Keeping to the rules I set for myself, here's a brief origin story I wrote for the competition. The limit was 2000 characters, so I was kinda forced to reaaaly shorten it
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The air sparked with Jupiter's lightning, and the earth trembled under the thunderous roars of the blood-lusting crowd as two men squared off against each other in the blood-soaked coliseum.
Madness brought about by the complacency of unending victories filled the coliseum with euphoria as the spectators awaited the last man standing with bated breath.
All but one man.
High up in the stands sat the royal entourage. Amongst them, Otho Zenon, son of Leonidas Zenon and chief adviser to Septimus Linius, Caesar VII watched the proceedings with disinterest.
Another Saturday, another massacre day.
He sighed as he took some fruits from a female slave and munched on them, praying the battle ended sooner faster than later.
"What's the matter Zenos? You look less than pleased," Caesar inquired, glancing at his long time friend and adviser.
"This fight bores me. I have seen enough of this coliseum to last a lifetime," Otho replied.
"What is this, my friend? Did the baby cause you to grow a conscience?"
"Nothing of the sort, I assure you. I only feel the coliseum is on the verge of losing its grace."
Caesar frowned as he leaned in closer. "Explain."
Otho cleared his throat as he brushed away stray strands of hair from his face. "No one enjoys watching these worthless slaves kill each other more than I do."
"But?"
"But with time, it has gotten stale with the same repeated formula. They kill each other, you choose their fate, and the lions eat them. More times than most, we have the same victor emerging in every battle, the betting parlors have begun to stale too."
Caesar nodded. His senators had mentioned something similar. "What is it you suggest?"
Otho perked up. "A death race. Same as before, we let the slaves race for their victory. It can be by chariot, horse, or foot. They are free to kill each other on the way, but regardless of kills, only the first to cross will be crowned as the victor."
"Sounds ambitious. What will be its name?"
"Prix... Grand Prix."
