Gladiator (Part VI)

GLADIATOR (PART VI)

It seems like an eternity since I last fought in the arena
A long and lonely time for sure
The only break from my iron confines the arduous training
Where fresh cuts did all they could
To keep the feeling of being alive

Despite my lengthy hiatus
I’m required to be called on once again
My performance desired by the Emperor himself
For the first time I’m wanted in a dual to the death
If the rumours of my opponent are indeed accurate
Maybe the Emperor’s prophecy would come true

As my time approached the calls of the crowd cleared any doubts
Maximus
Maximus
Maximus
One of the few granted the wooden sword
A freed slave
Undefeated
A champion of the Coliseum
The most beloved Gladiator in all of Rome
Returns today for one last fight
I his foe

A mixture of cheers and boos accompanied my own entrance
The underdog
The pretender
I told myself Maximus is just a man after all
As am I
Still I stand afore him with the fear of a man condemned

The wry smile on his face
Acknowledging the unwilling surrender of my self belief
My mind blanking out the ritual routine
As I stare deep in the eyes of this clinical killer
“I’ve heard a lot about you friend, I promise I’ll make it quick”
His words enforcing the chill in my spine
The dance begins

With each armed with sword and shield
We stalk
Each looking for the first decisive blow
The crowds roar ebbing in the anticipation
As silence engulfs this arena of blood

The stand off continues
Each of us unwilling to show our hand
“What’s wrong slave, don’t have a fighting stomach?”

I maintain my silence
Must concentrate
The growing impatience of the crowd breaks the silence
As jeers of unrest filter through
Maximus reacts
Lunging fast with blade high the opening salvo ensues
The shattering sound of crashing steel
I step, twist and duck as I find a block for each blow
Hard on the defensive
Before finally diving free
A moment’s reprieve

“I must say I’m disappointed, I was told you were a worthy opponent”
As I clamber from the dirt floor
Maximus attacks again
A violent sword blow deflected by my trusty shield
Still I feel the bone in my arm crack from the force
Pain ripples through muscle
As each blow forces me further back
Until once again I roll free

The crowd
Maximus
Maximus
Maximus

“You call yourself a Gladiator?”
That slave girl of a whore you so love
Put up more of a fight than your worthless self.
The screams of her tormented torture were indeed satisfying”

It was only then it dawned
The so called hero afore me
Was the one
The one responsible for Serena’s assault
Her pain

“You mean you didn’t know
I must say Servius I did so enjoy her”

A deep rooted burning in my heart ignited
Inflaming my latent rage
Pure anger replacing the blood pumping through my veins

Fear dispelled
Pain forgotten
I race forth to attack
Blow after blow reigning down on the target of my disdain
The shaken savager of women hiding fast beneath his shield
Struggling to hold back the onslaught of a man bent on revenge
In a desperate attempt to regain his hand
I’m tripped to the arena floor
By a sword hit to my armoured shin

Stunned
The sword of my enemy thrust down to where I lay fallen
I roll
Regain my feet and with one move
A blow of my own throws his shield clear and him to the ground
Uncaring I release my own shield
Relieving the numbing pain of the weight on my shattered arm

Maximus may have been a legend of the arena
But his self indulgence since his freedom
Had indeed weakened him
A sign clearly told by his desperate fatigue
This hero was faltering

Seizing the opportune advantage
I charge at him as he stumbles to his wary feet
Swords locking in a display of steel theatre
Though tired still his skill prevails
As each attack meets with a crafted counter
As blades lock in a test of strength and courage, words are exchanged
“You will not kill me Servius, I am a God”
“Then I will take my revenge on God himself”
As I break my silence

With those final words
Our weapons release from lock to the start of our final volley
Swiftly avoiding a sweeping mid shot
My sword meets his flesh for the first time as I catch his retracting arm
Following up quick I sweep a glancing blow to his chest
Followed by another to his thigh
As he drops to his knee
My swords crashes one last time against his as his grip finally fails
Sending his blade skimming across the arena floor far from reach
It’s then I stand above the broken hero afore me
The man that just moments ago I feared

I look deep into his eyes
As fear looks back at me
“Spare me Servius, I beg of you spare me!”
With that I take my blade in both hands
Spearing it down through his heart to the bloodstained dirt floor below
“May the God’s feast on your soul”

The crowd silenced
The Emperor enraged