Aelon couldn't sleep.
He had gotten used to sleeping before certain death, that wasn't the problem. It was his wound.
The agonizing pain didn't stop, and now that he had wrapped his torso with a bandage, whenever he slightly moved, the pain intensified. To Aelon's disdain he was also a restless sleeper.
As soon as he managed to fall asleep, he was immediately woken by the hole in his side.
The black haired boy had never been so certain about his death. There was a reason why you were granted fifty soul shards when you defeated an awakened. They had their Aspect abilities in their arsenal, and also could use soul essence to augment their attacks.
A mundane person winning against an awakened already seemed impossible. Now Aelon?
He doubted any of his tricks would work on an awakened.
Honestly though?
Death wasn't something he felt aversion from. He had considered ending it himself many times.
He knew that this upcoming fight was suicide as well, but he still wanted to try.
'Corcus was really right. Fate is cruel.'
It would've been comforting to say that fate judged without it's own biases and prejudice. Clearly, that wasn't the case though.
People were born in circumstances that Aelon could only dream of, and didn't have to lift a finger, nor put any efforts in.
Even in the world of awakened, legacies possessed advantages that no normal person could hope having. The rich people in the city could barely keep up by training their kids from a young age, and buying them overly expensive memories. Still, the legacies got trained since birth, were given powerful memories before they entered the dream realm, and many other things.
Aelon wondered. He wondered how he would've lived as a legacy.
First of all, he wouldn't have this underdeveloped bone structure.
'I'd probably be over five feet tall...'
Unbeknownst to Aelon, due to the good nutrition he had received here in the dream realm, he grew a centimeter.
Second of all, he probably would survive this nightmare.
'With good combat training, I doubt any of my enemies would've stood a chance. After all they are all lacking combat experience too.'
That was the same reason why the upcoming fights were becoming dangerous. If you threw a bunch of snakes into a pit, the most poisonous always survived.
'If I survive... I want to taste that chocolate.'
***
The guard came.
Aelon already was prepared, and had his armor and gear on.
This would be the last time he walked this path towards the arena.
The last time where he fought in the colosseum.
The last time the disgusting wretches watched him kill for their own amusement.
The last time 'Giantslayer' was chanted.
When he stepped into the arena, his heart was beating rapidly.
A slight dizziness overtook Aelon, and his breathing sped up, just like in his first fight.
His hands were trembling, while holding his blades.
Adrenaline was rushing through his body before the fight even started.
A few moments later the door on the other side opened. It was Awakened Minos.
In his hand, a longsword that possessed a blue shimmer.
He had golden hair that dropped down to his shoulders, and blue eyes that seemed to glow in the same color his blade did.
Ironically, Minos didn't wear any real armor. Only a white silk shirt, with matching pants, and sandals.
When he looked at Aelon amusement showed on his face. Just like Corcus he looked up at the announcer as if to ask "Is this really my opponent?"
A melodic voice came out of his mouth.
"I knew that I was supposed to fight a mundane person, but really? A child?"
With a snort he turned back to look at Aelon. A little pity was seen in his expression, but most of it was relaxation, and amusement.
A kid, wearing armor that hung loosely everywhere.
His weapons seemed to slip out of his grasp at any moment.
The horn didn't sound yet, but Minos approached Aelon anyways.
Now that he was towering in front of Aelon, the black haired boy could tell that he was around 5'10.
"Tell me child, why would you propose such a ridiculous request of a fight?"
Aelon's hands didn't stop trembling, but his face was apathetic.
Now that his death stood before him and looked down at him, he had accepted his fate already.
"I have an infection. If I kill you I'll gain enough soul shards to leave this loathsome place. If I wouldn't have done this, I would've died sooner or later."
Minos nodded in understanding.
"Very well. I shall use my aspect to grant you a swift death then child."
Then the golden haired awakened turned, and walked back to his previous spot.
"Everyone watching! This will be the last fight of your beloved Giantslayer! If he loses, it's an obvious death. If he wins, it's an immediate exit of this colosseum, and freedom of his title as slave!" The announcer's excited voice resounded through the colosseum.
Ironically, there wasn't much cheering.
It seemed like Aelon had built up a decent reputation throughout the watchers.
The black haired boy stared down at the floor.
Nothing.
Nothing could save him here but he himself.
Aelon was too realistic to convince himself that he would win here. But still, he thought of the chocolate.
Maybe, if he survived the first nightmare, and eventually awakened, he would find his real parents.
Maybe, if he achieved enough as an awakened, he could attempt the second nightmare.
Maybe, if he survived the second nightmare, he would live comfortably as a Master, and would be able to approach Lyra.
But right now he was nothing but an outskirts rat, nothing but a combat slave.
Aelon looked at Minos. The announcer spoke one last time.
"This fight is Aelon who won thirty one fights this far, against Awakened Minos, who won eighty fights! Everyone get ready, and fighters get into your positions!"
Three.
Aelon's grip tightened.
Two.
His breathing intensified.
One.
The black haired boy's jaw clenched.
The horn sounded.
Minos vanished.