Alright, here we go! The first chapter for AOG. Let's see if my writing can live up to the amazing pictures you've all seen created by Approvesport. Please, if there are any Ancient Roman history experts out there reading this, keep in mind that this isn't going to be 100% accurate lol. Many things will be accurate but please allow some artistic license and don't be too harsh when something isn't correct. :)

Enjoy!


Age of Gladiators

Chapter 1: Igneel

"We should stop soon," Igneel suggested as the sun began to disappear behind the mountains in the distance, casting vibrant shades of orange and red into the sky. His voice was gruff and deep, the sound slightly raspy after spending weeks on end traveling through harsh winds and rain.

"Afraid of the dark?" his son joked, riding beside him. The wind played with his messy mop of thick pink hair, the strands whipping viciously against his face and getting into his large, expressive dark eyes.

Igneel ignored his teasing tone. "The night is nothing to take lightly, Natsu. Evil is easily concealed in the darkness."

The sound of horse's hooves pounding against the dusty ground filled the surrounding landscape along with the rickety jostling of a wagon carrying their supplies and belongings, guarded by several men wearing bright red and silver armor. Natsu turned and looked at his father, the leather saddle moaning quietly under his shifting weight. He could see a tension in the older mans eyes, the creases beside them deeper than normal as he scanned the surrounding area. Something wasn't right; he could see it in the rigid set of his shoulders and the way the ragged scar across his face stretched, showing his unease.

"We should set up camp then. I'm certainly in no rush to arrive," Natsu said, trying to make light of the situation while still keeping his fathers weariness in consideration. They'd argued enough over the past several weeks. He knew his father's patience had been running thin. And even though he wasn't the main source of his aggravation, he hadn't exactly been a helping force.

He understood what his father was trying to do and even agreed with him to a certain extent. The damage his step-mother had done to the family was almost irreparable. The only conceivable means of securing the lineage of the family was to form a strong alliance with a neighboring empire, one that would ensure safety and peace. And what would be stronger than marriage between the son of a King and the daughter of a Caesar?

Natsu ground his teeth at his own thoughts, the idea of an arranged marriage detestable. He may sympathize with his father, but he certainly wasn't going to bow to his wishes easily.

The party came to a halt as his father called out for everyone to stop and make camp for the night. Quickly the men went to work, setting up a tent for him and his father and then filling it with cushions and blankets. A fire was made and food was prepared. Unfortunately it was bland meats and stale bread, the only thing that was still edible this long into their journey.

"At least when we get there we'll be able to eat some real food," Natsu complained, ripping a chunk of bread off with his teeth.

Igneel shook his head at his son. "I don't know why you're so averse to marrying Lisanna. You'd marry any girl that would cook for you."

Natsu huffed indignantly, swallowing a mouthful of food before he mumbled, "As if a princess would cook."

Igneel grinned and set down his empty plate which a servant quickly removed and then exited the tent. He looked at Natsu across from him, disbelieving that his only son had grown to be a young man already. It was unbelievable how fast time had gone. He thought back and it seemed like only a short time ago that he was teaching him how to bait a hook or how to catch fire flies at dusk. He remembered watching his first wife, Natsu's real mother, patiently teaching him how to dress and handle himself for royal gatherings and then turning around the next moment and throwing him to the ground, tickling him till he was in tears. Those memories still lingered in his thoughts during quiet moments, traveling back to a simpler, happier time; a time where greed and status played no part in their life.

It wasn't as if he wanted his only son to marry unhappily. All he'd ever wanted was for him to be happy and healthy, marry the love of his life like he'd been able to do and have many children. It had been all he'd wanted for himself, all he'd ever strived for. But circumstances had changed and those wishes had vanished along with many other things.

"You know son," Igneel said, absently fingering the amulet resting over his chest. "I don't enjoy making you do this. I only ever wished for you to have what I'd had with your mother."

What he'd had… Natsu knew his father had loved his mother. They'd married out of love, something that was almost unheard of within royal families but Igneel had been the fourth son of a King, far from being heir and his ailing father hadn't had the will to fight his stubborn son.

Not long after their marriage, Natsu had been born and Igneel and his wife couldn't have been any happier. Unlike his brothers, he'd had no desire for power and he'd been content with his small set of rooms in the palace with his wife and son. When his father had passed away a year later, his eldest brother had taken over rule of Carthage and Igneel had soon been instated as a Colonel in the army.

