Chapter 178: Gladiator

Several horses were shown riding along a prairie. The royal family went out for some horseback riding; Cadance was holding Flurry Heart in front of her as the tiny baby was letting out happy sounds. The toddler was having a thrill of riding as the horse sensed the baby's excitement and slowed down to ensure it did not upset Flurry's balance. Shining Armor rode up next to his wife and child as he leaned over to kiss them, causing Flurry to let out more giggles and happy spit.

"This takes me back," said Velvet as she and her husband trotted behind the couple. The Queen looked at her son and his wife as she felt like she was looking at herself and Night Light when they were their age.

"Indeed," responded Night Light as he reached over to grab his wife's hand.

"Come on, faster!" said Spike as the two looked behind.

The small prince was riding a medium-sized pony, trying to get the creature to go faster. The boy kicked his pony in the side to speed it up as he quickly held on.

"Spike, be gentle!" said Velvet as their son zoomed past them. "Treat your steed with respect!"

"Son, listen to your mother!" shouted Night Light.

Spike pulled the reigns back of his pony as it responded to his call. It planted its hooves as it looked back at the small prince and glared.

"Sorry," apologized Spike as the pony let out a sound before trotting along.

Night Light and Velvet smiled as they slowly passed their son as Cadance handed over Flurry Heart to Shining Armor up ahead so she could ride with her father. The king relished that his family was enjoying themselves and spending time together. However, one person was missing, and who they were with started to make his blood boil.

Twilight was in a part of the prairie, lying on her thigh on the ground. Next to her was Storm, seated with an arm over his knee. The teens' horses were behind them as they were grazing after getting ahead of the girl's family. The princess had her journal as she was writing something down; the girl glanced at her partner, who was tossing some blades of grass. The girl was drawing a small picture of her partner as he was right now, having a few birds landing on his shoulder as the wind blew in his face. The atmosphere around them made Twilight let out a blissful sigh in her daydream.

Storm was looking at a small bird on his knee as it chirped at him. As he listened, the boy seemed to understand what the tiny animal was saying. The girl couldn't help herself as she moved to her partner's side and snuggled against him; she sighed blissfully and closed her eyes. Storm was unprepared for Twilight to suddenly be all up on him as he just looked at the princess. He soon caught a whiff of her lavender-scented hair as he put an arm around the girl and pulled her in tightly. The pair relished being in each other's presence as Twilight felt safe with Storm being by her side.

"What do you think?" asked Twilight as she showed off what she was drawing while leaning against the boy.

"It's... nice," said Storm as he looked at Twilight's drawing of him and the birds landing on him.

While Twilight looked at her drawing, a thought plagued Storm's mind. He recalled his prior conversation with Applejack when he was helping the Apple sisters to catch the Great Seedlin'. The talk of his future.

"Maybe take a break from all of this."

"We both know what happens when I stay in one place too long."

"And then what? You just gonna go back to your Republic and fight some more droids? Keep on with this war of yers till you turn old and gray?"

"Yeah! Maybe! Twilight's too busy becoming her planet's ruler that she won't stick around to continue the fight. So someone has to! Walking away is not an option for me, Aj. I have to hold the line."

"And where's that gotten ya, sugar? I wish things were different, but... you said so yerself. You keep losing people, and you yerself said that war is takin' its toll on the galaxy. Every day, more planets are being drawn into your war! Now, maybe it's time for you to be something more than just a lightsaber. More than a soldier. Think about yerself, sugarcube! Settle down, find a home! Find... someone to love."

"What home, Applejack?! There is no home. Home is the Order. It's my Master. It's my teacher. It's everything to me! Besides... what does everyone who died in this war, what do their sacrifices mean if I go and I... give up and stick my head in the sand?"

"I know you were dealt a bad hand. You don't have any parents; I know that feeling, sugar. I can relate to you more than you know. But take it from me. Somebody who had to learn the hard way. You gotta know when to walk away from a rigged game! Otherwise, you are gonna end up losin' something you can never replace!"

Storm looked at Twilight as he finished recalling that memory. He was so stuck on that conversation that he didn't hear Twilight calling him until she waved her hand in front of him.

"Hey, you good?" asked the princess.

"Y-Yeah."

Storm removed his arm from Twilight's shoulder as the boy got up. Twilight was confused about why he got up suddenly as the Jedi Knight approached his horse.

"Let's go, Twilight," said Storm as he figured they needed to return to her parents lest he be beaten up.

The girl sighed sadly as she got up and dusted off her clothes. The princess approached her horse as she petted its nose before getting on. The pair then began to trot along the meadow to where her family was; the trip back was silent as the only sound was their horses' hooves clopping along the dirt. Twilight looked over at Storm, who remained focused directly in front of them as she sighed.

The entire royal family soon returned to their country estate as the day turned to night. The following morning, Storm was out in the gardens as he was doing a handstand with one hand. The Jedi Knight had his eyes closed as around him were rocks of different sizes and shapes; the teen was concentrating as he centered his mind. The rocks began to lift into the air as they responded to the boy as he tried to focus. He kept his balance as Velvet observed him from afar; the Queen looked at the teen and saw he was dedicated to his training and ideals.

While the woman watched, Storm's mind started to affect him. The boy could feel the power of the Force as he started to sweat; soon, the teen began to hear voices in his head.

You've turned her against me!

You have done that yourself!

"No," muttered the boy as he tried to silence the voices he heard.

