Chapter 2

"You're up for another match!" yelled the lanista to Kurt. He stared back at him in shock.

"B-but I just won! Won't I get my freedom?" he protested. The lanista and the other gladiators who were training started laughing loudly at Kurt's answer.

"My boy, you don't get your freedom that easy!" he said, with tears in his eyes from laughing too hard. That annoyed Kurt, as though he asked for it. Why can't he just pay a fine? These Romans have issues.

"You have to win 30 fights or survive for 5 years in gladiatorial battle to earn the rudis, whichever comes first." he added. Kurt's heart jolted in fear, he doesn't have that long to complete the game, what would his father said if he returned years older than before?

The lanista then handed Kurt his armour, "Make sure you wear this carefully. The emperor would be looking at you today, as he was impressed by your fighting skills last night." All of the gladiators looked as though he would be on his deathbed, which Kurt hoped would not be today. Or at least, in this century.

As he walked into the arena, he could feel numbness in his hands, as he has to repeat the killings. He didn't want to, but as Blaine has said to him before the match, it was better to end it, to give them freedom. He gulped as he saw the emperor sitting in his chair, looking down at him. Something about him gave Kurt the creeps. He lay there in his extravagant metal plated armour, drinking and eating while chatting with the rest of the senate. He saw Wilhelm again, next to him, staring at Kurt with fear in his eyes.

He was in a toga, but dressed extravagantly. He looked at Kurt sympathetically, and mouthed the word good luck at him as he passed by. Kurt nodded back in response. The emperor, what did the man said his name was? Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus? Caligula?

Then it hit him, Caligula! He almost stabbed himself with his sword. That's his nickname, it meant little soldier's boot. Whatever he needed to get out of here was with Caligula. His blood curdled with fear staring at the man. He had guards, for goodness sake. How on Earth was he going to bust in there?

He started focusing on the tiny amounts of information he got from history class, crazy lunatic, sex maniac, tyrant.. That was what he got from his memory. A stroke of memory caught Kurt that almost made him jump happily, screaming Eureka.

Caligula loves famous gladiators.

He nearly got pounded by a man who jumped on him, carrying a gladius. But he managed to sidestep him, and kicked him in the shins. He then ran for cover, avoiding his attack. The crowd booed, clearly unsatisfied with the battle. The man, trying his best to please them, went straight for Kurt in full battle rage.

Kurt took his shield and blocked his attacks, dodging each and everyone of them. But he failed to notice one, and the gladiator's sword cut right through his left shoulder, leaving a bloody mark. Kurt yelled in pain and tumbled to the ground, clutching his left shoulder. The pain was excruciating. He could see his vision was fading, and his surroundings became blurry. This is it, he thought. He would be at the mercy of the emperor.

To his surprise, his pain seemed to disappeared as fast as it came and he watched his gauntlet, which was invisible to the eyes of the others, except Wilhelm, glow light blue and Kurt could feel energy pulsating in his body. By instinct, he used his lasso and whipped it hard at the gladiator's back.

He looked up at Caligula, who looked immensely pleased, and the crowd screamed "Death! Death!" again and again, roaring in joy upon seeing the thumbs-down from Caligula.

Kurt flinched and he looked down at the gladiator, holding a sword to his chest, whispering "Please forgive me" before driving it deep in his chest, blood spurting at his face. The gladiator looked at him with a look of gratitude and he died peacefully, the crowd cheering in joy.

Caligula stood and said, "Fellow gladiator, you have done well - but I want you to put your skill to the test by challenging our most brutal gladiator, the Beast!" The crowd cheered and the gates flung open, releasing a gladiator that was twice his size, his eyes fogged, - indicating he was blind - and in his arms was a huge maul. Kurt wasn't sure what kind of gladiator he was, or if there even was a type of gladiator like that.

To his shock, the gates opened again and Blaine was shoved in, armed with his casual weapons and the gate locked shut behind him. Kurt scurried to his side. "What are you doing here?" he hissed. "This is dangerous!" Blaine shook his head, as if to say, "I don't know."

Caligula waved for the battle to begin and the crowd silenced, allowing the blind gladiator to listen and Kurt dared not move and Blaine glanced at him, frozen in his spot too. "What do we do?" Kurt whispered.

Much to his disbelief, the gladiator charged forward, swinging his maul and Blaine pulled Kurt away and the crowd cheered. Using the deafening sound of applause to cover their voices, Blaine hissed a warning. "He can hear you! I've seen him fight - stay quiet and don't make the slightest bit of sound."

They slowly stood still, each one of them holding their breath. The gigantic gladiator, turned his head from side to side, trying to hear footsteps. Kurt slowly tip-toed his way further from him, but to no avail. The beast heard his footsteps although it was very faint. He charged towards Kurt, flaying his gigantic maul to him. Kurt gulped and tried ducking out of his way, but the maul brushed roughly against his skin, which made him scream in pain.

