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by
The Cool Water Stream We had been running for days...but it seemed like an eternity since we were in the Arena...fighting and killing...at the whim of the Emperor and for the pleasure of a bloodthirsty mob. We didn't want any part of it anymore and so we left, escaped in the middle of the night with only the sparring tunics around our waists and the leather sandals on our feet. The four of us were bare from the waist up...our half naked bodies exposed to the morning dew, the midday sun, the evening chill...and the steel blades of those that would surely come for us. The only weapons we had were the swords we smuggled from the armory the night before we escaped. None of us really believed we would ever be free, but we made our way south to the sea. Maybe we could bribe our way onto a merchant ship bound for the African coast...or anywhere...as long as it wasn't back to Pompeii and the Arena. The Emperor was furious and had sent out several bands of gladiators to hunt us down...more than likely with orders to take us alive if possible. What did he have planned for us...a banquet for the royal lions or maybe live targets for his archers? We would rather die fighting than go back.
It would be dark in a few hours but the cool water stream we came upon gave us an excuse to rest for a moment. While I filled the water skins, Valerius and Roche splashed water on themselves. They were both extremely well muscled.
Roche, with black hair and chiseled facial features, was the shorter of the two. His wide shoulders and large, well defined pectorals exaggerated his narrow waist. Thick mounds of muscle covered his abdomen. The blue cloth tunic that wrapped around his waist clung tightly to his beefy thighs and sat low on his hips, exposing the veiny flesh under his navel. His body bore the scars of several years in the Arena but Roche was a master swordsman and I was glad he was with us.
Valerius was the youngest, with brown hair and a boyish grin. He was taller than Roche and a bit leaner but still very muscular. The water he poured on his face flowed down the center of his chest and through the maze of muscles on his stomach, drenching the white cloth tunic around his waist. The spring water glistened on his smooth chest and belly in the late afternoon sun. Valerius was a skillful retiarius...trained to use the trident and the net in the Arena. He was a cunning fighter, but Valerius would have to make do with just a sword, like the rest of us.
The Ethiopian kept watch over us all. His body was massive. His dark brown skin stretched taut over his huge but nicely shaped muscles. His eyes could pierce your soul. He never showed any emotion and he said very little...hell, we didn't even know his name. He could have been the Emperor's champion in the Arena...perhaps even earned his freedom. But there he was, a fugitive like the rest of us. We didn't know why the Ethiopian came with us but none of us dared ask him. Seeing him standing there with his big hands on his hips, his sword sticking out of his black leather belt, I felt like we were invincible.
They call me Titus. I don't know where I'm from. I don't know if I have any family left....it doesn't really matter. These warriors were my family now...my sword was my only friend. It's wooden grip was tucked snugly against my firm stomach...its cold blade laid flat against my thigh. I was undefeated in the Arena. I was strong, I was fast, and I was smart.
As I corked the last of the water skins, I heard the snap of what sounded like a small tree branch. The others must have heard it too. Valerius and Roche had their hands on their swords and the Ethiopian had his sword already drawn. I rose to my feet and they were upon us.
I couldn't be certain how many...maybe twelve or fifteen...the Emperor's gladiators. They wore only short red sparring tunics...a squared piece of cloth that hung from the hip and fell loosely to the upper thigh. They were naked from the waist up...their smooth, tanned, and perfectly muscled torsos were fully exposed and unprotected. A wide black leather belt wrapped around their narrow waists just below the navel. Each belt bore a round metal piece in the center...the Emperor's image was carved into each one. Black leather cuffs wrapped tightly around both wrists of each gladiator. Each was armed with a short sword, but they had no shields and they wore no helmets.
"Probably from Cassius' stable...," I thought to myself as I quickly surveyed the band of near naked and impressively muscled young men.
Cassius was a brutal lanista and his training methods had long been suspect. Allegations of unnatural enhancement of the diet to induce muscle growth had plagued his school for years. Although he produced the most muscular and well proportioned gladiators, they often lacked sufficient fighting skills necessary to compete in the games. Gladiators from his ludis rarely survived more than a year in the Arena. Still, Cassius' gladiators were always the Emperor's favorites. I often thought it didn't matter to the Emperor who won or lost. The kill was what mattered...and if the vanquished was one of Cassius' muscle-bound gladiators, all the better. The Emperor would grow mad with excitement when the fatal blow was a sword thrust to the bare belly of an overly muscled gladiator. To the Emperor's delight, Cassius' stable produced an endless supply of musclemen for slaughter in the Arena.
I didn't recognize any faces among the gladiators circling around us and, judging by their young age, I guessed that they had just recently completed their training. I didn't see any scares, or even a scratch for that matter, on any of their bodies. They were surely inexperienced, and I doubted whether any of them had seen battle in the Arena.
"The Emperor underestimates us", I muttered disdainfully.
They were still quite dangerous though...they were big and strong, and they were eager to please the Emperor.
Clangs of blade against blade soon filled the once peaceful forest. I barely had my sword drawn when I was grabbed from behind. The gladiator was strong. His big arms wrapped tightly around me, his hands locked together in the center of my chest. His fully flexed pectorals pressed hard against my bare back...I felt his warm breathe on the back of my neck. I struggled to free myself from his powerful grip.
"This one is overly confident," I thought..."he attacks without his sword drawn."
I jerked my head back abruptly and butted him in the forehead, then I threw my right elbow into his rock hard gut as hard as I could. He was dazed...he loosened his grip. I pulled his arms off me and threw them out to the sides. I quickly spun around and furiously drove my sword into his thickly muscled belly with all my strength....sssssssssSSST!!!... I was addicted to that sound...the crisp cut of a sharpened blade slicing through muscle. The violent thrust was fueled with the rage that had been building inside me for years.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator yelled out...more than half the blade was stuck in his gut, just above his navel.
His abdominals flexed tightly around the blade as I held it inside him. He leaned forward...I ripped my sword out of his body.
"Uuuhhh!"...he groaned and arched his back as the blade was pulled out of him
The cut on the gladiator's tanned belly quickly turned red as blood trickled from the wound. His arms were still out to his sides as I drew back my sword and, with a short but powerful thrust, I stabbed him again. The blade cut crisply into his upper abs.
"Uuuuuhhhhh!"...he grunted loudly and his right hand clutched the blade as it sliced through him.
His left hand grabbed my shoulder...his fingers dug into my skin. I reached around and wrapped my arm around his back and, with one solid thrust, I shoved the blade all the way through his muscular torso.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"... the gladiator howled in agony...his body flexed hard as the blade was run completely through him. The tip of the blade pierced the skin on his back.
I pushed my left hand against his right pectoral and I pulled my sword out of him. I took a step back...the full length of my blade was stained with his blood.
