck out like a sore thumb, a stranger amidst a multitude of VIPs. It was then that the young blonde approached him, beaming with glee at the knight.

“Heeey, what’s up?” He asked joyfully as he raised his hand in greeting. He seemed amicable and eager to socialize.

Ascalon was a bit surprised by the suddenness of the man’s approach, but bowed slightly to return the greeting. He wasn’t sure what to reply, so he simply went to the point.

“Greetings, I am here to watch the event.” He spoke plainly, and the man before him raised an eyebrow, his smile unwavering.

“I see, I see! I mean, everyone is here for that, yeah.” The man laughed boldly, his body leaning back as he stood with confidence, and the bear-like person snickered from across the room.

Ascalon felt a bit embarrassed at his own remark, but the young man quickly patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.

“Hey man, sorry about that! Didn’t mean to make fun of you or anything, y’know? I’m Jay, by the way, Jay Lorens!” He said excitedly, his ever-present smile beaming at Ascalon. He sighed a bit more composed, and replied in kind.

“My name is Ascalon Rendland, it is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Jay.” His voice carried the reverence he usually showed, and Jay made a surprised expression, raising his eyebrows as he whistled.

A few others murmured in the background, but Jay didn’t seem to care and kept talking. “Nice to meet’ya Ascalon! I see my name didn’t ring a bell, so you must be that wanderer I’ve heard about~.” Jay’s smile changed to a more bold one, rising to one side, and a few of the others perked up.

It seemed Ascalon’s presence was making the rounds, for better or worse. Ascalon bowed slightly, about to apologize, but Jay stopped him by patting his shoulder and laughing loudly once again.

“Don’t mind it, don’t mind it! I don’t have the ego of these people, couldn’t care less if no one knew me!” Jay casually pointed with his thumb backward, toward the individuals that were already seated, and Ascalon could feel a few of them shift in their seats, probably annoyed.

The blonde then turned around, and looked back to Ascalon with a grin in place. “Let’s get seated!” He exclaimed as he walked ahead. Ascalon felt like he was being dragged around, and it reminded him of his friends, so he smiled softly and followed after Jay.

Jay sat at the left corner of the balcony, and Ascalon took one of the chairs that was nearby. Ascalon wondered if Jay had taken that seat because of his left, scarred eye, because from there he could now properly see some of the individuals that were hidden from his sight before.

At Escarlata’s side rested an old-looking elf with long silver hair, and his wrinkly visage made for a surprising sight. Elves lived incredibly long, so seeing an elder of their race meant he had truly witnessed the passing of entire ages. He looked regal from head to toes, his demeanor that of a wise, prideful man.

His clothes matched the image he projected, as they were long, immaculate robes, their lining glistening with golden threads. He side-eyed Ascalon, not deeming to actually turn to him, and he spoke with authority to his maid.

“So he’s the one that made you falter?” Escarlata tensed up, even the air around her felt like it flinched for a second.

“Yes, master Theoldorien.” She replied with a respectful tone, bowing deeply. The older elf let out a soft ‘hmmm’, and his lips curled into a satisfied grin.

“You’re forgiven, Escarlata. Not many can stand up to such a monster.” With these cryptic words, Ascalon could feel the rest of the room focus on him once more, while Escarlata felt an enormous weight lift off her shoulders.

So that was Selorien’s grandfather, the head of the L’adariel house. He seemed like a man to be wary of, as age and experience were a fearsome tool. As he pondered that, Ascalon’s eye caught another man staring at him.

He had long, black hair, and a few scars ran through his right cheek. His green eyes narrowed as he watched Ascalon, and his nose wrinkled in irritation. Ascalon was wondering if he had done something to offend the man, until he saw his black, leather jacket—on it, the symbol of the Flaming Fists. Ah, that made sense.

It was then that Ascalon’s attention shifted, as the whole colosseum erupted in cheers and applause all of a sudden. Taken aback, he looked around, and his eye focused on a group of people walking in the arena—among them, Lilithra and Selorien!

He smiled with happiness, his good eye sparkling as he felt energized by the sight, somewhat influenced by the festive mood that had taken over the entire, colossal structure. He noticed the people on the balcony applauding, making some comments among themselves, or simply snarling at the sight—that one was the bear, most likely.

Then, the next group entered the arena: The Flaming Fists. Ascalon felt a bit curious, so he scanned them amidst the booing and cheers of the spectators. Rosco was there, accompanied by his Guildmembers. They looked tough, but he had confidence in both Lilithra and Selorien. Prompted by his thoughts, he looked over at the Casanova group once more.

As he watched his friends intently, he could see Lilithra’s head moving around, as if looking for something. It wasn’t long until her big yellow eyes found him, even at that kind of distance. He felt a warmth spread through his chest, but smiled gently, knowing she had been looking for him.

He raised his arm high, his fist closed tight—a sign of encouragement to both his friends who were about to fight in the grand colosseum!