chapter 16 : Story of a Sad Man

The next day in the arena,

 "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !" 

 The crowd shouted in joy as Varro raised his two bloodied glaives in salute. In front of him, the corpses of two Solonius gladiators lay on the ground, one of which was decapitated!

 "VARRO! VARRO! VARRO! VARRO!" 

 The crowd chanted his name as he then extended his sword towards Batiatus seated in the publius, the place where the most prestigious guests were seated.

 Crassus, Titus, Varus, Albinius and Sextus sat side by side at the front on the seats of honor while Batiatus and the others sat towards the rear.

 "By Jupiter!! This arena is tiny compared to the one in Rome but the gladiators here are better than the vast majority of their counterparts in the capital. Especially those of your house Batiatus, this Varro just beat Solonius' men pretty quickly !!" 

 Crassus said as he turned to look at Batiatus.

 Batiatus: You honor me senator!!

 Albinius: It is true that so far, the ludus of dear Batiatus has not shown us anything disappointing, your father would be very proud of you!

 Batiatus: Thank you, Senator Albinius ! Everything I do is for your entertainment and to honor the gods.

 Titus: Hopefully the bloodshed this time will be enough for them to send us rain.

 In the bustling crowd, a certain group of supporters stood there calmer than the others. It was Marius and the others who came to watch the games and this time they didn't leave anyone at home.

 Marco and Celia were seated between the three Spartans who protected them.

 The women of the group Célina, Sura, Salma, Vayline, Zena and Aurelia were watching the games commenting on Varro's victory.

 Aurelia didn't really know what to think of her husband, she was quite shocked by his combat prowess even though at the start of the fight, she was literally crying in panic upon learning that her husband would have two opponents.

 Ajax: Salma told me that this guy is also trained by the boss, he's doing pretty well!

 Marius: Hum, he's strong. This jackal really trained him well ! Do you think you can beat him ?

 Ajax: I don't really have an answer to this question, since training with Orion and the others, I have remained undefeated in the pits since the beginning without being pushed to my limits. The boss after kicking my butt and those of others during a training match taught us a life lesson.

 "No matter what opponent is in front of you, they will seek the same result as you, SURVIVE! Never underestimate any of them, each of you will have a 50% chance of winning from the start of the fight, a single calculation error and it's over for you! » The boss told us and it changed the way we think during a fight. 

 Marius: Wow! This idiot is capable of saying interesting things when he-(interrupted)

 Marius hadn't even finished speaking when the audience made even more noise. The reason for this uproar was Batiatus who got up from where he was to come and announce the next match. They then fell silent to listen to the announcement!

 "CITIZENS OF CAPUA, THE LONG-AWAITED TIME HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!! THE MATCH THAT WILL SHED THE BLOOD OF LEGENDS TO APPEASE THE Gods. THE PRIMUUUUUS ! » Batiatus shouted raising his arms .

 "OOOUUUAAAAAAAAAH" The crowd shouted again, they were impatient to see who were the gladiators who were going to shed their blood during the primus.

 [A few minutes ago]

 Under the stands, Orion, Spartacus and Crixus waited to be announced. Orion wore his helmet when he felt something, his sense of touch was heightened and he felt the air become more humid, the air he breathed was less dry than usual.

 These details were things only he and certain animals could notice. His Instinct only told him one thing,

 "It's going to rain today!" he barely muttered to himself.

 Orion looked at Crixus and Spartacus who remained silent, looking askance at each other.

 "Theokoles will not be our only opponent, the other two fighters who will face us aren't proposed by someone like Crassus for nothing, they must be very strong so stop your bickering for now and concentrate on these guys. As for Theokoles, he is mine. Any objections?!

 Spartacus: Not for me!

 Crixus: And why would you be the only one to face The Shadow of Death?

 "Because I decided to!" he replied with a smirk at Crixus who gritted his teeth and at the same time his grip on his sword.

 Crixus: You...you lose nothing by waiting! One day I will…(interrupted)

 Orion: You will do nothing at all, defeated Gallic. You can't stand it when the new champion behaves towards you the way you behaved towards others for a long time ? Who do you think you owe your place in this primus to ?