The gladiator moaned one last time and fell back into the stream behind him. His body made a big splash as he landed on his back in the shallow water. Both hands covered the wounds in his belly. Blood spurted through his fingers and mixed with the spring water that partially covered his writhing torso. The mortally wounded gladiator strained to keep his head up...he had a bewildered look on his young face. The water around him quickly turned a cloudy red. His head slowly fell back into the water and his arms fell to his sides. His brawny chest heaved up and down for the last time.
"The Emperor would have been in a frenzy with this victory," I thought...one of Cassius' half naked musclemen taking a blade through the belly twice. I snickered to myself knowing the Emperor was denied the pleasure.
Roche and Valerius held their own against several gladiators but the Ethiopian struggled with three powerful swordsmen. He held a sword in each hand...the one in his left taken from the first gladiator he had run through. I raced over as the gladiators began to inflict some minor cuts on the brown skinned warrior...the blood was a rich crimson color on his dark skin.
The gladiator on the right didn't hear me as I rushed towards him from behind. His back muscles rippled under his skin and the bicep in his right arm swelled as his sword strained against the Ethiopian's weapon. Perspiration flowed from his hairless armpits and rolled down the sides of his thick body.
"His skill with the sword was better than most from Cassius' school," I thought...but his agility was hindered by the size of his overly-developed upper body.
He brought his right arm down and pulled back his sword for a low thrust that would have surely caught the Ethiopian in the lower belly...both of the Ethiopian's arms were deflecting overhead blows from the other two gladiators. I reached the gladiator before he could strike. I grabbed his right shoulder with my left hand, drew back my sword and spun him around violently. I quickly stabbed him twice with two sharp thrusts to the belly.
"Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh!"............."Uuuhhhhh!"...the gladiator grunted and his body stiffened each time the blade was run through his chiseled abdomen...his eyes and mouth opened wide.
I took a few steps back. His body was magnificent. Two large, but nicely rounded pectorals were framed by thickly muscled shoulders. Rows of perfectly spaced ab muscles covered his stomach. The gladiator was panting hard and the stab wounds in his belly opened wider as his stomach moved in and out with each deep breathe he took. Blood flowed freely from the two deep cuts.
He staggered forward a few steps but he didn't go down...and he still had his sword in his hand. Although severely wounded, he was still quite dangerous.
"This was no time to get careless," I warned myself.
I took a step forward and stuck my sword into the left side of his chest. The blade cut into him just below his left nipple. His chest grew even larger as he squeezed his pectorals when the tip of blade pierced his skin.
"Uuuuuuuhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator groaned loudly...his body shuddered.
I pulled my sword out of him. He dropped his sword and covered the chest wound with both hands then fell back to the ground and was motionless.
A gladiator came running at me from my left. I adjusted my stance and was ready for him. As he came at me I could see he was a bit smaller than the others but he was still extremely well muscled. His perfectly shaped pectorals shook on his frame as he raced towards me...his fully developed abdominals flexed as he ran. He looked strong and he was quick.
As I backed up to deflect his wild thrusts and overhead blows, I made an unthinkable mistake. I tripped on an exposed tree root and fell backwards. I came to rest in a sitting position with both hands flat on the ground behind me... my sword laid in the sand an arm's length away.
"It was over,"...my mind raced..."where would the fatal thrust strike...would it be quick and painless...or...?"
The gladiator took several steps forward and stood nearly on top of me. He raised his sword high above his head. He was breathing hard. Beads of sweat covered his chest and abdomen...his smooth skin glowed. Streams of moisture ran down his body...a trickle of water filled his navel. With his torso fully extended, his tunic slipped lower on his hips revealing quite a bit more of his lower belly. He hesitated before striking the fatal blow...perhaps this was to be his first kill.
"GLAUCUUUUS!!!"...a panicked voice yelled from behind him.
He turned his head and looked back. The gladiator that was fighting Valerius had yelled out his name. His calls for help were futile, though. He was much bigger than Valerius but he was no match for him. We both watched as Valerius finished him off with two sword thrusts to the belly.
"TIBERIUS!!!...TIBERIUS!!!" the gladiator standing over me cried out as his mortally wounded companion fell to the ground, both hands holding his stomach.
His sword was still raised high in the air and his head still turned as he watched his friend die.
This was my chance...NOW!!!"...a silent voice screamed in my ear.
I sprang to my knees, grabbed my sword, and wildly drove the blade into the gladiator's unprotected abdomen.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the stunned gladiator let out a sustained wail and his head snapped forward.
The blade sliced through the center of his gut, halfway between his navel and his sternum. He looked down at me and then at the sword that was stuck in him. He squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth, adding years to his youthful face. He dropped his sword behind him from above his head and grabbed my forearm with both hands as I held the blade inside him. I scrabbled to my feet, wrapped my left hand around his side under his armpit and I pushed the blade deeper into his body.
"Uuuuuhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator grunted...his ab muscles tightened around the blade that was lodged in his belly.
I moved my left hand to the center of his chest and I ripped the sword out of him...sssssssssSSST!!! His hands quickly covered the deep stab wound. Blood spurted through his fingers and turned his hands red. He staggered forward, struggling to stay on his feet.
The streams of perspiration that so intrigued me before were now mixed with a steady flow of blood from the deep gash in his gut. He was bent forward at the waist when his legs finally gave out. He fell forward face down in the sand, his two hands still cupped over the belly wound.
I picked up his sword, flipped him over on his back with my foot and straddled his body with my two legs on either side of his torso. I touched the tip of the sword to his heaving chest, just under his left pectoral.
"Now...join your friend Tiberius," I whispered...and then brutally pushed the sword into him with both my hands on the grip.
The blade cut through his thick body and stuck into the ground under him. He opened his mouth wide and gasped for air. He arched his back and his hips rose off the ground. The gladiator's two hands grabbed at the sword that was protruding from his chest. His body tensed and then slowly relaxed...his arms fell straight out to his sides. Blood gushed from the two wounds and soaked the sand beneath him. I left his sword sticking in him.
It was going well for us. Most of the Emperor's gladiators had already succumbed to the finely sharpened blades of our swords. Their bodies were scattered on either side of the stream. The once crystal clear water that flowed downstream was tainted red with their blood.
I stared down another gladiator about ten yards in front of me...he flexed his pectorals several times as he eyed me from head to toe. We slowly moved toward each other. He was about ten feet away when suddenly, another gladiator attacked me from behind. One of his beefy arms wrapped around my chest and the other around my neck. He held me as the gladiator in front of me approached with his sword pulled back...ready to run me through.
He lunged at me with his blade aimed at the center of my gut. I jumped up with both legs high in the air in front of me...my feet landed flat against his massive chest and I pushed with my legs as hard as I could. The gladiator tumbled back...right into the powerful arms of Roche, who was running towards us. Roche whirled him around and savagely pumped his blade into the gladiator's belly several times. Roche was strong...each thrust of his sword lifted the gladiator to his toes. The gladiator's shrill screams and the crisp sound of the blade slicing into his muscular abdomen cut through the din of the battle around us.
