Chapter 5: Feast and Famine

The hooded figure stood center of the arena. I could see a smile beneath the hood. They stripped me of my armor. I stood with just my leather pants and boots strapped. Dust fell through the cracks in the white marble above. The crowd cheered as the commissioner finished announcing the rules. Seconds ticked by slowly as I concentrated more on what was about to happen. No doubt this was one of the horsemen, but whom? Just as the gate began to rise, the crowd cheered even more loudly, and the hooded figure removed his cloak. The newly appointed horseman stood confidently in the center of the arena. The horseman of Famine, formerly known as Hades, drew his two short swords and held them high above his head, gaining more applause and cheers from the crowd. Some of the pillars had been replaced from the last time I stepped foot in the arena. Famine turned and walked in circles, I gazed upon the mark on his back. The skin still freshly charred from the branding.

I stepped out into the arena and I peered into the crowd. This time, there were no cheers, no applause and to my astonishment, no Olympians. The crowd was filled with the shapeshifters I had seen last night. They wore the garb of ordinary citizens, but showed no fear in hiding their true faces, or lack thereof. They mimicked the sounds of cheers when Famine was starting to pace towards me. Their clicking could be heard as an undertone. I was only given a weak broadsword, not unusual for the arena, but for me, definitely so.

Famine quickened his pace, I could see how eager he was to engage me with his new found power. I let me instincts take control and ran for the nearest pillar. I needed to strategize, assuming he was physically stronger than me. I peaked around the corner of the pillar and noticed he was gone. I turned back and he was now standing face to face with me, holding the widest grin possible. He kicked me hard in the stomach, sending me through the pillar. My sword went flying out of my hand and the largest pillar piece buried it. Rookie mistake I thought. Before I could get to my feet, he was already at my side and kicked me in the stomach, sending me flying in the air once again. I ignored my pain and let the adrenaline suppress it as long as I could. I had to disarm him, there's no way I can beat him if he's got an advantage like that.

He was fast, but maybe he thought this was gonna be easy. He could get sloppy. As my mind raced for opportunities to overcome my opponent, he had already began his assault. Famine threw his swords down and ran even faster. He wanted brute force for this fight, I am not sure he even gave his swords a second thought. I ran towards him as well, time to test my strength. We collided, hands gripped to one another, I twisted my hand, causing some uncomfortable maneuverability for him to counter. He simply laughed.

"You think, the prince of Nibiru can out match a horseman, on his own grounds?" Famine mocked.

"Guess we will see!" I said, through gritted teeth. I headbutted him and seemed to have way more affect on me, seeing as I felt like I headbutted the marble stone itself. He laughed which angered me more. He twisted my hands, freed his right hand and slammed down hard against my temple.

I was seeing double. The sounds of the crowd were muffled, and all that I could focus on was my own heartbeat. I tried reached for his leg, he returned it with a near knockout blow to the center of my face. Blood rushed out my nose and pooled beneath me. Every breath was a battle, attempting to not drown in it. The kick knocked sand into my eyes that also made it hard to see. This is it? This cannot be it! I need to pull myself together. But maybe I was no actual match for a horseman.

"I told Zeus he should see this. But he had pressing matters and saw no need to waste his time. I see now what he meant." Famine laughed.

I tried to return a smart remark, but was still dealing with the pain I was enduring on the rough sand.

Famine reached down and grabbed my hair and lifted me high in the air. Of course, it was painful, but all I could do was groan and throw near limp fists at the horseman.

"This was all we needed. The key for expanding our people. We will return to Tomall, free your brothers and sisters, and conquer the galaxy. Even the greatest protectors stand no match." Famine said, added a bit of glory for dramatics.

I knew their ways, they do nothing that doesn't benefit them. The shapeshifters were used as a rouse to keep me under their spell. Yet, I couldn't help but let out a little laugh. In the midst of all of this, they think one swordsman from Nibiru is their key to greatness?

"You think this is funny?" Famine's voice quickly filled with anger. He backhanded me and sent me into the marble wall.

"Boy, look here!" A familiar voice called. Fjorn stood in the champion of the arenas gated side. He was holding some beautifully crafted sword. It had symbols that lit up along the blade of the weapon. I held my hand out instinctively and felt a hum fill the air. The crowd booed at the interruption of the match. I ignored my surroundings and felt the sword call to me.

"You think a measly little weapon is going to help you now Xander?" Famine couldn't control his hysterical laugh any longer.

The hilt turned in Fjorn's hand and pointed towards me. It shot across the arena and into my palm. I felt an energy surge through me. I felt my aching body heal itself along with the bones in my shattered nose. I felt immense strength course through my muscles. They felt, thicker and wider, but somehow, lighter. I rose to my feet and stared down Famine.

"You bow to a monster. To play this game. I gave your own birthright, name, to become some kind of pathetic horseman." I said, confidence rose from the energy I had been given.

"You think you know me? You are but a pawn. And I will lay waste to your people after I deliver them your head!" Famine yelled in anger. I could sense a little bit of fear in his voice as he gazed upon my new stature.

He charged once more towards me, I felt as though my mind was in complete control. As he drew near, I simply stepped to the side and delivered a kick to his midsection. Blood shot from his mouth, painting the white marble of the arena. I then grabbed the back of his head and shoved it into the wall and used the hilt of my sword on his back. I heard the air escape his lungs as he became winded and fell to the ground. I looked to the crowd.