 Crixus was intrigued by what Orion had just said and looked at him waiting for a response but Orion ignored him and looked at the grid in front of them as if nothing had happened.

 Spartacus knew Orion's ways and smiled, shaking his head. Crixus at this point wanted to explode in anger as he wanted answers but Orion ignored him, just as he wanted to speak the gate was raised.

 [Return to Batiatus]

 Listening to the cries of the spectators, Batiatus was quite satisfied, his gladiators had so far offered excellent performances to the public, a torrent of blood to the gods and he now had the appreciation of influential people.

 He signaled to the crowd to calm down and now announce the next match.

 " NOBLE CITIZENS OF CAPUA, IT'S TIME FOR THE PRIMUS, A VERY SPECIAL PRIMUS AS IT WILL BE A 3V3 Match !! »

 *Outcry*

 The reaction of the public was not long in coming, a primus highlighted the strongest gladiators and a 3v3 match also meant a lot of action and blood.

 Solonius seeing all the merit and attention that Batiatus had so far drawn to him rose to stand next to Batiatus and to everyone's surprise he also began to speak, he had the support of Senator Titus Calavius.

 Solonius: CAPUA ! TO HONOR THE GODS AND FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT, HOUSE SOLONIUS WILL OFFER YOU EXCEPTIONAL GLADIATORS FOR THIS PRIMUS.

 FIRST OF ALL, THE BROTHERS WHO BUILT THEIR LEGEND THROUGH BLOOD IN THE ARENAS OF THE NORTH, HERE ARE SKOLL AND HATI, SON OF WOLVES!

 Two tall, blond and muscular men entered the arena to to the cheers of the crowd .

 They had features in common, each wore a wolf skin and many scars on their bodies which testified to the many battles they had fought.

 Skoll was armed with a two-handed ax and Hati had a large sword and a round shield!! They returned to the center of the arena and greeted the crowd.

 Solonius: NOW, HERE'S THE ONE THEY'RE ACCOMPANYING FOR THIS FIGHT. HOUSE SOLONIUS OFFERS YOU THE ONE WHO NEVER FALLEN, THE LEGENDARY GLADIATOR, THE SHADOW WHO PRECEDES DEATH. HERE IS THEOKOLES!!

 "OOOOOOUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOH"

 The crowd was in delirium, Theokoles was a true legend whose exploits always gave chills to those who heard them.

 A giant began walking towards the center of the arena with two swords in his hands.

 Tall, muscular with an excessively pale complexion, long silvery white hair topped his head on which was an almost normal face with wild blue eyes and a few scars decorating it, Theokoles was the personification of ferocity. (his face is different from that of the series but much more pleasant to the eye)

 "THEOKOLES! THEOKOLES! THEOKOLES! THEOKOLES!" 

 The crowd began chanting his name as Solonius smirked.

 Senator Albinius: These games are truly most entertaining ! Theokoles himself will fight.

 Crassus: I'm not really used to gladiator fights because of my business but I don't regret coming here! The atmosphere in Capua is as warm as its climate. Both my sons would have loved to see this. 

 Theokoles was walking towards the center of the arena when gray clouds in the sky moved with him and cast a shadow over the arena. This frightening scene left an impression on everyone.

 [In the stands, Marius' group]

 Marius: DAMN !! Orion is going to face this guy ?

 Marco: It's Theokoles!! He really is as scary as the stories say ! 

 Celia: Mom, I'm afraid for Uncle Orion.

 Célina: You shouldn't, your uncle is himself an extraordinary being. Theokoles is strong but...my Instinct tells me that Orion is still way above him.

 Apollos: Theokoles... that name, it's been a long time since I heard it.

 The three Greeks looked at each other and they knew what each of them was thinking, they knew Theokoles.

 Ajax: "Theokoles" a Greek name but from where?!

 Demiclas : From Sparta!

 Sura: My husband…I hope everything goes well for him!