You will not take her from me!

Your anger and your lust for power have already done that!

"NO!" shouted Storm as he lost his concentration and fell to the ground with a thud.

Velvet cringed at seeing the boy fall as Storm grunted in pain while sitting up. The Jedi Knight rubbed his head as the voices echoed in his mind faded. A servant then came from behind Velvet as they got her attention.

"We're all set, your Highness. Have you selected your troops?" asked a Knight class guard.

"I think I just did," said Velvet as she walked away from the window to get ready.

As Storm was getting up from his tumble, he was approached by a Shade and a Warmaster guard as the pair looked at the boy.

A group of horses was gathered, and many royal guards sat on them. Velvet left the mansion as she changed from her royal garments into some normal wear as she had a satchel given to her. Storm soon exited the mansion. He followed the Queen, and his horse was next to hers.

"You sure about this?" asked the Jedi.

"Positive," said Velvet as she had assigned Storm to be her bodyguard for their mission.

The Queen flicked the reigns of her horse as she began to gallop forward. The guards followed Velvet's example as they flicked the reigns of their horses and galloped forward, zooming past Storm.

"Okay, Spirit. Let's do this, buddy!" said the Jedi Knight to his stallion.

The horse made a sound as he flicked the reigns, and they took off. The guards were behind Velvet as she picked up speed. She reached into her satchel to pull out a small brass ring as she concentrated before throwing it out in front of her. The ring traveled through the air and got bigger, creating a portal that led somewhere else. The Queen and guards rushed into the portal as Storm was the only one left.

"Here we go!" said the boy as he had his horse pick up speed as the portal was starting to close.

The steed went faster as it raced into the portal just as it closed behind him. Upon crossing to the other side, Storm zoomed past the guards as he caught up with Velvet, to which the Queen smiled as she turned to the right with everybody else following her. In the distance, there were some ruins as they were heading in that direction.

Some devices were planted into the ground as the scientists touched and activated their tablets. A small drone came out of the stakes as they began to scan their assigned section. Many royal guards stood about the area as they looked for any danger. In the center of the excavation site was a giant hole with rope and pulleys; some miners exited the hole, with a few having some bags over their shoulders.

A few miners dumped their sacks into a cart as tons of diamonds, emeralds, and other valuable minerals fell out. Once the cart was full, they banged on it to signal the workers operating the carts to drive them away for polishing. It was like an assembly line as thousands upon thousands of priceless stones were loaded and hauled; down in the giant hole, among the miners working were Velvet and Storm. The Jedi Knight was amazed to see the many workers mining the royal family's fortune.

"10,000 loads of priceless gems and stones that are mined daily," said Velvet as she had a tablet and was doing inventory and a routine check. "And yet, we've only scratched the surface of this hole."

"Yeesh, I heard of swimming in money, but... you practically are money," said Storm, as he couldn't believe how much of this would be a part of the royal family's personal fortune.

As Velvet counted the last gems in the final quadrant, she continued to walk deeper into the hole. Storm followed the woman. They soon came to an opening, and he gasped at what he saw. Columns and ruins of what appeared to be an old civilization lay as many workers excavated them. Velvet jumped down to a platform walkway as Storm did the same; she came to some markings on the walls nearby and had her tablet scan them. Storm followed the Queen as he saw the markings and was fascinated by them. The Jedi Knight placed his hand on the drawings as he closed his eyes; he heard voices and whispers in the Force as the sound of fighting rang out in his mind.

"Impressive, is it not?" said Velvet as she examined her tablet's data.

"I... heard fighting," said Storm.

"These markings depict an ancestor of ours. One whose adventures were turned to tales and legends for those to come after him," said Velvet.

"Another ancestor," spoke Storm. "Who were they?"

"His name was Axiom. A fierce warrior with incredible power. No one could match his strength and bravery. A warrior that bowed to no king or ruler but a conqueror of many cities. Many tried to defeat him, but he was a natural-born fighter." Velvet came to an ancient drawing of her ancestor as he wore a crested bronze helmet, bronze greaves, and a breastplate. He wielded a sword and shield as he stood above a rock and was shown on a battlefield.

"What did he do?" asked Storm, interested in hearing about Velvet's latest ancestor.

Velvet smiled as she used her tablet to make holograms appear as they seemed to tell the tale of her ancestor.

Cheers were heard, and weapons and metal banging echoed around the arena. Yells of cries followed by the slicing of flesh rang out. A person lay lifeless on the ground, covered in a pool of red liquid, as their eyes remained wide open. The person towering over them wore bronze armor as they spat at the corpse before turning to the crowd and basking in the glory while two guardsmen went to retrieve the dead person. The Emperor stood up from his throne and addressed the crowd.

"Today is a momentous occasion..."

The sound of the ruler could be heard faintly down below. Several fighters were suited up in a giant long cage as they awaited their fate. They seemed to be praying and, in some cases, writing their last will. However, one fighter sat at the end as he bowed his head. When the call was heard as the door opened, the person at the end opened his eyes. He wasted no time as he stood up, grabbed his sword at the end, and marched toward the entrance. The other fighters were stunned by the person defying orders as he decided to make a statement.