The gladiator heard his screams and headed towards Kurt, slowly lifting his maul and he whacked the ground, cracking it, right next to Kurt's face. His breathing got louder, which attracted the gladiator. The crowd cheered louder and louder, although he wasn't accurate, his next hit would potentially kill him.

The gladiator raised his maul for the final strike, he got distracted as Blaine scooped up some stones and rubble and threw it directly at his face, making his helmet vibrate violently. The gladiator slowly turned towards Blaine's direction and charged towards him instead, giving Kurt enough time to get back on his feet and to recover his weapon.

He could see Blaine sidestepping the gladiator's massive attacks. The crowd roared in satisfaction as Blaine did a barrel roll and stabbed his sword in the gladiator's knee, the giant merely grunted and continued his attacks. Nothing could stop him, not even a bleeding knee.

The gladiator, somehow, managed to back Blaine up against the wall, raising his maul to give Blaine the finishing blow. Blaine shut his eyes, bracing for it.

Kurt began to panic - the guy who helped him was going to be killed right before his eyes. The gauntlet glowed on his arm and his eyes flared in rage and hate and he used his lasso to lash at the brute's back, producing a loud CLANG as it lashed against the armour. It was so strong until it ripped the armour right of the gladiators back. He growled in rage and pain. There was red marks on his back due to his armour.

Kurt, unable to control himself, gave a loud battle cry as he charged with his sword towards his unprotected back and forcefully inserted his blade inside, as blood oozed out, the gladiator turned around and tried to attack Kurt, snatching and hitting air as he desperately tried finding him. Kurt then jumped very high and kicked his helmet, shattering it.

The gladiator finally tumbled to the ground and gave up to his injuries. Kurt took the gladiators broken helmet, raised it up in the air and showed it to the crowd and the emperor, as proof of his triumph.

"The emperor will see you." the guards said to Kurt as he was leaving the area. The guards had blocked his way out.

"Why?" asked Kurt, pretending to be puzzled. He knew why, history class.

The guards looked at him coldly and replied, "That is none of your concern, please follow us." they then went close to Kurt, leading him to the emperor seat. Making Kurt feeling trapped, for some reason.

Passing by, he could see people muttering and whispering rapidly when they saw him. He felt embarrassed, sure he wants to be famous, but not like this.

The guards knocked on the door, and said to Kurt, "Go in."

Slowly, Kurt entered the room. He saw servants walking here and there, serving dishes that made his mouth watered, and in the centre of the room, was the man himself, Emperor Caligula. He was laying on his sofa, eating the dishes Wilhelm was holding. When he saw Kurt, he smiled brilliantly.

"So, you are Kurt? The gladiator?" he asked politely. As Kurt nodded, he placed his finger to his chin, "Hmm, you look very underfed. Quite scrawny, on the contrary; yet you showed incredible strength in the arena." he continued, inspecting Kurt from top till bottom.

He then stood up and walked slowly towards Kurt. He felt quite alarmed at Caligula. The man was taller than him, and what more, he somewhat gives out an aura of authority and power, which made Kurt feel very small, like a trapped rat.

Caligula then extended his hand and gently caressed Kurt's face, making him feel even more uncomfortable. "That's a really pretty face. Very flawless." he muttered.

Kurt grit his teeth, and bared Caligula's fingers slowly caressing his face.

"But alas, a doll such as yourself happens to be a gladiator." he said, pulling back his fingers, which made Kurt gave out a soft sigh in relief. He then sat back on his couch and ordered the servants to serve him more food. Kurt kept his head down, but his eyes were darting everywhere; searching for the crystal. He looked desperately at his gauntlet, but it isn't flashing, which made him groan.

Caligula, unfortunately, heard that, he spun around, giving Kurt a happy face, but Kurt noticed his eyes looked very dangerous, "Pardon me?" he asked.

Kurt, thinking fast, managed to reply, "My Lord, Sir -he then curtsied to the ground- why, I feel very.. disappointed, that I am not invited to your utopia of a palace."

Caligula, looking satisfied, slumped back to his couch and placed his hand on his chin, "I would very much love to, my fragile doll, but -he then paused for effect- you are not a champion gladiator, at least not yet. Perhaps, if you survive the entire arena, you may enter, but until every warrior has been slain, you shalt not touch a soil of my palace."

"Yes, I-understand. Sir." replied Kurt, his mouth very dry.

Caligula then waved his hand, a signal that Kurt is dismissed. He then hurriedly left before he could change his mind. While wandering at the corridors, trying to find his way back, a grim, pale, dirty hand roughly pulled him into the side of the wall. The person then placed a hand over Kurt's mouth. Kurt struggled to push off the attacker, kicking him, but he was as strong as Kurt.

"Are you freaking mental!" said the attacker to Kurt. Kurt managed to remove Wilhelm's hand from his mouth.