The gladiator behind me still had both his arms around me as the powerful kick hurled us both back with surprising force. His densely muscled body made a dull thud as his back slammed into a large tree that was a few feet behind us. He was sprawled against the tree with his arms stretched out to his sides...his chest and abdomen were left completely vulnerable. I reeled around and, standing a foot in front of him, I pulled back my arm and I furiously ran my sword through his muscular belly just above his navel.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator let out a long, agonizing yell...his body stiffened.
The blade was run all the way through his torso and had pierced the tree bark behind him. I held him up against the tree with my left hand pressed hard into his stomach and I ripped my sword out of his rigid body...ssssssssssSSST!!!... He leaned forward and stumbled towards me a few steps when the sword was pulled out of him.
"This would be an easy kill," I thought to myself as I looked up at his face...I paused a moment and thought how odd it was that his young face didn't quite fit with his fully developed muscular body. That was true for most of Cassius' gladiators, I remembered.
I pushed the gladiator back and held him up against the tree with my left hand dug into the right side of his chest...his skin was cold and wet with perspiration. I drew back my sword and I rammed the blade through his tightly flexed belly again.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator screamed again and his head snapped back against the tree.
The blade sliced through his upper abs and hit the tree trunk behind him. His right pectoral swelled under my hand as he squeezed his chest hard when the blade cut into him. The gladiator was an ox. My blade was run through him twice and still he struggled as I held him firmly against the tree with my left hand cupped over his right nipple.
I raised my sword and placed the tip of the blade in the middle of his belly. He squeezed his ab muscles hard as the cold blade touched his skin. With one steady thrust, I shoved the whole blade into him. His mouth opened wide but no sound came out. I pulled my sword out of him and took my hand off his chest. He fell to the ground squirming and clutching his belly. He was dead a few seconds later.
Only two of the Emperor's gladiators were still standing. They battled furiously with Valerius and the Ethiopian. Their finely muscled bodies glistened as the beads of perspiration on their skin reflected the sun's rays.
The Ethiopian pushed one of the big gladiators back against a large boulder...his back slammed into the huge rock behind him, his arms flew back over his head. The Ethiopian rushed forward and violently stabbed him in the left side of his stomach....the gladiator screamed. The Ethiopian grabbed a handful of the gladiator's hair and yanked his head back. I knew what was coming next. The Ethiopian would often finish off his opponents in the Arena in this way...the frenzied mob would always roar with approval...the Emperor would be on his feet squealing with excitement. He raised his sword and put the tip of the blade under the gladiator's left pectoral. The gladiator squeezed his chest hard as the point of the blade pressed into him, just short of piercing the skin. He tensed his body and waited anxiously for what he knew would happen next.
With one powerful thrust of his massive arm, the Ethiopian pushed his blade into the young gladiator's chest .
"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator let out a throaty scream as the blade sliced through him.
He grabbed the sword from underneath with his right hand...his left hand pushed hard against the Ethiopian's midsection. The Ethiopian threw the gladiator back against the rock again and then tore the blade out of his chest with both hands... ...ssssssssssssssSSSSST!!!... ...blood splattered on both of them.
The mortally wounded gladiator slowly slid down the boulder leaving streaks of red on the rock behind him. He came to rest in a sitting position, blood gushed from the cuts in his chest and stomach. He was dead. The Ethiopian was pleased with the kill
Valerius was fighting the last gladiator still standing. Roche and I were on either side of them. The gladiator was several inches taller than Valerius and his upper body was massive, though well proportioned. As their swords clanged together again and again, it was evident Valerius lacked skill with the blade. Any one of us would have had our blade stuck in this brawny gladiator by now. Valerius lacked skill as a swordsman but he was agile and had good instincts. It often seemed he could anticipate his opponent's every move.
They were both beginning to tire. The gladiator brought his right arm across his chest and swung his sword wildly...the blade sweeping in front of him. Valerius crouched down just in time to avoid a slash across his chest. The gladiator swung wide. His right arm went out to his side and slightly behind him...his abdomen was left undefended...
"...an opening for Valerius..." I whispered excitedly.
Valerius quickly stood and stuck his sword into the left side of the gladiator's belly.
"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!"...the gladiator yelled as the force of the thrust lifted him to his toes.
Valerius pulled his sword out and moved back.
Roche quickly grabbed the gladiator's right shoulder and spun him around. As he turned towards him, Roche drew back his arm and shoved his sword into the gladiator's gut. The blade sliced into the right side of his abdomen.
"Uuuuhhhh!!!"...the gladiator grunted...Roche pulled his blade out.
I grabbed the gladiator's right arm from behind him and I whirled him around to face me. His size was quite intimidating...he flexed every muscle in his body hard as he tried to endure the pain from the wounds inflicted by Valerius and Roche. He gripped his sword tightly in his fist but made no attempt to use it...either to attack me or defend himself.
I cocked my arm back and I stuck my sword into him as hard as I could. His ab muscles were flexed so hard that only about a quarter of my blade went into his upper belly just below his sternum. He leaned forward...he was breathing hard. I waited for him to take a full inhale. When he did, the muscles in his abdomen slackened for a moment...I quickly shoved the rest of the blade into him. His head fell back and he took his last breathe with my sword still run through him. I pushed his shoulder back and I ripped my blade out of his lifeless body. He fell straight back, his arms fell out to his sides. Blood squirted from the three cuts in his belly.
Fifteen young gladiators laid dead around us...blood flowed freely from the stab wounds in their unclad bodies. These men were not ready for the Arena and they surely weren't skilled enough to defeat the four of us. Was the Emperor that furious with us...how many more men would he send for us to slaughter?
Valerius spoke somberly, "We run from the Arena............but the Arena follows us."
I put my hand on his shoulder and reassured him, "This is not like the Arena...we kill for a different reason now."
The Ethiopian tended to his superficial wounds. The rest of us rinsed the blood from our swords and cleansed our bodies in the cool water stream.
We were soon on our way...no one spoke for the next several hours.
*****
The next two days were uneventful. We covered many miles. Every step forwar= d was a step closer to the sea...and to our freedom. We continued south, st= opping only for a bartered meal at an inn or a farmhouse. The Emperor's man= y foreign campaigns had left many women without their men...their husbands = and sons missing or slaughtered in some far away land. The women were more = than willing to exchange some morsels of food for the labors of four strong= gladiators.
On the third day, the little used trail we had been following ended abruptl= y. In front of us was a wide chasm, a ravine two hundred feet deep. The onl= y way to reach the other side was to return to the main road and follow it = down through the canyon. The trail was perilous...it provided little cover = and we could easily be spotted from either side of the cliffs. There was no= other way...we had to get to the other side and the main road was the only= way.
