GLADIATOR | ELYSIUM RISING 1 ✔️

⍢ | 21

The emperor's palace was nestled in a mountain range in Elysium Prime's northern hemisphere. Snow-capped peaks stretched higher than any of the glass and metal structures Iggy had grown accustomed to seeing in Neon City.

According to their holographic map inside their transport, they had arrived in Sector One. They flew through a forcefield wrapping around the mountains, protecting the empire and his fellow Noblus from any outside forces. Iggy couldn't help but shift in his seat as they approached the palace built into the face of a cliff.

Cream-colored slabs of rock had been smoothed down to form a dizzying array of arches, overhands, and intricate patterns that made Iggy's head spin. The architectural style insinuated the structure had been around for centuries, but Iggy could see the bits and pieces of modernity hiding beneath the surface. As they dropped from the sky, he got a closer look at the palace's entrance.

A woman dressed in a white pantsuit waited for them on one of the many platforms designed for small ships to dock on. Once they touched down, their transport's sleek door popped out and slid open. An Elysian guard exited first before helping the high priestess out of the vehicle. Iggy and Tenn were left to dismount the hovering pod themselves.

The teenaged Arigorii cupped his hand over his brow, shielding his eyes from the bright sun bearing down on them. The warmth felt amazing against his skin. Being cooped up in the drafty arena meant he didn't get to feel the sun's embrace often. It reminded him of home. Not Novr, but Yensari.

He smiled for a moment before Noia's guard beckoned them forward.

"Welcome!" the woman in white exclaimed as Iggy, Tenn, and Noia approached her. "We've been expecting you, High Priestess."

"Yes, hello, Opal."

Iggy blinked Opal. She was an android, perfectly constructed and modeled after a slender woman with white hair. She bowed in the presence of her master. She shifted her glowing eyes to the two tributes before her. "I trust your journey to the arena went well, yes?"

Noia nodded. She gestured at Opal while glancing at Iggy and Tenn. "Iggorii Amrada, Ohr-Yahn Tennic. Meet Opal, my personal advisor and servant."

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance," the android chirped. "Congratulations on your survival in the arena!"

Tenn huffed. "Awfully cheery, she is. What settings have you got her on?"

Iggy stifled a laugh.

Noia simply smiled at the man. "The empire boasts some of the most hard-working and obedient androids throughout the galaxy. You'll be seeing a lot more of them once we're inside."

Turning on her heel, she strutted toward a set of thick, twisting pillars up ahead. Opal and Noia's guard stayed close behind. Iggy and Tenn followed reluctantly.

The row of pillars gave way to a mongering arch that emptied out into a spacious room sunken several levels into the ground. A set of stairs took them into the pit. Thin streaks of yellow light ran up and down the walls, doing their best to dispel the shadows creeping along the edges of the room. Iggy had a feeling the partial darkness wasn't a fluke in the lighting design. Flags boasting the empire's insignia hung from the ceiling above. Iggy spotted clouds drifting across the sky through the multiple skylights; golden rays poured through the glass openings, illuminating the otherwise shadowy antechamber.

The room itself was devoid of any furniture or decorations, apart from the few draping flags cascading down in excellent, colorful rolls several feet over their heads.

Faint music poured through the opening. Iggy could smell food wafting through the air. His mouth salivated at the thought of eating dishes prepared for the Elysians instead of the grim meals the arena provided. As they treaded across the hall, his stomach grumbled with the force of a creature much larger than him. He smiled sheepishly as everyone shot him a bemused glance.