The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

The gladiator school, Part 23

The relentless sun beat down on the group as they trudged through the unforgiving sand hills. Suddenly, a sandstorm descended upon them with a fury unlike anything they had ever experienced.

With shouts and cries, the overseer urged them to run for shelter in a nearby cave. The storm raged around them, whipping up sand and debris with such force that even the sturdy camels were lifted into the air.

But Spartacus saw an opportunity in this chaos. As the rest of the caravan scattered, he called out to his companions, "Now is our chance! The ocean is within reach!"

Without hesitation, Mer-mer and Shadow-cat crawled after him as he led them towards their goal. Despite the deafening roar of the storm, Spartacus's determination never wavered.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the storm subsided and they could stop to catch their breath. 

Looking out at the vast expanse of water before them, Spartacus smiled triumphantly. 

"That's it," he said. "We have reached the great sea. On the other side is Rome!"

Mer-mer couldn't believe it. "But how will we sneak through the entire Roman Empire?" he asked.

Spartacus's grin widened. "I will be your slave gladiator, and you my masters," he replied confidently. "If anyone asks, you are taking me to Capua to sell me to Batiatus, who owns a famous gladiator school there."

Excited at the prospect of finally being free from their captors, Mer-mer exclaimed, "That's brilliant! But how will we afford to pay off any pirates along the way?"

Shadow-cat chuckled and tossed a heavy purse onto the ground.

 "Don't worry about that," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "There's plenty of gold inside, courtesy of Barbarossa."

Confused, Mer-mer asked where they had obtained such wealth. Shadow-cat's grin widened even more as she replied, "Let's just say that Barbarossa won't miss it."

With their spirits lifted and a new sense of determination, the trio set out towards their freedom, with Rome looming ever closer on the horizon...

...

The treacherous pirates used the gold to smuggle them onto a ship headed for Sicily, not bothering to ask questions as they transferred their captives like pieces of cargo. From there, the group was separated, each member joining a small caravan of pilgrims bound for Rome.

 But their journey was far from over as they were once again abandoned by a merchant ship on the mainland. With determination in their eyes, our heroes broke away from the group and set their sights on Capua. 

Spartacus' voice was filled with urgency as he declared "I had an old friend here once, Julia. I'll sneak aboard secretly  and risk everything to see if she's still alive and rescue her."

Shadow-cat's warning echoes in Spartacus' mind as he creeps through the shadows, his heart pounding with fear and adrenaline. It has been over a decade since he escaped from slavery, but even now he must hide his true identity.

"Careful," Mer-mer urges, his eyes darting around for any sign of danger. "We'll wait for you outside the city, not far from the ramparts."