GLADIATOR | ELYSIUM RISING 1 ✔️

⍢ | 24

Tenn had been lying to Iggy since the day they met.

The Andradan explained to him what the Centuri Order was. While the empire classified it as a rebel faction, it was anything but. The Order was a defunct religious group that worshiped the old gods—gods the galaxy no longer believed in. They existed long before the Elysian Empire rose to prominence, serving as peacekeepers and officers throughout the lawless planetary systems.

They fell during the rise of the Elysians. Thousands of cycles ago, the members of the Centuri Order were purged and systematically wiped out by the oppressive force that was the empire. Their names were scrubbed from history. Their temples throughout the galaxy were toppled, left behind on scorched worlds to become ruins. The empire did whatever it could to make sure their kingdom had no recollection of the Centuri Order.

But Iggy still couldn't figure out how his father—and Tenn—were involved. If the Order fell thousands of cycles ago, what were they doing wearing the symbol on their bodies? The empire made it a crime to own anything bearing the Centuri insignia. The two men might not have been rebels in the traditional sense, but they were enemies of the empire.

Why?

"How did you know my father?" Iggy eventually asked. His head was spinning, and his ears rang as if he'd been standing next to a gong, but he managed to keep his cool for the time being. He still had more questions for Tenn.

"We were two of twelve believers throughout the galaxy looking to bring back the Centuri Order," he explained. He kept his voice low, his eyes constantly checking the nearby cameras and the entrance to the training center. "I was living on Yensari in self-imposed exile following my time in the service on Galenrad. It was there I met your father. During those times, many rebellious groups rose and fell, none succeeding in even making a dent in the empire's armor. People across the galaxy, not just the empire, were dying. We couldn't stand it anymore."

Iggy squeezed his eyes shut. He thought back to his time on Yensari, but couldn't recall ever seeing Tenn. Then again, his father used to slip away in the dead of the night often. He'd been too young to think much of it then, and he never thought too much about his time back home once they moved to Novr.

His eyes widened.

"The letters..." His hands trembled as he remembered the pieces of parchment he discovered in the salt mines. "Those...those were from you?"

Tenn said nothing. His silence said everything.

Iggy staggered backward. His head spun faster than [planet name]*. Face burning, he glared at the old man before him. He lied. This whole time he'd been lying. They were supposed to be partners. They were supposed to be friends. There wasn't anyone in this arena he could trust besides Tenn. But now he couldn't even trust him.

Once again, he was alone.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" His voice quaked as angry tears welled in his eyes. Tenn reached out, but he stepped away from the man. "Answer me!"

"I couldn't," Tenn hissed. He cursed in his native language. "I couldn't tell you the truth, Iggorii."

"Why not?!"

"He made me promise!"

Iggy dipped his head forward, his pointed ears perked. He urged the Andradan to explain. So, he did.

"Your father. Icarii. He made me swear, should we ever meet, to never let you find out about what we were doing. He didn't want you going down the same path."

"I don't believe you."

"Iggorii, you have to understand—" Tenn pinched the bridge of his nose. "What we were doing would have seen us, along with everyone we loved, executed. We were making progress on Yensari. But one of our communications to another member was intercepted by the empire. We had to flee. Your father moved you and your mother to Novr to keep you safe. I fled elsewhere, but we kept in touch. After the other ten members of our group were compromised, I lost hope. I lost faith. But Icarii? He never did."