PREVIOUSLY ON IMMORTALITY

I sat silent for a while before finally looking up to their faces. Slowly I stood up confident of what needed to be done.

"Lead the way." I said.

~Chapter Eight~

The tower of the judges stood opposite the tower of chambers from a long distance. That's what they called the building we stood in. It was as tall and looked very prominent.  Between the two buildings sat the amazing city of Elysium. I guessed the two towers were the tallest buildings in all of Elysium. I could see no other towers that reached their heights. Catherine led us to another elevator.  Immediately we stepped in front of it, it slid open. We stepped in and it gently slid close. 

"Destination please." The automated voice which I had now gotten used to spoke again.

"Omega 218 -Transport." Catherine answered.

"Destination confirmed." The automated voice replied before the elevator begun its ascend, taking us higher up the building. The ride was quiet as none spoke. Mia popped up in my mind. Scenes from the crash invaded my thoughts. I really missed her.

"I'm sorry about your loss. Loosing a close relative can be such a pain." Jake suddenly spoke up. It was almost as if he knew what I was thinking. Which would be weird and a problem because he would hear all the insults I was pouring out on him in my head.  This however was the most less annoying thing he had said ever since I met them.

"It's alright." I replied.  Feeling a slight emotion of sadness creeping into my heart.

"Tell me about her. How was she like?" Catherine said. I really didn't wanna.

"I'd rather not." I replied.

"I understand." She said, almost like a whisper. The rest of the elevator ride was silent. No one said a word. A few seconds later the automated voice alerted us that we had reached our destination. The twin doors slid open with a ding sound.

We stepped out into a rather humongous space. It was a transport station. More like a hangar for a whole lot of ships. They were lined up and spread throughout the entire space.

There were other archeans that were boarding other ships. All the ships looked similar to each other although slightly different.

"Stop gawking and come on" Jake yelled at me as he realized I was falling back.

"I'm NOT gawking." I yelled after him.

"Yeah right." He said.

After a few minutes of walking, we came to a huge steel door. It looked just like the elevator except bigger. It slid open, the moment we stood before it, revealing another huge hanger. There were aircraft's of all types in here, except they were smaller than the ones I had just seen in the previous hangar.

"Ummm what is this? I asked.

"What does it look like?" Jake replied. God he was really getting on my nerves.

"You just can't stay outta trouble can you." I said to him. He looked back at me and smirked.

"Not whiles you are still hanging around." He said.

"Get a room!!" Catherine spoke up. "This is the second hangar. The one you saw before is the biggest we have. These aircrafts are meant to operate only within the premises of Elysium, whiles the Jets go outside to the real world on special missions. " she stated.

"So which is our ride?" I asked. She answered my question by stopping In front of a small jet black plane. It looked like the bigger ones except much smaller. It was almost the size of a twin bus except bigger. It's wings were drawn a bit behind to make way for the door.

"This is the hummingbird. It's the mini me of the our mission ship." She said.

"Nice." I exclaimed.

"Cmon. We're wasting time. The judges are expecting you." She said and opened the door. She entered and made her way to the cockpit. Jake and I sat behind. The windows were clear enough to give us a beautiful view of Elysium once we got out. I just couldn't get enough.

Suddenly the engines of the mini ship came to life. I felt a little rumbling as the engines roared.

Catherine tapped a few buttons from where she sat in the cockpit and a huge metallic twin door opened right in front of us, displaying the wonderful city.

"Buckle up!" Said Catherine as the hummingbird left the building, heading for the tower of the judges.

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Slowly the hummingbird landed in the hangar. It gave a short rumble before the engines died. Catherine was really good at flying these things.

Jake led us out. The hangar was empty. Well obviously. It was the tower of the judges. Hardly anyone came here.

The hangar was connected to a long hallway with a huge steel door at the other side. That must be the entrance I presumed.

We begun making our way through the hallway to the giant door.