The gladiator entered the Colosseum as the crowd roared. Several other fighters stood before the gladiator as he wasted no time springing into action. He blocked the first swing of the fighter who charged him before flicking it away and quickly stabbing him in the side. He then ducked the next swing and rolled out of the way of the third one before coming up to the fourth fighter, piercing him through the stomach and pulling his blade out. The gladiator turned around as he took on the last two fighters simultaneously while backstepping and defending himself. He came to a shield as he stepped on it to make it go upward and caught it with his arm as it strapped on in one fluid motion.

Now, with the extra protection, he had more defense against the attacks as he lunged the shield at the fighter's mouth and let out a cry, feeling the metal slice the tip of his mouth and stumble back. The gladiator then ducked the swing from the other person and blocked it before pushing it off and coming down with a diagonal slash onto the person's chest as they tumbled back. He then turned to see the final fighter struggling as he was willing to fight to the death. He yelled as the gladiator blocked and then spun his back elbow to the person's head, stunning him and making the fighter drop his weapon. He then twisted into the air as he spun and threw the shield, which flew like a disk. It collided with the fighter as he flew back to the floor.

The gladiator landed as the crowd roared at the entertainment they received. The watching Emperor stood up and politely clapped at the fighter's performance. The fighter saw the crowd through his helmet as he couldn't help but scoff at the unsickly pleasure the patrons and the masses got from this sort of sport. The Emperor was then shown down to the arena as he stood before the gladiator. He wanted to personally congratulate him for winning.

"Gladiator, the Emperor has asked for," said the Emperor's right-hand man.

"I am at the Emperor's service," said the fighter.

The bodyguard stepped to the side and allowed the Emperor to make his presence known as the crowd cheered him on. He waved to his adoring public as the gladiator got down on a knee and was shown reaching for a dagger hidden in the dirt. He gripped it tightly and hid it well before standing up.

"Your fame is well deserved, gladiator. There's never been a fighter that's matched your skills. So let me ask you, why did you reveal yourself and tell us your true name?" asked the Emperor, as nobody knew the gladiator's true identity compared to everyone else.

The lone warrior stood there as he stared down the Emperor through his helmet.

"You do have a name, don't you?" said the Emperor.

"I have no name," said the gladiator as he turned his back on the Emperor and looked to leave.

"How dare you show your back to me!" proclaimed the ruler as he felt disrespected by the fighter. "Slave!" That comment got the fighter to stop, and while the Emperor couldn't see it, the fighter made a face upon hearing him being labeled that.

"You will remove your helmet and tell me your name! That is an order!"

The gladiator stood there with his back turned, taking in what was asked. He was then shown reaching for his helmet as he took it off and threw it away. He kept his back to the ruler before slowly turning around and showing his true face.

"My name is Axiom. Commander of the armies of the North and general of the Reigan Legions. Loyal servant to the true Emperor... your father. And know this: I will have my vengeance on you, in this life or the next." warned the gladiator to the Emperor.

"You?!" muttered the Emperor as he looked into the eyes of the person who ruined his life. The person who forced him to take matters into his own hands and the person he'd thought he'd gotten rid of long ago.

The Emperor was at a loss for words at his rival's face as Axiom looked to confront him. The Emperor's bodyguard gave the signal as the other guards to the Emperor surrounded the gladiator and raised their spears at him. The fighter looked around before keeping his gaze on his rival. The crowd now began to boo at what they saw; the Emperor was still trying to wrap his head around the sight of his rival but couldn't ignore the boos from the crowd. He knew that as his duty as the Emperor, he had to give the crowd what they wanted, and if he went against it, it would break tradition and code.

"Live, live, live, live, live..." the crowd chanted. It echoed around the arena for all to hear as the Emperor got everybody to quiet down, but they kept chanting.

He soon looked at his foe and raised a hand with his thumb out to the side. Axiom awaited his fate as the Emperor pointed his thumb upward to signal that he granted his foe the right to live... for now. He gave the public a fake smile as they cheered him on even more for giving them what they wanted. He waved to the crowd before glancing over at Axiom as his eyes told the message that he was going to kill his rival and put him out of his life if it was the last thing he did.

He put his hand down and walked away furiously as the guards retracted their weapons. Axiom looked about the arena as a few chanted his name. He sheathed his sword and dagger as he grabbed his helmet before heading back toward the gates to the holding cages. He stopped before the gate as he had his back to the crowd; before passing through, he raised his right arm high up as it held his helmet, signaling a message that the crowd ate up and roared.

"Your tyranny ends... Tiberius."

"So, your ancestor was a slave?" asked Storm as he and Velvet continued walking through excavation tunnels.

"In olden times, gladiators had the same value and entertainment as prostitutes," explained Velvet. "But Axiom didn't start as a slave. He was actually a military general. His father, Adonis, was an advisor to Tiberius's father, the former Emperor Cossus Sepunius Camillus. From a young age, Axiom began training to be a soldier. By age 13, he was a soldier in Camillus' army. And by age 15, he was a commander."

"That young, huh?" said Storm.

"You'll find that our family's trait for being the smartest in the room has its uses," bragged Velvet. "Plus, how old were you when you became a General in your army?"

"Fair enough," said the boy.

"Anyways, Axiom accomplished alot as a young commander. He invaded the outskirts of the Empire and expanded Camillus' influence. However, Camillus has a son, Tiberius. And though he was heir to the throne, his father didn't think he was worthy. He saw him as unfit to rule and approached Axiom, wishing for him to succeed as a regent. However, Tiberius was not happy to hear that. In short, he murdered his own father and took the throne for himself."

"And what became of Axiom?" asked Storm.

