Silvanus entered the passageway to the arena, his light armor clinked around on each other. He could hear the cheers and excitement of the crowd, and became nervous. He would be fighting for his life with barely any protection, and a sword that was too heavy for his lanky arms. As Silvanus walked forward to the open air, the dirt crunched under his feet, and the air was full of anticipation.

He came up through the tunnel, the light almost blinding him, and saw the arena. It was as big as an agora but it was empty with no structures except for on the outskirts. He looked to the other side of the stadium and saw a massive armored man with a huge club to fit him. The man looked as if he could crush Silvanus with no force at all, and he began to fear the worst.

The man came towards him, with a murderous look on his face and Silvanus walked forward. Before they reached each other, Silvanus picked up a handful of dirt and came at him. The man prepared himself and put himself in a defensive position. That's when Silvanus knew that this man had once been a soldier, unlike himself, who was a thief.

Silvanus threw the dirt at the soldier’s face and the man backed up giving him a swipe at his leg. He cut his leg and came up to the other side of the man, but when Silvanus turned, the brutish and enraged man was already up and facing him. Yes, this man was definitely a good gladiator. Silvanus stood there as the gladiator walked towards him ignoring the cut leg, which was bleeding.

He dodged a swipe from the club that came towards his head and then another. Silvanus had to play this smart or else he would die. The man attacked him again and he rolled away towards his non-injured leg and cut his achilles tendon. The beast screamed and fell to his knees. This was his opportunity to finish him. Silvanus walked to his back and when he was about to strike, a club came out to his chest and hit him. He was sent sprawling several feet away, and hit the floor hard. Slivanus gasped as the air was strewn away from his lungs, he tried to get up but he became dizzy.

When the dizziness subsided, he finally saw the man who was towering over him. Silvanus tried to dodge but was sent flying again. He couldn’t do this anymore, he thought. He got up again, spitting blood out of his mouth and glared at the gargantuan. Silvanus prepared himself as the man approached. The gladiator knew he had him and swept his club towards his head, but Silvanus ducked down, still drowsy from the previous hit, he swept his sword up, and hoped he hit something, anything.

He kept his eyes closed and awaited the death he deserved but nothing came. He heard nothing at first, and then he heard a vast uproar of cheering. Silvanus, confused, opened his eyes and looked around. The crowd cheered at him. He looked at his feet and saw the gladiator dead.

He had won. The realization that he would live to see at least one more day hit, and he fell to his knees to praise Jupiter. After his praise, he stood up, legs shaking, and slowly walked to the tunnel he had come from. He would live another day.