 Salma: Orion is going to crush this Theokoles. This fight will be a ride for him.

 [Orion meanwhile]

 "These clouds, this pressure, this atmosphere that has suddenly become colder… yeah, it's going to rain!! No more excessive spending to buy water baby!!" He started getting agitated in front of the others!!

 Spartacus:... 

 Crixus:... 

 [Back to the pulvinus]

 Batiatus spoke again to announce his own gladiators,

 " YOU HAVE SEEN THE LEGENDARY AND VIGOROUS GLADIATORS OFFERED BY THE HOUSE OF THIS DEAR SOLONIUS.

 NOW, TO SPILL THE BLOOD, HERE ARE THE TITANS AND GODS OF THE ARENA, OF YOUR ARENA.

 FIRST, SPARTACUS, THE THRACIAN WHO DEFYED AND CHEATED DEATH! »

 *SPARTACUS! SPARTACUS! SPARTACUS! *

 The delirious crowd chanted his name. He entered raising both swords, it was his official fighting style and Batiatus had approved it since his quick victory against Barca.

 "THEN, THE ONE WHO WAS THE CHAMPION OF CAPUA, HE BUILT HIS LEGEND IN THE HEARTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THIS CITY AND WITH THE STRENGTH OF HIS SWORD! WELCOME THE MIRMILLON, CRIXUS, THE LEGENDARY GAUL (He is unfortunately no longer undefeated)"

 Crixus entered raising his shield and sword shouting and the crowd chanted his name, some women had their breasts exposed for him.

 "AND FINALLY, THE ONE IN ONE MATCH WON OUR ALL HEARTS! THE MAN WHOSE BEAUTY IS ONLY EQUAL TO HIS STRENGTH.

 ORION, THE DEATH STAR!! »

 "I wonder if these people know that my name comes from a constellation and not a star, this ridiculous nickname is tiring me !" Orion muttered as he entered the arena and then the crowd went completely crazy.

 He had two glaives stored in their sheaths, one was a normal glaive that hung at his waist and the other was a shrouded stone glaive that he held in his hand.

 "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!! »

 "ORION!" ORION! ORION! »

 We could even hear women shouting "Orion I love you!!" while undressing, some were even crying.

 Marius and the others stood up to encourage him, especially Marco and Celia.

 Below, among the gladiators, Oenomaus and Varro watched the events, hoping to see their brothers return victorious.

 "Kill that son of a bitch!" Oenomaus muttered to himself.

 [In the pulvinus]

 Albinius: To say that the new champion of Capua is loved by the public would be an understatement ! He is literally a god to them.

 Titus: A god who risks falling under the swords of Theokoles!

 Sextus: Hmm, I'm not too sure, he could survive! There is a man from the ludus of Batiatus who has already faced him but who remained alive despite heavy injuries.

 Batiatus: It's Oenomaus! Years ago he actually faced The Shadow of Death!

 Crassus: A very rare feat ! Give the signal Batiatus, I want to see how your champion wields the sword.

 [In the center of the arena]

 "START!!" 

 Batiatus shouted for the gladiators to start fighting.

 Spartacus charged at Hati and Crixus immediately charged at Skoll, they began their fight to the cheers of the crowd while in the case of Orion, it was Theokoles himself who engaged the fight on him with frenzy and it was a special request from Solonius that he deal with Orion first.

 "So much attention for me. You flatter me, shadow that precedes death!" Orion said teasingly as he calmly dodged the attacks of Theokoles who growled during his assault.

 Surprisingly, even if for Orion Theokoles was very slow, he had to admit that compared to his size, the giant moved quite quickly and his attacks had enough force to strongly stir the air with each dodge of Orion who had not not yet unsheathed one of his swords.

 "Stop running away and come fight like a true gladiator!" Theokoles was fed up with Orion's dodging and provoked him.

 Orion: Honestly, if I draw my weapon now, this fight would only take a few seconds at most if I'm in a playful mood, but I'd rather talk with you.

 "THEOKOLES HAS NOTHING TO SAY TO A DEAD MAN " He attacked again but Orion once again easily avoided him.