He'd taken his duties very seriously, being head of a large battalion of soldiers. He'd hated being away from his family for such long periods of time but he'd understood his position and responsibility and did not complain. Over time, his men grew to hold great respect for him, following him without question into whatever battle awaited. That respect had been hard earned, coming at the end of many a sword. One which had sliced him from nose to ear, tearing his flesh apart and leaving a jagged scar across his face while he'd battled and then slain the general of a great army to the south.

The men had cheered him endlessly, glorying in the victory that they'd earned while back home, times had grown dark. Jealousy had wound its way into the palace like a snake suffocating its victim. Brother had turned on brother, Igneels two middle brothers plotting in secret to overthrow the eldest. Plans had gone array and before their evil plot had been unleashed, they'd been found out and seized by soldiers loyal to the king and sent to prison where they'd awaited their lethal fates, making Igneel the next in line for the throne after his only remaining brother.

His duties on the field had immediately been eradicated, seen as far too dangerous for the position he'd found himself thrust into and after being brought back to the capital city, peace had reined… but only for a short time.

Sickness soon seeped into the empire, killing indiscriminately, husbands, wives, children, no one was safe… not even the King whom left no heirs behind. Rule over Carthage passed to Igneel and only days later, the same sickness that had claimed his brother, stole his beloved wife.

Natsu had only been a small child at that time, barely old enough to retain any memories of his mother and as he looked at his father, he felt a moment of sadness for all the pointless loss and tragedy.

Things had only gotten worse when his father had remarried, forced into a loveless marriage for political gains. His wife was the daughter of a powerful family with ties to many surrounding empires. Their arrangement was supposed to bring stability and wealth to the empire but instead, after her father was caught and executed for underhanded dealings, their riches rapidly evaporated and all that was now left was mistrust and debt.

That was the reason they were here, traveling weeks over sea and land to forge a connection between two empires, one of which was poor and desperate while the other sought strength and power through neighboring alliances.

Natsu pushed his empty plate to the side and leaned back into the cushions with a heavy sigh. As much as he wanted to be upset with his father for what was happening, he simply couldn't hold it against him, knowing he was only doing it for the good of the empire and he said as much when he turned his eyes towards him. "I know that's what you want for me. And I also know why you are doing this," he said and then continued with a grin. "But I still don't have to like it."

Igneel laughed and a large smile spread over his face, one that could be seen mirrored in his son quite often. "Well, I guess I can't stop that."

Another servant came scurrying in, retrieved Natsu's plate and then dashed back outside. "You couldn't stop anything even if you wanted to," Natsu teased then added, "...Old man."

Igneel barked with laughter, his long brown hair falling forward and partially covering his face. "Did something change over the past two days then? I seem to remember me pinning you the last time we wrestled."

"Pfft," Natsu scoffed. "I let you win."

"Yea, I'm sure," his father said, still smiling. His large dark eyes, which exactly resembled his sons, were filled with amusement as he took a last swig from his mug of ale. "We need to wake early tomorrow. I want to be in Rome within the week."

Natsu nodded his head and silently watched as his father began to mindlessly toy with the amulet that hung around his neck. As long as he could remember, his father had worn that necklace, a bronze circle with a ruby studded phoenix emblazed across the center with wings outstretched like flames. It had been his mothers; one of the few things left of hers after his step-mother had craftily taken everything in her greed. Often he would find his father staring off into the distance, silently rubbing the jewel, obviously lost to some past memory. It had become a habit of his, something he did when he was on edge about something or inwardly debating an issue. It wasn't hard for Natsu to figure out what the reason was this time.

Carthage and Rome had a long history of conflict, two great empires fighting for control over the Mediterranean, waging war after war. It was a time of peace right now between the two, but it was sorely earned, destruction and loss of life immense on both sides. The political struggles that had ensued after holding back the Roman forces had left his father weary and fearful, not trusting anyone no matter their allegiances. The shadow of the Empire looming over the body of water was a constant reminder of how loosely control was held over the land and although a marriage between the two would strengthen their alliance, it was never absolute.

With a heavy sigh, Igneel stood and walked to his corner of the tent where a bed had been prepared out of pillows and rugs. He untied the belt around his waist and then lifted his tunic over his head, revealing a thickly muscled torso laden with scars. His years at the forefront of a great army were obvious and Natsu felt a pang of remorse for how hard of a time he'd been giving his father over this. He wanted to do what was right, what was better for the people of Carthage, but it was still difficult. He'd grown up with stories from his father about his mother and in every single one, the love they'd shared had been undeniable. He'd been able to see it in the way his father's eyes had practically glowed whenever he mentioned her name and the way his voice would grow softer when he spoke of her. Natsu wanted that. He wanted to be able to share his life with someone who could make him look and feel the same way. But at the end of this journey, that dream would be crushed.

