The Roman coliseum was even busier than usual today. Which meant one thing; Priscus was fighting. The citizens of Rome demanded blood and the coliseum would deliver.

I was underneath the coliseum, waiting to make my first walk to the blood soaked sands of the arena. The roar of the crowd was so loud that the entire stadium was shaking, bits of stone falling from overhead. I wasn’t supposed to be there.

I was on my way home when there was a rebel surprise attack on a patrol of legionaries. I, unfortunately, was caught in between the attack. The Roman soldiers repelled the attack and ordered their surrender. Those who didn’t surrender were cut down where they stood and those who did were bound and brought to the arena. They mistook me for a rebel and the only thing I could do was surrender.

I tried to plead my case, I tried to tell them I wasn’t a rebel that I was just on my way home and in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course they were having none of it and threatened to gut me like a pig.

“Please, I am not a rebel. You must let me go,” I pleaded to the arena master.

“Atticus, we have been through this once before. Now quit your bellyaching or I’ll have you strung up and cut open. Now grab a sword and put on a show.”

“I do not belong here, I need to get home to my family.”

“If you win the crowds favor, I will see to it that you are to become a free man once again.”

“If I survive, can I go home?” I said with hope in my eyes.

“That and if the crowd agrees. Now get the hell out there.”

I set out through the arena gates and into the sands of death. My blood will not quench the sand’s thirst today.

I walk out to the boos of thousands of romans. The sound is deafening. I feel my confidence start to waiver but I must stay strong. My wife and daughter need me.

Priscus comes strutting out of his side of the arena to screams of admiration and applause. Winning the crowds favor may be harder than I expected. Not only must I win this, I must win it in an extraordinary fashion.

We meet at the middle of the arena and lock eyes. We stare into each other’s very souls. I will crush him. I must become a beast. I must fight like a lion.

They call for the fight to begin. Immediately Priscus hits me in the chest with a push kick. I go flying backwards and my sword flies out of my hand. Not off to a great start.

“You went down very easily little one. I think this will be my quickest kill yet,” he laughed as he walked over to me.

He raised his sword and started to bring it down towards my chest but I already had a handful of sand. I launched the sand into his eyes and he stumbled and turned his back towards me. You shouldn’t play with your kill.

I reach over and grab my sword and slice the blade across his heel. He let out a yelp and turned back to me, recovering from his temporary blindness.

“You fucking rat. I will make you pay for that,” he screeched. “I’m going to rip your eyes from your sockets and force them down your throat. I’m going to cut each of your limbs off one by one and set you on fire. You will feel the full wrath of Priscus!”

“You talk too much. Put your words into action.”

He charged at me like a raging Bull. Not a good tactic either. I sidestepped and smacked his back with the flat of my blade. He hit the dirt and two of his teeth came out. The crowd went silent, then erupted with excitement.

I turned to him and gestured for him to get up. I will kill this man on his feet if it comes to that. Only a coward kills a man on his knees.

He pulls himself up slowly. His teeth are a jumbled mess and his mouth is so full of blood that he has to spit a few times. The blood from his mouth and the blood from his sliced heel begin to form a pool at his feet. He is definitely not putting on a champion performance.

He rushes at me again and flurries with his sword. I deflect all his incoming attacks with ease but the last one slips past my guard. His blade is inches away from my nose but I lean back just in time as it flies by. I am in my element today. I feel as if the gods have blessed me with their presence.

Priscus’s breathing is labored. He doesn’t have much fight left in him. He’s not used to his opponents being so elusive. Now it’s my turn to go on the attack.

I feint high left with my sword but at the last second duck and cut across his stomach. Then I throw I vicious leg kick to his already bloodied heel. He crumples once again.

Part of me would like to stay in this coliseum. To become champion and fight for glory. But I’m a family man and I need to return home.

Priscus finds his feet again. What he lacks in brain he makes up for in heart. I feel the end coming on. I must finish this.

He is completely winded. He’s desperately slashing at me now. I duck and weave avoiding all of his strikes. His blade meets mine and I slip past his guard and stab into his shoulder. He lets out an animalistic cry of pain.

He falls to his knees as a defeated man. To make sure, I end it with the same attack his began with. A push kick to the chest that sends him flying back.

The crowd is going absolutely wild and I feel as if I’ve won. I stand over Priscus and look to the judge. His balances his thumb sideways. Teetering between life and death. His thumb lands upward. Priscus will live to fight another day.

I reach my hand out to him and he takes it. I pull him to his feet.

“Well fought brother, you would make an excellent gladiator. No one has ever came close to defeating me and you did so with such ease. The gods must favor you greatly,” said Priscus.

“They must not favor me so much since I ended up here. But I will admit I have never felt more fluid,” I replied.

I return through the gates and back to the arena master.

“Well done Atticus. You put on a masterclass performance and I hereby grant you your freedom. Feel free to stop by anytime. The arena could use a warrior like you,” he said. “And here is the gold for winning. There’s a bonus in there for defeating the champion. There is also a little extra in there for your troubles. Those Roman soldiers can be real bastards. I’ve arranged a carriage to bring you home. Take care Atticus.”

I entered the carriage and begin my journey home. My family won’t be happy that I’ve been gone so long but they will enjoy all the extra food we can get with this gold. Perhaps I will reconsider returning to the coliseum again. I just have to make sure it’s okay with my wife first.