needed 600 points to buy a freedom match.
As I walked into the cell chamber I could feel my strength and power boiling inside of me as if it wanted to come out, I grabbed a spear and threw it as far as I could it splintered as it struck the wall. I fell to my knees looking at my hands. I knew my family was safe and I was not fighting for nothing there was a chance of reuniting with them. General Quintus came to my cell door and offered me an option to exchange 100 points for 100 drachmas whereby I could buy a day to spend with my family there were 8 more fights left I could still buy my freedom match should I win all of them. This was no option I accepted. I would only fight within the next 10 days. Tomorrow I would be released to see my family for a whole day. I could not sleep I was too excited. The sunrise came and I was already up and waiting for General Quintus to collect me, one of his troops collected me and showed me the way, we entered a room there was a chair and I was instructed to sit in it, I did. They strapped me to the chair once they were finished they brought out my wife and son, they were also strapped to a chair. We could talk to each other, this was not what I expected but at least I knew they were alive. We talked and laughed for hours trying to take our minds of our current situation. Then Emperor Nero entered the room “Virtus or should I call you Hercules as the people now call you”. He walked up to me and held a dagger to my neck cutting my skin. “No I won’t kill you; I won’t make any money if I do it here”. He walked up to my wife bend over and kissed her in the neck, I could feel my blood boiling inside out of anger, “maybe I will take care of her when you are gone, make her my bride, your son will make a good slave, what do you say Virtus”. He stood up straight and walked up to the door “enjoy your time with them” and walked out. I wanted to kill him so badly but I could not get my hands on him. General Quintus came in, I looked up at him “keep them safe Quintus, I will kill him”.
Our visit is over take me back I have business to attend to. General Quintus took me to my cell, I was so vicious and ready for battle it was unbearable I trained so hard I almost broke both my arms hitting at the sparring partners, no one wanted to train against me I was ruthless and devastatingly angry.
It was the 20th day and Marcus was next to battle an 800 lb Bear. A little more confident this time knowing what to expect from the battle Marcus was ready, he looked over his metal shoulder shield and gave a small grin. He walked onto the arena trying to wow the crowd by lifting his spear and dagger into the air and shouting out loud “bring out my feast” the crowd liked it and chanted his name over and over. He did not once faced the Emperors out of antipathy the guard wanted to force him, Marcus gave him one look and growled at him like a Beast. The Bear was released into the Colosseum for Marcus to slay, it was huge and very aggressive he knew fear would not save him but fuel the will to live, he stormed the Beast driving his spear deep into the Beast’s neck and breaking off leaving him with only a stick a dagger and his net to defend himself against this enormous Beast, then Marcus became a Beast himself he jumped on top of the Bear’s back and started to stab the Bear in the neck back ribs everywhere he could get place. Then the Bear threw him off to the ground, quickly grabbing the net he threw it over the Bear, he saw the piece of the spear sticking out of the Bear’s neck where he first struck the Bear. He ran towards the Bear still confused under the net and kicked the portion of the spear deeper into the Bear’s neck the Bear struck him with its paw slicing open his chest with its claws, Marcus saw the Bear would not die now only having his dagger in his hand he knew fate has ended for him, he moved 10 yards backwards looking at the Beast as it removes the net, it looked straight at him and started to charge, Marcus just closed his eyes waiting for the death blow from the Beast only to open his eyes to the roar of the crowd and the sight of a 800 lb Bear lying dead at his feet. The crowd started to chant:
“Beast Slayer – Beast Slayer”
He was a crowd favourite and now known as the Beast of the Colosseum. A Max 200 point was awarded to him by the crowd. We were only two left out of our group of six Marcus used all 200 points for treatment his cuts was deep and needed stitches, not only our group felt the loss but all of the groups felt the loss as most of their numbers decreased day by day after each battle.
The Gladiator Games schedule - Round 3:
I would fight on the 23rd day against Romulus and Marcus to face a 200 lb Wild Boar on the 30th day of the Gladiator Games.
