Septimus spent the rest of his training session trying to create a magical shield that would protect him from all the weapons Vitus threw at him. It didn't exactly work as he gained many cuts from that. At the end of the session, Vitus shakes his head and tells Septimus to go home. He walks away muttering, leaving Septimus standing in the training room. Septimus picks up his leather bag, which only carries the book, and leaves the coliseum. He decides that he will ask why Arcadia even broke into the palace and the library and when. Of course, if she doesn't answer, he won't push it.

"Hey Arcadia!" Septimus greets, immediately going to sit down by the fire.

"Hi," she responds. "Where'd you get all those cuts?"

"Training," he tells her, shrugging. "Lots of weapons flying everywhere. May I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure."

"Why did you break into the palace and the library?" Arcadia stares at Septimus, wondering if she should tell him or not. More like, does she trust him enough.

"Only if you tell me why you took that book with you into the coliseum," she responds. Septimus shrugs, thinking that it is a fair trade. A secret for a secret.

"I asked Vitus if he could translate it for me, which he did. I didn't tell him where I got the book though," Septimus explains. "He didn't get me in trouble either."

"Just as long as you don't involve me," Arcadia mutters. "I guess I have to tell you my secrets now." She takes a deep breath. "I broke into the library because I was bored and I wanted to learn about the history of Baana. No one ever talks about it, no one knows why the laws were created. No one except for the emperor, which is why I decided to break into the palace. I stole more than one book, and I found out about some things. I wanted to see why the government kept this hidden and how the palace works."

"What did you learn?" Septimus wonders, talking softly, afraid that people passing the house would hear them talking.

"I won't talk about that. Not now. I wish I never found out," Arcadia replies. "All I will say is that I want to leave Baana one day. Just gather all my things, break into the library one more time, take as many books as possible, and just leave. Go to a different land."

"I'll go with you, help you."

"No, you want to become the greatest warrior alive, stay that way for centuries. I don't want to take that away from you for my own selfish reasons," she says, shaking her head.

"No, not the greatest warrior, the most remembered person in the whole world. I can do that from a different land."

*        *        *        *        *        *        *

"Do you know the history of Baana? Like, the full history, the lost parts that no one is ever taught?" Septimus immediately asks Vitus the next morning. Vitus stares at him, clearly taken aback by the questions.

"No one does except for the emperor and his most trusted advisors," his mentor responds. Septimus raises an eyebrow, not believing him. "And possibly other people as well. Those who live in the palace I suppose."

"You don't know?"

"I'm not that old, Septimus!" Vitus exclaims. "Let's start your training for today, but first, announcements. I have recently found out that your first battle will be against one of the tallest and toughest gladiators, Atticus, but he isn't the brightest. I also overheard that if you defeat him, another fighter will come out. Her 'name' is The Lioness, and for a good reason. She is much smarter than Atticus, but also much crueler than him."

"And when is this fight?"

"Tomorrow." Septimus's jaw drops open.

"Tomorrow?! I'm not prepared for this!" Septimus shouts. Vitus sighs. "Why tomorrow? Do they want me dead?!"

"Most likely."

"What?! Why would they want me dead?! Who are they!?"

"'They' are the organizers of the games. That includes the emperor. I assume that the emperor didn't like having a scrawny little boy that no one has ever heard of become a trainee in the coliseum," Vitus explains. "You see, the emperor hates people that have more luck than him, and you sure have a lot more luck than he does."

"But he's the emperor, how could I have more luck than him?" Vitus stays silent for a while, pondering his answer.

"Magic," he finally responds after a minute or two. "There is a law that states that all magic-users must be slaughtered. This law hasn't been lifted in well over 200 years. Possibly even 500."

"So you do know some things."

"Of course I do."

"And you won't tell me all of it?"

"No, I won't. There is too much information and some of it is too terrible for anyone else to learn."