Lumen woke up weak and disoriented. Everything about his body felt all wrong. Standing up, his legs were wobbly. But why? Did he always feel this way? Why did his mana core feel like it was cracking again—as if something had clawed at it during his sleep? Perhaps a phantom of sorts. His skin burned with feverish sensations, yet his limbs were cold. A sign from his inner realm flickered at the edge of his vision.

  [Broken mana core]

  Shit, it hasn't been broken in months. He must have really taken Toren's attacks the wrong way.

  He realized he was still in the healer's room. Small medical apparatuses on a work table and a cabinet of medicine took up half of the space. He walked up to the mirror at the edge of the room. He stared at himself. Pale skin and silver hair, so fragile. His lips were slightly parted and trembling. His eyes, reddish like beads made of blood. Even weak as he was, his beauty remained striking, almost ethereal. He supposed he did look like a doll.

  The door slapped open. And a heavily armoured man stepped inside.

  Evander strode in, not in his healer's uniform but clad in full gladiator armor, a massive glaive resting in his hands—his signature weapon. He tossed Lumen a fresh undershirt and undergarments. "Get dressed. The organizer wants everyone in the courtyard in a few minutes."

  Lumen barely managed to steady himself as he dressed. Evander eyed him down, a scowl on his face. He stared at Lumen but said nothing. His lips moved slightly, was he keeping something from Lumen?

  Lumen sighed. "Another day, another spectacle."

  "Be hopeful and it might be you're last spectacle." Evander strode out, he was in pissy mood.

  As he stripped, he sneaked a glance at himself in the mirror. Was it malnourishment that made him so frail? Or was it because he was an elf?

  Once again, he couldn't remember. And he wanted to know. He needed to know. It was this damn mana core of his. Disrupting everything.

  Lumen strapped the armored plating to his chest and secured the greaves to his legs. A belt tightened around his waist, and he sheathed the sharpened gladius gifted to him by his mistress. It was time to see what this spectacle was about.

  As he left the healer's room, he stumbled. His vision blurred, but he concentrated all his mana on keeping himself steady. Just a few moments, that was all he needed. It wasn't like these strangers and visitors would want to buy a frail thing like him. He was of no importance.

  A misstep lead to a accident. Lumen nearly tripped over his own foot. A guard caught him just before he hit the ground. Lumen stared up at the bearded man.

  "Watch where you're going, twink! If something happens to you in these halls, that fat bastard will start looking at me."

  Lumen nodded to the guard. "Apologies, honorable guard."

  There was nothing honorable about them, they made a habit of abusing the gladiators when no one was looking.

  He strode forward, doing his best to regain composure.

  As the sunlight graced him, a little strength and energy returned—but only briefly. He stopped at one of the public taps, pressing his head below the pipe and swallowing some water.

  Lumen coughed. Shook his head. Too much water at once. He washed his face with the excess before striding toward the courtyard.

  Many warriors were already standing there. Every gladiator stood in perfect formation and line, their muscles tense, eyes sharp. The buyers hadn't arrived yet, but judging by the tense stance and red face of Gaius, Lumen assumed these weren't small-shot buyers looking for warrior slaves. Something was happening.

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  The air buzzed with anticipation. Lumen didn't know if he wanted to be here.

  As he approached, he ignored the stares of the gladiators and walked over to a stern Evander, his glaive held tight in his hands. He raised his hands to his brother-in-arms.

  Seriously, what is up with him today? Evander gave him a brief nod but said nothing, choosing to remain silent.

  The manager paced up and down, biting his fingers, his lips pursed as he muttered to himself. He was clearly nervous about something.

  A guard rushed into the courtyard, addressing the manager. "Master Gaius, the strange lady has arrived again, she's at the gates."

  The manager flipped. Threatening to throw the guard with a rock. "Well, what are you waiting for, moron? Let her in."

