Chapter 2
He groaned when the pain from his shoulder set his entire body aflame. Despite the pain, he forced his eyes to open, only to find gloomy, cold darkness to surround him. He felt the hot iron of chains around his wrists and ankles, and the cold, hard stone beneath and behind him. He blinked once, twice, to make his blurry vision focus. He was sitting inside a pitch-black cell, and the smell of decay and death was hanging heavily in the air. There was a small whole in the wall somewhere to his right, with a row of heavy iron bars almost blocking the view of the outside. He grunted a little as he willed his sore body to move, and while ignoring the piercing pain in his limbs, he crawled towards the small opening. His dirty and bloodied hands clasped around the cool bars, his fingers tightening in an almost painful manner as he stared outside. The full moon was hanging low in the dark night sky, the round heavenly body the only source of light in an ocean of blackness. It was warm outside, the suffocating air and hot pavement and stone almost choking him. He tried to pull two bars apart with all of his might, but soon had to realize the pointlessness of this attempt.
"There is no need." he suddenly heard a voice from behind him. "It's as if Hephaestus himself has forged it to prevent our escape."
Endymion whirled around, only now realizing that his was not alone in his cell.
Another man was sitting in the right corner, his barely covered body cluttered with bruises and deep cuts. Blood trickled down his wrists and ankles were rough iron chains bound his limbs together.
"Who are you?" Endymion asked, his voice sounding hoarse due to the lack of speaking over the past days.
The other man let out a throaty chuckle that ended on an ugly cough.
"A dead man." he said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "Just like you."
Endymion's eyes narrowed at that, his blue eyes burning with fiery resistance.
"As long as there is a spark of life within my heart, I am alive." he growled more than said, the tone of his voice full of authority and determination that left no room for protest.
The other man only chuckled and shook his head in amusement.
"Ah, you truly are the Thracian everyone whispers about. The one who killed almost fifteen Romans all on his own, they say."
Endymion remained silent. He hadn't killed those soldiers to receive credit. He had done it to protect his sister. He had done what had been necessary. But he had failed her – had failed his clan. He hadn't been able to protect them. The moment he had almost killed the one who had been responsible for their misery, more Roman soldiers had appeared. They had come to his home with swords and death on their heels, and they had burnt and killed every man, every woman and every child that had dared to stand in their way. Endymion swallowed hard as he remembered the cries and pleas of his people fill the air. He had fought with all of his might, had tried to save them by sacrificing his own life. But it had been no use, there had been too many of Rome's soldiers. Rage that was beyond description had filled him when he had seen some of those soldiers surround his sister with lustful, disgusting intent on their faces. He had killed all of them – one by one. And every time his sword slashed through Roman skin, spilling crimson blood, he had felt a wave of satisfaction wash through his veins. It was when he had suddenly come face to face with the general who had led the expedition against his people. The Roman commander was tall and had long black hair, his face a world of sadistic amusement as he has dismounted his horse. A cruel smile had played around his thin lips as he had met Endymion's furious gaze. Endymion had shoved his sister behind him, ready to give his life if it only meant to save hers. And he had almost succeeded – he had almost managed to shove his sword into the general's heart. But the moment he had been just about to end the Roman's life, an arrow had suddenly hit the shoulder of his sword-leading arm. Soldiers had appeared from nowhere, surrounding him with heavy armor and sharp swords pointed at him. He had screamed when the general had ordered to take Endymion's sister away, had tried to fight his way through her. But something hard had hit the back of his head, and had made him fall to the ground. He had tried to keep his eyes open, but darkness was quickly overwhelming his senses. The last thing he had seen was the general's face, and piercing blue eyes filled with triumphant as they looked down at the defeated man.
"It should have been one more." Endymion finally murmured, his eyes hard as they refocused on his cellmate. "Only one more man to kill."
The other man laughed and rolled his eyes.
"It wouldn't have changed anything, Thracian." he replied tauntingly. "One way or another, you would still be doomed to die."
Endymion snorted at that, but refused to argue. Instead, he silently sat down, his face firmly fixed on the small opening in the window, staring at the moon.
"Where are we?" Endymion asked after a while, his eyes never leaving the night sky.
