I don't know how much time passed…
My senses, one by one, began to respond again: the smell of dry earth, the rough and warm touch of the ground, the dryness in my throat, and at some point, I managed to open my eyes.
The radiant light pierced my retina, instantly blinding me for a moment.
There was no subway anymore.
No city.
Only sand, ashes, and a twilight sky stretching as far as the eye could see.
I was inside what looked like a coliseum, a broken structure of black stone that smelled of gunpowder and soot.
My head was still spinning and my sight hadn't fully adjusted to the light; as best as I could, I held onto a pillar to stand up.
—What the hell…? —was the first thing that came out of my mouth, dry as the earth surrounding me— is this hell?
In response, a clinking sound behind me caught my attention. Slowly, as if my body were warning me of danger, I turned to look at it.
Barely restrained by flimsy chains, there was a massive mechanical ram plated in bronze, shaking its neck furiously and stirring up dust around it.
—This isn't happening, this isn't happening…
I repeated as I dragged myself away from the beast. What happened next was so fast that I could only describe it as two figures emerging as if history itself had vomited them out before me.
The first was a colossus. Over two meters tall, with muscles carved from marble and living steel. Draped over his shoulders was a beautiful black lion's pelt covering his back, crowned with the feline's head concealing his face.
—Let's have a little fun —the colossus growled, in a deep voice—. Nothing personal, little one, but you'd better not get up.
He told me, giving me a masculine and confident smile beneath the lion's fangs, while the second figure, more slender, looked at me only out of the corner of her eye. She was a woman in white armor, wearing a serene expression, with gray eyes full of passion hidden beneath her black hair that barely framed the contour of her face. She carried a sword forged from diamond and on her back waved a magnificent banner bearing the fleur-de-lis.
—Listen, boy, hide in the stands and don't make a sound —she said, with a firm voice.
"What the hell was happening?" was the only thing I could think.
My heart was pounding a thousand beats per hour, my head was spinning, and my legs felt like dancing noodles. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't follow the young woman's instruction.
How was it possible that two figures so impressive they looked straight out of some manga or video game were standing so heroically in front of me—and why?
The entire coliseum was an epic nightmare, and I… clashed like a mere cameraman who had messed up in the middle of filming.
—This is a damn mistake —I muttered, wishing to disappear.
Thus, right in front of us, three new figures emerged violently and did not hesitate to charge at my supposed guardians.
The first, a gladiator, armed with a trident, charged at the colossus.
Behind him, a woman with hair red as fire drove a bronze chariot pulled by spectral creatures that could only be described as giant hares.
And lastly, a man mounted on a warhorse, spear in hand and with a beard so thick it almost completely covered his face, who took flight and rammed into the man with the mane… who with a single hand stopped his horse dead.
Panic made me draw strength from I don't know where to run toward the ruined stands, where I let myself drop among them to hide. Around me everything was chaos, war cries accompanied by the metallic rumbling of the ram trying to break free from its chains.
—This must be a dream… —I repeated like a mantra, panting and praying the savage animal wouldn't break loose—, I fell asleep, yes, I must have fallen asleep on the train home… right?
Peeking my head just slightly over a step, I watched with horror and fascination the spectacle; the colossus didn't seem worried by the double attack of the gladiator and the knight. With his right hand he blocked the latter's spear, and with his left he deflected the former's trident.
The woman with the banner held her ground while the redhead circled around her in her chariot. Then, the young woman took the banner and with a swift movement drove it into the ground, unleashing a wave of light that overturned the chariot and made the hares pulling it disappear, dropping the warrior onto the earth.
The colossus finally grabbed the spear rider's horse by the chest, hurling it against the stands… right where I was.
Fortunately for me, the rider ended up crushed beneath his own steed just a few steps away from me.
—Sorry, kid! —the colossus shouted, still holding the gladiator.
Out of sheer panic and with a muffled scream, I kicked the rider, using the momentum to push myself away from him in a hurry when I felt a second impact behind me.
The gladiator had no better luck than the rider, ending up thrown like a rag doll by the colossus, who laughed out loud.
The angelic young woman appeared carrying the redhead, and after a strong blow with the hilt of her sword to the back of the woman's neck, in the middle of the coliseum a radiant message appeared above us:
[GRAND VICTORY / WHITE TEAM: Reward 20k CN]
Below it, on a smaller screen, the combatants were listed:
[White Team: Heracles MVP | Jeanne D Arc | Mr. Nobody]
—Well would you look at that —Heracles growled, shrugging—. Mister Nobody got a takedown.
—Me? Mister Nobody?...
It took me a second to understand: but by some damn coincidence, the kick I gave the poor rider in the stands had knocked him unconscious, counting that as participation.
Jeanne sighed and nodded slightly.
For a moment I remained staring at the man, who kindly extended his hand to help me up, bathed in the twilight light.
For the first time in my life I felt completely useless… and at the same time, strangely victorious.
I wanted to accept the colossus's kindness, but before I could reach him, the entire coliseum disappeared into particles of light, including my companions.
In an instant I was floating in an empty space, among ashes and lights.
My head spun trying to process what had happened, and only one phrase came from my trembling lips:
—This…! This can't be real.