"Okay. A little briefing before you head inside. There are three Judges in total. Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus.
They sit from the left to right in the order I mentioned their names. I'll go with you. But you're going to do most of the talking for yourself. I cannot speak for you. You do not keep eye contact with them as it shows disrespect and you do not speak until you are spoken to. If you must, seek permission. You do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you. Got it?" She said.

"Okay." I replied.

"Jake, you wait here." Catherine said to Jake. He simply nodded. She then turned around and placed both hands on either sides and with great strength, pushed them open. The doors slowly swung inward, revealing an enormously huge chamber. It was almost dark except for a few lights that stood here and there.

The chamber was hollow. Only a long bridge from the entrance, connected to a circular platform in the center of the hollow space. The lights in here were not technological as the ones throughout the city. These were fire lit torches. Four of them stood at either sides of the bridge all the way to the round platform, where two others stood left and right.

Above us were three thrones that connected to the circular wall. On them were three figures. Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus. They sat in glory. I could hardly make out their faces.

Catherine immediately went down on her right knee the moment we reached the round platform. I did same beside her.

"Why are we kneeling?" I whispered to her.

"Shut up!!!" She whispered back. Wow, that was abrupt.

"Rise!!!" A loud and deep voice spoke from above us. His voice thundered throughout the hollow space. Catherine stood up and I followed.

"My Lords, we have returned from our quest. I have with me, he that we sought." She spoke up loud and clear.

The one we sought? What the fuck was she talking about.

"Step forward Archean?" The same voice in the middle spoke. It was Rhadamanthus.

Although I couldn't make out his face, his voice seemed mature. He was probably in his sixties. Kinda old but he was actually in his prime since archeans have longer lifespans than humans.

I took few steps forward. They looked down at me like some sorta insect.

"Are you aware of the burden that you carry?" Minos spoke. He had a rather soft but firm voice. Not too loud.

"I am." I answered.

" By touching the blade you have alerted Ares of its presence. He will come for it. You have to prepare and train to brawl." Rhadamanthus said.

"But we are afraid mere training and your powers alone will not be able to save you." Aeacus added.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"HUSH child!!!!!" Aeacus roared, shaking the walls of the hollow chamber. His voice carried so much power. "You do not speak unless you are spoken to." He added.

"I don't know about you but to me, you pretty much did speak to me. I just felt I had to ask that which I did not understand." I replied. This took Catherine by shock as she opened her eyes wide at me and immediately frowned them.

"What are you doing?" She asked scornfully.

"What? You told me to speak for myself." I replied.

"Your insolence will not be tolerated much, Archean." Minos spoke.

"My name is Derek and I would like to be referred to as such if you don't min........"

"I apologize my lords. Forgive him. He does not know our ways." Catherine jumped to my defense, interrupting me. She then shot me a murderous glare.

Looking at them they had so much power than I can ever imagine. They could probably end me in seconds. I really didn't know what I was doing. If I kept this attitude, I wouldn't last long here.

"You should have taught it to him before he came before us." Aeacus spoke. I rolled my eyes.

"Forgive me lords. I take full blame for his incompetence." Catherine said. Did she just say incompetence?

"Very well." Rhadamanthus said. "Ares haunts you and the sword. If it falls into his hands, he will be all but stoppable. You must protect it." He added.

"What about Mia? I must avenge her." I spoke without permission again.

"Do not make vengeance, cloud your mind Archean." Minos spoke, totally ignoring my disrespect for them.

"Your priority should be to protect yourself and the cosmos as you have been tasked." Aeacus said.

"Tasked? By who?" I asked.

"We do not owe you an answer to that question." Rhadamanthus replied.

"Great." I said.

"Permission to speak lords." Catherine spoke up.

"Speak child." Aeacus replied.

"What do we do, now that Ares haunts the blade. We are no match and can't fight him." She said.

"Find the Archean a chamber. Enroll him in the training of combat and train him till he perfects his defense and offense. Then, your questions shall be answered." Molin said.