 "Since you take it like that then I'm going to talk and you're going to listen to me while continuing your useless attacks but to encourage you all the same, I'm going to beat the shit out of you without having to kill you! » he dodged another attack but this time, he drew his stone sword and struck it on the thigh of Theokoles who winced at the impact of his opponent's blow on him.

 When the people saw the stone sword that Orion drew, they began to shout louder again. Some even believed that Orion was crazy.

 [In the pulvinus]

 Crassus: Is it Stone ?! The champion of Capua challenges Theokoles with a stone sword !

 Albinius: Batiatus, your champion truly brings about his own downfall. 

 The others started to laugh and mock but Batiatus' look was confident, he didn't know why but a feeling of absolute confidence inhabited him this time looking at Orion.

 [In the stands]

 Marius: I knew this guy was crazy but he exceeds my expectations! It's a good day for a funeral.

 Celia: Uncle Orion knows what he's doing! Look at his smile, it reminds me of when he often confronts you.

 The others listening to him started laughing remembering how Orion usually ridiculed Marius during training.

 " What do you mean by that ?! I'm the only one who won against him" he said feeling that his daughter was laughing at his usual beatings.

 Stratos : He was blindfolded!!

 [Return to Orion]

 Orion: Well then I'll start with a story that my father told me when I was a child (He dodged again by attacking the same leg in the same place).

 "My father Melessis told me the story of a very, very tall boy who grew up in the forests surrounding Sparta and whose father was a former king of the city.

 Because of his size, when he was born, his mother tried so hard to bring him into the world that she remained unwell and ill for the rest of her severely shortened life. (Dodge) 

 However, her fragile state never stopped her from taking care of her child or giving him love. (Hit Theokoles) 

 The child was growing quickly and at the age of 9, he already had the physique of a teenager. The boy had skin as white as snow, azure blue eyes, and hair as white as cotton. He and his sick mother lived alone and managed to survive.

 From his childhood, the boy, to help his mother, went to sell bundles of wood in the nearest village to bring in at least a pittance for them and quickly noticed that his body was developing much faster than those of children his age, he was even called a monster by the people of the village. »

 All the while the same pattern was repeating itself, Theokoles was attacking and Orion was dodging taking every opportunity to hit the giant's leg which now had a red mark where Orion was hitting.

 [In the stands]

 Marius: This idiot...he's playing with Theokoles! He has proven that he has the ability to hit him but yet he has not even drawn his steel sword yet and continues to hit him with his training sword.

 Célina: You know your friend very well, Orion is not stupid! He's probably up to something.

 Celia + Marco: For sure!!

 Salma: Sura, your husband is doing pretty well, he seems to be dominating his fight! Crixus too!

 Sura: Yes, he has become really very strong, his opponent is also strong but ##*## is very clearly leading the fight. Still, I won't be relieved until these games are over.

 The Spartans watched Orion "fight" Theokoles with strange smiles on their lips.

 Apollos: The boss is really a pain in the ass ! If he wanted to, Theokoles would have fallen nearly 30 times by now. He's not human!

 Demiclas: And you realize it now?!

 [In the publication]

 Albinius: So the gladiators of House Batiatus are all exceptional ?! Spartacus and Crixus lead their fights very well against the Germanic brothers, on the other hand, for the champion of Capua it is something else. He's literally playing with Theokoles.

 Titus: A mistake that many fools have dared before dying at his hands. He is an arrogant young man who even plays with death.

 Sextus: I don't believe it...in my opinion, I rather have the impression that he is talking to him. This is why he has not yet drawn his sword. Batiatus, your new champion is quite...mysterious in his methods.

 Batiatus: Orion has his own way of going about things, it's part of his charm and the crowd seems to appreciate it.

 [Return to the arena]

 Orion continued to avoid the attacks of Theokoles completely annoyed by him while harassing his leg whose thigh was now decorated with a purple spot.

 He could no longer stand perfectly on his supports because of the unbearable pain that paralyzed his right thigh.