"Tiberius asked Axiom for his loyalty, which he refused. And as such, he had our ancestor arrested and... had his father disposed of. He managed to escape, but not without being fatally wounded. Eventually, someone found him and sold him to them as a gladiator. He trained and became a skilled fighter for years, winning the crowd over from the local tournaments. The trainer saw his potential and told him he had a chance to earn his freedom. The opportunity came when Emperor Tiberius decided to host an extravagant event in the Colosseum for 13 days of nonstop games and fights. And so Axiom and his trainer sent out to the Colosseum. And that was when Tiberius saw the face of his rival that he thought he'd long gotten rid of." Velvet said as they came to another excavation site filled with weapons.

"Axiom can not be allowed to live!" exclaimed Tiberius as he threw several plates of food across the room as they made a sound. "I thought that traitor would rot in the cell that I had him arrested. And yet he found a way to haunt me! He stole everything from me and my fool of a father! The throne that was mine, and my father thought to take it away from me, for a mere soldier! One way or another, Axiom will meet his fate."

And so, each day, Tiberius made it his personal mission to kill Axiom. The lone gladiator fought Vailanet through every challenge the Emperor forced on him as he showed his worth as a fighter. And it wasn't just Axiom's strength that interested many of the spectators but how he approached each trial. Compared to others, the gladiator was smart, using his intelligence to his advantage. So much so that the crowd began to refer to him as "The Golden Ratio."

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Golden Ratio, himself, AXIOM!" said the spectator as he announced the gladiator's arrival.

The fighter took in the place as he had it committed to memory. He put on his helmet and lifted his sword and shield before approaching the center. Emperor Tiberius saw his rival as did the fighter, as his quest to get his vengeance was still on his mind. The Emperor then stood up as he got the crowd's attention and approached the balcony of his private seat. Beside him stood a senate of people and the higher-ups of the Empire.

"Citizens! I present you a fight most extravagant! The Golden Ratio, Axiom. Versus... the Bladebreaker!"

On the field, loud footsteps were heard as Axiom looked to see a much larger warrior covered head to toe in armor. He wielded an ax in one hand and a sword in the other. The person had a human faceplate as he lifted it to look at his foe before turning to face the Emperor.

"We are honored to die for you," said the warrior as Axiom made a face. The warrior then turned to look at his foe. "I hope you are ready to die."

Axiom didn't say anything but raised his sword. The Bladebreaker put down his faceplate as the signal was given to start. Just then, the doors around them began to open as many enslaved people came out, which caught Axiom's attention. They were shown running to some chains on the ground, partially covered by dirt and sand. Axiom looked back to see his foe kick up some dirt in his face; he was blinded momentarily and took that opportunity to swing. Axiom blocked barely as he tumbled to the ground and backed up slowly while his foe approached him.

The enslaved people then did their job as they pulled the chains, and one of the floor traps above Axiom's head opened up as a growl followed. The gladiator knew what that meant as he got to his feet just as a tiger tried to swipe at him. The feline ran as it was attached to a chain and reached the limit but still had enough to swing its paws at Axiom's face, which he blocked with his shield. Soon, other openings in the floor also had tigers come out as they began to circle their prey.

Axiom was now dealing with killer tigers and his foe before him. He glanced at the Emperor, who was smiling from his comfy set. The gladiator knew his foe had arranged this fight to work against him. He began to trade swings and attack with his larger opponent but was pushed back to another hole as it opened up, and the tiger saw them from down below. The large brute knocked Axiom down with his elbow, and the tiger leaped out. Axiom quickly rolled as the tiger tried to claw at him, but he barely got out of range from the feline and stood up.

Despite the fight being rigged by his rival, the crowd was into the spectacle like the bloodthirsty savages they were. The two fighters danced about as Axiom was pushed back to the tigers. They quickly tried to swipe at the gladiator, which he avoided. Boos emitted from every time that Axiom avoided the felines as they craved bloodshed. The brute continued to trade attacks with Axiom as they executed some high and low attacks, to which each was blocked; Axiom sidestepped a lunge forward as he failed to see an opening in the floor behind him. A tiger from below hopped onto his back, and he felt the feline trying to bite his face off.

The slaves holding the chain felt it was slipping through their fingers at the strength of the animal pulling them. Axiom eventually managed to hit the back of the shield in the tiger's face as it got the feline off of him and growled before trying to swing, but he moved out of the way. Axiom was back on the defensive as his foe didn't allow him a chance to breathe. The pair traded and locked weapons as Axiom used his shield to hold the ax in place. The warrior then ducked quickly to avoid a slash from cutting his head off. He then quickly knocked the ax from his opponent's hand, and it fell to the ground.

The pair now only had their swords in their hands as they panted and stood a few meters away. Another opening in the floor opened as a tiger came rushing at Axiom from behind; he heard it and turned around just as the tiger stood on its hind legs to leap at him; he ran his sword under its chin as the tiger tackled him to the floor. The feline tried to bite his hand, but he ran a hidden dagger into the feline's neck as it roared. He managed to get the dead cat off of him, but the brute tried for a downward swing while he lay on the floor, to which he positioned his sword horizontally to try and hold back.

Axiom kicked one of his legs up to the side of the brute's helmet as he moved his head and allowed him to reach for the ax he dropped. The brute stomped on Axiom's arm, holding his sword as he looked to bring his blade down. Axiom quickly got ahold of the ax and ran the sharp tip of it into the foot of the brute. The brute was bent over as red liquid poured out from the mouth opening of the faceplate; Axiom stood up as the crowd loved what they saw.