"What are you talking about!" he snapped back. Wilhelm shushed him and looked around cautiously.

"The gladiatorial games. Really? Among all of the things you can do, it has to be related to gladiators!"

"Well, I had no choice, all right; and this stupid gauntlet is pointing me to Caligula." explained Kurt.

Wilhelm's face turned pale, he again looked around as though frightened of someone.

"C-Caligula?" he spoked, shivering in terror, "Now did you mention it, my gauntlet has been glowing as well for the past few days.."

"Maybe you can look around his palace or something..? I can't really go there. Yet.." said Kurt, staring into the ground. Wilhelm slowly nodded, but his face remained pale.

Kurt has never trained this hard before, except the time he had to out-do Rachel Berry in a diva-off. He kept attacking the wooden posts, whacking it in every way possible. Sweat was pouring down his face as he continues his training. He could feel the other gladiators staring at him from behind, but he didn't care at all. He just want to go back to his time as soon as possible.

He kicked the pole, effortlessly, it snapped into half and dropped to the floor. Kurt stared at the gauntlet and the pole. This gauntlet must've gave him somewhat super-human abilities. He tried running laps around the stadium, and found that he could run 5 times around the huge empty stadium, and still not feel tired at all.

Interesting..

Blaine, who was watching him from behind tapped him on his back. Kurt could see his sweet smile and tired yet stunning hazel eyes staring directly to his.

"Blaine," said Kurt, immobilized.

"Hey, just wanted to wish you good luck tomorrow, you are going to go up against a 20 gladiators that are bigger than you." replied Blaine, who smiled sadly at Kurt.

"Don't worry, I'll get them." said Kurt confidently. Blaine shook his head slowly, "I wish, Kurt; but the emperor has beseeched the best gladiators from Rome and far away to face off against you, in an unfair challenge. I fear, you may not survive; but you seem to show superhuman powers, perhaps you are a demigod." Kurt cocked his eyebrows. Demigod.. as if.

Later at the match, Kurt was released into the arena. Sure enough, he saw tall, muscular gladiators coming towards him. He ran and sidestepped their attacks. As he did so, his mind was occupied by memories of his family and friends in the present time, and he remembered the incident, why he came here in the first place.

He looked up and spotted Caligula, slumping lazily on his throne. Besides him, was Wilhelm, dressed lavishly yet looking down at Kurt; staring in determination.

Kurt felt a little hesitant, if he did win all this, and got to Caligula, what about Blaine? He would be stuck in this time forever, he certainly can't bring him back to his own time. He would never see him forever, as their time continuum is not the same. He closed his eyes, with tears filled in them. Thinking about Blaine, sweet Blaine. How they would never be together. But then again, they were never meant to be together!

He shook his head furiously, this is different, fate and destiny has been cruel to him and others for a long time. He could feel anger surging through his body. He charged at the oncoming gladiators, who stopped for a moment in shock as he ran faster than he could ever ran.

He slammed the first two giant gladiators head together, ramming them so hard until their helmets shattered. He then kicked another gladiator, hearing his cracked bones made Kurt feel somehow, powerful and in command. His gauntlet was glowing brighter and brighter the more Kurt felt angry.

He flung his sword as hard as his could at the gladiators. It was so hard until it ricochet through the gladiators body and continued coming through like a missile. It dragged the gladiators intestines and himself with it as it pierced through the other gladiators, doing the same.

The crowd cheered in satisfaction as Kurt continued killing them all in cold blood. He couldn't stop, he could feel another power, beyond his control as though guiding him, making him hack and slash every one of them. This power too felt evil in presence.

Kurt gave a wild laugh which frightened Wilhelm who was watching from above. It was as though he was possessed by something evil.

Before he killed the last one, Kurt looked at the emperor. Who was watching with a smiled played on his face. He looked down at Kurt, and upon hearing the crowd chanting, signalled death at Kurt.

With the same smile on Kurt's face, he immediately and brutally killed the gladiator. The crowd cheered loudly as he stood up and raised his arm in triumph. The gauntlet glowing brightly on his arm.

Caligula then stood up, and raised his hand, and the crowd's cheering immediately died down.

"My fellow galiant gladiator," he announced, "I would like to thank thee firstly, for providing an excellent show for all of us!"

He then raised his finger, "-But, I would like to have you faced against one of my own. To the death!" he yelled, which delighted the crowd.

Caligula then signalled the person to fight with Kurt. He jumped from the top seat to the arena and landed with a huge thud on the ground. He stared up to look at Kurt. He almost jumped in shock as his opponent, as it was Wilhelm himself.

"To the death." said Wilhelm, loud enough for Kurt to hear him. He looked evil, giving Kurt that brutal, icy stare. His gauntlet shining brightly, but it wasn't blue in colour. It was blood red.