Hey, thank you for your feedback. The number above the lamps is in fact intended. It is a number of currency that gets added to the player.
Feature creep definitely got us there and we just added stuff that we thought would be cool. Like lamps. :D
Around the main tower. There is a bug which makes the tower to a combat zone instead of the safe zone until you reach your first light shard. The disappearing is caused by the despawn mechanic for the safe zone.