We reached the trail in less than an hour and started down the ravine in a = single line. Roche led the way, Valerius was behind him...I was next with t= he Ethiopian at the rear. Our eyes darted nervously in every direction. Sha= fts of sunlight cascaded through the clouds and bore down on the pebbled ro= ad, casting shadows for each one of us. The road narrowed as it snaked its = way down into the ravine. The solid rock on either side rose higher and hig= her as we slowly descended into the canyon.
The gladiators must have been following us for quite some time. They waited= for the trail to narrow before attacking...they had us trapped with no esc= ape possible. They rained down on us from a ledge ten feet above our heads.= ..they pounced on us like tigers.
Like the gladiators that came before, they wore only short red tunics with = a black leather belt wrapped around their waists. The Emperor's merciless e= yes peered out from below their navels...his image carved into the medallio= n that was affixed to each one of their belts. The half naked young gladiat= ors were all heavily muscled. Several days exposure to the sun's powerful r= ays had bronzed their smooth sculpted torsos.
"More pieces of meat from Cassius' school," I muttered to myself as I readi= ed for battle.
Each gladiator wielded a twenty-inch sword with a blade two inches wide...e= ach gladiator confident his sword would soon be stained with our blood.
A gladiator came down to my left and almost landed on top of me...his sword= nearly slashed my shoulder. His large pectorals shook as his feet hit the = ground. The leap from the ledge above caused his knees to buckle, however, = and he fell backward onto his buttocks...his sword flew out of his hand. Hi= s struggled back to his feet.
He was still on one knee when I reached him. I grabbed him under his armpit= . As I lifted him upright, I pulled back my sword and drove it into his gut= as hard as I could.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator yelled loudly as the blade sliced cr= isply through the thick layer of muscle that covered his belly.
I yanked the sword out and quickly stabbed him again.
"Uuuuuhhhhh!!!"... he grunted as the blade cut into his belly just above th= e first wound...his ab muscles flexed hard around the blade as it cut into = him.
He fell back a few steps and covered the wounds in his stomach with his rig= ht hand...blood oozed through his fingers. The gladiator looked at me and t= hen eyed his fallen sword. Before I could finish him off, another gladiator= attacked me from behind. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around towards= him.
The gladiator had a muscular body that rivaled Hercules himself. His beefy = legs rose from the ground like two solid oak trees. His shoulders were like= granite boulders as they sat atop his bulging arms. His plump pectorals hu= ng low over two columns of large but well defined abdominal muscles. Althou= gh his body was massive, his face was still boyish and didn't quite fit his= brawny body.
He gripped his sword tightly in his hand and flexed his muscular upper body= a few times as he came at me. He made several wild thrusts at my midsectio= n that I easily deflected. The clanging of our swords echoed between the hi= gh stone walls of the narrow road. His lumbering movements quickly revealed= his inexperience. He was strong but he lacked skill.
"With the right training, this one could have been the Emperor's champion i= n the Arena," I thought to myself...the thick musculature of his upper body= would have provided excellent protection from slashes and shallow stab wou= nds...it was not to be, however.
I slipped behind him. He did just what I knew he would. He whirled around c= lumsily...his sword flailed at me and swung wide as he turned. His arms fle= w out to his sides and his upper body arched back...his chest and abdomen w= ere left vulnerable. I drew back my sword as I sprang forward and I buried = my blade in his stomach with a savage thrust. I turned my upper body to the= left as my sword cut into him...the shoulder turn added more power to the = forward thrust of the blade.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!"... the gladiator cried out...his body shuddered then l= eaned forward slightly as I ripped the blade out of him...ssssssssSSST!!!..= .
I pivoted on my left foot and ran him through again.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"... he wailed...the blade cut into the thick ab muscl= es on the left side of his abdomen. He stiffened his body as I pulled my sw= ord out of him.
The two cuts on the gladiator's belly turned red as blood trickled from the= deep stab wounds. He clenched both fists tightly as he staggered forward..= .his right fist still held his sword. His face grimaced... sweat ran from h= is brow and rolled down his cheeks.
"The Emperor would be cheated of quite a spectacle with the loss of this on= e," I thought... remembering his rabid excitement at the sight of a well-mu= scled gladiator taking a sword in the belly.
I knew it would take more than two cuts to bring down this Herculean gladia= tor. I quickly finished him off with a short but solid thrust to the chest.= He lurched forward as the blade sliced into his meaty pectoral muscle, jus= t missing his left nipple.
Blood gushed from the three stab wounds. Streams of blood ran down his bell= y, disappeared behind his tunic and then rolled down his muscular legs. The= gladiator dropped his sword and fell to his knees, then slumped to his sid= e. He was still...a pool of blood quickly formed around him.
"TITUS.......BEHIND YOU!!!" Valerius suddenly yelled to me.
I looked over my shoulder and saw the first gladiator I had fought running = at me with his sword raised high at his side. I had overestimated the sever= ity of his wounds...I was angry with myself...there was still plenty of lif= e left in him.
He was nearly on top of me with his sword held high when I suddenly reeled = around and rammed my sword into his gut...the whole blade was driven into h= im. His head snapped back and he slowly slid off my sword as he fell straig= ht back. He looked up at me as he squirmed on the ground. Blood quickly fil= led his mouth and ran down his chin. I was sure the wound was fatal. I look= ed towards Valerius and nodded...he smiled back.
I turned to check on the Ethiopian. He was fighting furiously...two dead gl= adiators were at his feet and his sword was run halfway through the belly o= f a third. Valerius and Roche were twenty yards further up the road...they = were invincible when they fought side by side. They were battling seven gla= diators between them. One by one the muscle bound warriors fell to the grou= nd as either Valerius' or Roche's sword cut into their bare torsos.
One gladiator broke away from the fight with Roche and Valerius and charged= at me. He was huge and he was running at me at full speed.
As he swung his sword from over his head I dropped my right shoulder and dr= ove it forward into his stomach. His sword arm flew over my shoulder and I = flipped him over my back. He landed behind me, slightly off balance. I whip= ped around and bashed my left fist into his jaw. He tumbled back and slamme= d into the stone wall behind him. He was sprawled against the jagged wall..= .his arms were out to his sides...he was dazed. I lunged at him and vicious= ly thrust my sword into his unprotected belly with all my strength. The sha= rp crisp sound of the blade cutting into the gladiator's muscular abdomen w= as quickly followed by his wails of pain.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator let out a loud yell and hi= s body stiffened as the blade ripped into the flesh above his navel.
I held him against the wall with my left hand pressed hard into the right s= ide of his stomach... I pulled my sword out of him and quickly pumped the b= lade into his belly again.
"Uuuuuhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator grunted as my sword cut into his upper abs.= ..he leaned forward.
His massive chest heaved up and down rapidly as he gasped for air. His smoo= th body was drenched with sweat=85his wet skin shimmered.
