The Price of Freedom: Innocence Lost

Unexpected Visit

It has been about a month now since you started training to become a gladiator. You have grown a lot stronger in a short space of time and you're starting to become more adept with the weapons. When you first came to the academy, you barely knew one side of a sword from the other. Now you can hold your own against students who've been training with the sword for years. Of course, however much progress you make, there's always that one thought lurking at the back of your mind... The swords aren't real.

When you practice, it doesn't matter if you fail. All you get are a few scrapes and bruises and you're back on your feet again the next day, trying to improve. Once you're in the arena, there'll be no second chances. Just one mistake and it'll be over. And of course that's not the only problem. When you're a gladiator, you won't be able to win a fight just by swinging at someone across the until they drop their sword. You won't be able to leave the ring until every one of your opponents is down and dead. Maybe you're okay with that. Maybe you're not.

Still, your worries are pushed to the side this morning since Rhode walks into the boys dormitories, banging a large wooden spoon against a cooking pot to wake you all. "Up, up, up!" She shouts, with a hint of stress in her voice. "Everyone up, I want you washed, dressed and in the field in ten minutes! Skip breakfast, you'll eat later. And wear your best clothes!" She orders before walking out and heading to the girl's building to wake them too.

This seems strange. Rhode is always strict about you being up and ready by a certain time, but she usually insists you eat before you start your training, and she'd never cared about the state of your clothes before. "What's going on?" Alexius whispers to you, but you don't have an answer for him.

"Inspection." Brasus tells you as he throws a shirt over his head. "Master Titus must be here. He comes every few months to check on our progress and see if the older boys are ready for the arena. Mistress Rhode is always like this when he comes. She wants to make sure we impress him."

After a quick wash and throwing your cleanest clothes on, you and Alexius are out in the training arena with the other students. Your master is sitting with Rhode in a special booth above you. He watches the boys train while Rhode points out specific pupils that she thinks have made the most progress.

This is your chance. It's the first time you've seen your master since he bought you, and now you have an opportunity to impress him and prove he didn't waste his money on you. Then again, maybe you don't want to impress him.

You take a look at your options. Right now, all the bows and javelins are being used, and practicing with the throwing nets would only look stupid. Challenging another student to a wooden sword fight would probably be the easiest way to get your master's attention. Gerda is training with the sword right now. She's definitely the strongest girl of her age, but you can probably take her.

Then you see that Zeru, the African boy that doesn't speak any Latin, is also brushing up on his swordsmanship. Zeru is nearly fifteen and one of the best fighters in the academy. From what you've heard, he's already competed in two real battles, despite his young age, and come out of both without a scratch. Beating him would certainly look impressive. Of course, that's if you actually can beat him.

If you don't want to practice your sword fighting though, you could always challenge Lula to a race. She's always competing with you to see who's the fastest, and there have been hurdles set up around the arena for runners to jump over, so that should make things interesting.

Then again, if you don't want to catch your master's attention, you could just aimlessly wonder around and do nothing.

You wave your hands above your head to call the girl over. "Hey, Lula! You want to show off?" You ask with a smile. "Ten times around the arena. Let's show the master that we're the fastest students in the whole school."

Lula playfully scoffs at that comment. "We fastest?" She asks with a smirk. "Silly Andreas. I am fastest. I show off to master, you trip over first hurdle." She teases, heading over to the starting point.

"We'll see." You tell her, lining up next to her and leaning forward, ready to start.

"Go!" Lula screams, getting a second's head start before you sprint after her, leaping over hurdles as quickly as you can, trying to overtake her. The task seems impossible. You put every ounce of your physical ability into this race, but every time you start to take the lead, Lula puts in an extra burst of effort to push herself ahead of you.

By the end of the race, you feel like your legs are about to fall off, and with one final push, you and Lula both leap over the final hurdle, landing across the finish line at almost exactly the same time. "I win!" Lula cheers, holding her arms out in victory as she drops down to sit in the sand.

You are completely exhausted and need a moment to catch your breath before you can say anything. "The hell you did!" You object, sitting down beside her to give your legs a rest. "I was ahead of you that whole last lap! I win!"

Lula just laughs and gives you a friendly slap on the back. "Okay, okay, we draw, yes?" She compromises. "You get lucky. Next time I beat you."

Looking up, you notice that Rhode has been pointing the pair of you out to Master Titus. The man nods his head, apparently impressed by your speed, though he's quick to turn away, since he's more interested in watching the students practicing with swords. Rhode on the other hand is still looking at you with a soft smile. She's known you for a long time and she recognizes how much progress you've made since you first arrived at the academy. She looks proud of you.

The rest of your morning training goes really well, and you are allowed to leave for awhile to get yourself a drink. After pulling the bucket from the well, you take several long gulps and pour some of the water over your head to cool down.

It's then that you feel something gently tap against your foot and you look down to see that a small, wooden ball has rolled over by the well.

"Excuse me." A sweet, shy voice comes from behind you, and you turn to see what has to be the most beautiful girl you've ever laid your eyes on. She's about your age, with auburn hair that falls around her shoulders in perfect curls. She wears a blue, silk toga that matches her eyes and she looks at you with an innocent, timid expression that makes her look like an angel straight from the heavens. "Can I have my ball back please?" She asks you sweetly, holding out her hand.