At the first sign of daybreak, Axel awaited the sight of Lexaeus and the cart that used to tow him from the arena to the school fight after fight.
On the horizon, he saw the cart appear. Lexaeus's smug face greeted him, and Axel's stomach turned.
"I'm very sorry, Master Ansem." Axel knelt and bowed to him. "I shouldn't have caused so much trouble."
"The trouble is all over now, Axel. Besides, maybe it was a mistake to take you from your rightful place in the arena." Ansem said. He exchanged a few words with Lexaeus before Lexaeus bound Axel's wrists behind his back and threw him into the cart.
Lexaeus lashed the reins, carrying the cart on its way.
"So boy, domestic life isn't what it was cut out to be? Caused too much trouble, did you?" Lexaeus chuckled.
Axel almost answered him, but then he remembered his place. He would miss being able to converse freely to Roxas.
In a matter of time, the cart pulled up to the gladiator school again. Axel's heart fell into the pit of his stomach.
The cart came to a halt and Lexaeus grabbed Axel by his bindings, pushing him up the steps. The first person they met at the door was Luxord.
"He's returned?" Luxord wondered.
"Ansem sent him back; I had figured this would happen." Lexaeus said.
Luxord stepped aside, letting them in.
"Since you've missed so much training, you won't be at the same rank as you used to be." Lexaeus said gruffly, "So if you want to be as popular as you used to be, I'd suggest you get training right now."
Lexaeus pushed Axel toward the training courtyard and undid his bindings. "You know, I'm surprised Larxene didn't come back with you; she seemed more likely to come back than you did. I guess I owe Luxord five denarii."
Axel lifted his head, looking around the courtyard. There were many new trainees, all under Axel's age. At the far end of the courtyard, he found Marluxia shooting at targets. He shuffled over to him, still in a daze from being taken away from Roxas.
"Axel? What are you doing here, now?" Marluxia asked, letting his bow fall.
"Ansem sent me back here," Axel replied simply.
"I would've never expected you to return; I rather expected..." Marluxia looked around, as if trying to find Larxene.
"Larxene is dead," Axel stated, "I...I accidentally killed her..."
Marluxia's eyes widened. "And still, Ansem chose to send you here instead of have you executed?"
"He was a kind master, I was never punished by him for anything." Axel agreed. "Did Aqua leave?"
"Yes, she's been gone since last Saturnalia." Marluxia replied. "I suppose she's really the only happy one."
Axel nodded. "Well, I must catch up in training. Were you given a new partner?"
Marluxia pointed to Demyx across the courtyard. "Zexion died of a fever, so they paired me up with him. He's an awful slacker, I'd rather be paired up with you again."
Axel stared down at his feet. "I agree...but if I ever want to reach your level again, I must go now."
"Alright; it's good to have you back, Axel." Marluxia said, raising his bow again.
Axel ambled over to a rack of various weapons, drawing a sword. It had been so long since he had held one. He waved it around, feeling the balance of it in his hand again.
We'll see each other again, he had said to Roxas.
Now Axel just had to confirm that he would live to see another day.
Winter soon drifted away, giving way to spring.
Axel watched the season turn as he trained in the courtyard. With each passing day, he felt that death was almost favorable to staying alive and knowing Roxas was still out there without him.
Still, he pressed on, fighting during each festival for entertainment. He would look out into the stands, wondering if Roxas was among the crowds.
During one particular festival, he was paired up against a younger gladiator by the name of Sora. The memory of Sora resonated with him so deeply because the boy's face looked so much like Roxas's, and the emperor had decided for Axel to end Sora's life.
Since then, Sora's spirit haunted Axel's dreams, along with the others he had killed. The dream about him being burned alive replayed over and over, always adding new people to the crowd of attacked. Among them now were Larxene and, of course, Sora.
As the seasons turned on, Axel often considered losing just for the sake of his misery ending. Even so, part of him knew he had to keep his promise to Roxas, even if it meant the last time they'd meet again was when Axel was on his deathbed.
The life Axel had known before was still as tedious as before, but every day he was torn between living and dying by choice to see Roxas.
Finally the season changed once more to summer, and Axel now believed Roxas was gone forever. At this point, Roxas and Xion would have been married, and Xion might even be expecting their first child.
Axel's stomach turned when he felt the first summer breeze outside in the courtyard. That's it, he decided, it was all over.
At that moment, Axel decided life wasn't worth living anymore if Roxas wasn't in his life.
He would lose the next battle he was thrown into.
Axel adjusted his helmet, squinting as the door lifted to reveal the arena to him. He had worked his way up the ranks now, but he remained lower than the status he used to have.
The crowd cheered, delighted to see Axel's return. They had been delighted ever since Axel was sent back, much to his dismay.
"People of Rome, I present to you the Gallus Axel, versus the Dimachaerus Roxas!" Luxord announced.
Axel's heart thudded. He couldn't have heard that right...
He glanced ahead, seeing the Dimachaerus on the other side of the arena. He wore no helmet, and in the light Axel could see the gladiator's golden spikes.
The two gladiators stood across from each other staring. Axel failed to find his words. There was no way Roxas was here...
"Fight!" Luxord demanded.
The two sprinted at each other, and Axel swung his sword. His blade clanged against the other gladiator's, and now that they were close they could see each other clearly.
"Axel?"
"Roxas?"
Translations
- Dum Spiro Spero - While I breathe, I hope
- Dimachaerus - A type of lightly-armed gladiator with two swords