"Capua." The other man replied with a scoff. "A provincial city south of Rome. The praetor that has taken us captive offers us to the people of Capua as gifts of Rome."
Endymion's brows drew together and he shook his head a little.
"Gifts of Rome?"
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw how the other man simply shrugged his shoulders anew.
"He has declared us traitors of Rome. He offers our lives on the sand of Capua's Arena in the name of some fucking justice. Executions before the games tomorrow…" he laughed a little and shook his head. "… a symbolic display of the Republic's glorious superiority."
Endymion let out an exhausted sigh and closed his eyes. He rested his head against the cool wall behind him. An image of a woman with black hair and indigo eyes appeared before his mind's eye, making his heart clench painfully in his chest.
"I will not die tomorrow." he murmured more to himself than to his cellmate. "Not as long she's still out there and waiting for me to rescue her."
He heard the dismissive scoff from somewhere next to him, but he didn't care.
He had promised his parents to protect his sister until his last breath – he would not break this promise again.
Endymion watched from his spot in the gloomy cell how soundless flashes lit up the dark night sky outside his prison.
There was always a way to break through the darkness, he thought with fierce determination filling his blue eyes.
He would not die.
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Serenity was standing at the window of her old room, staring out into the night sky. The warm wind had picked up speed, causing the white-colored curtains to flow gracefully around the young woman's body. She watched in fascination as white and yellow flashed went down onto the earth, but no sound of thunder was heard. It was a side of Mother Nature that was just as beautiful as it was frightening. Despite the warmth in the air, a shiver went through her body that caused her to shudder. It was the power of the Gods that made her tremble in respect and deference. Mere humans would never be able to compare against such frightening beauty.
"It seems Jupiter himself welcomes you home, dear sister." someone whispered from close behind her.
Serenity let out a startled gasp and whirled around, but a genuine smile appeared on her rosy lips as she caught sight of her brother who was standing right behind her.
"I doubt a life as insignificant as mine would ever lead to such a beautiful display of Jupiter's power, brother." Serenity laughed and turned back around to stare out into the flashing night sky.
She felt her brother shift a little closer until his chest was almost touching her back. He placed a hand on her right shoulder and started to gently follow the line to her neck and back with his forefinger.
"Oh believe me little sister." he heard him say in a low voice. "Jupiter has noticed the beauty of your body and soul. It is not surprising that he bends nature to his will to pay homage to you."
Serenity giggled at that and shook her head a little.
"You talk nonsense, brother" she laughed and glanced over her shoulder to look at Diamond.
Diamond offered her a small smile, his indigo eyes darkening a little.
"But it's true, dear sister." he said lowly. "If possible, you have become even more beautiful woman behind the walls of Selene's Temple. Venus herself would probably hide herself in shame in the face of your beauty."
Serenity just rolled her eyes with an amused smile on her lips, and turned her head back around. She felt how Diamond wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer against his form. He placed his face against her head, holding her close.
"What is troubling you, Serenity? It's long past your bedtime." he murmured after a while, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the feel of her in his arms.
Serenity laughed a little and placed her arm onto her brother's that was wrapped around her body.
"I'm no longer a child, Diamond." she scolded in mock annoyance. "But you are right, I couldn't sleep. It just feels so … strange to be back home after such a long time."
She felt the arm around her tighten a little.
"A fact we can thank father for." the young man replied darkly. "He should have never make you leave my side."
"Diamond…" Serenity said and pushed herself a little away from him. "Don't be like that. I am grateful that he gave me the chance to be part of Selene's Temple to study there. He made the right decision for me. I am glad that he sent me away from the Ludus."
Diamond's arm dropped to his side and he stared with an expressionless mask into his sister's serious face.
"And away from me." the young man stated after a while, a flicker of hurt visible in his eyes.
Serenity immediately grabbed her brother's hands with hers and shook her head with a small smile on her face.
"I missed you dearly, brother." she said in pure honesty. "There wasn't a single day when my mind wouldn't wander back to Capua."
Diamond's thin lips turned into a satisfied, small smile when she spoke.
"But Luna also taught me a lot about the mysteries of life and love." she continued, still smiling.
