The arena had shapeshifted more times than a chimera.
It had assumed its third form for the night's game. Iggy recalled the Skimmer racetrack from the first challenge and the battle zone divided into four quadrants for the Capture the Flag game. But this newest setting was unlike anything he'd ever seen before; a sprawling maze crafted out of nondescript stone outlined with glowing lights. The walls rose into the black sky like the fingers of giants. A gap opened in the center of the front wall—a mouth ready to swallow up any tribute who passed through it.
Iggy couldn't see far inside. Heavy fog poured out from the opening, blocking him from peering more than a few feet deep into the maze. A lump the size of a large salt crystal manifested in the center of his throat. His vision rocked for a moment as if he stood at the front of a ship hurtling through a tempest on the planet Hadeso.
His ears ached from the sounds echoing around him. The thousands of fans wrapping around the inside of the triangle-shaped stadium, sectioned off by high walls glowing with blue light, were the only sight familiar to the boy. Various shots of the crowd going ballistic in the stands appeared on the jumbotron. The screens shifted from the stands to the maze itself; it was complex with multiple routes and obstacles throughout. Iggy spotted spike walls, pits in the floor, and even an electric field. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Gnawing on his bottom lip, he tried his best to force his anxiety back down into his stomach.
The tiny camera droids zooming overhead cut away from the maze to showcase Moxi Daystar. The man stood in the skybox built within the jumbotron. He sported a neon green suit and his hair had been slicked back atop his head. His beaming smile nearly took up all the screens. Cheers rang out as they clamored for their charismatic host.
"Citizens of the Elysian Empire!" Moxi Daystar's voice boomed over the noise. "Welcome to the third and penultimate round of the Elysian Gladiator Games! Today...we have a very special treat for you."
Iggy took another look around. Behind him, the tunnel entrance had closed shut. They were rats trapped in a cage. He and the other tributes gathered at the beginning of the maze.
"Our brave tributes will be competing against each other in this beautiful work of art designed by our brilliant gamemakers," the Elysian showman continued. "The maze features many paths—but only a few led to safety. As for the others...well, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."
Iggy cringed at the horrible images rushing through his head.
"Anyone who emerges on the other side of the maze will advance to the final round! There will be no points, no leaderboard!" Moxi announced. "Tonight, we discover who the real champions are."
The first challenge of the games only let a select number of tributes advance via a leaderboard. Iggy barely managed to snag the last qualifying spot. The second challenge eliminated tributes based on points, or a lack thereof. Again, Iggy and his squad clinched qualification at the death of the game.
But this challenge was different. No leaderboards. No points. Survival was the only qualifier. Something told him this maze wouldn't be a walk in the park.
A hush had washed over the entire arena. He exchanged apprehensive glances with the other terrified tributes. Even Tenn looked on with hesitation in his dark eyes.
Iggy grabbed the medallion hanging from his neck and squeezed his eyes shut. All the noise buzzing around the arena faded to a dull throb in the back of his head. His mother's warm smile surfaced in the darkness of his mind. He felt her warm embrace around him; he felt his father's reassuring hand squeezing his shoulder.
He drew a long, quiet breath before letting it flood out his lips.
You got this.
Holographic numbers appeared at the beginning of the maze. Iggy watched the numbers decrease. Confidence and adrenaline filled his body with every passing second. Once it hit zero, a chime sounded.
"Begin!" Moxi's voice blared around them.
The tributes sprinted through the opening. Iggy followed right on their heels, heart pumping in his chest like the rigs back on Novr. Footfalls filled his ears as they delved deeper into the maze.
The corridor they ran through promptly split into a plethora of passageways. They began to separate; a few headed in the same direction while others opted to try their luck alone. Tenn was one of those, as he jogged down a corridor to Iggy's right. He watched the old man disappear into the fog choking the air.
Within seconds, all the tributes had gone, leaving Iggy alone at the beginning of the maze. A camera drone buzzed above him. He spotted himself on one of the screens above. Gritting his teeth, he examined all the different paths laid out before him.