 Orion finally threw the stone glaive away while drawing his steel glaive and pointed it at Theokoles who was now staggering trying to move.

 He was a robust man but still remained a human with the same biological weaknesses as the others.

 "Okay, I'll continue.

 After a few years, the boy's mother died leaving her child to the fates of life.

 Alone, poorly educated but tall and strong, the young man in his adolescence went to live in a nearby village.

 Despite the intense discrimination, mockery or insults of which he was the victim, the young man after years was able to conquer the heart of a woman with whom he wanted to form a relationship.

 However, fate was still not in his favor because on his first night with the woman, she died during their sexual intercourse.

 Chased by the villagers who wanted to kill him following the death of his partner, depressed and mentally weakened, he was devastated and wished for death.

 At death's door, the man was rescued by a crew of Cilician pirates with whom he found a semblance of conviviality but once again, fate was against him.

 During a pillage, the crew was given to a series of rapes on the captive ship and seeing the suffering of the female victims, the man thought of his mother and with his sword, he massacred all the members of the infamous crew.

 Later, exhausted and hungry, he was captured by Roman troops and then retrained as gladiators! »

 Orion: The first time my lanista talked about you I told him I had never heard of you. But I know who you are, a victim who lost himself to loneliness.

 Theokoles: Shut up!

 Orion: Do you remember your story?! Do you remember who you were?! From your mom?!

 *Wow*

 Theokoles tried a heavy attack which was again avoided by Orion easily.

 "Very well, I'm going to start attacking too"

 Orion said smiling and with his glaive, he began to attack with his real glaive and Theokoles soon found himself helpless with his supports failing.

 Within seconds of being attacked, several gashes were now visible on Theokoles. Orion was no longer dodging but now deflecting Theokoles' blows, he looked Theokoles in the eyes saying,

"Mistreated and discriminated against because of your difference, you could have become a bad guy but deep down you remained the nice little boy your mother left until you were under Roman rule as a slave gladiator.

 All your loneliness, your frustration, your sadness for years you poured out along with the blood of your opponents in the arena but in truth, you still feel alone and prisoner, prisoner of your sadness."

 Theokoles: SHUT UP!!

 Theokoles with one knee on the ground, weakened by his injuries and disturbed, thought about everything that Orion had just told him.

Covered in his own blood, he thought about his life and looked at the chain marks on his arms. He thought about everyone he had killed and he frowned.

 [Spartacus]

 It had been more than 2 minutes since his fight started and he dominated the exchanges.

 Hati had gashes on his chest and shoulders and one of his eyes was lost under a long tear caused by one of Spartacus' swords!

 Furious, he charged for a thrusting attack with the tip of his sword but he had no idea that it was exactly this maneuver that was expected from his opponent.

 With the sword in his left hand, Spartacus deflected the attack and with a powerful spinning blow with his right hand, he severed the German's head from his upper jaw as blood spurted in abundance.

 "YUUUUOOOOOH!" 

 The crowd roared deliriously, Sura in the stands even stood up to celebrate.

 "HATI !!!" Skoll saw his brother's body collapse without the upper part of his head and screamed ignoring Crixus and turned to charge at Spartacus who saw him coming and not wanting to waste his time on another fight, he did something Orion advised him to do if he wanted to finish someone strong enough in one hit to avoid a pointless fight.

 Skoll was less than three meters from Spartacus and raised his ax to strike him when Spartacus simply threw the sword in his right hand which lodged in the German's chest who collapsed directly.

 *Complete silence*

 Crixus: HE WAS MINE, THRACIAN !!!

 Spartacus: I don't care, you couldn't beat him quickly and he attacked me on top of that. 

 They wanted to start arguing when they noticed there wasn't much crowd noise anymore!

They wondered for a few seconds before turning to Orion and what they saw left their mouths open.

 Orion was standing with his sword in his hand and in front of him, on his knees, Theokoles was making the sign of the missio to show his surrender and ask for mercy for his life.

 However, the most surprising thing was that there were traces of tears on the corners of his eyes.

 Spartacus + Crixus:…

 The audience :…