Diamond lifted his hand to cup her cheek.
"Something I could have taught you as well, sister dear." he whispered, his eyes darkening and causing a wave of uneasiness to wash through Serenity's body.
Serenity let out a nervous chuckle and freed her face from his touch.
"Don't be ridiculous, brother." she laughed as she went past him to go further into her room. "As far as I remember is your knowledge on how to be a dutiful wife and mother rather limited, wouldn't you agree?"
Diamond's fingers that had just held Serenity's face curled in the air before he let them drop.
"Of course." he replied tightly with his back turned towards his sister.
His eyes glimmered with hot darkness for a moment as he stared out of the window.
When he turned back around to meet his sister's gaze, his face was once again a perfect mask of nonchalance.
"Are you excited about the games tomorrow?" he asked lazily as he followed the young woman further into her room.
Serenity let out a long sigh as she fetched a golden brush from her nightstand and started to comb her long silver-blond hair.
"Not as much as I probably should be." she confessed with sadness in her voice. "I have never seen the point of shedding blood and end lives for the mere purpose of amusement. It is cruel – nothing more."
Diamond let out a deep chuckle and sat down onto the curved red couch in the middle of her chambers. He placed his right ankle on his left knee and spread his arms across the backrest as he watched the fluid motions of his sister's wavy hair.
"Don't let father know, sister mine. He would be indignant about hearing the granddaughter of one of the greatest lanistas in Roman history talk like that." the young man said dryly with a smirk on his face. "It would be such a shame to see his old heart break like this."
Serenity stopped her combing as she detected the sarcasm in her brother's voice. She turned around to face him. To see her brother's cold face when he talked about their father – a well-worn mask to hide the hurt underneath – painted her heart with compassion and sorrow.
"Don't be like that, Diamond." she pleaded softly and slowly moved closer until she was standing right in front of him. "You know that he loves you more than life itself. Both of us. All he does, he does it for us. So that we can live happy lives. He would never hurt us."
Serenity smiled with tenderness as she lifted her hand to let it gently brush over her brother's cheek. As she was about to remove her hand again, Diamond suddenly caught it with his and held it tightly. With one determined pull, he made her sit across his lap. He took her face in both hands and brought her closer so that their noses were almost touching.
"He hurt me when he took you from me, Serenity." he whispered lowly, the warmness of his breath fanning lightly over Serenity's lips.
The young woman drew her brows together and shook her head lightly.
"But he brought me back to you, brother."
A dark, small smile appeared on Diamond's face. He let his thumb slowly trace her lower lip, his eyes solely fixed on the finger's movement.
"And I shall never let you go again, sister." he murmured, the darkness and determination in his voice making Serenity shiver with unease.
"Serenity!" someone suddenly called from the other side of the room.
The young woman startled up from Diamond's lap and whirled around to see Selene's High Priestess standing at the door, an unreadable expression on her face. Luna was a beautiful tall woman of middle age with wavy dark curls framing her body. She wore a glistering chain of white beads around her head, and a necklace with a demilune around the neck.
"Come dear." she then said, her eyes and voice softening as she looked at Serenity. "It is long past your bedtime. You'll have a long day ahead of you."
Serenity offered the High Priestess one of her shiny smiles and nodded in agreement.
"Forgiveness, Luna." she chirped, the unease from moments ago forgotten. "I couldn't sleep and my brother was kind enough to offer some company. We haven't seen each other in years."
Luna's gaze settled onto Diamond who was still sitting on the couch, his eyes as cold as hers as they stared at each other.
"Of that I am well aware." Luna retorted sharply, her eyes gleaming with warning as she returned Diamond's challenging gaze. "But your brother should not keep you from your well-deserved sleep, dear. You will see him tomorrow morning."
Diamond narrowed his eyes at the High Priestess for a moment, before he rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.
"As the High Priestess commands." he replied, his voice carrying a slight flutter of taunt.
He gracefully stood up from the couch and made his way towards the door. He shortly stopped when he reached the place where his sister was standing and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Until tomorrow, sister dear." he breathed with a smile which Serenity returned.