"What? I don't have that time to spare." I objected.

"Shut UP!!!" Catherine said once more. This time more angrier.

"I'm sorry but I do not plan on staying that long. You can't camp me here." I said.

"Where would you go?" Catherine asked.

"Ares is out there. That is where I need to be." I said.

"You believe you have what it takes to battle Ares?" Aeacus asked. It was almost as if my courage humored him.

"You have no idea." I replied.

"Great. Then you will prove it. In one week, you would be put to test at the pit, where you will battle to the death with the beasts of the underworld to prove your strength. You shall not use your powers in this test." Rhadamanthus proclaimed.

"Forgive me my lords, for speaking up unrequested. But he wouldn't last half a minute if you condemn him to the pits. He is not advanced in warfare. He doesn't even have a grasp on his powers. This is all new to him. He just figured all these out yesterday. Please show mercy." Catherine pleaded.

"He is more than qualified to fight in the pits. His name spreads as the god killer." Minos stated. "Why should a few beasts be a problem for him." He continued.

"I accept your challenge. But under few conditions." I spoke up.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Catherine hissed at me.

"Name them." Rhadamanthus requested.

"If I pass this gladiator brawl of yours, you give me the answers I need and I leave Elysium when I want to without anyone standing in my way." I said, laying down my conditions.

There was silence in the room for a while. The judges took quick glances at each other, nodding slightly before looking back at me.

"Very well." Rhadamanthus said.

"And if you loose?" Minos asked.

"Well, if I loose, I die. You said to the death." I replied.

"At this point we are at liberty to change our minds. And have thus judged that should you loose not to death, you will stay here at Elysium and do whatever is asked of you." Aeacus said.

"Deal." I simply said.

"It is settled." Rhadamanthus announced.

"Allow me then my lords, to aid him in the arena. He is not trained and is limited to his power. If we send him in there alone, he will perish. And we will be at a loss since he is the only one that can wield the blade to save the cosmos. Please allow me to help him." Catherine jumped to my defense once more.

The judges shared quick glances once more and a few nods and turned their attention back to us.

"We have reviewed your request and have judged that we shall not permit you to interfere. The Archean must battle alone for his life in the arena." Aeacus said.

Catherine bowed her head in sorrow.

"Train him and prepare him for the event." Rhadamanthus said.

"It has been settled." Minos continued.

"Yes my lords." Catherine said and turned to leave without even taking a glance at me. I took that as my cue to leave and quickly followed her out.

The doors slowly closed shut with a mild but heavy thud. Jake saw the face of Catherine as she stepped out and instantly realized there was a problem.

"What happened in there?" Jake asked.

"He is entering the pit in a week." She simply said.

"What?" Jake exclaimed. "He wouldn't last a minute." He continued.

"Well congratulations to him." Catherine said.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked but Catherine said nothing. He turned his attention to me but I said nothing either. I looked over at Catherine as she made her way back to the hummingbird.

"What are you angry at me for?" I asked.

"You are a fool!!" She simply said.

"Whoa!" Jake exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? I needed answers."

"And now, all you're going to get is death." She replied. "No one. I repeat. No one goes into the pit and comes back alive. You have no idea what you're dealing with." She said.

"You survived. Didn't you?" I said.

"None of us have entered the pit. All those who did are dead. None has lived." Jake commented.

"Look. I'm sorry if I upset you. But I really do need answers." I said.

"Fine. Survive the pit, then you get your answers." She said simply and entered the hummingbird.

Jake followed her in and I slowly followed him. We took our seats and buckled up as Catherine prepared to fly.

"So where to now?" I asked.

"To find Achilles. We have to get you in shape if you're gonna try to survive in the pit." She replied.

"Right." I simply said. We all kept mute and Catherine lifted the hummingbird off the concrete floor.
She tapped a few buttons and just like before, a section of the building slid open. Gently, the hummingbird went out the opened entrance and we were soon on our way to find Achilles."

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