With half my blade still stuck in his belly, I reached around and wrapped m= y left arm around the gladiator's back and held him tightly...his chin fell= on my right shoulder...perspiration from his face dripped onto my back. Wi= th one solid thrust, I shoved the rest of the blade into him. He grabbed my= right bicep as it strained to push the blade through his thick torso. I br= ought my hand back around and pushed against his shoulder as I ripped the s= word out him....ssssssssSSST!!!.
He fell to the ground face down, blood gushing from the wounds in his abdom= en. As I watched him draw his last breath, I saw a shadow growing larger an= d larger against the stone wall in front of me.
The silhouette of a raised sword was unmistakable. I wheeled around to my r= ight and caught his forearm in my left hand as his sword descended on me. T= he blade stopped an inch above my left shoulder.
"That was too close," I thought to myself.
He struggled wildly to free his sword arm but my hand was locked around his= forearm, his sword was useless. This gladiator was not as bulky as the oth= ers, but his body was still quite impressive. His long lean abdomen was top= ped by two small but sharply defined pectorals. His abdominals were perfect= . Six carved mounds of muscle pushed out from under the taut skin on his st= omach.
I raised my sword to the middle of his stomach...the tip of the blade press= ed against his skin. He stopped struggling and looked down at the sword pre= ssed into his gut, then quickly looked up at me. A look of terror came over= his face. With one powerful thrust, I shoved the whole blade into his bell= y.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"... the gladiator let out a low pitch= ed howl as the blade was run through him. He dropped his sword and I let go= of his forearm. I pushed my left hand into his chest and pulled the sword = out of his body.
"Uuuuuhhhhh!!!"... he groaned and fell to the ground on his back
Both hands covered the stab wound in his abdomen as he strained to keep his= head off the ground. I moved closer to mercifully finish him off.
"ffffffffFTTT!!!"........."ffffffffFTTT!!!"...suddenly, two arrows ripped i= nto his body. The first arrow went into his upper abs...the second tore int= o his right pectoral. He grabbed the wooden shafts that were stuck in him, = then his head fell back and his arms slumped to his sides.
"Archers...?" I wondered....another arrow whizzed by me and stuck into the = dirt road next to my left foot. I suddenly realized the arrows were meant f= or me.
I looked up and saw two gladiators with bows on the ledges above, one on ei= ther side of the road. They were not very skilled. After each had launched = several arrows, they succeeded in only sending two arrows into the body of = the gladiator that laid dead at my feet. As hapless as they were, they stil= l posed a threat and needed to be stopped.
I scaled the rock wall that lead to the perch of one of the archers. My bac= k muscles strained as I pulled myself up to the ledge. The archer didn't he= ar me as I slowly approached...he continued to sling arrows at the road ben= eath us. I pulled my sword from my belt, but clumsily hit the blade against= the stone wall behind me. The clang of the blade gave away my stealthy adv= ance...the gladiator turned to face me.
He was a few years older than the gladiators battling below. The muscles of= his chest, shoulders and arms were fully pumped with blood from drawing th= e bowstring back repeatedly. Two stacks of thick abdominal muscle covered h= is stomach. The black leather strap of his quiver ran across his beefy righ= t pectoral and around his wide back.
The archer used the bow to deflect my every thrust and slash. Although not = very skilled as an archer, he was more than adequate as a swordsman. He cou= ntered my every move. He managed to wrap the bow around my sword arm and tw= isted until my sword fell from my hand...he nearly broke my arm. He laughed= out loud. My sword fell from the ledge and onto the road below. He swung t= he bow at me hitting me several times in the back and neck. Arrows spilled = from the quiver on his back as he swung wildly. I dropped to my hands and k= nees. He withdrew and leaned the bow against the wall. He drew his sword fr= om his belt, stretched his back and flexed his upper body a few times and m= oved towards me.
I was suddenly aware that there was a piece of wood under my right hand. I = looked down...one of the arrows that had fallen from his pouch...the shaft = was half covered with sand. I grabbed the arrow around the feather fletchin= g and held it tightly in my right hand. Still on my knees, I slowly turned = to face the overly confident gladiator.
With both his hands on the grip, he raised the sword high over his head. Th= e black leather belt around his waist slid down to his hips revealing even = more of his muscular lower belly. He laughed again as he was about to bring= the sword down on me. I quickly sprang to one knee and wildly drove the ar= row into his fully extended abdomen.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"...the gladiator screamed as more than half of= the wooden shaft was stuck in his belly. He dropped his sword behind him a= nd grabbed the arrow with both hands.
I jumped to my feet and slipped behind him. I pulled another arrow from the= quiver on his back, spun him around, and furiously jabbed it into his bell= y. The second arrow stuck in him a few inches to the left of the first.
"Uuuuhhhh!!!"...he yelled again and grabbed both arrows, one with each hand= .
He wobbled on his feet as blood rolled down the shafts of the two arrows an= d stained his hands red. I reached behind him and pulled another arrow from= his pouch. I grabbed the leather belt around his waist and held him still,= then I rammed the arrow through the left side of his chest...it sliced int= o the bottom of his pectoral muscle.
"Uuuuuhhhhh!!!"...he grunted one last time and fell to the ground.
He landed on his side...both hands clenched the arrow that was driven into = his chest. His body twitched for a few seconds, then went limp.
I glanced over to the ledge on the other side of the road. The other gladia= tor was unaware that his fellow archer was dead with three of his own arrow= s stuck in him. I grabbed the bow and I pulled the remaining arrows from th= e dead archer's quiver.
The other ledge was a bit higher so I had to adjust my aim. I kneeled on on= e knee and slowly drew the bowstring back. My right bicep swelled as I pull= ed the last few inches from the bow. I yelled to the archer...he turned tow= ard me and I let the arrow fly..."fffffffFFFTT!!!"... the arrow crisply pie= rced the gladiator's bare belly. I quickly launched another arrow. The seco= nd made a sharp thud when it hit him in the center of his chest. He fell fr= om the ledge onto the road below.
I smiled as I thought of my father for a moment, and how proud he would hav= e been at my skill with the bow. It was he that taught me at a young age...
"Ah...keep you mind on the battle," I chastised myself.
I looked down over the ledge...twelve dead or mortally wounded gladiators l= ittered the road...blood drained from the cuts and gashes in each of their = naked torsos. The two archers I killed made fourteen dead. There were four = more still alive and fighting furiously below.
Roche had a gladiator squirming on the end of his sword when another charge= d him from behind. I quickly steadied an arrow in the bow and sent it hurli= ng through the air. It hit the gladiator solidly in the middle of his back = just as he was about to slash Roche with his sword. His arms flew out to hi= s sides and he arched his upper body as more than half the arrow lodged in = his back. Roche whirled around and brutally stabbed the gladiator in the gu= t...his blade poked out of the gladiator's back just below where the arrow = was stuck in him.
