Ashen

Execution

The mass of moving bodies enveloped Poppilia and her friend as they followed the crowd to the small town arena, where the blood would be shed. As the two girls entered, they found a decent vantage point from which to watch the action. The prisoner was shoved into the arena by two gruff Roman soldiers, the gate locked behind him.

Frozen in fear, the man stayed close to the edge as an animal was released into the stadium. A lion.

To make the games more entertaining, the Roman keepers had a habit of starving the lion two to three days before an execution, resulting in a very, very, hungry beast. Unfortunately, this one, however, ambled to the corner, where it sat. The crowd screamed in frustration.

"Eat him, you stupid beast!"

"He's right over there!'

"Shred that murderer!"

Seemingly unbothered by the jeers and screams, the massive cat looked up- and immediately spotted the prisoner cowering in the opposite corner. Its ears flicked straight to attention. Picking itself up, the lion assumed a predatory position, and slowly started inching toward its prey. The crowd's cries ascended to a roar.

The man ran. With all the force he could muster, he thrust his legs as far forward as they could go and ran to the right upper corner of the arena, farthest from his predator. He desperately tried to kick up dust, only tripping himself. He picked himself up-and ran straight into the wall.

The lion turned, then bounded toward his noon meal. In seconds, the cat had cornered his lunch, and he wasn't about to be delayed a minute more. Snarling, the cat lunged.

Suddenly, there was a collective gasp.

Davina gasped and strained her neck. "Did he eat him? I don't see anything." She stood on her tiptoes.

A man next to them pointed to the base of the auditorium and yelled. "Look! Someone pulled the prisoner up! Where is he?" There was shuffling in the stands.

    Suddenly, a seemingly invisible force shoved people aside, knocking them over like Dominoes. Cries erupted amid the commotion. The Roman guards were shouting in confusion. Suddenly, a blurred force barreled in front of Poppilia and her friend. Mouths agape, Davina turned to her friend.  "I-it looks like a man! What's he doing?" Poppilia could only stare.
A nearby woman cried out. "Zeus! Is he chasing the prisoner?"

Racing towards the exit of the small arena, the blurry figure lunged at the prisoner, who was now cornered by a small throng of people guarding the entryway. Soon he was on top of the escapee, wrenching his arms behind his back.

The soldiers were on top of him in no time, their spears pointed at his neck. The throng of observers blocked the girl's view, but a minute later the man was mercilessly thrown into the pit. He lay on the ground, the wind knocked out of him, as the lion pounced.

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The crowd watched in now silent, apprehensive interest as the lion gnawed the carcass, but at this point, Poppilia, with no iron stomach, looked away. Her gaze was drawn to a small circle of people surrounding a tall, tanned male. They appeared to be praising him, but what for? Poppilia took a step closer to the circle. She caught the words "speed" and "strength." He must've been the one who tackled the prisoner, she thought. Her gaze lingered a moment longer. She assumed he was in his early twenties. No older than twenty-five, she decided. Perhaps twenty-one. He had dark brown hair, falling in soft curls to the nape of his neck, with the stature of a patrician. His perfectly sculpted nose pointed to decidedly full lips. And his glacier blue eyes were trained intently on her.

A/N: Whoo! Who do you think he is? What will he be like? Comment down below your opinions and don't forget to vote or share!