  The soldier scowled, then scuttled back towards the entrance of the complex. The entirety of the coliseum and its outer areas were walled off for various reasons, not that a thief, or worse, would have a fun time in here. Lumen eyed the row of warriors he stood in. It seemed that the female warriors weren't part of this auction; they must not have been to the client's taste.

  The guard returned, marching. Three strange and beautiful women were behind him. The one at the center was draped in long, flowing robes, her hair the color of lilac. She moved with an unnatural grace, and her beauty was inhuman. Lumen coudn't help it, but his eyes loomed at her wide hips and her large breasts she possessed.

  The energy inside Lumen stirred. The lady in the center was emitting an overwhelming amount of mana. He felt his knees nearly buckle in response.

  The other two were just as striking. One was a bronze-skinned girl with short, messy, curly blonde hair. She carried a hammer that looked like it weighed more than she did. Her gaze was sharp, like a predator scanning the field for prey.

  The last was a blonde elf, eerily similar to Lumen, though she was dressed as a maidservant. Was it customary for elves to serve humans? Perhaps he was meant to as well. Back home, he... couldn't remember again. But her eyes locked onto him, like she had recognized a missing piece of a puzzle.

  The trio moved like they owned the place.

  The manager bowed profusely, panic evident in his every movement, before instinctively cowering forward. He prostrated himself. Lumen had never seen him behave like this before, except in the presence of the Lord of the Coliseum. Whom rarely showed their face.

  "Lady Amaris, Farseeress of the East, we have been expecting you, my Lady."

  Farseeress? Lady Amaris?

  He had never heard of her before. Whoever she was, she was powerful. He eyed her as she surveyed the pool of warriors.

  She swatted her hand in the air. "I have no need for your unwanted flattery, Master Gaius, yes?"

  He nodded nervously. "Ah, if you are hasty, may I suggest some of my finest warriors?" He pointed to the two burly oafs. Toren and ans. They were anything but warriors, barbourous brutes, indeed.

  Lumen snorted—quietly, as best as he could manage.

  The trio's eyes flicked toward him. He shut up immediately and looked away. Their gazes moved on, but the elven maid's eyes lingered. Before he knew it, they were staring at each other. Her crystal green eyes were alluring.

  He swallowed. It wasn't every day he was scrutinized like this.

  Lady Amaris murmured, then sighed. "Not exactly what I'm looking for. They're not very handsome."

  Toren, unable to control his anger, started shaking, his muscles bulging. "Why, you fucking wench! I'll have you know I'm the strongest this city has seen! Perhaps I'll prove it to you right now!" He stepped forward, bringing his fists up to strike her.

  "You fool!" Gaius shouted at the lunatic. "You'll get us all killed!"

  Well, It was bound to happen sooner or later. Toren was a loose cannon.

  Lumen considered intervening, but it appeared unnecessary. Not even Evander whom he considerd chivalrous moved.

  Amaris waved her arms, then swatted at the oaf. A torrent of wind was conjured out of thin air. The air condensed, then visibly shifted into a whirlwind. The spiraling force grabbed the angry brute, lifting him off the ground and spinning him through the air before tossing him to the far end of the arena.

  A spell!? he didn't see her chant anything.

  Lady Amaris held her hand over her mouth. "How shameful, Master Gaius. You are unable to keep these animals under control. What would the Lord of the Coliseum say about this?"

  Animals? Would she see him as one as well?

  The manager bowed once again. "My apologies, my Lady. This one has been a problem for a while now, although he is favored by the people."

  "I am not they, and he just tried to attack me, remove him, or I'll order my subordinate here to dispatch him. Self-defense is a law here, yes?"

  He turned toward his guards, who stood frozen in shock. "Guards! Why are you just standing there. Throw him in the penal chamber!"

  Gaius wiped sweat from his face. Lumen watched, amused—for once, he felt genuinely happy seeing someone get what they deserve. Perhaps they should have dispatched him. When Lumen turned his head, they're eyes were littered on him. Then turned away again.