The Emperor, as were the senators, were not amused, as they expected Axiom to fall. The crowd roared excitedly as Axiom gave a fierce cry before delivering a vicious superkick; he extended his right leg while turning as his foot kicked the faceplate off his foe and knocked him to the ground with a thud.

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! KILL!" chanted the crowd to Axiom. They wanted blood, they wanted violence, they wanted entertainment.

Axiom grabbed the ax of his foe as he approached him. He positioned the ax at the neck of the brute, who had a bloody mouth and looked at the warrior. Axiom then heard the chanting from the crowd as he looked at them; like moths drawn to a flame, they were drawn to violence and bloodshed. The Emperor got up from his throne to approach the end of the balcony, raising his hand with his thumb to the side. He could hear the crowd and what they wanted as he gave it to them. He gave a thumbs down to signal Axiom to kill the brute; the crowd adored the Emperor's ruling as Axiom lifted the ax to give the brute one final look.

"Do it," muttered the brute.

Axiom then threw the ax away as everybody was shocked and went silent. A booming of boos rained throughout the arena as they disposed of Axiom for what he did by showing mercy to his foe. Some began to throw rocks as they missed the warrior, and he just took it all in and looked about. Axiom began to walk away as the gates before him opened up, and out came several guards of the Emperor as they surrounded the gladiator. The crowd cheered as they wanted the gladiator to suffer for his decision to spare his foe.

The Emperor made his way to the floor as the crowd cheered him on; Axiom scoffed at everybody in attendance as they were adoring a fool. He soon stood face to face with his rival, who had a smirk.

"What am I going to do with you, Axiom? You simply won't die," said Tiberius to his foe. "Are we so different, you and I? You take life when you have to, as I do."

"I have only one more life to take. Then it is done," said Axiom as he looked at his rival in the face.

"Then take it now!" stated Tiberius.

Axiom so badly wanted to. He so badly wanted to end the person who made his life the way it was now. The man who killed his father and made him a slave. He looked about as everyone awaited to see what he would do, yet he held restrained and merely turned his back and looked to walk away.

"They tell me your father squealed like a girl when they killed him," said Tiberius as that got Axiom to halt and turn. "My soldiers gutted him like a common pig."

"The time for honoring yourself will soon end, Tiberius," responded Axiom, hiding his rage while slightly bowing his head to the Emperor.

With that, he turned and walked past the guards to his cell. The Emperor kept his stern expression as some crowd chanted Axiom's name. Before exiting the gat, the gladiator bent down to pick up some dirt and sand and washed his hands with them before leaving.

"Tiberius was hell-bent on eliminating Axiom. His entire purpose was to rid his life of his mortal enemy, so he tried everything he could. Mythical powers and beings for him to face, gauntlets of warriors, even enchanted magic powers all for one man. And Axiom managed to find some way to overcome them." stated Velvet.

"Sounds like a tough guy," said Storm as he had come to admire the gladiator's feats.

The boy climbed up some rope as he reached the top. He turned to put his arm out as he helped Velvet pull herself up. The Queen smiled at the Jedi Knight before standing up and dusting herself as they continued to walk. The bell rang to signal the end of the worker's shift, and they all were relieved. Each worker approached a machine as they slid in their cards, and each was dispensed a number of bits and a priceless gem.

"Each worker is paid the same amount, and they get a choice of either taking a ruby or an emerald at the end of their shift," stated Velvet as she walked with Storm to wave at her workers, to which they waved back before bowing to show their loyalty and respect for their supreme ruler.

"The Crown rules all," stated Velvet as she approached the horse being brought for her.

"So, what happened with Axiom and Tiberius?" asked Storm as he got on his horse.

Axiom was shown inside his holding cell as he had his back to the guards. He was cuddled up as he looked at his hands. The scars and wounds that he wore like badges of honor throughout his life, all that paled in comparison as his greatest honor would be killing his rival. A growl was heard near his cage as a Chimera lay and ate a piece of meat.

"I hear you, my friend," said Axiom to the Chimera as all the time he spent in his cage like an animal, he became close to the one next to him.

Footsteps were heard as guards approached Axiom's cage. They opened the lock, grabbed the warrior, and dragged him away. They approached a small courtyard and approached a pole; they attached the prisoner to the pole, and he had his back turned. One of the guards had a baton as he began to strike Axiom's back, to which the gladiator felt it. At this point, he'd become used to the punishment dealt as he took it, and several more wounds were beginning to form. He then turned around as he was forced to look at his punisher, to which he spat at the slave. Axiom spat back at his torturer as he growled. He delivered some shots to Axiom's body as the warrior took deep breaths and pushed himself through the pain.

The prison guard looked for another strike as Axiom quickly used his arms to grab the arm with the baton before he headbutted the officer. He stumbled and went for another swing as Axiom delivered a superkick to the guard's face to knock him down and out. The other guards pulled out their batons as each tried to strike Axiom, to which he used his legs to take them down before sliding down as his hands were suspended above him. The gladiator let out deep breaths as he looked up at the sky; the vision of his freedom burned brighter than ever as he imagined his father looking down on him.

"Today features an extraordinary matchup!" said Emperor Tiberius as he addressed the spectators.