More than a dozen different options burrowed through the high walls surrounding him. The longer he looked, the faster his head spun. He swallowed hard as he staggered backward. His pulse moved faster than a Skimmer. His mouth went dry, and his tongue felt like an anvil in his mouth.
"C'mon, Iggy, c'mon," he grumbled to himself. His eyes flicked about the maze once again. He needed to decide.
He found himself gazing at the path Tenn took. While he was still upset with the old man, he had a knack for staying alive. Intuition seemed to come to the Andradan in droves. If something told him to take that path, then there must've been some merit in his decision.
Shaking his head, Iggy sprinted down the shadowy passageway and prayed for the best.
#
The path eventually emptied into a wide, open square. As he stepped out, he noticed two other passageways also emptied out into the space. A pair of tributes emerged on either side of him with bewildered looks on their faces. One sported a cut down the side of their face that painted their cheek with blood. The other's left arm hung limply at their side and their eyes fluttered with fatigue.
Iggy hadn't experienced any of the death traps hiding throughout the maze yet. Perhaps Tenn had chosen the right path after all.
But he didn't see the old man anywhere. Had he turned down another corridor? Or perhaps he'd made it across the stone clearing?
"What is this?" the tribute to his left asked.
"No clue," the other replied. They wiped the blood from their face with the back of their hand. With a grimace, they continued forward. "Maybe they're finally giving us a break."
Iggy watched them move across the floor. A thick, blue line had been painted on the ground. Beyond it, the ground continued normally. The fog continued to slither through the maze. He could barely see the single tunnel opening on the other side of the clearing. But he could see it.
That's where he needed to get to.
But he hung back as the two other tributes advanced. There was no chance this wasn't a trap. His fellow contestants didn't seem to have the same thought he had. All they cared about was making it across.
The first tribute stepped over the blue line. They didn't make it more than three steps before getting maimed by a bolt of energy. A pain-filled cry was ripped from their mouth, but they attempted to continue. Another high-pitched whine cut through the air. A flash of light followed milliseconds after. The tribute hit the floor. Two holes burned through their uniform.
The second tribute who had been seconds away from crossing the threshold froze.
Iggy's hands trembled at his side as he gazed into the frozen eyes of the fallen contestant. Blood soaked their garments before spilling out onto the ground. The screens overhead showcased a replay of the death. Tears welled in the Arigorii's eyes. He forced himself to return his focus to the fog-covered field ahead of him.
Blaster cannons were hidden in the walls. Their job was to pick them off like flies in the fog. Iggy scanned the borders of the clearing, searching for the location of the cannons. Through the cracks in the stone, he spotted the black nubs of the machine guns. He remembered how fast that first blaster bolt fired. The tribute bleeding out a few feet ahead only made it a few steps before getting hit.
How were they supposed to make it to the other side without getting blown to smithereens?
Iggy glanced at his fellow maze runner. They stood there, motionless, with eyes wider than Elysium Prime's moons.
They couldn't stand there forever. Eventually, they'd have to attempt to cross. Moxi told them anyone who completed the maze progressed in the games. While he didn't say what would happen to those who didn't, Iggy knew what would become of those who didn't finish.
He grit his teeth. He would finish. He would survive.
Turning to the tribute beside him, he shrugged. "Might as well try, right?"
They laughed nervously. "You're crazy."
"Maybe." He faced the fog. "Maybe not."
He approached the blue line on the ground. He threw a glance at the walls. The guns protruded from their hiding spots, ready to fire at a moment's notice. As examined them, an idea popped into his head.
He retrieved the metal card from his pocket. The message hidden in the silver replayed in his head. Show them who you are. Who was he? He wasn't a master warrior like Tenn. He wasn't a brave rebel like Jaxon. He wasn't a dangerous, cunning politician like Emperor Voltai. He wasn't blessed with magic abilities and beauty like Noia.
But there was one thing he had in common with them.
They were all survivors. So was he.
He was crafty and cunning and scrappy. Where others had strength, he had intelligence. Strength wouldn't save anyone from this trap. Only his mind could.
Peering down at the card in his hand, he exhaled. "Here goes nothing."