"Get some sleep son. Your fidgeting is making me anxious."

Natsu looked down at his legs and noticed the way his knee kept bouncing up and down. He couldn't help it. His whole life he'd always seemed to have excess energy. He couldn't even count the number of times he's been scolded for stirring up trouble while sitting through the boring lectures that his father had insisted he attend. And it wasn't that he didn't enjoy learning. He just couldn't stand sitting still for that long.

Natsu stood up and walked to the front of the tent. "I'm going to go outside and see if someone wants to spar with me."

Igneel groaned and rolled over in his bed. "Fine. Just don't leave the camp."

Natsu nodded and ducked out of the tent. Several men were sitting nearby around a fire, eating and drinking. They were laughing about something but as soon as they spotted Natsu, they jumped to their feet and bowed their heads.

"So," Natsu said, stretching his arms out and cracking his knuckles. "Who wants to fight me?"

The men turned and looked at each other and then one grinned and stepped forward. "I will."

It was well past dark and the only light was from the nearly full moon above and the fire blazing nearby. Natsu grabbed a spear and a shield and donned several light pieces of armor from where the guards had left it all piled while eating and the other man did the same.

"Don't you dare go easy on me," Natsu said, adjusting the weapon in his hand till he had a good grip.

The guard nodded and smirked, "I know better than to go easy on you, Sir."

The other guards took seats nearby, holding their mugs as they eagerly awaited the spectacle coming their way. It had become common enough during their trip for the Prince to come out and ask to fight with one of them and it always proved to be a very entertaining sight. That's why people from all over the small camp started crowding around, servants, guards and all the rest of the royal entourage. On occasion, even Igneel had been seen watching his son, smiling proudly as time and time again, Natsu would get the best of whoever his opponent was.

Natsu grinned widely and the two began to circle each other, measuring each other up. The fire from the camp reflected off of Natsu's eyes and then, with a quick movement, he lunged forward, arm outstretched as the tip of his spear was just barely dodged by the wide eyed guard.

"Close one," Natsu teased and then attacked again, lifting his spear high and coming down hard on to the guards shield. At the same time, the man bent low and thrust upwards with his own spear, brushing just beyond Natsu's side.

The Prince growled deep in his throat and clamped down on the mans weapon, capturing it between his arm and his side. Then, with a quick twist of his body, yanked it from the guard's hands and dropped it to the ground.

Instantly a sword was unsheathed and Natsu blocked the attack with his small shield, parrying the blow to the side and then unleashing an attack of his own, aiming for the mans right shoulder and missing by only inches. "Woah! You're getting quick!" Natsu exclaimed, stepping back with a small smile.

"I've had a lot of practice lately," the guard said and then went on the attack again, only to be stopped by Natsu's spear sliding along his sword and deflecting it. Over and over they mimicked this similar pattern, thrusting, parrying, blocking till finally the guard turned full circle after an easy block and then slashed at Natsu, aiming for his chest. The blade barely missed its mark but before anyone had a moment to react, Natsu lunged forward, sliding low and kicked the mans leg out from under him, causing him to fall to his knee where the tip of Natsu's staff waited less than an inch from his outstretched chin.

"I guess you still need more practice," Natsu said jokingly and stepped back, dropping his weapon to the dirt as the people around them erupted in cheers.

The guard grunted in defeat and slowly stood, breathing heavily. "We still have a few days."

Natsu shed his armor and turned before disappearing back into his tent to say, "And don't forget about the journey home…"


The camp was mostly quiet as Natsu lay out on his makeshift bed, the only sounds being a guard rustling around outside the tent and some creature howling in the distance. He could see his father lying stiffly nearby. His eyes were open, alert to every small sound and every shadow cast over the fabric of the tent. It wasn't uncommon for him to be like this, always watchful and over-protective, but tonight he seemed even more so. There was a rigidness to him that, even lying down, wouldn't disappear. It made Natsu uneasy and he found it difficult to fall asleep as he lay there.

For three weeks they had been traveling, one of which by ship as they'd made their way from Carthage to Sicily then on towards Rome on foot. It was the farthest Natsu had ever been from his homeland and unfortunately it was under circumstances that he would rather not be a part of. But, things were as they were. There was no going back now. He'd made his decision and he would follow his father's wishes, grudgingly though he did so.