I jumped off the ledge and landed on my feet in the middle of the road. I p= icked up my sword where it had fallen. The Ethiopian had just ripped his sw= ord out of the brawny gladiator writhing on the ground at his feet. Valeriu= s was struggling with two fierce warriors. He was on one knee as both gladi= ators swiped their swords at him from above. One of the gladiators raised h= is sword for an overhead blow...I charged at him.
My sword met his with such fury that it turned him away from Valerius and t= owards me. As he spun around his arms flung behind him. With both hands on = my sword, I furiously thrust my sword into his stomach.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!"..he wailed as the blade sliced through the thick lay= er of muscle that covered his belly...I pulled the sword out of him.
I held the gladiator steady with my hand on his side below his armpit. I pl= aced the tip of my blade between his upper abdominals. He instinctively inh= aled as the cold blade touched his skin...his chest swelled as his lungs fi= lled with air. He flexed his upper body hard, anticipating the fatal thrust= that would soon come. My right bicep bulged as I shoved the blade complete= ly through him with one sustained thrust.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"... the gladiator howled and thr= ew his head back...his agonizing yell echoed throughout the canyon.
Warm blood spurted on my hand as the blade broke the skin on his back. I le= t go of the sword and he fell on his back with his arms sprawled out to his= sides. He was still. I leaned over him and with my foot pressed against hi= s belly, I pulled the sword out of his lifeless body...sssssssssSSST!!!...
I looked around...there were no gladiators left standing. Valerius and Roch= e had some minor cuts and bruises, but it was a good victory for us. One gl= adiator was dead on the ledge above us...seventeen gladiators laid dead in = the road...blood still oozed from the stab wounds in their fully exposed up= per bodies. Several puddles of blood stained the canyon trail.
We rested for a while, then cleaned our swords and continued down the trail= into the ravine.
*****
The road turned to mud under our feet...we pushed forward. We had been trav= eling for eight days, but it seemed as if we were no closer to the sea...no= closer to our freedom.
=20
The rain fell heavily all morning...an occasional clap of thunder stirred m= e from my thoughts of a time long ago. The water that fell from the sky was= welcome relief from the oppressive heat of the endless Pompeii summer. The= rain cooled our skin that had been exposed to the sun for many days, and i= t cleansed my thoughts of the brutal slaughter of the battle days earlier. = We walked in a single line. Valerius lead the way...the Ethiopian was behin= d us. Roche walked in front of me. The raindrops danced on Roche=92s muscul= ar shoulders and rolled down his bare back, drenching the tunic around his = waist. The shimmering water on his skin highlighted the sharp definition of= his well-developed torso as the rainwater flowed through every cut and cre= ase of his musculature.=20
=20
At midday we came upon a great structure...it was a magnificent site. The w= hite stone Temple was five hundred feet long and almost half as wide...fift= y marble steps ran the length of each side...there were rows of white marbl= e columns that reached from the base of the structure to the top, one hundr= ed feet above...images of Apollo, Mars, and Jupiter were sculpted into the = stone facade.
=20
=93Could this be the Temple of Ceres my mother told me of as a child,=94 I = wondered ....=20
=20
=93Ah...why do I think of such things...that was a long time ago.=94=20=20
=20
The rain had slowed our pace and chilled our bare bodies...we decided to se= ek shelter inside. I thought it best that we enter the Temple from differen= t sides...Roche agreed. I took the North side...Valerius and Roche entered = from the East and West and the Ethiopian went around to the South. I climbe= d the marble steps slowly...peering inside as I reached the last few steps.= =20
=20
It was a vast space. There were no walls and I could see the Ethiopian stan= ding at the opposite end of the stone structure, several hundred feet away.= Roche and Valerius soon appeared on either side. Water dripped from our ra= in-soaked bodies and wet the floor under our feet. The sound of the falling= rain diminished as we moved inside.
=20
In the center of the Temple was an alter...a flat piece of black marble tha= t sat four feet off the floor on four large stones...it was bounded on each= side by several white columns. The alter was bathed in pale yellow light f= rom the torches that hung from each column that surrounded it. We moved clo= ser and then I saw them...ten figures...knelling around the large slab of m= arble. The holy men wore black robes that covered them completely ...oversi= zed hoods draped over their heads. They were motionless and silent.
=20
We moved toward the alter cautiously...an eerie silence filled the air...an= occasional wisp of wind swept through the great hall. The priests around t= he alter did not move as we approached and were silent as we passed between= the columns that surrounded them. Then, one of the men slowly stood and pu= lled the hood off his head...he smiled...then ripped the robe from his body= .=20
=20
My heart began to pound heavily in my chest as I realized what was happenin= g. The other men quickly stood and stripped off their robes. Ten of the Emp= eror=92s gladiators stood before us. Like the others that came before, thei= r well-muscled torsos were fully exposed. They must have been under the hea= vy robes for quite some time...beads of perspiration covered their bodies..= .their smooth skin glistened in the dim light of the torches around us. Som= e of the gladiators wore black leather harnesses that fit snugly around the= ir thick upper bodies...these young gladiators had already tasted victory i= n the Arena. I recognized two of them from the barracks at Capua. The ten g= ladiators drew their swords and flexed and stretched their upper bodies as = they prepared for battle.
=20
I glanced at Valerius and Roche and then the Ethiopian...all three had thei= r swords drawn. Although a few of the gladiators at the alter were experien= ced Arena fighters, I was confident that the four of us could easily defeat= them.=20
=20
Suddenly, another ten gladiators appeared from around the columns behind us= . Rainwater rolled off their half naked bodies...a small puddle formed bene= ath each one. We were at a considerable disadvantage. Roche and the Ethiopi= an ran towards the men behind us...Valerius and I advanced on the muscle bo= und warriors at the alter. The clang of iron against iron soon filled the o= nce silent Temple.
=20
I dove at the feet of four of the gladiators, sweeping their legs from unde= r them...we all crashed to the floor. I quickly sprang to my feet...the gla= diator closest to me was on his knees fumbling for the sword that was knock= ed from his hand. I reached down with my left hand and I grabbed the leathe= r harness where it crossed under his chest. I lifted him to his feet and th= rew him against the alter...his lower back hit the marble slab...his upper = body leaned back...his arms flailed at his sides.
=20
The gladiator was young but his body was extremely well developed. The leat= her straps of his harness crossed snugly under his two large pectorals and = wrapped around the thick latissimus muscles that ran down the sides of his = upper body. His abdominals were impressive...six evenly spaced slabs of mus= cle perched above his navel.=20
=20
Twisting his harness with my fist, I pulled back my right arm and drove my = sword through the left side of his muscular belly.