Without a second thought, he chucked it into the fog. It sailed a few feet before fading from view. It clattered against the stone, the sound hitting Iggy's ears seconds later. For a split second, everything went silent. Then one of the cannons let off a shot.
Iggy darted past the blue line. He sprinted toward the right, away from where the blaster bolt came from. Another cannon fired. This time, it was aimed at him. Yelping, he dove to the ground just in time to watch the attack sail overhead. His heart jumped into his mouth. Swallowing hard, he got back to his feet and kept running.
"Well, would you look at that!" Moxi's voice blared out around the arena. "The kid's figured it out! House au Castus sure does know how to pick a champion."
Iggy ignored him and ran. More blaster fire sounded. They whizzed behind and in front of him. Every time he heard one of the cannons ring out, he hit the deck. He hadn't been hit yet. He planned to keep it that way.
The fog began to lighten up. A second blue line on the other side revealed itself. The next maze passageway was just a few steps away.
Another blast bolt sounded. It ripped through his right pants leg, slightly nicking his thigh. The smell of burnt flesh mixed with the metallic scent of his blood hit his nose. His sight wavered. His knees buckled. But he kept going.
The cannons fired again. He watched as the glowing bolt sliced through the fog. This time, it sped past him. It hit the tribute who'd been riding Iggy's coattails. A hole opened in their chest, ripping away their uniform. They died before they hit the floor.
Iggy didn't give them a second glance. He couldn't. If he did, it would be him dead on the floor next. There wasn't anything he could do for them. He couldn't do anything for anyone. Not right now. Not while he was stuck in this maze.
The wall fired another shot at him. Iggy threw himself back down. He landed near the deceased body on the ground and tried not to scream. A third blaster bolt pierced the flesh inches away from his face. The chilling sound and impact of the bolts made him recoil. And if that wasn't enough, the foreign blood that splattered across his nose and cheeks did the trick. Bile rose in his throat. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep it down.
With frantic eyes, he faced the end of the clearing. One more sprint and he'd be home free. But he couldn't get up. Not after he'd dropped to the floor. There wasn't anything left to distract the cannons, and he'd run out of things to throw at the beginning of this deadly endeavor.
He shifted his eyes to the boots of the tribute lying motionless beside him.
Perhaps he wasn't out of distractions.
He cursed under his breath at the idea he came up with. The last thing he wanted to do was rob a dead body, but he couldn't think of anything better. Besides, it wasn't like they'd be using them anymore. Grumbling an apology, he tugged the shoes off their feet, careful not to cause too much movement. Fortunately, the cannons ceased fire.
But the moment he stood up, he expected them to resume.
When they did, they wouldn't be shooting at him. Their aim and response time might've been lightning-quick, but they were just machines after all. They couldn't anticipate what he planned to do next. He'd seen that firsthand when he threw the card.
He just prayed his trick would keep them occupied long enough for him to cross the threshold.
Still on the ground, he held the boot close to his chest. He took a few steadying breaths, hoping to calm the storm raging in his frenzied brain. His muscles were taut with anticipation. He pressed his lips into a thin, tight line.
Here we go.
Springing to his feet, he launched the boot behind him toward the starting point of the clearing. The automated cannons took the bait. Blaster fire illuminated the sweeping fog. The shoe had been annihilated faster than Iggy could blink.
He was already running before they could begin shooting at him.
Deafening cheers resounded around the stadium as he crossed the blue line. He couldn't help but smile as he limped over it. It didn't last, though, as a stern look took hold of his sweat-covered face. This wasn't a victory. The maze still held him captive. Once he made it out, then he could smile.
For now, he had to stay focused. He had to survive.
Nodding to himself, he pressed a hand to the wound on his leg and staggered through the passageway awaiting him.
#
The maze wouldn't stop trying to kill him.
Nothing he'd faced measured up to the blaster field, but that didn't mean it was any easier. Every corridor seemed to house a new challenge. He narrowly escaped a tunnel that transformed into fire and smoke, climb a metal wall covered in metal spikes, and even jumped a gap with his hurt leg.