Axiom was shown in his cell as the Chimera beside him looked at the human on his knees before him. Axiom put his hand through the cage into the animal's as the Chimera placed his paw on the human as if they were holding hands. The gladiator put his forehead to the metal as the Chimera did the same.

"I'm sorry, my friend. The heavens above will decide Our Fate now," said Axiom as the Chimera took in the words and growled softly before licking his face.

"Today! The Golden Ratio, Axiom will compete against 20 beasts, one after the other!" proclaimed Emperor Tiberius as the crowd liked that idea and cheered.

The Emperor smiled as he knew this was the perfect plan to eliminate his rival. Axiom was shown entering the arena, holding a mere sword in his right hand. From down below the arena, he heard the cries and pent excitement for bloodshed; now, out in the arena, the sound was deafening. The warrior looked at his weapon as he focused, and soon, his sword transformed into a spear as he gripped it with both hands.

Axiom was shown as he looked at Tiberius. The Emperor held his devious smirk as he prayed for his enemy's downfall. He was shown holding a small stone tablet as he wrote down some writing with a sharp chisel.

"Kill. Destroy and wound Axiom at his hour in the ring of the amphitheater. Bind Axiom. Let the bear crush him and wound him."

Small enchantments that the Emperor wrote as if to summon demons to haunt and hurt his rival. The sound of the horn blared as the Emperor turned his attention to the ground; Axiom stood with his arms raised as the floor opened a few meters before him. The gladiator awaited for the first of his many foes. Soon, a blur jumped out as a leopard growled. The feline hissed and soon spotted its prey as Axiom made sure to use his spear to put some distance between the predator and him.

The leopard licked his lips as it was savage and hungry for flesh. It slowly approached Axiom, who let out quick thrusts to scare off the beast and get it back up. It worked as the leopard growled and tried to swat with its paws as Axiom thrusted the spear's tip to make it back down. The feline continued to stalk its prey as Axiom kept calm, breathing, and focused as he eyed the cat's movements. The leopard growled before charging straight at the warrior; Axiom saw the creature coming, and, in one swift motion, he thrust his spear just as the leopard stood on its hind legs to jump and speared its chest.

The leopard fell to the side of Axiom as it didn't move. The crowd cheered as Axiom let out a sigh of relief, knowing he passed the first trial. He looked at Tiberius, who merely held a confident smirk before signaling for the next beast to emerge. Wasting no time, a bobcat emerged as it saw Axiom. The warrior prepared himself for the gauntlet ahead of him. All the morning passed as Axiom took on each of the 20 beasts that Tiberius had lined for him. A tiger, a bear, a jaguar, even a Roc. Axiom slayed each beast before him as he only had one final match. However, it took a toll on the gladiator as his exhaustion started to show. His hands shook as he held his spear loosely.

Emperor Tiberius grew more angry with each of Axiom's victories, hoping the final beast would end his rival. Axiom looked to the hole where all the animals emerged as a fast figure leaped. It landed with a thud as Axiom's final beast opponent was a Chimera. But just any Chimera, it was the Chimera he considered a friend. The Emperor had Axiom kill his friend or die in the final match. The gladiator knew what the tyrant was doing as he growled upon looking up at him.

The Chimera saw Axiom as its inner animal instincts began to take over. As any animal would, its survival instinct became active as he closed in on the gladiator. Axiom initially held his spear backward and tried to scare off his friend to get it back down and spare the beloved creature. He shouted and swung his spear as the Chimera closed in, which it backed off for a second before moving from side to side.

The Chimera growled and roared at Axiom, who brought the brute end of the spear and whacked it on its neck; it angered the beast as Axiom kept his distance and twisted his spear according to the animal's movements. The beast was panting. Axiom had sweat rolling down his face as he dared not take his eyes off his opponent. His side showed his hands as they twitched, which the Chimera took notice of. Then, it began to charge and picked up speed as it rushed toward Axiom. Axiom held his spear above his head, and he looked to twirl and hit the Chimera, but the beast jumped and sank its teeth into the hand holding the spear.

Axiom yelled and let out a blood-curdling scream as he felt the animal's teeth ripping into his flesh. The crowd roared with happiness as the Emperor smiled; Axiom felt excruciating pain as the teeth were sinking more into his skin and would soon tear into his bones. He tried to break free, but the Chimera wasn't letting go of his hand as it seemed destined to maul it off. Sprouts of red went flying as the beast tried to pull the limb off. It seemed Axiom was about to meet his fate when he was shown reaching for his belt. He pulled out a small dagger with his other hand; he hesitated as he looked at the beast before doing what he needed to do.

"Forgive me... my friend."

In one swift motion, Axiom ran the dagger up under the chin of the Chimera. The beast felt the blade of the metal as its eyes winced. Soon, the growling stopped, as did its body. The last gaze it saw was of its friend staring at him as he shed tears before releasing his grip and falling to the side. Most of the Colosseum was shocked at what they witnessed; the gladiator had done an incredible feat of not only surviving but slaying a Chimera, which was considered one of the most powerful beasts ever to exist.

Axiom stood there as he dropped his dagger and looked at his feet. For there laid the body of his friend, and he felt sadness and grief come over. The gladiator dropped to his knees as the bite marks on his hand were shown, but right now, he couldn't feel any pain. Not after seeing someone so close to him die... again. The warrior let the waterworks fall from his eyes, all while the crowd just cheered like the sheep they were. Axiom had his hand on the Chimera's face before wrapping his arms around his head and hugging him.

