On the night before Hadrian’s first combat in the Colosso, Hadrian cannot sleep. He wanders the humid hypogeum, haunted by Cat’s death, his years of hardship on Emesh, memories of his family and education, and fear of the coming fight.

Hadrian hears water and muffled crying from the showers. When Hadrian enters, Switch recognizes him from behind a curtain. Hadrian closes the door for privacy, worried that someone like Ghen might intrude, and sits nearby while Switch admits that he cannot sleep either.

Switch breaks down, convinced he will die in the arena. Switch says Ghen was right that Switch is not a fighter and regrets not renewing his contract with Master Set, where Switch had been exploited but at least expected to survive. Hadrian rejects Ghen’s cruelty and tries to encourage Switch without pitying him.

Switch explains that he entered the pits because he wanted to escape Master Set and become able to defend himself, like the heroic fighters he admired in films. Hadrian laughs gently because he recognizes the same childish longing in himself: Hadrian once wanted to be like Simeon the Red and see the universe, despite his father’s wishes that he become a priest.

Hadrian argues that being a “proper man” is less important than standing when the time comes. Drawing on Gibson’s teaching, Hadrian tells Switch not to depend on hope, because hope is a cloud; survival will come from doing what must be done. When Switch asks what happens if they fail, Hadrian challenges him to imagine surviving the year instead.

Hadrian offers Switch friendship and proposes that they stick together after the Colosso, perhaps saving for a ship or signing on as guards once they know how to fight. Switch notices that Hadrian’s plan sounds like hope, and Hadrian answers that calling hope a cloud does not mean there is no hope.