The adrenaline coursing through his veins kept the fatigue and pain infiltrating his body at bay. The minor wound on his leg would surely worsen as well if it didn't get looked at soon. Strangely enough, he looked forward to collapsing in a heap of exhaustion and pain.
At the very least, it would mean he survived.
That's all he cared about. All the pain in the galaxy wouldn't matter if it meant he'd live to see another day in this wretched existence he called life. Because he wasn't just living for himself. Since the day his father disappeared, his life took on new meaning. Selfishness wasn't an option for him. It rarely crossed his mind.
He had to push on. He had to keep going.
Someone was depending on him.
Wheezing like a dog, Iggy emerged into another clearing. No hidden blaster cannons this time. He'd already scanned the walls a dozen times before deciding it was safe to advance. Hundreds of metal rods rose from the ground. Smaller walls, varying in size and thickness, were spaced about sporadically. Each one had the empire's bold insignia pressed into the material—another reminder of who really pulled the strings. The empire and the other Noblus families were surely watching from somewhere in the arena, or from their luxurious compounds throughout the Elysium Sector.
This all was simply entertainment for them. A show to tune into for a few minutes before getting bored and switching to something else.
Iggy balled his hands at his side.
Before he could stew in his hatred and resentment for the empire, he spotted the glowing banner on the other side of the field of metal rods. His eyes lit up. A grin stretched his lips. The safe zone was just on the other side. His fault test stood before him.
He wouldn't be completing it alone.
From another passageway a few yards down, a tired figure stumbled out. They held their shoulder as they gasped for air. Iggy's eyes widened as he recognized their scruffy, grey beard and piercing eyes darker than obsidian.
Ohr-Yahn Tennic.
The pair saw each other at the same time. The old man straightened up and slowed his breathing. They said nothing as they stared at each other.
Somehow, they both survived the horrors of the maze. Not only had they survived, but they both arrived at the end of the challenge simultaneously. Before, he would've chalked it up to coincidence. Not now. Not after everything they'd been through. Part of him was still angry with the Andradan and his lies. He deserved to know the truth about his father.
But at that moment, Iggy realized how hard it must've been to honor the promise he made to Icarii Amrada. Yet, he kept it.
That meant something to Iggy, even if it infuriated him.
He stepped toward the old man, his face softening.
"Funny seeing you here," he said.
Tenn snorted. "Surprised you're still here, boy."
"That makes both of us."
They approached each other with caution. They stopped inches away from each other and remained silent for a few moments. Out of the corner of his eye, Iggy watched a camera drone spying on them from the top of the maze. It fed its video stream to the jumbotron above. The crowd chanted their names as the pair stood before one another.
"Iggorii, I want to apologize again—"
Iggy interrupted him with a hug. He buried his face into the man's chest as he wrapped his arms around him. Tears sprang from his eyes. He shut them to keep them from falling.
"No," he said, voice muffled by the man's shirt. "No, I'm sorry." He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell him how stupid he'd acted. Tenn did the best he could in his circumstances. He might've told the empire about the plans to resurrect the Centuri Order, but he never sold out Icarii. He didn't lead the empire to Iggy and his mother.
And, most of all, he kept his word to Iggy's father.
The old man was his friend.
He knew that now.
After a while, Tenn hugged him back. Then he pulled away. For once, he smiled.
"Let's finish this thing, yeah?"
Iggy nodded. "Let's do it."
They faced the sea of metal poles ahead. Seconds later, they began to rotate slowly. He wasn't sure what else the maze had in store for them, but as long as Tenn was by his side, he knew they could overcome anything. At the end of the day, they were partners—partners until the bitter end. It only took nearly dying in the maze for him to realize that.
As they approached the poles, Iggy felt something wet beneath his shoes. He stopped, eyebrows lifted, and looked down. Water passed between his legs. He turned. A steady stream of water poured out from the two passageways cutting through the towering walls. With every passing moment, more water gushed through the openings. The streams quickly turned into torrents of rushing water.
In the distance, a massive wave forced its way through the entirety of the maze. Screams from the other tributes still trapped inside rang out.
Tenn grabbed him by the scruff of the neck before running for the metal rods. Iggy ran behind him with his eyes still on the wave.