"I'm sorry," whimpered Axiom as he held the beloved creature.

He closed his eyes and wept. And for the first time, he truly felt sad and alone. Guards entered the arena as they stood before Axiom, as the gladiator only cared about what he did. The bloody hand gripped the dirt in front of the Chimera as he whispered something to the beast; the warrior rose to his knees as he glanced over at Tiberius and prayed he'd find salvation for what he would do to his rival.

"That was the final straw for Axiom. He was prepared to do anything to take down Tiberius," said Velvet as she and Storm, along with their guard squad, trotted along a forest.

"What did he do?" asked the Jedi.

"The ultimate challenge," spoke the woman.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Emperor Tiberius as he addressed the crowd. "In today's event, I..."

A sound was heard down in the arena. One of the gates rattled and shook as even the crowd was confused about what was happening. Soon, a scream was heard as the gates burst open, and a prisoner guard was sent flying and tumbled to the floor. Everyone looked as Axiom emerged from the tunnel with chains wrapped around his arms.

"Restrain him!" shouted Tiberius to his guards as they all rushed to take care of Axiom.

The gladiator growled as he saw the guards coming at him; he swung his arms out and slammed the chains onto the ground, making the guards fly. The chains fell off of Axiom as he grabbed a sword from one of the royal guards; he rushed to slash at the remaining guards who tried to take him down. Tiberius watched as his rival took down and showed his guards no mercy as he slashed the last guard's throat and looked at the crowd, who had all but remained silent.

"Are you not entertained!" shouted Axiom to the entire Colosseum. "Is this not what you want?! Is this not what you paid to see!" The gladiator stood his ground and addressed the crowd, calling them out on their hypocrisy and ideals.

The crowd remained silent as nobody said anything regarding Axiom's statements. The warrior scoffed at the audience, watching him as he twirled the sword he held before throwing it toward the Emperor. The sword stabbed into the column next to Tiberius as the sword nearly grazed his ear. The Emperor saw the blade next to him as he stood up and stared down Axiom, who didn't take his eyes off him.

"Tiberius! You want me dead?! Enough of these games for the masses!" shouted Axiom as he planted a spear into the ground. "Do it yourself!"

"You insignificant speck!" yelled Tiberius as the Emperor let his personal feelings come out for all to see. "You have ruined my entire life!"

"Just as you have to mine! Let us settle this the only just way! Battle... in the Coliseum!" declared Axiom.

"You dare me to stoop to your level, you barbarian!" said Tiberius.

"You did the moment you betrayed and murdered your father!" responded the gladiator. "Face me in combat and deliver the deed yourself!"

"I... own you, slave! I own your life!" yelled Tiberius. "And I will take it from you!"

Axiom stared down his rival as the match was set. The crowd was into the event as the gladiator turned to head through the door to his cell. The Emperor sat down on his throne as he relished finally getting rid of his rival. The event was set for noon tomorrow as both would meet for the final showdown in the arena.

"You're a fool, Axiom!"

"So I've been told," said the warrior as he was strapping on his armor. "You told me to win the crowd."

"And yet you find yourself at the blade of the Emperor. The one person you have made your enemy. That's suicide." stated the gladiator's trainer.

"I've already died once. This is my chance for me to gain new life," said Axiom as he secured his chest plate. "The time for my father and his father's vengeance is now."

"Then I pray you live."

"I shall live or die as the gladiator's way. Either way, I get my salvation."

The sound of a horn was heard.

"The sound of death awaits one of us," said Axiom.

"Good luck, Golden Ratio," said Axiom's trainer, addressing the fighter by his nickname.

Axiom took a deep breath as he walked to the entrance. The gladiator stepped into the arena, taking in the crowd and hearing their roar. Axiom bent down, picked up some dirt and sand, and washed his hands with them. The gate on the other side opened as some royal guards came as they led the Emperor behind his men. Tiberius wore all white garments as he showed the crowd how much of a saint he was, while Axiom knew the true nature of his rival.

The Emperor put his arms out and let the crowd glorify him before approaching his enemy. The two looked at each other as the bad blood could be seen.

"Last chance, Axiom. Kneel before my power," said Tiberius.

"Draw your sword," said the gladiator.

"I tried," chuckled Tiberius as he looked to reach for a sword from his guard when he quickly threw a small knife as it grazed Axiom's cheek.

The gladiator felt his cheek being cut as the Emperor quickly took his shot and stabbed a dagger into the side of Axiom as he gasped. He looked at the face of his rival as he smiled.

"That... was for the hell you made my life!" growled Tiberius, pulling out his dagger and kicking Axiom away.

The gladiator clutched the wound where he was stabbed as he backed up on the floor. The crowd cheered as Tiberius put his dagger away before picking up his sword. Axiom pushed past the pain as Tiberius tried to strike him down, but he rolled out of the way. Tiberius gave chase to his rival as he backed up and ducked the swings from the Emperor before jumping over the blade of his rival to grab his sword as he stood up and was knocked down by the mighty attack of his foe. Axiom tried to get up only to be knocked down; the stab wound was taking a toll on the fighter as it affected his hand-eye coordination.

"What's the matter, Axiom?" said Tiberius as he kicked the gladiator to the floor and kicked him in the ribs, who let out a cry of pain. "Has The Golden Ratio finally met a formula he cannot solve?!" taunted the Emperor.