A small sound outside made Igneel sit up quickly, his hand reaching automatically for his sword beside him.

"It was probably just one of the guards tripping over something. I think they drank too much again," Natsu said, staring at the dark ceiling.

"Is that supposed to appease me?"

Natsu turned his head towards his father and sighed, "I suppose not. But I'm sure it was nothing."

Igneels grip on the handle of his sword didn't slacken as he eyed their tight surroundings, scanning every inch of the tent. As much as Natsu tried, he couldn't keep himself from doing the same. His father's unrest made him equally so but after several minutes of silence, he laid back and rolled on to his side. "I'm going to sleep."

Igneel didn't respond but put his sword down and laid back. Nights made him nervous, ever since his days at the forefront of an army where attacks could be unleashed at any moment, often times under the cloak of darkness. It didn't help that he'd been uneasy ever since they'd left their home. Something about the shadows of this land made him uncomfortable, as if something lurked, waiting for the right moment to strike.

A quiet groan and a soft thud had both men sitting up in alertness, Igneel grabbing his sword once again. Natsu opened his mouth to speak but Igneel quickly silenced him with a wave of his hand.

Footsteps shuffled outside and Natsu curled his fingers around the hilt of his dagger hidden beneath his pillow. He glanced over at his father who was silently listening, following the sounds as they surrounded and made their way to the back of their tent. Both men rose to their feet, crouching with their weapons at the ready. There was a whispered order and then, only a second later, the sound of fabric being torn echoed around the small area and they could see the glint of the tip of a knife jutting through the back of their tent .

Natsu felt his heart pounding a quick rhythm, echoing in his ears. His entire body was tense and as the blade sliced all the way to the bottom of the fabric, fear crept its way up his throat. Growing up, he'd only ever faced friendly foes, never any real danger. He'd always been safe within the walls of the palace and there'd never been any real possibility of harm in the many skirmishes he'd involved himself in.

A shudder raced through his body when the outline of a man clad in dark clothes stepped through the opening, a black piece of cloth covering most of his face. Igneel didn't waste a second and immediately lunged at the man, sword slicing across his chest and then into the man's gut. The man clutched his belly and fell to the floor, a disgusting groan of pain erupting from his mouth.

"Natsu!" Igneel hollered, snapping his son out of the daze he'd been in as a man slipped through the front of the tent while another jumped through the back.

Natsu raced forward and grabbed the man's raised arm, spinning behind him. He yanked his arm backwards and then stabbed the man in the center of his back, releasing him to fall to the ground as another came rushing inside. Behind him he could hear his father clanking swords with another but he didn't have time to think any more about it as he ducked out of the way of an oncoming attack and then dove towards the stranger.

The pair went flying backwards, falling to the ground and Natsu grabbed the man's wrists and pinned them to the ground. He only had a moment to register the fact that all the men so far had had cloth covering their faces before another was approaching fast and he quickly rolled over. The man beneath rolled with him and took the brunt of the other mans attack as the tip of a sword protruded from his chest and blood spilled from his mouth, splattering over Natsu's face. The attacker straightened and stabbed the body again, trying to drive his sword through to the body beneath but Natsu slid out an instant earlier and jumped to his feet, grabbing the dead man's sword on his way up.

On the other side of the tent, Igneel was fending off his own string of attackers, cutting them down one by one until he heard a loud shout and saw, from the corner of his eye, Natsu tackling a man, both falling outside of the tent. "Natsu!" he screamed and kicked the man back who was just about to thrust a spear at him and then leapt on top of him, driving his sword through the mans gut as he growled in anger.

Igneel quickly got up and sprinted through the front of the tent, eyes wild as he searched for his son in the dark whom he found rolling around on the ground, locked in a fierce battle. Several men surrounded the rolling pair but as soon as they saw Igneel they ran towards him, weapons aimed for attack.

He blocked the first blow and grunted as he threw the man back, instantly dodging another attack from the second man. Both converged on him at once and Igneel fought to keep his ground as they swung at him, one landing a shallow blow on his right thigh where blood streamed out and stained his linen pants.

The world started to go black as the air slowly dissolved from Natsu's lungs, his attackers hands wrapped tightly around his throat, pinning him to the ground. He searched desperately around him, sliding his hands over grass and dirt till finally he found the handle of his dagger and aimed for the side of the man's throat, watching as blood gushed from the wound and the man fell to the side.

