I DO NOT OWN SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA.
House of Batiatus. The Next day.
The next day, Flavius rose early, along with the other recruits to begin training as a gladiator. He and the other men toiled under the hot sun. Their doctore had them carry massive boards on their shoulders while they marched in a circle over and over and over again as the Roman sun beat down on their dirt covered backs. As Flavius marched, he could see that Indus was struggling to carry the heavy beam as Doctore gave him a hard lash across his back.
"Ah," Indus exclaimed as he stumbled. "Jupiter's cock!"
"Stay in formation!" Doctore yelled as Indus rose back to his feet and went on carrying the beam before his back took another lashing.
"Yes Doctore..." Indus gasped as he tried to keep up with the others.
"A gladiator does not fear death." Doctore explained. "He embraces it, caresses it, fucks it. Each time a gladiator enters the arena, he slides his cock into the mouth of the beast and prays to the gods that he may be allowed to thrust home before the jaws snap shut." Flavius felt like his arms were on fire, but he continued to carry the beam. He needed to be strong in order to survive, to find his sister and avenge the murder of his mother and he would be so.
"Sawf yabki skarfis min ajl alrahmat eindama dafaeat diki fi hilqih." (The scar face will cry for mercy when I shove my cock down his throat). Dagan groaned as he lifted the beam above his head.
"What did he say?" Flavius asked Ashur who was walking ahead of him.
"Dagan said that he will take the Doctore's words to heart in order to achieve blood and glory in the arena." Ashur lied as he struggled with his labor.
Later that day.
The gladiators dueled each other while the recruits carried their beams and marched in the circle for a few hours until Doctore cracked his whip.
"Halt!" He exclaimed as the recruits paused. "Rest and eat, training will resume shortly." The four men dropped their beams and gave groans of pure exhaustion.
"Are we to carry these fucking things until the sun is down?" Indus asked incredulously.
"Patience young Indus," Ashur chided. "Doctore will not put sword and shield into our hands until he believes that we can wield them with deadly purpose."
"How is he to know our purpose if he does not give us chance to prove worth?" Indus asked again in frustration.
"If I were you, I would not be so eager to go into the arena," Flavius said as then walked toward the eating area. "Every time you step upon its sands could be your last."
"Yet, every turn in the arena provides another chance for glory to be gained and blood to be shed." Ashur replied with a smirk. As they arrived, the true gladiators of the house of Batiatus had already begun to eat and as they saw the tired and hungry recruits, they seized the opportunity to have a laugh at their expense. As they approached the bench to be served, Flavius and the other recruits saw that Barca had taken his place.
"I remember the agony of the beams when I was but a recruit," He said. "You must be mad with hunger."
"Indeed." Flavius replied as the other gladiators chuckled.
"Come then, fill your bellies." Barca offered as he poured them each a bowl of gruel. It did not look very appetizing at all, but the men knew that if they did not eat what was put in front of them, they would surly go hungry. The recruits took their bowls and found a place to sit. As they sat down to eat, Flavius took a big bite of gruel and found the taste to be more horrible then anything else the young man had ever tasted in all his life. He quickly spat it out and saw that the mighty Ashur did the same.
"Fuck!" he exclaimed. "What is this filth!" The men looked up to see Barca gloating.
"You shall soon learn to savor the taste...of piss!" he exclaimed as Indus sadly let his bowl fall to the ground.
"Naqe Barca aleasidat fi shakhin." (Barca drenched the gruel in piss.) Ashur explained to Dagan as he spit in his bowl.
"Aldiyk allieayn akalana lihawm albashar." (Fucking cock eater.) Dagan growled as he too discarded his sorry excuse of a meal.
"We are to train without food?" Indus gripped as he bowed his head in agony. Flavius shared the Macedonian's sorry until he looked up and a vision caught his eye. It was the slave girl that he had seen before, looking ever as beautiful. She stood on the other side of the bars separating the ludus from the holding cells. He rose from his seat and went over to her.
"This is the second time you have caught my eye." He said as she tried to hide a blush.
"I pray it is not the last." She replied.
"What name are you called?"
"Diona, and you?"
"Flavius Helvetius Seuso." The recruit replied as Diona's eyes widened.
"You are a Roman?" she asked in shock.
"I am."
"How do you find yourself among slaves?"
"By way of great misfortune." He replied, hoping that she would not press the matter further.
"I bring you gift from one who would see your spirits raised." Diona said as she slid two loaves of unleavened bread through the bars. Flavius was now convinced that this woman was of the Gods.
"Why do you risk being seen by bring me bread?" He asked.
"The coming days shall be very difficult for you." She replied with seriousness in her face. "Without food, more so. If you survive, you may become a great gladiator. I would have it so."
"You have saved my belly from going hungry this day, a debt not soon forgotten." Flavius vowed as Diona smiled.
"I must return before Domina notices my absence." She replied. "Know that my thoughts are with you." Flavius watched the beauty flee as he went over to Ashur who was sitting beside the cliff deep in thought. He dropped one of the loaves in his hand before sitting next to him. Ashur looked upon the bread in amazement.
"How did you manage this?" He asked as Flavius smiled.
"It would appear that I have friends in high places." He replied as Ashur smiled.
"Then it is good fortune that I call you friend." He replied as the men filled their bellies and raised their spirits.
NEXT TIME, A FIFTH RECRUIT JOINS THE RANKS. REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.