Serenity never noticed the cold glare her brother and Luna exchanged when he passed the High Priestess on his way out.
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Endymion stared straight ahead, his face emotionless as he looked through at the heavy wooden gate that separated the dark dungeons from the bright sand of Capua's arena. He felt the tremble of the man behind him through the rusty chains that bound the prisoners together. The foul smell of death and fear was in the air, but Endymion didn't mind. He needed to concentrate on the task ahead.
He needed to survive.
"They give us swords absent fucking edge." a tall, muscular man with long brown hair next to him, a Gaul he mused, muttered with barely hidden disgust. "And tie us together like animals ready to be slaughtered."
The older man who had shared Endymion's prison chuckled in response and shrugged his shoulders.
"It's merely for the show." he said almost bored. "They don't want us to fight, they want us to die."
The Gaul let out a deep throaty chuckle.
"They will learn soon enough that it was a fucking mistake to even give a sword to a Gaul – no matter its sharpness."
Endymion's cellmate laughed and placed a hand on Endymion's aching shoulder.
"Did you hear this, Thracian?" he said, and Endymion crinkled his nose in disgust as he smelled the man's foul breath. "Another doomed who refuses to die. That makes already two of you."
Endymion remained silent, his gaze firmly forward-facing.
He heard the crowd bawl and cheer from inside the arena, heard the pained cry of a man who had obviously been badly injured by another. A cry of victory was heard, followed by roaring cheers.
"KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!"
The audience's bloodthirsty vote for a poor man's fate rang loudly through the arena's dark corridors.
One last scream was heard, and then only joyful laughter and applause filled the air.
"Open the gates!" a Roman from outside suddenly ordered in a dark voice.
The heavy doors opened with a roaring, deafening sound, flooding the dark corridor with blinding light.
Endymion closed his eyes against the bright sunlight and took a deep breath.
He wouldn't die.
Not today.
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Serenity moved her fan frantically as she watched how the gladiator placed the sharp edge of his sword against the throat of the heavily injured man on the ground. The sand of Capua's arena was tinted in red, a crimson proof of the cruel spectacles she had been forced to witness from the arena's Podium, a marble terrace that was supposed to be the place of honor for royals and respectable families of Rome.
Her eyes darted to her brother who was sitting next to her, a cool smirk of amusement on his face as he watched how the gladiator on the sand pierced the defeated man's shoulder, causing joyful screams and applause to fill the air.
"It's inhuman." she muttered as the people's vote to kill the man on the sand filled the air.
"Serenity." her father who was sitting in front of her warned quietly.
"Ah, so your beautiful daughter does not enjoy the pleasures of our games, Tiberius?" a man with long black hair next to her father laughed in amusement.
Before Tiberius was able to answer, Serenity did.
"Pleasure, honored Praetor Seiya... pleasure has nothing to do with this. Art is pleasure, plays are pleasure, music is. But I hardly think it is pleasure to witness poor men get killed for the mere amusement of the people." she replied, her eyes gleaming with barely hidden disgust.
Tiberius faced his daughter with a stern look on his face, silently scolding her for her disrespectful tone towards a man of higher rank.
"With all due respect." Serenity added sweetly in the direction of the Praetor.
"Serenity!" Tiberius hissed in shock, and he was just about to ask his daughter to apologize, when the Praetor burst into laughter.
"What a sweet little thing you have there, Tiberius." Seiya laughed with amusement glittering in his eyes as he looked at her. "And such a passionate speech about the pleasure of life from someone who has spent the past years locked up behind the walls of Selene's Temple."
Serenity's cheeks turned pink with anger and embarrassment, but before she was able to retort, Luna came to her rescue.
"Please don't insult my ways of education, Praetor." she said with raised brows in the Praetor's direction. "Serenity was not locked up, and she experienced the pleasures this world has to offer through many lessons on music and art. I believe she has a right to voice her opinion on those matters, even if her preferences do not include fights in the arena."
Seiya nodded his head at her and offered her an apologetic smile.
"Forgiveness, High Priestess." he said with a charming smile on his lips. "To insult you and the doctrine of Selene had never been my intention."
His eyes then moved back to where Serenity was sitting, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he lazily took in her form.
