Chapter Four: First Indication

Greer tapped the mirror with a sigh, making the scene of Spartacus' battles fade from view. He'd been using his recuperation time to watch the battles between the rebels and the Romans, to see who would be helpful to the cause. It also allowed him insight into the kinds of people they were pulling to their cause.

He wished he could take Spartacus regardless of the man's choice because he would bring end to all who faced him in battle, but long ago Greer made promise to his mother to never take choice from others when using his powers. He had done so only once, when he was but a child of ten years. Greer's actions caused much pain and suffering to his dearest friend Johnny and the rest of his friend's family and so Greer would never take choice again. Spartacus chose peace and Greer would respect it so as to give honor to a man deserving of such a thing.

For now though he was done watching the ever-repeating death of Spartacus' story. He would rejoin his team and see about their first recruits. With that he stood and walked out, following the sounds of grunting and sword clashing against sword. It was strange to find pleasure in the sounds of war but as a son of a queen and a child born into a never-ending war, good fighters would see them survive the battle they fought.

He found Duro and Barca locked in a sparring match, one that was uneven between the two. Barca had been a gladiator for a much longer span of time compared to Duro but it seemed they were determined to make sport of this rather than bringing death to one another thankfully since the constant use of Elle or Claire's healing abilities would not be beneficial to the mission they were here to complete.

Greer stepped up to stand next to Zale and Zada who were watching with interest. It seemed as though both of them were itching to fight the men, to show Barca and Duro that they were here to teach as well as fight.

"Why have you not stepped in if you want to fight so badly?" Greer asked Zale with a smile.

His friend grinned, "I wish to find their weaknesses first, to exploit them of course."

Greer rolled his eyes looking to Zada who sighed in response to her brother's words. "Zada?" he asked his other friend.

"They would not fight a woman. I have spoken to Melitta on this subject. The gladiators only ever saw house slaves and whores; there were never any female gladiators. I would have them fight for a time among us before we demand they do such a thing as fight a woman."

Greer nodded and turned back to the fight as Barca used the butt of his blade to hit Duro across the bridge of his nose. The younger man fell to his knee, falling backwards into a roll before coming to his feet once more. Duro laughed in the face of his wounds before he rushed Barca once more but just as the longhaired warrior thrust his blade forward Duro fell to his knee, grasping blade against chest and twisted to disarm the shocked Barca.

"Luck be with you today!" Barca stated as he held hands up in surrender with a laugh. "We shall see wrongs righted on the new day."

Greer stepped forward, "You would begin training my people very soon. Remember that you are here to instruct as well as fight," he commanded.

Barca turned to him with a glare, "Am I now to call you Dominus?"

"Of course not but you came here to serve my cause, not your own."

Barca walked up to Greer, standing so close Greer was staring at his pectoral muscles. He was forced to look up even as he pressed a hand against the Beast's chest and sent a current of defensive power through the Beast's muscles, forcing him back. Barca grunted in pain and continued to glare at Greer. "You have to understand, my people don't know how to fight without defensive or offensive magic. It is the reason my parents were killed in the midst of battle! We need your help; this is a deal with a win on both ends of equation."

Barca rubbed his hand across the center of his chest where Greer had shocked him, "And how will you force yourself to turn from old ways?"

"By your training," Greer responded.

"Then step forward and show me you are worthy to step into exalted arena against the Beast of Carthage or shall you begin with shit from East of the Rhine?"

Duro laughed at that, not taking the apparent insult to heart.

Greer nodded, reaching out to Zale who handed him extra blade and he stepped forward to face the Beast. Barca lifted weapon and Greer mirrored movement, "Begin," he stated. He spent much of his youth learning to not only fight with magic but sparring with Zale's father who was not Vannas but a soldier without magical ability, is why he knew a little more than most of his generation for how to fight without power but as always it would present challenge.

Barca rushed him, Greer slid easily under the blade and fought back. He battled down the urge to slow time, to utilize the powers gifted to him by his alternate self but that was the point of this right? To learn to fight with strength and steel alone so Greer denied the urge and pressed advantage. Barca was strong enough to force Greer back with each sword strike against his blade, but where Barca had brute strength Greer had agility. He used it to wind in and out of attacks, getting a few cuts in but mostly Barca dominated the fight, finally delivering ending blow to the back of Greer's neck, forcing him to his knees.

Barca laughed, "You pose little challenge as you are. If this were arena, you would fall beneath the might of my blade!"

Greer shook off the dizzying pain and took Zale's hand, who helped him to stand. He turned to look at the smug warrior, "Do you understand now? The need we have of your skill?"

Barca sobered, nodding quickly. "I understand the need for my skill as a gladiator and I will honor bargain."

"As will I," Duro spoke from off to the side where he was standing with Ella. Greer nodded his thanks to the gladiators.

"I must see to the next mark," Greer stated and walked away from the others even as Zale demanded Duro spar with him next. He would see his people begin to get better; to see an end to the desire to only fight with abilities.

He was surprised when someone moved with him and he turned to see Barca just behind him, "You have request? Questions perhaps?" Greer asked.

Barca rubbed his fingers along one of the places where he'd been stabbed, clearing his throat before speaking, "You have seen the ludus after my death at Batiatus' hands?"

"Of course, I need to know when to remove your Brothers from the timeline."

"Did Batiatus fall?" Barca asked after another moment of uncertain silence.

Greer nodded, "When Spartacus took the ludus, Batiatus was killed."

"You possess a mirror that allows you to see other times? Duro spoke of it," Barca spoke quickly as if Greer would care if he knew about the Viewing Mirror, as it was only usable with Greer's magical abilities.

"May I see his fall?" Barca questioned, a little smile on his lips and Greer nodded. He'd observed that scene more than once. He walked back to his room with Barca following behind to where the mirror resided and thought of the moment he wished to view and touched the surface. The mirror awoke and there in the midst of dead soldiers and Romans stood Batiatus as he faced down Spartacus and the surviving Gladiators.

"Spartacus saw end to the ludus, achieved freedom for himself and others," Barca whispered the words, awe apparent in tone.

"After learning the death of his wife was caused by Batiatus' coin, Spartacus swore he would. Just watch."

Barca turned back to the mirror and watched as Spartacus shouted words to Batiatus, keeping Quintus away from the fallen Lucretia. Spartacus slapped Quintus around, shouting the words that Quintus once shouted to Spartacus when the Gladiator was still prepared to fight for the ludus, "How many would you kill to touch her once more?"

Greer walked to the edge of his doorway and allowed Barca to see the moment when Spartacus took the final blow and the slit in Quintus throat spewed blood out into the already blood spattered room. Quintus fell next to Lucretia, close but still not touching each other. Even in the end they would be kept apart as Spartacus had been forced to experience because of the House of Batiatus. Greer allowed Barca to see the last bit of blood spread around the fallen man and listened to Spartacus speak of bringing Rome to the ground before he allowed the mirror to go dark. Barca reached out and touched the dark surface before he turned to Greer, "Gratitude for the gift of knowledge that he fell in shame before receiving what he so richly demanded in life."

Greer nodded before he motioned for Barca to leave and rejoin Duro and Melitta. The Gladiator nodded once more then he was walking with purpose away from Greer and towards the others of his kind. Greer had watched that particular scene more than once, it was the birth of Spartacus and the Rebel Army and though his actions were deserved it was hard to watch a man kill in cold blood, someone who stood unarmed as well but then Greer was willing and capable of doing awful things to see not one more Vannas die at the hands of ZarCorp and Barca was a part of that.

Now though, it was time to bring a few more warriors into the ranks.