"I do not know of your people. But know this. You have deemed yourselves enemies of Nibiru. When I finish my quest to stop Zeus and his horsemen. You will soon follow proper justice." I said, anger carried with my voice.

The crowd fell silent.

"Boy, we have to go. Now! Before the other horsemen arrive. From what I have gathered, his source of power has even began to grow. He was simply trying to unlock it in battle with you." Fjorn said, half a step into the arena and leaning back into the gated room.

I quickly glanced at Famine, fast asleep on the ground, defeated. For now.

I ran towards Fjorn and followed his lead.

"There's not much time to explain, but I know a bit of what's going on. I think even without memory of anything before here, my dreams spoke to me. I knew where to find our ship and our weapons. We need to follow the tunnels." Fjorn said, a breath catching the end of every word due to his lack of cardio.

We made it to Fjorns house and he pulled open the door. The opening and the doorways were stone cut for the size of a normal Olympian to walk through, but the furniture all met Fjorn's height. Drawings lined his living room floor, a massive circular thing with writing above it 'The Forge', another drawing depicted gnomes and dwarves. He pushed all the drawings aside and lifted a small hatch in the wood flooring. It revealed a tunnel system, he climbed down first, and I was soon to follow. The tunnel was barely big enough, I had to walk somewhat sideways to keep my shoulders from brushing the sides.

"We are almost there boy," Fjorn whispered.

We could hear sirens and screeches from the Citadel above. The tunnel system broke into four different ways and Fjorn chose the far left tunnel. The tunnel had some kind of translucent rock that lit the pathways. We made it to a stone door with some kind of marking on it. Fjorn spoke in some kind of foreign language and the symbols lit up, the stone door slowly crept open allowing us passage.

It opened up to a large wooden building. The sirens of the citadel began to sound distant. A few guards could be seen on the other side of an open door, of course, they were shapeshifters. They had no knowledge of this passageway we took and we followed closely to the wall of the structure.

"It is just behind here." Fjorn whispered.

We pushed open a back wooden door and the wide open scenery gave view of a large black starship. We rushed over to it, Fjorn waved his hand and a loud hissed came from the side of the space craft. A panel was descending. It had steps that led into the ship. We quickly climbed up them and into the space craft. It was a sight to behold. Electronics lined the walls. Seating for a dozen people, and a large metal panel was open, with what presumably held the weapon I was now wielding.

"Paragon, begin protocol for takeoff." Fjorn said out loud.

"Who is Paragon?" I asked, still mesmerized by the ship itself.

"The ships AI." Fjorn spoke without a glance towards me. He rushed to the cockpit, and I followed.

"Ship is ready and prepared for takeoff to include interstellar space travel Captain." The female voice AI spoke back to us.

"Good. Listen lad, we get off the planet, and I will explain everything. But for now, strap into the co-pilot seat and let me guide us." Fjorn spoke.

There wasn't much of a runway I thought. I learned of spacecraft but only in regards to the Titans and how they had conquered their own galaxy. The ship began to rise off the ground.

"Captain, there seems to be multiple incoming threats. Their weapons seem primitive, but I am detecting they are shapeshifters. Would you like me to engage?" Paragon asked in her monotone voice. If the AI could even be classified as such.

"Negative, get us off planet, high priority." Fjorn said.

We angled upward and shot through the sky without resistance.

"Activate stealth once we reach orbit, take us to the other side of the planet and prepare for these coordinates." Fjorn said while entering something into the computer.

I sat quietly and allowed Fjorn to work. I felt a bit of stress begin to overwhelm me and I took some short breaths.

"As requested, we are on the other side of the unknown planet and to verify, the coordinates you have input, they take us to Jotunheim. Do you wish to proceed?" The AI asked.

"I do indeed, wish to proceed. Time for an ale." Fjorn finished looking at me and unbuckling himself from the captains chair.

"So, what the hell is going on?" I asked.

"Zeus. Isn't what we thought he was. He was using us for his little plan to take Nibiru, which in turn led to the rest of OUR galaxy." Fjorn said, adding emphasis to the word 'our'.

"How do you know what's happening exactly?" I said with a little hesitation. Could I truly trust him? He had been by my side. And my real father spoke to me in the visions, saying I could. But what if this is another trick?

"I was drunk as all hell one night boy. I discovered a hidden latch underneath my floor. It was like, in some drunken state of mind, I instinctively made passageways to our ship. Don't ask, but I assume it has something to do with the drawings as well. Anyways, I made it to the ship and it took me an entire day to get this thing to open. I finally got it when I lifted my hands in frustration. I climbed onboard and it referred to me as Captain. Of course, I assumed that responsibility, expecting it to think I was some kind of Titan. So, I stooped around enough and was given the research library that was built in. It informed me of everything. How we were taken from Jotunheim. How we were led there on a distress signal. So, I figured I had to come up with a way to save you and Paragon knew that your sword was the only way." Fjorn said, filling his ale once again and allowing the yellow foam to coat his bushy beard.

I nodded, not sure where the hell to begin with all that information.

"We got a long ride. I suggest you begin studying. Hopefully you can remember something before we get there. Cause I don't know squat." Fjorn said, handing me a tablet with a words at the top reading 'Research Library'. "Ask it questions and it will answer." Fjorn said, nodded and returned to the cockpit with his ale.

I took a seat in the back and began my research.

"Show me everything on Jotunheim, Nibiru, shapeshifters, horsemen and Zeus." I said.