The closer it got, the larger it got. It didn't take long for it to burst through the two openings. Water filled their section of the maze. Within seconds, it had pooled up to their ankles, soaking their pants legs. Within a minute, it was at their waists.
Iggy twisted and contorted his body through the gaps between the poles. They continued to spin, creating powerful currents in the rushing water that threatened to pull him away. Tenn kept a vice-like grip on the collar of his shirt. Normally, the man's overprotectiveness would've been annoying, but he appreciated the extra help. If they stayed connected, they had a chance of making it to the other side. He feared if the man let go, they'd both be swept away by the water, which continued to rise and show no signs of stopping.
Soon, they were forced to swim. Tenn let go of him. Iggy did his best to keep up with the man. While Novr had no oceans, Yensari did. He hadn't swum in those green waters for more than ten cycles, but he never forgot how to swim. After a few scary moments of sputtering water, he gathered his bearings. His instincts kicked in. Left arm, right arm. Left leg, right leg. He repeated the words in his head like a mantra as he propelled himself through the water.
The spinning poles picked up speed. The water flowing around them followed suit. Iggy did his best to steer clear of them, but the farther he got, the more clustered they became. Tenn surged a few yards ahead of him, his old but lean body cutting through the water as if he were born in the sea.
"Come on, Iggorii!" the old man shouted over the noise. "We're almost there!"
Iggy peered past the water. The safe zone was just ahead. He sucked in a breath and let it fill his lungs. His arms and legs screamed in pain, but he kept swimming.
The water continued to rise. He felt the currents grab at his limbs and body like ghosts dragging him to the underworld. The muscles in his neck strained as he struggled to remain afloat. His chest burned. Water invaded his mouth and nose. Spots dotted his vision.
But he kept swimming.
Ahead of them, the water stopped abruptly, instead choosing to crash upward, defying the universal laws of gravity as it created a vertical wave. Tenn dove through the wall of water and vanished. Moxi Daystar's distant voice announced the man was the third contestant to complete the maze and would be advancing to the next round.
Iggy pushed himself to move faster, but his energy was fading. His strokes in the water became less powerful. Less controlled. The currents began to overpower him. Soon, he found himself floundering in the raging, man-made sea.
The water pushed his head down. After the third time, he could barely bring it back up. More water found its way into his lungs. He tried not to breathe it in, but he couldn't. His body sank beneath the waves. The light of the arena subsided, giving way to the darkness that would swallow him. His eyes fluttered as he felt himself sinking deeper into the abyss.
He half expected Tenn to dive back into the water to save him. But the Andradan didn't come. No one came.
And no one would.
A spark of energy ignited within his chest. The message from that metal card forced its way into his head as he drowned.
"Show them who you are."
And that's what he did.
Using up his last reserves of energy, he kicked his legs, pushing him upward and toward the top of the water. His chest tightened as he pressed his lips together, preventing any more water from entering his body. He clawed at the water, forcing himself toward the light. His entire body lit up with agony.
It only stopped once his head broke through the surface. Relief flooded him as he gulped down copious amounts of oxygen. His head spun like a top. Disoriented and seconds away from death, he swam in the direction of the vertical wave. He crashed through it like a comet. His body hit the hard ground as the water sprayed in every direction.
A loud chime sounded. Through the arena's intercom, Moxi Daystar announced that he had progressed to the next round.
Iggy simply laid there with his arms and legs spread. He stared up at the sky above. The moons in the black expanse blinked at him. He blinked back.
More chimes sounded as more tributes crossed into the safe zone. He could barely hear them over the water sloshing in his ears. Or perhaps that was the blood in his head. Either way, it drowned out the sounds of the arena. He barely noticed Tenn standing over him until the old man pulled him to his feet. Beaming like a proud father, the man embraced him. Iggy couldn't even move his arms to hug him back. He chose to close his eyes and revel in the moment.
He did it.
He survived for a third time. Only one more challenge remained until the games met their end. One more challenge stood between him and victory. Between him and returning to his mother.
"Look sharp, Iggorii," Tenn whispered. He jerked his head upward.
