Morning came early and when it did, it found that Dallion was already awake. The young man was feeling better on a lot of levels. Most of the pain in his head and eyes was gone, along with the aftereffects of the world expedition. And there was more—after completing the trial that had prevented him from progressing for so long, Dallion felt a sense of freedom he hadn’t experienced for a while.

You didn’t tell me it was so lively here, Gleam said.

That was one other thing that he needed to get used to. The shardfly was the first minion that actually talked to Dallion and chose to do so far more than the echoes or guardians. Getting freed from the mirror—and the mirror pool’s constant games—the creature was eager to make up for the millennia lost time. It was little wonder that she had spent a tremendous amount of time talking to the armadil shield. The dryad guardian had gone through pretty much the same while under the service of the general, so the two had a lot in common, not to mention that they were old enough to reminisce about the “old days.”

The real surprise was July. The echo’s character was as different from Gen, as Gen’s was from Dallion. If Gen was the sort of person to see to it that the realm was adequately maintained—and the new rooms were adapted in the best possible way—July was the sort to wander about without any clear purpose. Every now and then he would assist, though most of the time he would spend in the nymph’s part of the realm, admiring the sea. More and more often the shardfly would be with him. There seemed to be some connection between the two, possibly because they had joined Dallion’s realm at virtually the same moment.

It’s starting to get that way, Dallion replied. Nox and Lux treating you, okay?

Seriously? Dallion could almost hear the frown on the familiar’s face as she asked. Nox spends most of his time sleeping in the library and Lux… The only thing that chick is guilty of is spreading too much cheer.

There was no denying that. Dallion still had difficulty getting used to the idea that Nox was spending most of his time sleeping. When Dallion had come to Nerosol, the cub was a bundle of energy, always eager to stretch its paws and claw anything in sight. In a way, he was what Lux was now. Had a few levels made him mature so much? Or maybe he had grown up as any other cat would.

What are your plans for the day?

First, I’ll finish my exercises, then play a song to the stone orchid, then have breakfast, and finally go to fight a few preliminary rounds at the arena.

Sounds like a busy day.

It’s the festival.

Alright, I’ll keep fluttering about. You’ll let me know if you need my help with anything.

Age clearly carried its weight. If Nox and Lux acted like little brothers, especially Lux, Gleam was more like the older annoyed sister that liked to be informed of what was going on.

As with everything else, getting new inhabitants in his realm was something that he was going to have to get used to. Also, he was going to have to start searching for an artifact to make it Gleam’s home.

The morning exercises done, Dallion proceeded to level up his training stiletto. The guardian had become considerably more difficult, though after the expedition, defeating him felt like a cinch. It also helped Dallion reach the cap of his final non-forging skill. From here on, the only thing he could improve was forging, although that was going to take a while.

Washing as much as he could with the water he was provided, Dallion then got dressed and went to have breakfast. Despite the early hour, there was a significant number of people already there. The guests that had come for the festival were largely ordinary people, though with deep pockets. The few awakened that Dallion knew to have rented rooms were either sleeping or off to get an early start.

With a friendly greeting, Dallion passed by the kitchen to grab whatever food Aspan had prepared—in this case, a few sandwiches—and then was off to the arena.

The echo of the committee member who had given him the ring mentioned that it would be hours before Dallion’s match was ready, but Dallion ignored that. For the moment, he just wanted to get to the room of the preliminary fight before the city was filled with crowds again. It didn't help that all shopkeepers and stall merchants were getting more and more creative with their advertising methods. Banners, discounts, bards, even awakened—for those who could afford it—were everywhere in an attempt to attract more customers.

“You shouldn’t be out this early,” a voice said a few steps from Dallion.

This time, Dallion managed to catch a glimpse of the man as he appeared. It was a member of the city guard, of course. The uniform and insignia identified him as a sergeant, though Dallion had the feeling he was a lot more powerful than that. There was a certain confidence emanating from him.

“Oh, it’s you,” the guard said. “You shouldn’t be out this early either.”

“I’m on my way to the arena,” Dallion replied. “I prefer to go before the crowds.”

“It’s your life,” the sergeant said. “I’d stick to crowds for the moment, though. There’s less chance of a mess.”

The warning was clear—there were chainlings roaming the city, and that was why the city guard was dispatched. Officially, the reason was that they were out to ensure there were no fights or theft. That wasn’t the real reason, though. Unlike back on Earth, here all major festivals were completely crime free. The understanding between the underworld and the city nobles was crystal clear: keep the city under control for as long as the event lasts, keep all random petty thieves and pickpockets in check, because if the local nobility loses face there would be reprisals.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dallion replied.

The guard smirked, both amused and annoyed by his response.

“The tournament doesn’t make you ready for squat, kid. It takes a hunt to know what you’re really against.”

“I’ve been on a hunt,” Dallion replied.