"Dad!" Natsu yelled when he stood up, seeing his father struggling as two men pushed him back. He rushed forward and grabbed one around the neck and spun him around, driving his dagger into the man's belly and then stood back as his father finished the other guy off.

"Are you ok, son?" Igneel asked between panting breaths.

"Yea, are you?"

Igneel nodded but Natsu's eyes dropped to his bleeding thigh and exclaimed, "You were hurt!"

"It's fine," his father said quickly and turned, looking around the camp.

"Are they gone?" Natsu asked, glancing around as well.

Igneel wiped at his brow, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I don't…"

Suddenly four men emerged from the darkness, coming from all sides and boxing them in. They were dressed the same as the men before, covered in black clothing with a black cloth shielding their faces.

"Natsu…" Igneel whispered quietly, stepping back till he was back to back with his son, facing opposite directions.

"We got them," Natsu whispered quietly and then the men advanced, their swords aimed at the pair.

Natsu was the first to react, lunging forward and parrying a thrusting sword to the side. He quickly spun on the other attacker and kicked him, knocking him backwards and then turned back and sliced a gash across the first man's chest and thrust his knife into his abdomen.

A few feet away, Igneel fought off the two men attacking him, bringing one low and then turning on the other and stabbing him in the chest. He quickly glanced around and as he did, a large figure appeared, cloaked in the darkness. He was running right for Natsu, a long spear extended from his hand. His son was still locked in battle, his back turned towards the new attacker and Igneel didn't have time to think, didn't have time to do anything… but react.

Natsu yanked his dagger out of the man's gut and immediately defended a blow aimed for his head, deflecting the man's sword and then jabbing him in the side. Sweat was pouring down his face, his chest heaving and as he looked up, he was suddenly thrown to the side, his father diving in front of him.

A horrible sound erupted from his father's mouth and suddenly the tip of a spear jutted out of his back, dripping with blood.

"No!" Natsu screamed, his vision filling with red. Without thought, he jumped to his feet and grabbed the man from behind. His blade moved swiftly up to his neck and he sliced his throat, listening to him gurgle and choke as he fell to his knees, clutching the gushing wound.

"Father!" Natsu cried, hurrying to his side. He fell to his knees and yanked the spear out of Igneel's chest, cringing at the agonized scream that tore from his mouth. "It's ok. You're going to be ok."

Igneel fell back on to the ground, his body heavy. "Natsu…" he whispered hoarsely, struggling for air.

Natsu pressed his hand to the wound, streams of red flowing between his fingers. Tears clouded his vision and he swallowed the thick swell of emotion lodged in his throat. "No, you're not leaving me," he cried, shaking his head back and forth and pressing more firmly on the wound.

Igneel lifted his hand slowly and placed it on top of Natsu's. "Son, you have to promise me…"

"No! I'm not promising you anything. You're going to be ok!"

"Natsu, promise me… promise me that you will always protect… the things… most important to you."

Sobs tumbled out of Natsu's mouth and tears soaked his face. "Father please. Don't… don't do this. You're fine. Everything is going to be alright."

Igneel closed his eyes and then opened them slowly, reaching his hand up. "You have your mother's hair." His eyes became distant, fogging over as he brushed the side of Natsu's face. "You are so much like her you know; your emotions so open and honest."

Natsu nodded as he sniffed and swiped his hand over his eyes. "I know Dad."

Pain etched his face as Igneel took a shuddering breath, his teeth clenched. "I love you son."

"No! Don't leave me. Please… NO!" Natsu's eyes became panicked, his hands searching up and down his father's body. "Father please! I love you… Father!"

His eyes dimmed, a shadow crossing over them and with a long exhalation, Igneel released his last breath.

"No! NOOOOOO!" Natsu's cry pierced the stale air. Uncontrolled sobs seized his body and he fell on top of his father, his hands fisted and pounding on his unmoving form. "You can't do this to me!"

Tears blinded him as he started to rock back and forth, his entire body shaking. Incoherent words spilled from his mouth and he was lost, the world around him fading away as grief overwhelmed him and darkness descended.

To be continued...


First chapter done! I hope you all enjoyed it.

Please check out Approvesports Tumblr page... or mine, for the accompanying pictures for this chapter... a few are already posted and 1 will be posted in a few days so as not to spoil the chapter for anyone. Please show her lots of love and let me know what you thought of the first chapter.

Also, a special thanks to LeosLady and Deathsembrace for the encouragement and helpful ideas. DB's forever!

And a HUGE thank you to all of you who have been so sweet and encouraging as well!