Pillar

I opened my eyes and saw that strong blue light making me frown.

My mind tired from so many mortal combats in a row made me want to lie down a little longer when I heard a cough

I look to the side and see the... the thing?

"Hello, I'm sorry to wake you up but I have a genuine question"

I furrowed my eyebrows at his friendly tone as I tried to find out more about myself but I let it pass.

'I'm too tired for this'

"You can talk... we have all the time in the world"

I smiled passively at him while finishing the sentence with a sarcastic tone.

He seemed to understand when I felt the tip of his eye crinkle and then return to normal.

"We judges... no. You minors always come to test themselves or improve their skills here, normally they always use their all..."

I raised an eyebrow questioning him when I had no idea what he was going to say.

"Why don't you use everything you have?"

My blood started to boil because he belittled me after all these fights but the only thing that came out was a laugh of disbelief.

"Haha ha"

"You can only be joking because-"

the ice at the top of all the rows started to creak and break when I looked at the alien, trying to understand why he was distracting me in the middle of the most important fight when I saw his eyebrows furrowing

'So this wasn't planned'

He seemed to notice when he calmly turned to me and smiled wryly.

"Good luck"

A shadow grew above me as I instinctively threw myself to the corner of the wall,

I looked where I was to try to understand what happened when I felt goosebumps all over my body.

It was a giant pillar, which is probably the last enemy's weapon, I saw his shadow first and then his shape as he came out from behind the object

His feet were big, in fact his stature was... peculiar, I mean, he didn't look like a fighter or anything, he looked weak and worn out, almost tempting me to attack him to test

But the shiver all over my body stopped me from doing that.

I started thinking about how he threw that giant pillar like it was nothing.

he stopped in front of the pillar, ran his hand over it with some nostalgia and asked

"What do you see boy?"

I looked at the pillar and saw that it had several red stains, as if it were the blood of people killed by the beasts after a long time.

'Were they dear to him?'

I answered without thinking much

"Stories..."

He seemed to get lost in thought for a moment and then slowly shook his head as if coming to a conclusion.

"Interesting point, I had never thought of it that way, even after a long time"

He finally turned to me and I could see his face

A man with short hair, hair was missing from many parts of his head, making it look like it was unnatural. Loose tunics that were probably never his

and...scars that gave me goosebumps on his eyes, and near both sides of his mouth

All that aura of danger is gone and it seems to be just one man, suffering and miserable, almost making me let my guard down...

almost

He looked confused when he looked at me and then a sad, tired smile came across his face.

"You are the first man to look at me with those eyes"

I gave him a hint of a smile as I nodded,

It seemed like the scars on his face were much shallower than the one inside him.

I felt sorry...

pity this poor man who suffered this fate.

"How do you want me to test you"

He asked me while looking at me with a tender look, there was no tone of contempt or anything like that, just peace

I felt it would be unfair to fight him in that state, weak, weakened and sick inside...

"I would accept anything short of fighting"

I said while looking into his eyes trying to look as tough as possible.

He looked surprised as he assessed me from top to bottom.

"He is sure?"

"Yes"

I replied without thinking much while looking at him

"I honestly didn't expect that answer, before I say what it will be, can I ask you one more question?"

"Of course you can sir"

You in the last sentence really make me look like a boy and make a supposed smile appear on the old man's face

"Because you didn't choose the fight... I mean you're clearly stronger than me, just look at my body"

I looked at him for a while as I organized my thoughts and opened my mouth.

"I felt it wouldn't be fair to fight with you about your condition"

he tilted his head in confusion

"Condition? Are you talking about my body?"

I looked into his eyes and said with regret, for putting my finger on the wound

"From your mind"

We stared at each other for a long time, without any words being said, just the silence of the place we were in, the strings of destiny intertwining us in that moment.

He suddenly started walking towards me but I didn't feel any threat so I didn't summon my spear or anything like that.

Even with eyes without mana I saw his hands covered like a white glove, and his body sweating as if doing that would cost a lot.

"Perform your trial, and see for yourself the life of a judge"

he said before touching my forehead and everything went dark