I DO NOT OWN SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA.
House of Batiatus. The Next Day.
Flavius woke again the next day and braced himself for yet another day under the cruel whip of the Doctore. The recruits lined up and received their gruel. As Flavius took a big spoonful, a vile taste hit his tongue like a punch to the gut and he quickly spit it out onto the ground.
"Have another bowl of piss, straight from my massive cock!" Barca exclaimed as Actus gave him a victory kiss.
"By the Gods, can I not have one decent fucking meal?" Indus exclaimed as he threw his bowl upon the ground in anger.
"We train as hard as they do and yet, only we receive piss in our bowls." Ashur gripped as the men laughed at the expense of the recruits. After going without their much needed breakfast, Doctore cracked his whip and training began. Crixus continued taking a beating from Oenomaus as Flavius and Ashur sparred amongst themselves.
"Did the Gods show mercy upon you and grant you sleep last night?" Ashur inquired as his wooden sword clashed against that of Flavius's.
"They granted me none." the Roman replied as he blocked the Syrian's attacks. "Images of my mother dying flooded my mind once again and I could not be rid of them."
"Alruwmaniu lays msareana , 'iinah jayid faqat liaimtisas dikiin jafana." (The Roman is no gladiator, he is only good for sucking my cock dry.) Dagan jested as he knocked Indus to the ground with a thrust to the Macedonian's midsection.
"What did he say?" Flavius asked of Ashur, who at this point was sick and tired of his countryman's constant bantering and decided that he needed to be schooled not only in the way of gladiators, but in manners as well.
"Dagan said that...it was a shame that he never felt your mother's lips...upon his cock." Ashur lied as Flavius was filled with such hot anger. Seuso threw down his sword and shield and rushed at the other Syrian. He tackled Dagan to the ground and began pounding the ever living shit out of him. The other gladiators stopped their training and began cheering Flavius on as he beat Dagan. The Syrian tried to fight back, but the Roman had been trained in wrestling during his time with the auxiliary which led him to have a great advantage over Dagan.
Quintus Lentulus Batiatus looked out from the balcony of his Ludus and saw his gladiators. Gannicus had defeated Vettius's man in the market place and now Tullius would surly grant him position in future games in the old arena and the new. Perhaps, he could even get the Celt into the primus. As he thought about elevating the house of Batiatus, he saw two of the recruits engaging in a fist fight. The Roman deserter was taking on the better of the two Syrians and was soundly beating him. The other gladiators were cheering on the fight while Doctore was glowing with rage.
"Guards!" Doctore shouted as the guards came rushing out to grab the men.
"Doctore!" Batiatus yelled as everyone stopped. "Give the Syrian half rations for the remainder of the week and bring Seuso up to me, I would have words!"
Flavius was chained as he brought out of the Ludus and into the villa. The guards drug him through until he reached Batiatus's personal office. There he saw the man dressed in fine robes, and looking as he once did.
"Flavius...I had meant to have words with you far sooner, but circumstances have prevented it." Batiatus said as Flavius stared at him.
"Do you mean to punish me for my altercation with Dagan?" he asked as Batiatus turned away.
"Have you given any thought as to why I purchased you for an extravagant sum of 60 denarii?" he inquired.
"To gain favor with the editor of the games?" Flavius offered.
"You are a man of instinct." Quintus clarified. "I saw it in your eyes. Every man fights for something, what do you fight for? Coin, freedom, power, love?" As Flavius looked downward, Batiatus realized that he had struck gold.
"You have a woman, Seuso?"
"I have a sister."
"What is her name?" the lanista asked.
"Messiena..." the recruit replied softly, as if her name was a prayer.
"Where is she now?" Batiatus asked again.
"Septimus Curtius Augurnus sold her as a slave after he killed my mother." Flavius replied. "I would see her safe and he dead."
"Your sister safe and your enemy dead." Batiatus muttered as he walked in front of his slave. "How many men would you kill to Messiena returned to you and the Legatus off to the afterlife? 10? 100? 1000?"
"I would kill them all." Flavius insisted.
"Then kill them all, in the arena!" Quintus commanded as he put his hand on Flavius's shoulder. "I swear to you, fight for the house of Batiatus, pass the test, call me Dominus...and I shall return your sister to you and give you a chance for revenge against he who took her. Will you trust in me?" Flavius thought about it for a moment and knew that he would do anything for his causes.
"Dominus." He nodded.
WILL FLAVIUS LIVE TO SEE THE TEST? REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.