=20
=93Aaaaahhhhh!!!=94...his wail echoed throughout the Temple and joined the = chorus of screams that filled the Temple as, one by one, the Emperor=92s g= ladiators felt our rebel blades cut into their bodies.=20
=20
The blade sliced into his stomach, just under his ribcage. I ripped my swor= d out and stabbed him again...the blade tore into him between his upper abs= . Blood quickly flowed from the two gashes in his abdomen. He grabbed his b= elly and fell to the floor. The mortally wounded gladiator would never figh= t in the Arena again...Mars would soon have him instead.
=20
The three other gladiators that I had knocked to the floor were now on thei= r feet...they all attacked at once. I jumped up onto the alter. They surrou= nded me...their back muscles rippled as they swiped at my legs with their s= words. I avoided their sweeping blades with some well-timed leaps but one g= ladiator managed to inflict a minor cut to my left calf. I felt little pain= but blood dripped down my ankle and into my sandal. I kicked the gladiator= in the jaw and he fell back to the floor. Another well-placed kick dazed t= he gladiator to my right. The third lunged forward...his blade sparked as i= t struck the marble alter. I put my foot on his left shoulder and shoved hi= m back as hard as I could.=20
=20
The gladiator slammed into the marble column behind him. The force of the i= mpact stretched his muscular body across the column...his huge arms flung o= ut to his sides. I jumped off the alter and pulled back my sword as Iran at= him. I stopped a foot in front of him and I drove my blade into his upper = belly.
=20
=93Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!=94...the gladiator wailed...his abdominals tightened ar= ound the blade as it slid into his gut just under his chest.=20
=20
I held him against the column with my left hand over his right pectoral...t= he muscle flexed hard under the palm of my hand...his nipple showed through= between my fingers. I pulled my sword out and quickly stuck it in him agai= n. The blade cut into his stomach just below the first wound.
=20
=93Uuuuuuhhhhhh!!!=94...the gladiator grunted as my sword sliced half-way t= hrough his muscular body.=20
=20
He fell forward and put both hands on my shoulders. His fingers dug into my= skin as I shoved the rest of the blade into his belly... then ripped it ou= t of him....ssssssssssSSST!!!...=20
=20
Streams of blood mixed with sweat, rolled down his stomach, and disappeared= behind his leather belt. With my hand still on his chest I pushed him back= against the column again. The two cuts in his belly opened wider as his up= per body was spread against the column...blood flowed from the wounds more= freely. I drew back my sword and stabbed him again.=20
=20
=93Uuuhhh!!!=94...the gladiator=92s eyes widened and his mouth opened as th= e blade cut into his chest under his left nipple.=20
=20
I pulled my sword out of him and he slid down the column...a crimson streak= stained the white column behind him. He came to rest sitting at the base o= f the column...he drew his last few breaths...then was still.
=20
=93TITUS...BEHIND YOU!!!=94 Valerius shouted to me. I quickly turned...the = gladiator that slashed my leg was nearly on top of me, his sword raised hig= h at his side...poised to deliver a devastating blow. Had Valerius=92 warni= ng come a second latter I would have been finished.=20=20
His size was intimidating...a pair of chiseled pectorals jutted out over a = set of finely sculpted abdominal muscles. With his abdomen fully stretched,= the belted tunic around his waist slid down well below his navel...the vei= ns in his lower belly pulsed with blood beneath his smooth skin.=20
=20
As I turned towards him, I dropped to one knee and viciously thrust my swor= d into his muscular abdomen. My blade caught him above his navel and was ru= n all the way through him. The tip of the blade poked through the skin in t= he middle of his back. The sudden thrust surprised him...he threw his head = back with his mouth wide opened. I pulled the blade out of him and quickly = ran him through again. He looked down at the blade sticking in him and yell= ed.
=20
=93Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!=94...his sword fell out of his hand and he = lowered his arm. I tore my sword out of him...sssssssssSSST!!!...and I step= ped back.
=20
He staggered a bit but his massive legs keep him from falling. Blood poured= from the two cuts in his gut. Blood rolled down his stomach and down the i= nsides of his muscular thighs. Splashes of red appeared on the white stone = floor beneath him.=20
=20
I lurched forward and, with a solid thrust, I shoved the blade into his bel= ly again.
=20
=93Uuuuuuhhhhhh!!!=94...his body went rigid as the blade ripped into him.
=20
I held the blade in him for a few seconds then abruptly pulled it out... ..= .ssssssssssSSST!!!... The fatally stabbed gladiator fell to the floor. He r= olled on his back and clasped his two hands over the deep cuts in his abdom= en...blood leaked out of him from both the front and back of his torso. His= hands slid to his sides and he was dead.
=20
I glanced at Valerius to acknowledge my indebtedness...he smiled, then tilt= ed his head to the right. I turned and saw another gladiator attacking from= my left...Valerius was looking out for me that day.=20
=20
The gladiator swung his sword wildly...I countered his every move. He was n= ot as big as the other gladiators but his physique was still quite impressi= ve. His near perfect proportion and sharp definition more than compensated = for what he lacked in size. The soft light of the torches above our heads h= ighlighted the cut of every muscle.=20
=20
His sword swung wide to his right...I grabbed the leather cuff around his w= rist with my left hand and held it firmly...his sword was now useless...the= gladiator was defenseless. He tried to shake his arm free but my iron grip= would not let go. I looked into his eyes and he knew he was finished. He s= queezed every muscle in his upper body, anticipating the blade that would s= oon be run through him.=20
=20
I drew back my sword and I shoved it into his tightly flexed belly. Half of= the blade was stuck in him between the ab muscles on the left side of his = stomach. The gladiator grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut but he didn=92t = yell out. I yanked my sword out of him and I quickly stabbed him again. The= sword thrust lifted him to his toes as it sliced half way through the midd= le of his abdomen. His body stiffened and his sword fell from his hand.=20
=20
I lifted him off his feet with my left arm around his waist and threw him u= p on the alter. He slammed down on his back...blood gushed from the two wou= nds in his belly and rolled down both sides of his torso. I picked up his s= word from the floor and I violently plunged the blade into his left pectora= l. This gladiator had taken my blade in his belly twice without yelling out= , but the thrust through his chest elicited a long, throaty wail.....
=20
=93Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!=94... his head and shoulders sprang up f= rom the alter and both his hands grabbed the blade that was stuck in his ch= est. He slowly relaxed his grip on the sword...his head fell back on the ma= rble slab beneath him...his arms fell to his sides. I left the sword in him= .
=20
I looked over at Valerius...three gladiators laid dead on the floor...their= crumpled bodies in a heap around him. Valerius had a sword in each hand an= d was ferociously battling three more swordsmen. I ran to the other side of= the alter to join the fight.=20
=20
I approached the heavily muscled gladiator from his right side...Valerius s= till had his full attention. The leather straps of his harness stretched ar= ound his wide lat muscles and hugged his chest beneath the two large pector= als. The leather pieces crossed in the center of his upper body and disappe= ared over his mountainous shoulders. As he parried with Valerius, every mus= cle on the side of his torso rippled beneath his smooth taut skin.
