GLADIATOR | ELYSIUM RISING 1 ✔️

⍢ | 18

The Skimmer track was gone, replaced by the more traditional view of the stadium's pit. The expansive concrete circle had been split into four quadrants, each marked with colored lines and barriers. The waterless moat separating the stands from the playing field returned, introducing a different threat for the tributes apart from each other.

The gamemaker stated they'd be participating in a more dangerous and violent version of capture the flag, a popular children's game throughout the galaxy. The remaining tributes would be split into four teams and were tasked with defending a single point while attacking the other three.

They'd be allowed a single weapon and shield each, along with simple armor plating. As per the gamemaker's own words, no one wanted to see a fighter die after getting hit once. The crowd wanted a show. They wanted drama.

Iggy wrung his hands throughout the entirety of the gamemaker's speech.

"Good luck, tributes," they said at the end of their spiel. "You're going to need it." They left, taking a set of guards with them. The remaining masked Elysians looked upon the tributes with blank stares hiding beyond their tinted visors.

No one said anything for a while.

That all changed after the holographic screen shifted from an image of the arena to a four-section chart of the teams involved. Everyone converged on it, clambering to get to the front to see what squad they landed on. Iggy found himself in the sea of desperate gladiators, trying his best to see over the taller bodies around him. He eventually broke through two people, emerging into the front.

His body trembled as he scoured the screen for his name, along with Tenn's.

They weren't on the first team. Nor the second. When his eyes reached the third list, he felt his heart jump into his mouth. He went from name to name until he got to the end. Relief hit him like a punch in the gut, which made him release the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

His name wasn't on the list. Neither was Tenn's.

That meant they both were on Team Four.

He glanced at the old man over his shoulder and gave him a thumb's up. Tenn replied with a small smile.

Once everyone learned what team they were on, the guards sorted them into their groups and led them to different locker rooms throughout the arena. Iggy noticed they'd entered a part of the stadium he hadn't seen before. The sandpaper-colored walls gave way to pristine corridors doused in white light. The Elysians pushed through a set of double doors and led Team Four inside.

Crates of armor and racks of weapons stood in the middle of the room. Their color was green, much to Iggy's delight. He retrieved the smallest set of armor plates available and put them on. The others went straight for the weapons. Swords, spears, tridents, and even spiked maces. Thin, glowing beams of emerald energy ran along the blades.

He'd seen energy weapons a few times. Normal citizens of the empire were outlawed from owning them, but even the Elysians couldn't eradicate the web of black markets that operated in the shadows of their great empire.

Iggy frowned at the lightweight armor covering his body. He couldn't be so sure they'd protect him against the blades burning with light.

In about ten minutes, he'd see just how well his armor would hold up.

Once his teammates picked their desired weapons, Iggy and Tenn approached the rack to take their pick of what was left. Tenn settled on a standard sword. He tested its weight in both hands before letting out a dissatisfied grunt.

"This'll do."

Iggy chewed on his bottom lip as he struggled to decide. In the training center, they'd been practicing with staffs. There weren't any of those here. Spears were shaped the same, but they required a different skillset from the one he'd been honing. The spiked mace was out of the question. All the swords remaining were nearly taller than he was, and the blades were thicker than his arms.