GLADIATOR | ELYSIUM RISING 1 ✔️

⍢ | 8

The next week was a blur.

Most of it was spent training for hours with Tenn. The pair hadn't spoken much since Iggy accused him of being involved with the rebellion—a rebellion Iggy still wasn't one-hundred percent certain truly existed. The man only talked to give him instructions and occasionally berate him whenever he messed up.

Their silent sessions gave Iggy time to think. Too much time.

With every passing day, his worry for his mother grew. Her medication was due to run out any day now and he wasn't sure how long she would be able to go without it. While she wasn't completely helpless, he didn't want her venturing into town on her own in her current condition. Novr's sandstorms and almost toxic air quality would only agitate her lungs. And not to mention the bandits who hid in the shadows, waiting to mug any poor soul who crossed their path.

To keep his head from imploding, he threw himself into his training. Before he knew it, he went from being able to do a handful of press-ups to being able to do a hundred. He stole books from the guards' barracks, studying different styles of fighting and combat. His swordsmanship had even improved a tad. Tenn still insisted his blocking stance needed work; "Any decent fighter could disarm you with the flick of a wrist," he always said. His ankle, while still painful, had started to heal a bit. He could manage to do a light jog for a few minutes before it flared up again.

Would it all be enough to keep him alive? Only time would tell.

He was running out of time to prepare. The Chyron was set to arrive in Elysium Prime in just a few hours. Iggy found himself sitting in one of the courtyards staring up at the black, nebula-covered expanse through the massive skylight built into the ceiling. The colors bathed the grey walls, dousing everything with vibrant hues.

Clusters of prisoners stood beneath the black sky, murmuring amongst themselves as they anticipated their arrival on the empire's capital planet.

Tenn stood beside Iggy. His attention was directed elsewhere.

"Are you nervous?" he asked the old man.

"I don't get nervous."

"Pfft. That can't be true. Everyone gets nervous."

"I'm not everyone."

Iggy rolled his eyes. Yeah, okay, Tenn. He'd grown accustomed to the Andradan's stoic demeanor. It was fairly amusing at times, and largely annoying at others.

A robotic voice announced they had entered Elysium's airspace. The black sky above gradually faded, giving way to a pale azure obscured by wispy, white clouds. He spotted smaller ships racing for the heavens, zipping past as they darted for the upper atmosphere. Dozens of his fellow inmates flocked over to the windows built into a nearby wall. Iggy looked to Tenn, who wasn't even paying attention. Shaking his head, he left the old man to his own devices and joined the others at the windows.

His eyes widened as he drank it all in.

The ship dropped from the sky, cutting through the clouds and towards a sparkling ocean. Metal behemoths framed like boats Iggy had only seen in digital magazines cut through the waves as they zoomed overhead, each one sporting multiple flags, including ones that bore the symbol of the Elysian Empire.

Iggy stood on his tip-toes as he tried to get a better look out of the circle-shaped panes. He felt his heart drop after spotting something in the distance. The once never-ending ocean was interrupted by a white skyline that seemed to stretch forever. As they grew closer, he spotted buildings stretching for the sky like angels reaching for home. The beaming star in the corner of the sky gleamed off the impressive structures.