=20
I waited for him to raise his right arm again then I reached around to the = front of his chest and grabbed his harness with my left hand...my fist fit = snugly between his beefy pectorals. I pulled him around towards me...his ma= ssive arms flailed about...I slashed his right hand...his sword fell to the= floor. I pulled back my sword and furiously drove it into his thickly musc= led belly. His body stiffened as the blade cut into him, but there was more= action in his face. I clenched his harness tighter with my left hand as I = held the huge gladiator steady. I pulled the blade out of him and stabbed h= im again. He tensed his upper body hard as the blade cut into his fully fle= xed abdomen. I let go of his harness and I used both hands to pull my sword= out of him...sssssssssSSST!!!...he fell forward a few steps.
=20
He looked down at the wounds in his gut...blood ran down his belly. He look= ed up at me, his eyes filled with rage, and he lunged forward. He grabbed m= y throat with his huge hands and squeezed tightly...I gasped for air.=20
=20
=93This gladiator was a Cretan Bull,=94 I thought...the two wounds didn=92t= weaken him at all.=20
The gladiator squeezed my throat hard...I wrapped my left hand around the r= ight side of his thick torso and I furiously stabbed him in the gut again a= nd again. Each thrust drove him back a step...his eyes twitched each time t= he blade was jabbed into his abs. His grip around my neck finally loosened = and his arms fell to his sides.=20
=20
Blood gushed from the stab wounds that riddled his abdomen. His mouth fille= d with blood and a trickle of blood rolled down his chin. He dropped to his= knees, then fell to the floor face down...the pool of blood under him grew= larger and larger as he took his last breath.
I turned back to Valerius...his left arm was wrapped around the back of a b= rawny gladiator... his blade was driven completely through the gladiator=92= s body. A few inches of the bloodstained blade poked out the middle of his = back. Valerius pulled the sword out...the gladiator fell to the floor. His = body twitched a few times and then was still.
=20
The marble floor under our feet was splattered with blood. One gladiator wa= s dead on the alter...a sword stuck in his chest...nine others were scatter= ed at our feet. Blood still flowed from the many cuts and gashes in their b= are bodies.
=20
Valerius and I ran from the alter to join Roche and the Ethiopian. The Temp= le was littered with dead or mortally wounded gladiators...blood drained th= rough the cracks in the white stone floor. The battle had moved outside.
=20
We ran out of the Temple and saw Roche and the Ethiopian each holding off f= our gladiators. They were battling on the steps on the West side of the Tem= ple. The rain was still heavy and the marble steps were treacherous.
=20
I ran towards Roche and joined the battle. One of the swordsmen he was figh= ting turned towards me. The young gladiator standing before me looked tired= and scared. Rainwater flowed over his muscular upper body...his wet tunic = clung tightly to his beefy thighs and buttocks...water ran down his muscula= r legs.=20
=20
Water flew off our swords as they clanged together over and over again. The= heavy rain quickly saturated my hair and large drops of water ran down bot= h sides of my face. The wound in my leg began to throb as we fought our way= down the slippery marble steps. I wiped the water from my eyes as we desce= nded to the muddy road below.=20
=20
The force of his blows weakened...the swollen bicep in his right arm strain= ed to deflect my sword as I pummeled him with overhead blows. He lifted his= right arm high at his side...I caught his forearm in my left hand as it ca= me down. I lurched forward and turned my shoulder as I drove my sword into = the middle of his gut.
=20
=93Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!=94...he yelled and leaned forward...I pulled my blad= e out of him.=20
=20
Blood seeped from the deep gash in his belly but was quickly washed away by= the steady flow of rainwater that rolled down his abdomen. I stabbed him a= gain.
=20
=93Uuuuuuhhhhhh!!!=94...the weary gladiator grunted as the blade sliced int= o his upper abs.=20
=20
He fell straight back and splashed in the muddy water on the ground. He was= suddenly still. Blood from the two slits in his belly mixed with rainwater= and rolled off his stomach. The puddle beneath him soon turned a cloudy re= d.
=20
The Ethiopian stood over three dead gladiators. Large drops of rain bounced= off their bodies as they lay motionless in the mud at the big warrior=92s = feet. A steady flow of rainwater washed the blood from their skin...two or = three stab wounds were clearly visible in each of their torsos.=20=20
=20
The Ethiopian suddenly raised his right arm and pointed his sword back towa= rds the Temple.=20
=20
=93TITUS!!!=94 ...he bellowed my name...it was the firs toword I had ever h= eard him utter.
I looked over my left shoulder and saw a brawny gladiator charging down the= marble steps of the Temple...his sword high at his side. His large pectora= ls shook on his frame as he flew down the steps.
=20
=93Where did this one come from?=94 I wondered...as I waited patiently for = the right time.=20
He was on the second step from the bottom, about a foot above me, when I su= ddenly spun around to my left and thrust my sword up into his unprotected a= bdomen.
=20
=93Aaaaaahhhhh!!!=94...the gladiator yelled loudly...the blade pierced the = flesh in the middle of his belly.=20
=20
I turned slightly to the left and shoved the blade all the way into him.
=20
=93Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhh!!!=94...he moaned and flexed his ab muscles tightly arou= nd the blade that was run all the way through him.
=20
The gladiator=92s sword fell from his hand and his body lurched forward. I = pulled the sword out of him...sssssssSST!!!...he stumbled down to the first= step.=20
=20
The wounded gladiator was shivering as he leaned forward...he was done figh= ting...the cold rainwater chilled his unclad body. His chest rose and fell = rapidly as he gasped for air...his stomach inflated with each inhale and fl= exed tightly when the air was expelled from his lungs. A raindrop lingered = on his right nipple...a trickle of blood ran down his belly and filled his = navel. I was tired. My right arm ached and the wound in my legged throbbed.= It was almost over...
=20
I slowly pulled back my sword and, with a solid thrust, I drove my blade in= to his body again...it cut into his belly just above the first wound.
=20
=93Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!=94...he groaned...the thrust lifted him to his toes and = snapped his head back.=20
He staggered from the marble step onto the muddy ground below. I grabbed hi= s shoulder and pushed the sword in deeper. I then slowly pulled the blade o= ut about halfway and I abruptly shoved it into him again. He was dead befor= e I pulled the sword out of his body. The gladiator fell face down in the m= uddy road in front of me. Blood oozed from the three slits in his back wher= e the blade had punched through.
=20
We all stared at the slain gladiator for a moment...there was nothing to sa= y. I glanced up at the Temple as the rain continued to fall. All four of us= had a fresh gash or two...nothing too serious. I didn=92t need a scar to r= emind me of this day...it would be with me forever.=20
=20
Valerius noticed I was favoring my right leg...my left limb ached...the sha= llow gash was caked with dried blood and mud. He dragged my arm around his = shoulder and we started down the muddy road.
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