Marcus had collected 200 points and me 100 points in two rounds. Most of the other Gladiators did not have any points left either spend it on medical help and some traded points for money to purchase woman, no one spend it on weapons upgrades. I had 3 days left of training, I trained hard and gruesome some of the Gladiators believed I was a the son of the God Zeus and feared me the name Hercules stuck with me I was one sided and focused on my fighting ability I had one goal get my family back by killing Nero. After every training session I was bloodied as if I just had a battle I had no mercy with myself or my sparring partner allocated to me I knew the harder I train the harder I would fight. Romulus stared at me while training trying to find my weak spot, I walked up to him face to face looked him in the eyes “I have no weakness” and pushed him aside. He punched me behind the neck as I passed him, I just looked over my shoulder as I walked passed him and said “you are going to regret it tomorrow, spend your points today; you won’t need it where you are going”.
In the early morning of the 23rd day General Quintus came to the cell. “Virtus your wife and son will be watching the event alongside Emperor Nero he made them go, I just wanted you to know”. Romulus was already up, I looked over to his cell and shouted “did you spend that points yet” I know what I have to do and Romulus is in my way of doing it. I was adapting to my environment, overcoming the difficulties, improvising in training and most of all surviving.
“Romulus and Virtus get ready, you’re next”
We lined up next to each other Romulus whispered “I will use up your points today Virtus”. I just grinned out of pure pleasure, this would not be a walk in the park for one of us today. As we approached the arena grounds I noticed that it was midday and the sun was high in the sky perfect weather for battle a slight breeze blew over the grounds, the ground felt soft but firm under my feet. I felt strong and agile it felt as if my senses were more accurate, this was my victory this is my arena I am the Gladiator named Hercules.
We walked up in front the stance where the Emperors sit, I could see my wife and son and next to them Nero, we had a stare down while Romulus bowed, the guard knew better than to force me to bow, they all knew that Hercules do not bow to no man. Inside these city walls I was known to myself as Hercules, Virtus was outside these city walls waiting for Hercules to bring him his family.
Romulus drew his sword first and struck but I was awaiting his action I grabbed his sword blade with my bare hands, ripping his own sword from his grasps, I threw his sword over my head behind me his shield was his only weapon he struck me with his shield knocking me to the ground, my hands were bleeding as the blade of his sword cut it. I could not feel any pain and laughed out loud shouting “Romulus is that all, give me a fight” I picked him up with one hand over my head and threw him to the ground, he quickly got up hiding behind his shield, I was so in my own belief that I was the mighty Hercules that I started to punch his shield as to penetrate right through his shield, then reality settled in there were lots of blood all over the shield, it was my own. I stopped and looked at my hands they were all battered up, Romulus threw the shield to the ground and started to run away looking for a way to escape out of the Colosseum, shouting out “please let me out, this is madness no one can defeated him he is not human”. I looked up the sun it was starting to set behind the main stance, I have been busy fighting for almost two hours but cannot remember any of it, as I looked over my shoulder I could see my wife holding my son’s eyes shut and in front of me Romulus running up and down the arena like a mouse in n steaming hot pot looking for an exit, I walked over to Romulus he f
ell to the ground in front of me crying out “ please Hercules son of Zeus spare my life”. Then Julius jumped up shouting “STOP, Virtus you must kill him only one can leave the arena alive” as I looked up at the crowd as they yelled out “Hercules – Hercules” I heard my son scream “dad” Nero was kissing my wife and she was fighting back, I looked down at Romulus lying beneath my feet “I hope you spend all your points”. A Max 100 points were awarded to me for my victory. I needed treatment, some of the bones in my hands were broken caused by the shield and I needed stitches where Romulus’s sword cut my palms. I could not train and my mind played games with me. I still only had 100 points and was left with 7 matches, I needed to win all of them with max points and not use any of it; I could not kill quick cause I might not get max points for a victory.
Marcus was to face a 200 lb Wild Boar on the 30th day of the games he was so full of confidence of victory, he felt ever so like a Beast himself. His armour was changed to the skin of the Lion he killed on the 10th day of the Games, he had become the Beast he was filling the
His Victory Page 4