Chapter 36: The War Hero
The Duel was to take place in the Colosseum, which was actually outside of the walls of the Divine Throne. The theocratic complex sat on a hill at the edge of Roann, with towering mountains and sheer valleys creating a dramatic landscape behind. The massive stone colosseum dominated the top of a nearby mountain, something I'd always seen but never truly considered. Soltair gave me a quick lesson on the nearby geography as we hurried through the empty corridors. The whole of the Divine Throne felt abandoned, which brought deep anxiety to me. Were there really that many people going to watch the duel?
"Over the decades, the church has carved countless tunnels and passages into the mountains around here. While the main entrance to the colosseum is by stairs ascending the peaks, we can take one of the lifts within the mountain. It's like the library's, but much more impressive," Soltair said as we ran.
"Then why were you so amazed at the library?" I shot back between breaths. There wasn't a need to be difficult, but at least he could pretend to be tired!
"Heh. I'm always the one showing you stuff, so I thought you might appreciate it the other way around."
I fell silent for a bit, but then recalled his awestruck face. That definitely hadn't been faked, but if it wasn't for the lift, then...
"Wait, you were that amazed at seeing that many books?"
He stumbled but caught himself quickly. "What are you going on about? We don't have time for jokes. Remember the plan?"
"Mostly. Cast the spell then try to not get hit. I don't know how my spells will fare against them, but I should be able to hold on for a while."
"Good. I won't be able to protect you from everything, so if you could tie down a few of them, I can take care of the rest."