Prologue

I walked toward the large gate, at least 20 feet tall. It was nearly pitch black except for the torches on the walls barely brightening the room. I couldn’t see anything but the splintered wood of the gate. But I could hear the crowd cheering and chanting my name. The Gate lifted, and sunlight flooded into the previously dark room, I squinted in order to withstand the bright. I have on a single pair of fiber underpants, and a loin cloth made of the skin of a leopard which I had killed in this arena not three spans ago. I am holding my war axe in one hand and a shield in the other, no armor save for the shining gold/bronze helm. I walk forward about ten paces and look around me. There are high walls that circle me, with a large gate on the opposite side and a gate on my side. Above the limestone walls, there is a crowd. A crowd of citizens, all chanting and shouting. But right now, they are animals, lusting for bloodshed, craving the fight just as I am. My opponent is on the other side of the arena, a fit and tall man, wielding a hand and a half sword, with a bow strung on his back. We could have been friends before, but not now. Now I don’t care, I must do this. I must do this to change everything. I hear the horn, and charge like a wild beast, while he walks slowly toward me. As I reach him I swing my axe towards his side in a large arc, hoping to catch him off balance. just before the axe hits, he darts forward with a speed not many can match, and slices my chest as he moves behind me. 

 

I turn around as fast as I can, while monitoring my wound. It doesn't seem that deep, and I can still breathe fine. I rush towards him and aim for his legs this time, he jumps over the axe, and my shield meets his face while he’s in the air, and he goes flailing backward, losing his weapons save for the bow. He failed to watch my body, and focused on the weapon. All the while, the crowd is narrating the fight with their crazed shouting, lusting for the kill. As my shield made contact I chased after him to avoid losing that advantage. Just as he gains his footing again, I punch him in the gut with the side of my shield and raise him in the air. Just as I'm about to slam him to the ground, he pulls something out from behind him, and stabs me in the arm that is holding the shield. Whatever it was, it did enough damage to force my hand to leave the shield, and drop my worthy opponent. The crowd lets loose a roar that could rival the lions, the only weapon I have is now my axe, and I have a wounded arm. Before I can recover, he stabs another arrow into the length of flesh between my neck and shoulder. Now forced to drop the axe, I’m subdued. The opponent looks up toward the emperor's box, awaiting the verdict of my death. Before he gets a chance to see the signal of my fate, I grab his arm, and pull it as close to me as i can, and with  my injured arm, I grab his head and with a fearsome growl, manage to get both arms on his head, stopping him from moving. Now is my turn to look toward the Emperor, for the execution signal. He looks back down toward me with a serious expression that said, be prepared. Then drops his hand from the air. At this signal, I snap my opponent's neck, killing him instantly, after all a quick death is better than being in these pits any longer. I toss his body aside, and walk to my gate, as I have a hundred times before, only this time,  I will not be greeted by the harsh smiling faces of my fellow gladiators, but only the steel of the city militia. Time to finally reach the goal I’ve been striving for all this time:  Freedom.