“No, you haven’t. And hope that you don’t.” He looked around. “Keep an eye open, and if you spot something, run.”

Dallion didn’t see any need to antagonize the person further, so he nodded, then continued on his way. Hopefully, the situation wasn’t as bad as the man suggested. Otherwise, the overseer, even the entire city, had a huge issue on its hands.

Thankfully, there were no incidents on the way to the arena. The inside of the place seemed in much better condition than a day ago. That didn’t stop people from working round the clock to get every minor detail right. At present florists were everywhere, arranging flowers that Dallion hadn’t even seen in vases that cost more than he had earned since his arrival here. According to Nil, the plants were brought from the nearby wilderness specifically for the occasion. They would last a few days at most, but during those few days they would impress everyone—other nobles mostly—who walked through.

With a mental shrug, Dallion went to the only committee member present. It wasn’t someone Dallion had seen before, but there was no mistaking the expression of a bureaucrat at six in the morning.

“Hey,” Dallion said with a smile and a bit of music charm in his voice. “I’m Dallion Darude, here for my preliminary fight.”

“Ah.” The woman’s expression quickly changed. “We’ve been expecting you, although you’re a bit early.”

“I thought I’d come before the crowd.”

“Good thinking. It’s a mess getting from place to place with all the people walking aimlessly about. It’ll all be sorted out once the festival begins. Things are much more organized then.”

That sounded both impressive and horrifying.

“Want something to eat while you wait?” the committee member asked.

“No, I’m fine. I just want to get through my fights and make it to the official rounds.”

“I don’t doubt that. Actually, if you’re fine with changing the battle order, there is another challenger who’s here. He’s also aiming for a spot, so you two can face off.”

“Oh?”

There was someone else this early? That showed dedication or boredom. Either way, it sounded like a strong opponent. Normally, the better strategy was to get into rhythm slowly with weaker opponents before jumping into the deep. Given the circumstances, though, Dallion didn’t see a reason not to have a tough battle early on.

“Gola Harken,” the woman said, probably after consulting an echo on the matter. “He’s a local and tournament hopeful. In fact, some consider him to be almost as good as you.”

“I don’t know whether to be scared or honored,” Dallion laughed.

“He has quite a lot of experience, even if he isn’t a seer yet. That’s why his odds are slightly worse than yours.”

“I’m sure it’ll make for an interesting battle. When do we get started?”

“I need to get permission for the change, so probably ten-fifteen minutes in total. I’ll have someone take you to the training room in the meantime,” the woman waved to the closest person, who seemed remotely free. “Take Mister Darude to training room green,” she ordered the unfortunate soul. “And bring more refreshments there!”

Before Dallion could say a word, he was politely dragged away so the rest of the people present could get along with their work.

The training room turned out much smaller and less impressive than the name implied. It was just like a locker room without the lockers. Four tables were present—one in each corner. One of them had a bowl of fruit and a jug of water.

Wow, Dallion thought. He had expected a bit more luxury, considering the importance of the event.

Also present in the room was a man in his mid-thirties, dressed in a simple set of beige cotton clothes with no distinguishing features. Looking at the man’s messy hair and unshaven face, Dallion would never take him to an awakened.

“First time?” the man asked, seeing Dallion’s reaction. It was at that point that Dallion realized that he was staring.

“Err, yes.” Dallion snapped out of it. “Big event.”

“Yep, it always is. Everyone who manages to set foot in the arena is special. Those who reach the end, they’re even considered heroes.”

“Managed to get that far?”

“No. Usually I end up around here. Only stepped in the arena once before. Wasn’t a pretty sight. Lasted less than a minute. If I make it this time, I’ll aim to last at least two.”

He’s a sanitation worker, Nil explained. Either him or his family must have amassed an unpayable debt. That’s why he pays it off by doing sanitation work wherever is needed for no pay.

I thought the guilds did that.

One, we are paid. And two, in a city this size, there’s always something in need of repair. All in all, there are about a hundred sanitation workers. Most of them don’t bother with the festival, but since there is no law against participating in the tournament, some decide to take their chance. After all, it’s not like they’ll lose anything if they fail.

“Icepicker?” the man asked.

“Err, yes. I’m Dallion Darude, here to try and step on the arena as well.”

“Ah, so you’re Darude.” The man lightened up. ”Was wondering about you. You’ve been the talk of the prelim tournament. Late bloomer and a seer. Definitely not many of those. You’re pretty much guaranteed a spot. And if I beat you, so am I.”

The determination in his voice was difficult to miss.

I suggest you be on your guard against this one, Nil said. Don’t show off. Go straight for the victory.

You think he’s dangerous?

Dear boy, he’s a sanitation worker almost twice your age, who’s only allowed freedom once per year during this festival. Do you think he’ll forgo that opportunity just because he’s facing you?

I see what you mean. Dallion swallowed. This was going to be one tough fight.