GLADIATOR | ELYSIUM RISING 1 ✔️

⍢ | 14

Iggy hadn't realized he hadn't seen daylight since arriving in Elysium until Ivy brought him into the arena's stands.

The sky was a perfect blue, dotted with fluffy clouds that seemed like they were purposefully engineered in a weather lab. Warmth from the star in the center of the sea of blue spread across his skin, which had been substantially paled by the successive days of being kept indoors—whether it be the prison ship or his new prison.

Strong pillars of coarse stone rose in evenly-spaced increments throughout the stadium's endless rows of seating. Painted stands decorated with flags and advertisement boards reached out air above him, providing alternative angles for potential viewers to watch the entertainment. He spotted the three skyboxes—not counting the commentator's cube in the center of the arena—looking down on them all.

He couldn't imagine how long it must've taken them to build it all. Or how much it must've cost. Or how many lives were lost building it...

Closing his eyes, he dropped the thought. Now wasn't the time to sour his own mood with thoughts like those. The sky was clear, the air didn't smell like body odor and stale bread, and the sun felt amazing against his skin. He basked in the sunlight, almost forgetting why they'd been brought outside in the first place.

Tenn reminded him by coughing awkwardly. Iggy cracked one eye open to peer at the old man.

He couldn't seem to get comfortable in his seat. Granted, sitting on solid steel wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but Iggy couldn't complain too much. At least they were outside—even if for a few minutes. But as he watched Tenn fidgeting, he realized something else was bothering him.

"Hey, relax," Iggy told him. "It's just an interview."

"What's this lady's infatuation with us?" Tenn hissed. "I don't trust her."

Iggy rolled his eyes. "You don't trust anyone."

"You shouldn't either."

"I'm trusting you, remember?"

Tenn creased his brow at the boy. Then he wagged a finger at him. "Why aren't you more nervous?"

"What? I am nervous."

"Don't lie to me, boy."

Iggy wrung his hands. He figured now was the time to tell the man he'd been considering Ivy's earlier proposal. Tenn wouldn't like it, but perhaps he could get the man to change his mind. If the two of them could progress through the games as the partnership Moxi suggested they were, that'd make things much easier. Plus, Iggy enjoyed having a friend—even if said friend happened to be decades older than him.

"Fine," he said with an obnoxious sigh. Smiling sheepishly, he rubbed his neck. "Ivy kind of approached me after my race to, and I quote, tell my story." Tenn said nothing. "She thinks it'll help me win," he added. "I think she's right. Plus, if I can get the empire to believe I'm innocent, maybe they'll be persuaded to let me get home to my mother. Or at least send her some help while I'm away."

Tenn's expression softened, by his steely demeanor remained. "I don't plan on telling his woman anything. If I win these games, it'll be because of me, not some interviews of me sucking up to the empire."

"Hey, I'm not planning on doing any 'sucking up,'" he argued. "I'm just going to tell the truth."

"The truth doesn't always matter."

Iggy considered his words. He weighed them in his head, assessing their validity.

"Apologies for the wait," Ivy exclaimed as she rejoined them on the west wing of the stadium's bleachers. Her robot stood atop her shoulder, documenting everything with its creepy little, red eye. Iggy squinted at it.