"I doubt, however, that you were able to teach her all of the desirable pleasures this world has to offer."
Serenity let out a shocked gasp at that, her eyes wide with shock at what the Praetor had just referred to.
"And none of your concern!" Diamond next to her hissed, his indigo eyes glaring daggers at Seiya who only laughed in response. "If you ever …"
"Enough now." Tiberius intervened sharply and turned around to give his children a stern look. "Praetor Seiya is one of the most respectable men in the Republic and he has fought many battles against our enemies. I expect you two to treat him with the appropriate respect!"
Diamond narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits as he glared at his father.
"Of course." Serenity sighed and bit something inside her mouth. "Forgive me Praetor. I spoke my mind without thinking."
Seiya offered her a broad smile and shook his head.
"There is nothing to forgive, my Lady Serenity." he told her smoothly. "It is me who needs to apologize to you for an appropriate comment."
Serenity willed a tight smile onto her face and nodded in acknowledgement, earning an appreciating look from Tiberius.
"Well…" Seiya then continued with a broad smile in Serenity's direction. "Since you unfortunately did not enjoy the games so far, maybe my next gift to you and the people of Capua will be more to your liking."
Serenity furrowed her brow, the stern look from Luna the only thing that prevented her from telling Seiya that she very much doubted that. Diamond just rolled his eyes in obvious annoyance.
She watched as the Praetor made a smooth motion with his hand in the direction of some soldiers on the sand, and the heavily armed men made their way to the arena's left side.
"People of Capua!" Seiya announced with a triumphant shiny smile on his face while holding both of his arms high.
The entire arena went silent as they listened to the man's speech.
"Revolts have recently shaken our blessed Empire, and lowly slaves have dared to take honorable men and women's lives!"
The crowed screamed in outrage, and Serenity had to prevent herself from shaking her head in disapproval. She had also heard about the slave revolts of the North. It was the reason why her father had feared for her safety and had asked her to come back to Capua. The young beauty resented the idea of killing, of violence in general. No one had the right to end another's life. Despite what her father and brother thought – what the entire Empire thought: there was nothing glorious about the battles in the arena. However, she could not really blame the slaves for fighting for their freedom. During her time at the Temple, she had seen how some Romans from the North tended to treat their slaves. It was a disgusting display of supposed superiority. By that, the self-appointed Republic of humanity had lost its right to be called as such.
"Therefore, I offer you the lives of slaves and traitors alike" Seiya further continued and pointed his hand to the arena's left side.
A handful of Roman soldiers opened a heavy wooden door.
Serenity watched as ten chained man were dragged into the center of the arena, all of them covered in dirt and blood.
"Each of them foes of Rome and therefore sentenced to find death at the hands of Roman soldiers!"
The crowd cheered in response as about ten Roman soldiers entered Capua's arena under roaring applause. Serenity had to avert her eyes for a moment as she realized that one of the prisoners was starting to cry bitterly – a boy no older than she was. After some moments, she lifted her eyes again. Her heart filled with compassion and sorrow.
No – there was nothing glorious about this.
Suddenly, she felt as if someone was watching her. She tore her gaze away from the trembling man only to see another prisoner staring directly at her. She let out a small gasp of surprise and felt how a small flush formed on her pale skin as she met his intent gaze. He had pitch-black hair, and had a tanned, muscular body that would probably put even Adonis to shame. Even under the layers of dirt and blood, she still noticed the handsomeness of his face. His dark eyes never strayed from her, and Serenity swallowed hard as a small smirk formed on the man's face.
"But who shall lead the forces of Rome?" the Praetor then asked, and Serenity forced herself to focus her attention back onto the speaking man. "Who shall deserve such honor?"
One name immediately filled the air, causing a smug smile to appear on Diamond's face.
Seiya laughed and nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"Ares has heard your prayers and will answer them with equal force!" the man announced, and if possible, the crowd roared even louder.
"The House of Tadius under the command of the respectable lanista Diamond has offered his best gladiator to bring justice to our Republic! People of Capua, I present to you the undefeated Celt, the Champion of Capua! Malachite!"