Axiom got to his hands and knees as he gripped the dirt. He quickly threw the sand into the eyes of his rival as it blinded him momentarily. Tiberius rubbed his eyes to get rid of the dirt as he saw Axiom getting up and going to strike him from behind; the gladiator's instincts kicked in as he delivered a superkick to his foe's face without looking. Tiberius' face turned from the impact of Axiom's foot as he stumbled back and held his jaw.

"My father was a fool to make you his successor. Because of that, his death was sealed. You will never be worthy of being ruler, Axiom. Neither you nor any of your blood that may come after you. You will never be a part of royalty; my blood will see to that!" declared Tiberius as he went to strike his foe.

Axiom blocked the blade and held it close as he pulled his foe so he could look him in the eyes. Axiom then cried as he began to push back on Tiberius' sword; he managed to slice at the Emperor's arm as he stumbled back. He dropped his weapon upon feeling the cut as he held his arm; he stared at Axiom before looking at his hand that held the cut as he saw his own blood. Axiom still could feel the effects of the stab to his side as he dropped his sword and raised both fists.

Emperor Tiberius did the same, as both looked to end this with just their fists, but the Emperor quickly pulled out the dagger he had stabbed Axiom with earlier and tried to swing at him. The gladiator avoided and weaved from the swings of his foe; Tiberius tried with all his might to swing at his foe, which Axiom blocked his arm with both of his raised before delivering an elbow strike at his foe's face. He did another one before kicking him in the chest to make him stumble back.

Tiberius struggled to reach his feet as he went for another lunge, which Axiom blocked. He punched his foe some left and right before driving a knee smash into the Emperor's face. Both warriors panted heavily as they were getting exhausted; Tiberius wobbled on his feet as he went for another stab with the dagger. Axiom stepped to the side and wrapped his arms around Tiberius'. The gladiator then began to use his strength as he turned the blade back and looked to point it at the Emperor, who was struggling to fight back. He swung with his free arm into Axiom's side to let go, but it did not affect the gladiator as he managed to turn the tip of the dagger back and thrust it into the side of the Emperor's neck as he held his rival close.

The Emperor felt the weapon's metal enter him as he gasped and stood in awe, looking into Axiom's eyes. A crunching sound was heard as Axiom drove the dagger in some more, followed by some nasty sounds of blood seeping out. The Emperor started to lose his balance as Axiom held him and slowly positioned themselves to where he laid his rival to the ground while still holding him. Tiberius kept looking at Axiom, as the gladiator felt some remorse for his rival before driving the dagger in for the killing blow as the Emperor went silent. The ruler's body fell to the ground as he lay there; Axiom stood over his foe as he held his expression while throwing the dagger away.

"Now you are free. No more suffering, no more pain. I will you see again." muttered Axiom to his rival as only he could hear it.

Not a sound was made in the arena as everybody just looked on. Axiom took deep breaths as he looked about before stumbling. His pain had caught up to him as he was shown extending a hand upward as if reaching for the sky and heavens above. The gladiator could see clouds and a light shining down on him as if to come to claim him; he smiled before collapsing as his wounds got to him.

"Equis will one day be led by the rightful rulers. And I believe you to be a part in setting that plan in motion, Axiom." echoed the words of Tiberius' father when he approached the man to be his successor.

At the time, Axiom didn't know what that meant. But now... here... in this moment... he had clarity. He knew what the former Emperor meant. That one day, whoever was to rule would play a role in getting there. And the gladiator did his part in helping to get that future set in stone. And there he lay, the fighter who'd been fighting his whole life. The Golden Ratio, who could solve any formula and challenge before him, laid without a stir.

Velvet and Storm had returned to the country estate as the Queen finished telling the story about her ancestor.

"Following his victory, Axiom was freed. Along with the other slaves he was with. His bravery and courage inspired others; to this day, he's beloved and remembered by many of the people in Equis. As such, we're lucky to share his blood," said Velvet as she thanked her ancestor for allowing her and her family to become the rightful rulers who were mentioned to lead Equis properly.

"You have so many incredible ancestors. All who've done incredible feats throughout history," said Storm.

"Yes. It's why we always thank them for what they did to get my family and me to where we are now. Our family bloodline is sacred. It runs deep with the heart of Equis." stated Velvet. "So, as you can see, my children have much to live up to. Especially, Twilight. It's time for her to write her chapter in our bloodline legacy. Just as Axiom did, just as my husband and I have done."

In space, a ship was shown exiting from hyperspace.

"Where are you?" said the person as it was none other than Sunset.

The girl had been searching nonstop for her mission when she came to a dead section in space. She looked at a device she held as the reading she hoped to track disappeared. The Sith growled as she put her head down and closed her eyes. She began to feel something as the Dark Side of the Force seemed to be guiding her instincts; the teen moved her head in the direction the Force was telling her as he opened her eyes and looked in that direction.

"Got you," smiled Sunset as she engaged her hyperspace and zoomed off.

Author's Note: We are introduced to another one of Twilight's ancestors. And as given by the name of the chapter, Axiom is to reference Rome and that time period of history. Once again, showing how deep and versatie Twilight's bloodline is to come from all walksof life and cultures. And for those that have noticed, there's been a lot of emphasison Twilight's ancestors in the past few chapters. And there's a reason for that which will be a part of something bigger. Just know, there's still a bit more ancestors that I'll introduce. Not to mention... the mission that Sunset had a while back, it seems she's succeed in finding what she's looking for.