Moxi Daystar, accompanied by several camera drones, descended from the sky on a floating platform. Once it touched the ground, he stepped down. A grin had taken up the entirety of his face save for his bright eyes. He passed the other surviving tributes as if they weren't even there and strutted straight for Iggy and Tenn.
Spitting water out his mouth, he did his best to look presentable.
"What a riveting escape, Mr. Amrada!" Moxi exclaimed. "You had us all going there for a moment. To be honest, I wasn't sure if you were going to make it. I'm still not sure how you made it." He draped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "But we're all so glad you did. No doubt the emperor is looking down on you with a smile."
The emperor...
He scowled.
Moxi gestured toward the crowd, and they responded with an uproar of cheers. The other tributes stared at him with a mixture of awe and jealousy. He shriveled underneath the weight of their expectant gazes.
He wanted nothing more than to collapse on his cot and sleep forever.
"Do you have anything you'd like to say to the people?" Moxi told him. One of the camera drones flitted over to him. He peered into the screen posing as its face.
They wanted him to speak. Him? Right now, mere seconds after he nearly drowned?
He turned to Tenn. The man patted him on the shoulder.
"This is your time," the Andradan said. "Give these motherfuckers a piece of your mind."
Iggy nodded. Every ounce of nervousness left him upon hearing those four words. The Andradan warrior was right. This was his time.
But then he thought about Vonn. He thought about all the tributes who died during Capture the Flag and those who didn't survive the maze. He thought about billions of citizens suffering throughout the empire—citizens the emperor and his fellow Elysians neglected and mistreated daily.
"Any words for the people, Iggy?" Moxi pressed. "You're live to the entire empire right now."
His face lit up.
He looked to Tenn once more. The man nodded reassuringly at him.
A breath left his mouth. He faced the camera drone hovering in front of him.
"Er, hello, everyone," he began. Clearing his throat, he waited for his body to stop trembling. He lifted his chin and stilled himself. Now was his time. "As much as I want to celebrate surviving the maze tonight...I can't. Not after seeing what I've seen. Not after doing what I've had to do throughout the entirety of these awful games.
Confused murmurs rippled throughout sections of the stands. Moxi tilted his head at the boy.
"You all watch us from your seats or from the safety of your own homes like we're characters. Pawns on your little game boards. The Noblus families fund these games but won't send supplies to their colony planets. My own mother can't pay for her own medication because the empire no longer provides insurance on our planet."
"Iggy—" Moxi attempted to cut him off, but Tenn intercepted him first. Ahead of them, a panel in the arena wall opened. Guards poured out with their rifles raised. The other tributes stepped in between him and the white-armored soldiers. Boos rang out throughout the crowd. People threw things from the stands. He watched them land in the arena with wide eyes.
Behind him, Tenn ordered him to keep going. A hint of a smile under his bushy mustache.
Nodding, the Arigorii stepped past the camera drone and addressed the audience directly. "So, no, I won't celebrate this victory. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not even when I eventually make it out of this arena. I won't give you the satisfaction. You all call me and those like me peasants. Worthless trash. Uncivilized savages. Yet, you're the ones who watch us fight and bleed and die for the sake of entertainment. It's not us who are the savages. No, it's you. It's you who are the monsters."
For the first time since he stepped foot in the arena, it was completely silent. All he heard was his own breath. While he couldn't see the emperor, Iggy imagined what his face must've looked like. He let himself smile.
Before the guards could arrive at their position, he snatched the medallion off his neck and raised it to the heavens. "The empire will never own me," he said. His words weren't directed toward the Elysians or those throughout their torrid empire who worshipped them like gods. They were meant for the ears of the people—for those across the galaxy just like him. "Don't let them own you too."
Those words would be his last of the night. The butt of a soldier's blaster rifle connected with his head, sending him toppling to the arena floor. He hit the ground; his eyes closed as pain suffocated him.
As he slipped out of consciousness, he let himself smile.
He accomplished his mission. He hoped his mother was watching proudly in their apartment. He hoped his father—wherever he was—heard him.
Before tonight, he was a nobody to the empire. But if they didn't know his name before, they certainly did now.