Solaris was walking down the stairs leading to the Crimson Cross's main floors.
Ania, Lucian, and Ember had all told him of a room where he could prepare for the coming battle; the two former recommended he do so, while Ember said he would probably win without any practice.
Solaris, however, disagreed with his mentor and wanted to be as prepared as possible.
Walking down the hallway through the crimson cross, Solaris ignored some of the people still working who were currently pointing at him and whispering.
Solaris had almost always been a bit of an outcast, so he was very used to being bullied behind his back; the first few times it had happened, he had lashed out and gotten beaten and sent to in-school suspension for weeks.
After that, he had learned to ignore people more and more, and eventually the things people said about him didn't matter anymore.
Or at least those things that were said about him without his knowledge.
Little did he know, but this time those people talking about him were not being mean at all.
They were continuing to add to the rumor of The Eclipse.
"Did you see? That was him, the Eclipse!"
"Really, I thought he would be taller, but I still wouldn't want to mess with him. Some say that he killed two hundred demons on his own!"
"I heard it was six hundred!"
As Solaris continued down the hallway, he took a right and began down a darker, less finished corridor.
This corridor led to the arena and was visually very different than the rest of the crimson cross.
Following the walls of the small corridor, Solaris began to hear a quiet sound from a room just up ahead; as the sound grew closer, it grew slightly louder.
Solaris's heart began to beat with fear, and slowly he let the shards slide out from under his skin.
He already wasn't a fan of how small the corridor was, and now a strange sound was coming from a room.
Solaris swallowed hard as he recalled the last time he heard a sound coming from an unfamiliar room.
Approaching the door, Solaris slowly peaked thought the slightly ajar door.
Seeing what was inside, Solaris let the shards back under his skin.
In the corner of the room, there was a girl dressed in blue; she was sitting on the floor with her head lying against the wall, with her arms holding her knees to her chest.
Solaris recognized her instantly; it was Selen, of course.
The room was dark, with almost no light; the corner she sat in was much the same.
As he stared into the room, his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, he began to frown.
Selen had tears rolling down her face as one of her arms clawed at the other, slowly letting blood seep out of it.
Selen had an inconsolable look on her face, and her lower lip was quivering; she was sobbing quietly.
Solaris looked at the girl without saying a word, then he slowly moved his foot forward to leave the girl alone.
I have to get ready; I have to fight... I...
Solaris moved another step down the corridor.
No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he couldn't; he wanted to help.
But what could he do? He wasn't someone good with people; he wasn't a knight in shining armor here to save a beautiful princess. He had proved that to himself the first day he ever met her.
He wasn't her brother, boyfriend, or even her best friend, infact he wasn't even sure if they were friends.
He didn't even know if she liked him at all; perhaps she only tolerated him because she had to.
With this in mind, Solaris knew he would be of absolutely no help to Selen at all.
So he took another step.
Then another.
Then he raised his arm and knocked on the door twice, ever so softly.
"Selen, can I, um... come in?"
Solaris was going to be no help; he was a useless person to Selen, he was someone who had only ever harmed her ever since they met.
And it was because of this that he had to try; he had to try and help her now.
I'll bring that smile back; even if she hates me, I still want her to be happy.
After a moment of no response, Solaris started to leave, then a soft, innocent voice sounded in his ears.
"Solaris... don't leave... come in."
Solaris took a deep breath and put on a slight, nervous grin.
Moving back to the door, he pushed it all the way open and walked over to Selen.
She patted the ground beside her.
Solaris sat a foot away from where she had patted to give her space.
She had put on a bright smile, but Solaris could tell it was very forced.
It wasn't from any social skills he had acquired, but more from the fact that she still had tears rolling down her cheeks.
The two didn't speak for some time.
The dark room was silent yet not awkward; the two sat on the floor, Selen staring at her knees, her bloody arm now covered, and Solaris staring at his feet.
Neither made any attempt to talk for some time.
It was only after the announcer's booming voice called out the victor of the latest round that Selen broke the tranquil silence.
"Why did you become a hunter?"
Solaris was slightly shocked by the sudden question and its nature.
Solaris looked over at the girl; she didn't return the glance and continued looking at her knee.
Solaris looked back down at his feet, hesitated, then took a deep breath and spoke in a soft voice.
"Because I was bored..."