The infirmary of the coliseum was spacious. It was a single rectangular room with beds lined up in a row on both sides. Each bed has space for a few visitors, with a table and round chairs around it. Although that was the case, this area of the coliseum is deserted most of the time. Fighters who have been injured in their matches heal rather quickly with the help of their Zeal. As well as with the healer tending them using medicine made from various magical natural resources.
Confused, Aeneas stared at the worried sixteen-year-old boy covering him with his shadow. Then, he scanned the place and realized what kind of room he was in, but couldn't remember how he ended up there, "What happened, Elu?" he asked.
Eluard Faulkner is the name of the young man. He has dark brown hair, light skin, hooded eyes that harbor brown pupils, and a slender but trained body. His dark brown shirt and black trousers are made from fabric a couple of tiers better than the common ones. On his back rests a white folded longbow made from non-ordinary materials. Foldable longbows also needed more mastery to create than the normal equivalent. His quiver was placed on the left side of his waist filled with arrows. One of which was distinguishable from the others.
Another weapon Eluard has is a short sword. Resting below the quiver, his sword is sheathed in a wooden scabbard made from common lumber. Aside from that, he was holding another sword in his hands. A bit longer than his own and sheathed with a similar scabbard, but the pommel was carved into a lion.
"You okay? Should I call the healer back?" said Eluard.
Aeneas massaged his head, "No, I feel fine, but why am I-?"
The young boy's memory of defeat returned to him in quick succession, "ah," he muttered, sitting up on his bed with a grim expression on his face. Aeneas looked at Eluard, "But, why do you look so worried?" He asked.
"You were mumbling and moving weirdly in your sleep."
Curious, Eluard asked Aeneas about his dream. He was about to tell him when he realized that even he couldn't remember most of what his dreams were about no matter how hard he tried. All he could recall was the peculiar being and its inhuman eyes.
Aeneas then looked out the window to see the orange light that came from the setting sun.
After a brief pause, Aeneas looked down, "I lost," he whispered. Eluard remained silent. He didn't know what to say or how to make Aeneas feel a bit better. But, he felt the need to uplift the saddened kid he thought of as his real younger brother.
"It's true that you've lost. But, your fight was brilliant," Eluard smiled, "You fought bravely."
His words made Aeneas teary-eyed. Although what Eluard said somehow gave him some assertion that his effort wasn't all in vain, it couldn't outweigh Aeneas's doubts about himself after losing the first match in his first tournament.
"Brother would have won in a blink."
Eluard sighed, "Indeed he would," after a brief pause, "But your brother is a league of his own."
Aeneas dipped his face in his hands. He couldn't hold back the tears.
"If only I had a Zeal."
It was the second time Eluard heard Aeneas say those words. The first he heard it was six years ago when the seven-year-old Aeneas came home from school. Bawling, he uttered the same words and insisted that he didn't want to continue attending the school in Pergis town, the same town they are now.
The bed where Aeneas lay was located at the end of the room. Besides the window that shows the back of the arena with a small area of greenery. Meanwhile, the entrance was far from his bed, and from it entered a herax. A medium-sized hawk-like creature with long red feathers around its eyes and the end of its tail. It glided toward them and landed on Eluard's right shoulder.
A bit startled, Eluard turned to the bird of prey, "Aero?" he asked, "What are you doing here?"
From the door followed a middle-aged man. He wore the same quality clothes as Eluard. But his was a pair of black trousers and a shirt that his muscles seemed to want to break out from. His black hair is tied behind in a ponytail, paired with a beard that would make any man envious. He has almond-shaped dark brown eyes. Resting on a belt in his left hip was a sword sheathed by a black scabbard with a carved symbol of the Lion's Zeal. It is made of blackwood, a type of wood more durable than some metal. The pommel of his sword was, similar to Aeneas, carved into the image of a lion's head. On his right cheek, a part of a blemish peeks out of his perfect beard. When stared long enough, the mark forms a symbol; two vertical lines connected by horizontal ones at both ends.
"I have come to fetch you, young lord," the man said. He bowed his head and would've placed his right palm around his chest if he wasn't holding a cup in both of his hands.
Eluard turned to him, "Sir Donos? We were about to go home," he glanced at Aero resting on his shoulder who tilted its head in confusion, "Did you not receive my letter on time?"
Donos laughed, "Don't look at poor Aero like that. I simply decided to come and fetch you."
Briefly, Donos explained that he was at the stables when Aero appeared, but he had already made plans to fetch them and buy something Crisa asked for along the way. Aeneas, on the other hand, wiped clean his tears before looking at Donos who knew the reason why he was crying.
"Ah. I've bought you some drinks," Donos said as he walked the aisle towards Aeneas's bed.
Both Eluard and Aeneas accepted the refreshment and said their thanks. Aeneas smiled to see his favorite red mango-flavored drink topped with crushed ice. He took a sip and looked at Donos. Then checked his right pocket.
"How much was it, Uncle Donos?"
"You don't need to pay for it."
Aeneas shook his head, "No. I have to, it's your money," he said.
With a chuckle, "It is not. Crisa gave it to me for that reason."
With a nod, "I see," Aeneas said. Still, he rummages his pockets for coins. He found a silver one and tried to hand it to Donos, "Buy one for yourself as well."
Donos smiled. He explained that he was thirsty when he arrived at Pergis and bought a drink for himself before heading to the infirmary of the Coliseum. Though it wasn't true, Aeneas believed him and returned the silver coin to where he pulled it from.
"Who won the tournament?" Donos asked. A question he knew the answer to.
Hearing what Donos asked made Aeneas sigh before taking another sip.
"A kid named Alistair won," Eluard said.
Aeneas's eyes widened. He took glimpses at Eluard while still drinking from the cup he was holding.
At that time, Eluard realized that he hadn't informed Aeneas about the results of the tournament. The boy didn't know who won. Another thing Eluard noticed is that the question made by Donos was an attempt to lessen Aeneas's disappointment towards himself.
"I see. So that Aurusmane kid won."
Even Eluard's eyes widened this time. He didn't know that Alistair was from the prominent Aurusmane family. The same family from where all Panteran kings to this day came from. A family that is believed by the people to be the true descendants of the Proud Lion, Leo, himself.
Donos saw Aeneas stop drinking and began nodding. He smiled, "I heard that you almost won."
Aeneas stared at him, blinked a few times and said, "Still... I lost."
"Such is life!" said Donos. He began chuckling, "I've lost hundreds of matches in my youth, yet I've become a knight."
"A knight under someone half your age," Eluard commented before taking a sip at his orange-flavored drink.
With a weird smile, Donos approached Eluard. He slithered his arms around his neck and grasped him with a chokehold, "Smart little bastard. Surprise training… try getting out" he said.
Aeneas almost spit his drink. He began chuckling which warmed the hearts of both Eluard and Donos. After a few seconds, Eluard began tapping Donos's arm who seemed to forget that he was still exerting too much strength when he saw Aeneas chuckling.
Donos released Eluard. He laughed, "Passed! You didn't spill your drink."
"But, Uncle Donos," Aeneas said, "Why exactly did you come here?"
"The Lord has returned," Donos said that the lord of the Caspius manor had returned home together with the few knights under him. With their presence, no one would dare to try and enter their home uninvited and Donos thought he might as well go and fetch Aeneas and Eluard since Pergis isn't that far from their village.
"So… brother's home," Aeneas muttered.