The doors to their right opened, and a tall muscular man with two glistering swords appeared under the roaring applause of the audience.
"I am always excited to see him fight." Lavinia, a woman with glistering blond hair next to Serenity said as she watched the gladiator's entrance. "There is only him to be worthy enough to kill those slaves."
Serenity raised one silver-blond brow at the girl.
"Don't you find it ironic as he, too, is only considered as a slave according to most Roman people?" she asked sharply, causing a confused look to appear on Lavinia's pale face.
"He is more than a slave, love." Tiberius said without taking his eyes off of the arena. "He is a gladiator. A God of the arena."
"BEGIN!" the Praetor shouted.
The fight started, but not before Serenity's gaze once again met the dark-haired prisinor's.
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Endymion barely listened to the words that escaped the Praetor's mouth. His veins pumped hot liquid fire through his body as he recognized the man who was speaking to the people of Capua.
It had been the man who had taken his sister from him and who had taken him captive.
He would not die today, he thought with newfound spirit. He would live, and he would take revenge for what this Roman had done to him.
His eyes followed the line of bloated Roman Aristocrats who were sitting comfortably on the marble balcony. He heard the blood roar in his ears as he saw the partly excited, partly bored expressions on their faces. Human lives didn't mean anything to them. His thoughts stopped, however, when his eyes fell onto a vision of silver and light blue. A woman was sitting in the second row, a beauty with long silver-blond hair and blue eyes that reminded him of his home's seas. She wore a tunic of a soft blue color with golden jewelry woven into her hair and clasped around her pale skin. But it was not her obvious beauty that stunned him – it was the expression on her face. Her beautiful face was filled with compassion, with pure regret as she looked at the handful of prisoners. He followed her gaze and realized that she was staring at a young man who was standing at the end of the row of slaves. He was trembling and crying bitterly, his entire body practically oozing dread and fear of what was about to come. Endymion moved his gaze back to the Roman beauty, and he couldn't help but think that such a beautiful creature should be protected from witnessing the cruelty of the upcoming slaughter. Suddenly, the beauty's gaze moved away from the young man, and as if she had felt that someone was staring at her, it settled on him instead.
Endymion was sure that his heart had stopped beating for the slightest of moments when he looked into those pools of blue. He saw her sinful mouth open slightly as he continued to stare at her, and he could almost hear her surprised gasp. He knew he should avert his eyes, should focus on the upcoming fight and his survival. But he couldn't. It was as if the angelic vision was casting a spell over him, and made him lose his focus. There was nothing else in this world, no arena, no soldiers, no death. Just her and him. A siren, he thought, and almost shook his head at how the Gods seemed to wish for his death by trying to make him lose focus through such an exquisite temptation. He then realized the blush on her face, and Endymion couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips as he took in her flustered appearance. A moment after, however, the beauty tore her eyes away from him and focused her attention on the Praetor. A strange feeling of emptiness spread through his body when she wouldn't look back at him.
Endymion saw how the gates to his left opened, and a tall man with long silver hair entered the arena. "The undefeated Celt" – Endymion almost scoffed at that. No man was undefeated – and every man bled hot crimson liquid when a sword pierced his flesh. He was nothing but a human, and as such possible to kill.
He then felt her eyes on his, and he cocked his head a little as he saw the faintest spark of worry in the beauty's eyes.
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Lavinia giggled excitedly as Malachite killed yet another of the prisoners with only one blow.
"This is a wonderful spectacle, Diamond." she chirped and grabbed his hand. "Malachite truly is the Republic's most blessed gladiator!"
Diamond offered her a lopsided smile in response and took a sip of wine.
"He brings honor to our house." Tiberius agreed with a smile as his son didn't seem to answer any time soon. "I don't even think that we would have needed the Roman soldiers to support him."
Seiya shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance at that.
"I agree that they don't seem to have been well selected." the Praetor said as he watched in annoyance how the Thracian killed another soldier.
"To their defense, honorable Praetor" Tiberius said with a soothing smile on his face. "But the prisoner fighting on the right seems to be well trained. Where did you find him?"
"He's Thracian." Seiya replied with a sigh. "He killed fifteen of my best men all at once before we were able to chain this beast."
Serenity faintly followed their conversation as her eyes were glued where the prisoner with black hair was fighting. It was a cruel battle, right from the start. Right after Seiya had given the command, one of the older men – a Greek she had heard – had merely smiled at the crowd while pushing his own edgeless sword into his chest. Serenity had seen the startled and shocked expression briefly cross the black-haired man's face, but he had only hesitated a moment before he had cut off the man's hand to free himself from the chain that bound them together. Serenity had wanted to close her eyes more than once while watching the fight, but her eyes were glued on the strange man. As far as she could tell, he was a skilled fighter. His movements were graceful and smooth, and he managed to kill most of the Roman soldiers while his fellow prisoners died one after the other. Her heart gave a strange jolt when Malachite grabbed a spear from the ground and threw it at him. The dark-haired man quickly turned away, but the sharp point pierced the flesh of his left arm nonetheless. Malachite was just about to attack again when another prisoner, a tall Gaul with long brown hair threw his sword at him – successfully gaining the gladiator's attention. Serenity felt how her nails dug deeply into the wood of her seat as Malachite effortlessly killed the Gaul. The dark-haired prisoner and the gladiator were the only ones left on the blood-tainted sand.
The prisoner grabbed a sharp weapon from the ground as Malachite approached him with confident steps. Serenity's heart clenched painfully in her chest as she caught sight of the pain in the prisoner's dark eyes. He tried to hide it well behind a furious mask of determination, but it was there nonetheless.
"Wha… what did he do to deserve this fate?" Serenity heard her own trembling voice ask.
Her gaze never left the unbalanced fight in the center of the arena, but she noticed the concerned look her brother gave her from the corners of her eyes.
"As I've already said, my lady." Seiya answered with a hint of confusion in his voice. "He killed fifteen of Rome's men."
Meanwhile, the dark-haired man attacked the gladiator, managing to inflict a small wound on Malachite's chest.
"But why?" Serenity exclaimed heatedly as she finally tore her gaze away from the cruel display. She couldn't imagine that this man down on the sand was the bloodthirsty savage as the Praetor claimed. "Why did he kill your men?"
"Serenity, it doesn't matter." Diamond tried, but Serenity ignored him.
Seiya arched one brow as he looked at her.
"He fought them because he fought for a woman from his tribe." he finally replied. "She was to be sold into slavery. His sister I think. But I do not remember, nor do I care."
Serenity shook her head in irritation.
"He killed to protect his family." she stated with emotion in her voice. "That does make him a hero, not a monster."
Seiya's eyes glittered with barely hidden annoyance.
"I would refrain from calling a slave a hero, my dear." he said coldly. "He spilled Roman blood and has to be punished for it."
Serenity was ready to protest when the Praetor turned back around to watch the bloody fight, but Luna shook her head at her, telling her to keep silent.
Her heart skipped a beat when she, too, focused her attention back onto the sand, only to see the dark-haired man lying defeated on the ground. Malachite, whose normally stoic face was distorted with rage, approached him, his crimson sword glistering balefully in the afternoon sun.
Serenity let out a shocked gasp when he placed the point of his sword against the dark-haired man's throat. The prisoner was lying on his back, his chest raising and falling rapidly with every breath. Deep cuts could be seen all over his body, making the sand beneath him turn red.
"That's hardly fair." she whispered with unshed tears in her eyes. "He just wanted to protect his family. He does not deserve death."
"Serenity…" Diamond next to her sighed. "It doesn't matter now. The fight is over. There is nothing you can do."
Serenity stared at the injured man for a long moment, when an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.
"No, but father can!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with hope.
Tiberius turned around to face his daughter with a questioning look on his face.
"Spare his life." the beauty said, her eyes pleading. "He has deserved to live, father. You know it. He has killed those men almost on his own. He deserves it."
Tiberius stared at her for a long moment with an unreadable expression on his face.
A sad smile crossed her father's face that caused her heart to drop a little in her chest.
"It is not our place to decide over his life, my dear." he said with a helpless shrug of his shoulder. "He is the Praetor's prisoner – not ours."
Desperation settled onto the beauty's face as she heard that.
"Then buy him!" she whispered, and a small frown wrinkled her father's forehead. "Train him to become a gladiator. He at least deserves as much."
"A gladiator?" Seiya laughed and shook his head in amusement. "I must say your lovely daughter is full of ideas, Tiberius."
"Father, please." Serenity urged as she saw that Malachite and the entire arena were waiting for the Praetor's decision on the prisoner's life. "You have seen his fighting skills. You must do something!"
Tiberius sighed and looked at his son who was watching the scene unfold before him with an impassive expression on his face.
"I admit that he surely would make an excellent gladiator." Tiberius said, causing the flicker to appear on Serenity's face. "But once again it is not my place to decide, Serenity. I gave the ludus to your brother. He is our house's lanista. It is his decision to make."
Serenity whirled around, big pleading eyes staring at her brother.
Diamond lightly shook his head and let out a long sigh. His eyes moved towards the center of the arena where the badly injured prisoner lay.
"He is severely injured, sister." he said without looking at her. "I doubt he'll even survive the quarter moon. It would be a bad investment."
"Brother" Serenity now pleaded and grabbed his hand, the contact making Diamond face her again.
"He doesn't deserve to die because he only wanted to protect his sister." she continued softly. "What would you have done in his position?"
Diamond stared at her for a sheer endless moment, before he lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss onto her knuckles.
"I would have slaughtered the entire Republic…" he replied lowly, his eyes dark with the truth of his words. "… just to see you save."
An uncertain smile graced Serenity's lips – the cruel content of his words almost disguising their ultimate importance. She barely heard how the audience's screams for the stranger's life.
"Praetor" Diamond addressed the other man. "This decision seems to be difficult, wouldn't you agree? The crowed wishes to honor the prisoner's fight by granting him his life."
Seiya pouted a little as he watched how the people of Capua signaled their decision by turning their thumbs upwards.
"And yet, you wish for the man to be gone." Diamond continued with a shrug of his shoulders. "A solution, perhaps. The Thracian has shown talent in the arena. If I were to purchase this man, he could be trained at my ludus in the Gladiatorial arts."
Seiya thought about it for a moment, wiggling his head from one side to the other.
Serenity held her breath as he finally stood from his chair to render his judgment on the Thracian's life.
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Endymion felt the sharp blade pierce the skin of his throat. Piercing pain washed through his entire body, making his vision blur with spots of red and black. He willed his eyes to stay open as he didn't want to face the inevitable as a defeated man.
He knew that he would die – just like the rest of the prisoners.
There were no Gods left to save him.
He faintly heard the crowd to demand his life – but it didn't matter. He was a sentenced man. A traitor of the oh so glorious Roman Republic. At least, he didn't go down without a fight.
He faintly realized how the crowd went silent, heard the Praetor's voice fill the arena.
Endymion cursed inwardly that it would be the last voice he would hear. His mind wandered back to the beauty from earlier. Right now, she was probably staring at his lifeless form with compassion on her beautiful face. Maybe even tears. Had he had left enough strength in his body, he would have smirked at this ridiculous thought.
Why should such a beauty cry over him? Over a man sentenced to death? Someone she didn't and would never know.
"Capua!" the Praetor announced. "This man has proven himself in in the arena."
Cheers could be heard, but Endymion floated further and further into blissful darkness.
"One of Capua's most precious daughters wants to honor this by putting mercy before justice. Therefore, I reward this prisoner by granting him life and will gift him to the respectable house of Tadius as my personal gift to the lovely Serenity."
More cheers, furious applause.
And as unconsciousness finally overwhelmed him, a faint whisper of a name left his lips and accompanied him into darkness.
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Notes
Thank you so much for your amazing response on the first chapter!
I hope the second didn't disappont - even though Endymion and Serenity only met across the arena.
That will obviously change in Chapter 3.
As for Diamond's relationship with Serenity: to be honest, I haven't decided yet if they are relatives by blood or by adoption. At that stage of the story, both is possible (I know that the real-sibling possibility might offend some readers). But I can certainly tell you that Serenity and Tiberius most definitely see them as siblings.
Have a great Sunday!
J